SomaSpa

Got a voucher as a present. Went in today to try and book. Despite the spa advertising that it opens at 10am, there is no one who actually does massage during the mornings, except at the weekends, which doesn’t work with my schedule. I wanted a weekday morning appointment as my children are in school then. Really disappointed by the service at the front desk too — the guy couldn’t confirm the timetables of any therapists and couldn’t refund my voucher.
I had heard good things about both the gym and the spa but this is the second time I’ve been in and been disappointed. Last time was when I won a week’s trial but when I went to the front desk, no one knew anything about it, said they’d get someone to call me, but they didn’t! Don’t think I’ll be going back and I’ve got a voucher here that will now go to waste.

Five stars specifically for Rosanna! I went in for a sports massage– I usually like deep tissue massages, but didn’t feel like spending more than was on my gift certificate– and it was like she could read my mind! One sign of a good masseuse is that they can tell from your body what you need, and she was clearly paying attention. Having had plenty of mediocre massages elsewhere, I can’t recommend her highly enough. Plus, as mentioned in other reviews, SomaSpa does plenty of specials, so it’s decently priced. I bet that as that Balance location gets more popular, those specials will end, so go now?

I had heard about the great specials that SomaSpa runs (e.g. monthly massage membership) and had thought about giving it a go. Wow! What an amazing experience!
Naturally, like most of us, I put a tremendous amount of stress on my mind and body on a daily basis. I’ve been doing CrossFit for almost a year and a half (body) and between work and hobbies (mind), I’m one stressed puppy! I definitely need a massage from time to time to relieve the stress «mountain» that builds up inside me.
My trip to SomaSpa was top notch, from start to finish.
Before my arrival, I received both an e-​mail and phone call reminding me of my appointment. With my busy schedule, these are must-haves…Prior to my appointment, I was rushing around doing errands. I got there with only a few minutes to spare. It was my first time at the location and I must have had the ‘deer in headlights’ look. The front desk person inquired as to the reason for my visit. She guessed that I was there for a massage. She handed me a robe, towel and asked if I wanted slippers to wear. She guided me to the men’s locker room so that I didn’t get lost and introduced me to my massage therapist, Jay.
The locker room is very clean and appears to be constantly maintained. I put my clothes in the locker provided to me and donned the robe to head to a new blissed out state of mind. The massage room was impeccably clean and had indirect lighting (nice touch) and soothing music.
I can’t say enough about how thorough and amazing Jay is! We had a brief conversation regarding the reason for my visit and any outstanding areas that I’d like to focus on during the massage. He really listened and applied everything I told him to the massage. He worked on muscles that haven’t been worked on in my other massages and that definitely were toting some stressballs in them. Apparently, my piriformis (my new word of the day) needed some work too and in addition to relaxing that muscle, he gave me some great stretch work to do on my own to keep it that way!
After leaving my temporary nirvana, Jay provided me with some soothing fruit flavored water to help purge the toxins.
I left SomaSpa feeling rejuvenated and very relaxed!

I recently visited SomaSpa for a 50min Swedish massage. I selected this spa based on customer reviews on Unilocal and in the Washingtonian. The spa is inside Balance Gym in the Glover Park area. I am always up for a spa day and based on the strong reviews online, I had high expectations for this place. I was disappointed in the spa itself, but not the massage. I give the massage five stars and the service and location two stars.
I checked in at the front desk 30 minutes before my scheduled appointment. The person at the front desk didn’t ask my name or the time of my appt, but she did ask if I had been there before. After I said, «no», she handed me a waiver form to initial and sign. Next, she asked me my shoe size and gave me orange slippers, a robe, and a towel. She handed me a locker key and pointed to the locker room. She told me that I could change in there and then to go up the steps to the spa. That was it! I realize that this spa is in a gym, but I still expect better service and the basics (a hello and welcome, an overview of the location/​facility, directions on the locker, etc.). This was my first visit to a gym spa so I didn’t know what to expect. All of the other spas that I have visited have been in hotels, resorts, or stand alone businesses.
The locker room is small with an open area for changing, 3 – 4 showers, a steam room, and a sauna. Thanks to the online reviews, I knew to look for the steam room and sauna — it was never mentioned when I checked in. There are also two doors on one side of the locker room, each labeled «water closet» which I learned were bathrooms. I found this out from the Spanish speaking woman who popped in to straighten up. I picked a random locker and tried to use it — my key didn’t work. I looked closely at the key and saw a number on it and realized that it went to a specific locker. Of course, the number on the locker that matched my key had fallen off.
After I changed, I went looking for the steps and headed up to the spa. Naturally, I expected to see someone at the top of the steps or a sign. That was too much to expect. At the top of the steps, there was a roped off workout area that was empty, an employee area, and the spa area which consisted of three orange chairs, a bench, and a water pitcher. As a spa vet, I knew the routine and sat down on the bench. The chairs looked worn and fading. They need to be updated ASAP! I sat down and was not feeling very relaxed at all. No one else was there and no one came by. I sat around for a while and began regretting this visit. Eventually, a massage therapist came into the area with a customer who had just finished a treatment. She was smiling and seemed grateful. They went away and another pair came into the area. This was a different therapist and she finished with her customer and greeted me and told me that she would be right back. I began to feel a little better and was hoping to get away from the (not very relaxing) relaxation area.
The therapist returned and introduced herself. She took me to a treatment room and provided a quick intro. This is where the visit turned around. The massage therapist was energetic and kind, and the massage was outstanding! It was one of the best massages that I have ever had. She initially asked me about the amount of pressure that I liked and followed my request perfectly. It was total relaxation. The therapists and treatments are why SomaSpa has strong reviews. If you want luxury and pampering from the moment you walk in the door (I typically do when I’m paying big bucks), then go elsewhere. If you want a solid, good massage and don’t mind a no frills atmosphere, then go to SomaSpa.

