SPA REVIEW | Top 10 Spa in Metro Manila 2010 to 2020

Disclaimer: All photos used in this blog article are not owned by the writer and were sourced from Google and Twitter. No copyright infringement intended.

To the young and budding spa enthusiast, it is always a thrill to find the best spa experience in Metro Manila. I know because I used to be exactly in those shoes. I know how difficult it is to find reviews and recommendations. Back in the day, the Internet was not really popular so we had to rely on what little information we had. And this was in the late 90s and early 2000s. We had to actually experience before we can cast our judgment and stick to what we feel was fit for us.

Ah, the those were the days na talagang kelangan mo mag plan ng maayos kung paano at ano ang gagawin mo para mapuntahan ang spa na gusto mo puntahan, kasi hindi pwedeng spontaneous - mahal ang taxi. Kung jeep naman, mahabang lakaran. So prior sa pagpunta, kelangan may idea ka na kung saan ang location, until what time ang operation hours at magkano ang fees. I remember nagpunta ako noon sa isang spa called Premier City Club. It was located in Gilmore and I arrived around midnight. To my dismay, sarado na ang spa. Sa Quezon City pa ako noon nakatira so sobrang panghihinayang ko sa effort at taxi, sabi ko lipat na lang ako sa ibang Spa. So I went to City Lifestyle Spa and Fitness Center (you can read more about my experience by clicking the link).

So what I am saying is that, ang daming learnings namin noon which we had to personally go through for us to understand that there are certain rules to observe when spa hopping. Mabuti nga ang generation ngayon, they only have to Google and the information is served, mainit init pa minsan.

And for this week, we enumerate my top picks of spa in Metro Manila. But first let's have a look at some runners-up.

Runners-Up:

Waterleaf Spa

Location: 26 Columbia corner Yale St, Cubao, Quezon City

Open: 5PM-12MN | Closed on Wednesdays

Contact +63 917 643 5370 | +63 929 735 8424

I only visited this spa once out of curiosity. It was for a time the talk of the town, so siyempre I wondered kung ano meron. Di pa masyado uso noon ang smart phone kaya walang waze or google maps to guide for the location. Ang tanging clue ko noon, Columbia Street sa Cubao. I remember medyo padilim na noon at umaambon pa kaya I was not so keen. Sabi ko nga, kapag hindi ko nakita itong massage place na ito ay OK lang at uuwi na ako.

At dahil mahirap talaga siyang makita, I almost gave up na. But lo and behold, nakita ko siya after ko mapansin yung green signage na Waterleaf. Jusko, finally at di nasayang effort at pamasahe ko.

photo credit to @spadiktus of Twitter

Kala ko naman kung ano meron dito. Pero in case you are wondering - so pagpasok mo may reception and then after mamili ng service, akyat ka na sa taas through a spiral staircase. Yung changing room at shower ay same area lang so pag may nag-sho-shower makikita mo siya sa locker area. By the way, dalawa lang ang kasya sa shower at a time. Kaya di advisable pumunta ng peak hours.

After makapagpalit, dadalhin ka na sa massage area na madilim (at malamig). Massage will take place right after. Pero pramis, wala namang special.

photo credit to @spadiktus of Twitter

MBay Spa

Di ko pa na-try ang spa na ito pero marami namang magandang reviews sa kanya kaya pak, kasama siya sa ating runners up.

photo credit to @_spatted of Twitter

Mahalta Spa and Wellness Center

Isa pang hindi ko pa na-try ever kasi may kalayuan sa kabihasnan. Nasa New Manila na sila ngayon along Commonwealth. Pero marami din maganda reviews.

Hoja De Laurel

Hoja De Laurel used to be Bayleaf, located along Quezon Avenue. Malapit ito sa Fisher Mall at Uniqlo. OK naman ang facilities nila and meron din sila steam (at a cost). I recommend yung Turkish Bath package nila. May slight body scrub na yun and then massage. In terms of massage, it wasn't so special and medyo focused lang sila sa likod. Not so much sa harap. Pero masarap naman ang experience and it is worth the money.

Wensha Spa Pasay

Nung nagsisimula pa lang ako sa aking mga spa hopping, Wensha used to be my go to place. It was very popular in the early 2000s kasi they provide food and massage. Sulit na sulit, plus the facilities were top of the line and the people are usually good looking and you can say na may economic power. Masaya din ang mga ganap sa Wensha and you actually meet friends here. It's for men and women so it caters to all but it became really popular sa mga beks back then.