I come here regularly for Eyelash Extensions from Murissa, she is by far the best person I have found in the DC area.

When it comes to massage, I’m extremely particular. Of the dozens of massages I’ve had from different masseurs, none has motivated me to write a review, until now.
Just a bit of context: I train hard, mostly cross fit, and also have a fairly physically demanding job, with frequent transatlantic travel. After an intense winter of exertion, both at the gym and at work, I was feeling pretty beat up. I decided to book a massage, and as a Balance Gym member, thought I would give SomaSpa a try.
i booked an 80 minute massage with Jay on a Sunday afternoon, and had not specified the type of massage I wanted or needed (i.e. swedish, sports, etc). First, the facility itself is nice– they gym is small but well equipped, and it’s easy to park on the upper section of Wisconsin. The spa itself is lovely. The men’s locker room is well appointed, has a great Sauna and Steam Room, and has all of the little amenities you’d like at a nice Spa (plush robes, slippers, etc).
The massage itself was absolutely phenomenal. For me, it was pure ‘therapy’- Jay knew precisely what issues my body was having without having to tell him, and very quickly I knew to trust this therapist with my body. He spent a considerable amount of time working on specific issues, and after 80 minutes on the table, I felt relaxed, renewed, and 2 inches taller. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever worked with a masseur with hands that were that intuitive.
Overall, phenomenal massage, and excellent all-​round experience. I will certainly be back.

I must say everyone at soma spa is very friendly and accommodating. The locker rooms and showers are pristine. I have had many massages and facials and never been disappointed. I have recently started getting eyelash extensions with Murissa. She does an awesome job and soma spa by far has the best prices in town for eyelash services!

I was in town visiting a friend and on my first day got a sinus infection and felt under the weather and just not well. My sister booked me a lymphatic massage here with Rosa. BEST MASSAGE OF MY LIFE. I highly recommend this place. My sister and our friend also got a massage here and they had equally «that was the the best massage I’ve ever had» experience also! I wish I didn’t live so far away.

The hot stone massage from Rosa is the standard by which I measure all other massages. Whenever I am in DC, I make time to visit SomaFit. I feel good all over like Stephanie Mills!!!

This is a review for SomaSpa — Eyelash Extensions
Murissa is amazing at eyelash extensions. I’m so happy with them. She is the best :)

I went to Soma Spa for a massage and would not recommend it, or would suggest that you watch out for poor communication.
My masseuse indicated that she could and would go deep but was unable to except when reminded every time she moved to a new area of my body. And afterward, when I asked her, she admitted that she does not go that deep especially in the lower back muscles because she is afraid she would hurt the kidneys (not a concern I had ever encountered).
Then, the place closed the moment we emerged from the massage at 7pm and they wanted us to hurry out because the building was closing; we had not been warned that we could not take advantage of the spa facilities and anticipated relaxation.
Bummer.