I remember my first group meeting with some beks online friends was here. They were managers, lawyers, corporate executives - I felt so assured to be surrounded by people na may mga narating na sa buhay. I was only 22 then and I knew little of the world kaya I easily get impressed.

photo credit to @alphamale0831 of Twitter

I also remember the time I went here alone because I needed some me time. I saw this really cute guy with his GF, and I knew they were couple because they were so sweet sa dining area. But that didn't really bother me, so I sneaked into the locker area and slipped a piece of paper in his locker asking him to call me. It was so funny of me because why would a straight guy do that. But I learned one valuable lesson in this experience and that is, you cannot expect anything serious from spa encounters.

Anyhow, massage wise sa Wensha I would say, it wasn't so worth it. Inconsistent ang strokes ng therapist kahit pa sabihin mo na make it hard. 

Now we move on the top 10 spa in Metro Manila. Tandaan na ang basis ng list na ito ay according sa massage technique and ganap na rin. Trew!

10 | Urban Refuge | Location: Mandaluyong

Bago pa lang ang Urban Refuge sa industriya kaya wala pa ako masyado masabi sa kanya; and to be honest, di ko pa rin siya na try. Pero according sa mga reviews, magaling naman ang mga therapists at may mga hitsura din.

9 | New Lasema Spa Jjimjilbang | Location: Makati

Sa lahat siguro ng mga spa, Lasema na ang pinaka bongga. This is as close as you can get to an authentic Jjimjilbang or bath house in Korea. What I liked the most about this place is yung tea pool nila na kulang na lang inumin mo yung tubig dahil ang lakas ng essence ng tea (papasok sa ilong). Amd of course yung ice room nila na pasabog din. And also kung bet mo kumain ay available din ang mga Korean food nila - which I normally order ramyeon and eggs, plus shikye (rice juice).

photo credit to @nolitalala of Twitter

Masaya din ang mga ganap sa Lasema, although very mahigpit ang mga bantay kaya don't expect too much. Tama na ang mga nakaw na sandali. Bet din ang mga tao dahil mukhang rich kids ang mga utaw. Normally mga young and wild pag madaling araw but you have oldies in the morning till evening.

photo credit to @BlueBubbleVB of Twitter

Di ko lang talaga bet yung sleeping area kasi sama sama yung mga tao and they tend to make kwentuhan kaya maingay. Konti lang naman din ang mga caves for sleeping so I won't recommend the place if bet niyo magpahinga.

Related article:

Lasema Spa & Jjimjilbang (Makati City)

8 | Yamachu Spa | Location: Malate

I have known Yamachu from a small group of beks friends and during the early days around 2013, it was the go to spa ng mga tao around the Manila area. Which means dito usually naglalago ang mga chinito from China Town Binondo. Pero mas popular pa rin siya sa mga Japanese and Korean tourists na usually lasing sa madaling araw.

photo credit to @mr_stark08 of Twitter

Maganda ang wet area since they have the hot and cold pools. Meron din sauna (na sobrang init parang may nilalagang itlog). And best of all, no clothe policy sa loob ng wet area so fully naked ang mga tao. You realize many things kapag hubad ka na. Nare-realize mo na beneath it all, we are equal. May mga daks at juts, pero we do not usually care about it kapag out in the open. To some extent, we are only fascinated about the human body because we do not see it on a regular basis. Pero sa Yamachu, magsasawa ka.

photo credit to @Maria02Serquina of Twitter

The only down side of Yamachu is the massage. The massage was so lame it wasn't even worth it. That's why people only come usually for the wet area to bath and eat afterwards. Fast forward to 2020, the facilities have degraded and I think it is only a matter of time before it closes.

Related article:

Yamachu Spa (Mabini, Manila)

7 | I'M Onsen Spa | Location: Makati Avenue

Still on my bucket list, and have not ever tried yet because it is quite pricey which comes at 2000 (discounted at 1500). But I also read a few good reviews about the buffet; the massage was not so amazing but not bad either.

6 | John Matthew Salon and Spa | Location: New York Avenue, Quezon City

Location: Diego Building, 1801 E Rodriguez Sr. Ave, Cubao,Quezon City

Contact +63 9178173784 landline: 6547007 / 6223497

John Matthew Salon and Spa (JMSS) is an odd one in this list. I usually categorize JMSS in the lower tier because it is not a spa but more of a massage parlor. But despite the small size of the place, their massage technique is quite unforgettable. They can deliver deep tissue massage at the right pressure. 

photo credit to @spadiktus1 of Twitter

Wala man ganap sa JMSS pero ang massage nila is enough. I swear, uuwi ka na masaya.

Related article:

John Matthew Salon & Spa

5 | Hopemed | Cubao, Quezon City

Tulad ng JMSS, maliit lang ang space ng Hopemed sa Cubao. Pero mas malawak ang marketing campaign ng Hopemed and they were able to penetrate the right niche. They are famous for their otso and lomi signature style massages. The massage was great and it delivered. Uuwi ka na masaya.

The only thing with Hopemed is that they are almost always fully booked kaya need magpa-reserve in advance if pupunta ka. May hitsura din ang mga therapists nila kaya di ka madi-disappoint. OK din ang ganap although masikip sa sauna at sa shower area.

photo credit to @ESpaTripper of Twitter

Related article:

Hopemed Spa (Cubao)

4 | Amistad | Tomas Morato, Quezon City

I remember Amistad used to be located along Quezon Avenue back in the day and it was not so popular then. Pero nung lumipat sila sa Timog, things started changing. All of a sudden naging venue sila ng mga top tier people sa ating gay community and it was only in 2019 that I knew why.

Amistad is located on the second floor of a building in Tomas Morato. You can't miss it because it has a very prominent sign board all written in bold red, "Amistad". It is probably one of the most expensive spas in the metro (next to I'M Onsen Spa, of course). But the price is worth it because it has a nice ambiance and they serve cookies and tea.

The wet area is pretty small and can fit 15 people at a time. The steam is big dimsum maker. I kid you not when I say that it is very hot inside this steam (both literally and figuratively). I suppose because of the price, it attracts the more wealthy segment of the competition and by that you get people who are more or less at par with economic status.

photo credit to @myalternative27 of Twitter

Massage wise, this spa doesn't really deliver much. Strokes are inconsistent and does not fully give you the relaxation you are looking for.

Related article: 

Amistad Spa (Quezon Avenue)

3 | SM Kenko | Location: Pasay

Located in Pasay, this spa has been in my list and finally visited last 2019. It has one of the best reviews among all spas which they say rivals the massage technique of New York Spa. So I was very keen to give it a try. And I am very pleased to say that it did not fail to deliver.

The massage was excellent, I even dozed off during my session. And the therapists were kind and gentle (and good looking too). The wet area has a cold and hot pools; and they also have steam and sauna - both are extremely hot. It's a bit difficult to stay too long.

Moreover, they have a nice dining hall overlooking the Manila Bay and their food is nothing short of satisfying. The noodles after the massage is always a treat.

Related article:

SM Kenko ( Pasay )

2 | New York Spa | Location: Timog, Quezon City

New York Spa does not need introduction. It was one of the pioneers in this industry and one of the biggest key players in the spa of Metro Manila. In the early days, NY Spa used to be the go to place for massage and meetups because it is housed in the same building as that of a Chinese Restaurant popular to chinese food lovers.

photo credit to @mr_stark08 of Twitter

But it is the massage that really makes NY Spa a stand out. The stroke and pressure is very consistent compared to all the other spas and you can rest assured that back and front will be done in an efficient manner. 

photo credit to @spadiktus1 of Twitter

photo credit to @spadiktus1 of Twitter

Plus, they give free fruits and coffee in the lobby.

Related article:

New York Spa (Timog, QC) - 2013
New York Spa in Timog, The 2019 Revisit - 2019

1 | Infinity Spa | Location: E. Rodriguez, Quezon City

So our final pick for our list is none other than - Infinity Spa in E. Rodriguez. It is relatively new and most of its facilities are kept in good condition, which means the wet area shower, sauna and steam are working perfectly well. The massage beds and rooms are all in good shape and even the lobby deserves commendation because it is clean.

photos credit to @fuentes_macoy of Twitter

But more than that, I think the people who work in Infinity Spa are the true gems in this place. They make the customers feel so at home that everyone keeps coming back. Kudos for all you kuya and ate.

The only thing they really need to improve is the quality of their massage. They need to invest as well with their therapists so they can have a more consistent massage techniques. It is not really awful, but I do think that the massage can still level up some more.

Related article:

Infinity Spa

What is your favorite spa in Metro Manila and what's so special about it? Share them with us by commenting below.