I recently organized a spa party here and Marlies, the spa coordinator could not have been more helpful. They are so accommodating and offer a ton of different options in treatments. The facilities are super clean and there was always someone throughout the day tidying and constantly cleaning up the shower room/​sauna area.
The spa is situated within a gym and as a guest of the spa, you have access to the gym and yoga/​pilates room. We didn’t take advantage of this, as we were more interested in relaxing, but a great bonus.
Some of the girls in the party told me that it was the best massage they’d ever had and I would have to agree that my massage was great! One of the girls got a cranio-​sacral massage and she is still raving about it. My massage therapist was communicative and really wonderful. I’ve had quite a few massages and my massage at Somafit ranks pretty high up there. I had an aromatherapy massage and I was just getting over a cold and I felt I could breathe better all day after the massage.
All in all, I would highly recommend anyone to go for a solo massage or book a party. Like I said, they were great to work with and I stopped by a few times to finalize things and check out the place. The spa area is beautiful and a good size compared to other spas around the area. I will definitely going back for massages myself and hope to book another girls weekend there!

looks pretentious, but it isn’t.
if you book a massage, request larry. before i hopped on the table, he asked me some good questions about how i was feeling, how much pressure i preferred, and what areas to focus on. i could tell he listened b/​c i floated off the table feeling 100% relaxed and happy.
the facial i received was also quite good, although i cannot recall the name of the esthetician who took care of me. she recommended a good product, but wasn’t pushy about the sale.
the only mild critique is that the steam room could’ve used a little lavender or peppermint essence. what i really appreciated was their attempt to bring me back to the spa w/​coupons for free classes for me and a friend. thanks soma fit! i’ll be back!

I had a massage from Charla with a birthday gift certificate and she was amazing. Nice, deep, thorough massage. She actually went over 10 minutes so make sure to get her last appointment and maybe you can also get extra attention.

I must admit, I’m a fan… Somafit is insanely convenient for me — my office is a hop, skip, and a jump away — so one day a couple years ago, I decided to stop in.
As soon as you walk in, you’re struck by the clean modern interior. They have a very nice looking gym and pilates studio, although I have yet to try it out. Despite its presence at the front of Somafit, there is no sweaty gym like smell when you walk in. And it never feels crowded — key for a relaxing environment, I’d say.
The front desk staff is very friendly and welcoming. They’re also very flexible in appointment scheduling. Ruled by procrastination and last minute urges, more often that not, I will call or stop by day of and am able to get appointments same day. Once you’ve checked in, you’re directed to the locker room — it has everything you might want — and upstairs to the spa. The spa is a warmer version of the same modern interior with dimmer lighting, comfortable seating and a variety of reading material.
I haven’t fully explored the spa’s services, but I’ve been pleased with everything I’ve done — especially the massages. Here I must sing the praises of Nikia. She’s great! I’m a full believer in deep tissue massage, and Nikia has magical hands. As any good masseuse she asked me before hand if there were any spots that she should focus on, and as she worked on me, she definitely spent a good deal of time releasing the tension in my shoulder, but also found a couple of other places that were holding a great deal of stress that were causing strain in my entire back. I left the massage relaxed and in a wonderful mellow mood. It’s about enough to convince me to commit to regular massages.
The one thing that keeps me from giving Somafit 5 stars is the prices… it’s a bit pricey. But for me, the sheer convenience and flexibility balances out.

It reminds me a bit of the spas in Vegas which I love. What I mean is that it’s got great ambience. it’s the kind of place that you can relax at for a bit before and after the service (instead of just rushing in out and for the massage itself). I had a Calming Massage. It was nice, though not necessarily the best massage I’ve ever had. What makes this place great is the clean lines of the décor, the heated massage bed, and the overall ambience. I loved the steam room. However, when I went to shower, I have to admit that the water never seemed to get hot enough.

2 of my best friends and I decided on this place after a week-​long spa get away plan failed. It was such a delightful experience. We signed up for a package that included a 1.5 hour yoga class, a 50 minute body massage, and use of of their chic spa facilities. The yoga class was great. It consisted of some meditation, some power yoga, and then some poses that required a little more concentration. (for those in the yoga-​know, it was Iyengar based).
I had Tameka for my 50 minute massage and she was awesome. I was in seventh heaven after she got out these tough knots in my thighs. I left feeling very light on my feet and went straight into the steam room, and then sauna, and then the steam room, and then the sauna. This went on for about an hour. Finally satisfied, I went in for a shower.
The facilities are very clean. I was impressed how few people there were. It was great to have both the steam room and sauna to ourselves. Also, they provide unlimited towels, a warm bath towel, and flip flops (which is key since I always forget mine).
The customer service was great. really friendly, nice and informed. The whole day cost us about $ 120 without tip, which I thought was totally worth it, considering how good I felt afterwards.