Those pictures look nothing like the place. Came here and after waiting 45 mins after my appointment to be seen, I had to go to the emergency room the next morning because the neck injury this spa gave me. I don't even think they are licensed because of the treatment they gave me that ruined my neck. I now am a 25 year old girl with 2 bulging discs pressing up against my spinal cord in my neck due to this massage. They are also going to try to sell you on a package to buy multiple treatments in advance because they know you're going to have such a terrible experience. I am now in physical therapy for the next 6 months. Thanks, illa spa. DO NOT COME HERE. I REPEAT. DO NOT COME HERE. read more

I never leave reviews, but this spa is located near my job and I was searching for a threader. I walk in and everyone seem pleasant and welcoming. The only down side was that my appointment got pushed back and I was almost unable to make it. I made it and I love my eyebrows, the woman who did them listened as I wanted to keep them thick and my eyebrows are jacked up I must note. So I'm happy I've found a place to go to and I hope they keep up the service and quality of work! I will be back and I would definitely recommend you try this spa out! read more

PLEASE READ AND BUYER BEWARE let me paint a picture for you all - purchased a couples massage on Groupon and called to confirm appointment and to confirm we could use Groupon deal on the same day. "No problem. " fantastic- well not so fast. Showed up and we're immediately asked to sign a consent form straight out of a 1970s health class. Asking for all sorts of personal and non essential questions related to a back massage. Then are told bluntly and matter of fact that the Groupon rate would not be accepted and that we were to pay their normal rate and could redeem rate 3 weeks later. Fine. Not going to let this whole sheared ruin a planned date we were looking forward to. Sitting there for a 7pm appointment after already being asked to reschedule 3 times via text that day. 25 minutes go by and no communication by rude front desk lady. Finally - after about 30 minutes - *allegedly* it sounds like a cross between a happy ending massage and a baby pig slaughtering noises coming from grimy back room. Sounds never heard before in any context. We start to get nervous as anyone would. 30 seconds between the violent groaning and utter silence that no one acknowledged. 40 minutes go by we had enough. In our mind- this special night and massage was supposed to be relaxing and peaceful but personally - after the homeless man sitting outside the door and the dirty floors/ sketchy consent form/ violent moans/ unwelcoming desk women- we were more concerned with making it out alive and not becoming a feature on a future 20/20 episode. If you're looking for more of a horror movie type experience - this is your spot! Would be more relaxed and at peace at a funeral home if I'm being honest. read more

The beau and I each had a 60-minute Swedish massage from Groupon, which was we were able to do as a couples massage, which was really nice! The beginning was sort of weird, as we arrived about five minutes early, filled out our paperwork, and then sat... for 25 minutes.... I had reached the point where I was going to give them five more minutes and then ask to be rescheduled (I had a family engagement immediately following the massage, so any later would have messed that up), and then we were ushered into the couples massage room. The massage itself was fantastic, though I should admit that it was only my second massage, ever. Nicole did an excellent job working through my stress spots and making sure i was comfortable the whole time. My bf thoroughly enjoyed his manssage, and when it ended, neither of us wanted to get up and leave. I would definitely recommend Illa for folks looking for an affordable, quality, relaxing massage! I also was excited to see they have threading, though I didn't try it out. read more

Very mediocre. The massage is mostly elbows shoved into your back and the masseuse scraped nails against me a few too many times. They also gypped me of 10 minutes but I didn't bother fighting it (it wasn't that amazing plus I got a Groupon price) which brings me to the tip at the end. The masseuse shamed me for tipping 20% of the Groupon price saying customers usually tip higher. I've never been been tipped-shamed at a restaurant. read more

Bought a groupon for like $35 for an hour massage that I couldnt pass up! This place would get a FULL 5 stars for just the massage itself. My masseuse had strong hands and really worked the whole body perfectly. However, the whole place is a little weird. You walk in and it's pretty bare bones. The individual massage rooms dont have walls that go all the way to the ceiling, so noise can be an issue. Also, there was a bit of a language barrier between myself, the receptionists and the masseuse. Definitely not a fancy spa experience, but, if youre like me and value a quality massage over the frills of a fancy spot, then this is a good place to look. I do appreciate that you can make appointments online super easily, but a confirmation email would be nice to confirm that the booking went through. read more

Today I had a facial and massage in the massage was amazing and the facial was definitely decent a little bit rushed but I would definitely consider coming back read more

I must say it was my first time in DC and Hanna was the sweetest to me. She took her time massaging me from head to toe. She concentrated on the core parts of my body while having relaxing music in the background. She showed me that she was well knowledgeable about her type of work. I will definitely be coming again if I come back to D.C. read more

Illa Spa - Hair Removal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We will never get to find out what massages at ILLA Boutique Spa are like, even though we were looking forward to trying them out. Their customer service is not up to par because these folks don't comply with their stated Groupon policies, so be very careful that you don't lose your Groupon! My fiance purchased us a Groupon for a couples massage here. Unfortunately because of illness, we had to reschedule. He was very clear with asking them at the time of rescheduling whether they would honor the Groupon - it was still valid when we were scheduling, but expired by the time we would come in. They told him they would honor it since we scheduled the massage prior to the Groupon's expiration. On the day of the massage, they called him to tell him that there was an issue with the Groupon - it had expired! Well, DUH. We knew that and so we asked them in advance. We spoke with their manager, and they would only honor it for face value. If we knew that, we would have picked a different day - it had only expired a few days ago! UGH. What a waste of our time. We hope that Groupon refunds our money because these guys don't stick to their own policies and seem to change them on the go, depending on who you speak with. Too bad for Illa Boutique - they lost potential future clients. read more

My boyfriend and I went here recently for a couples massage, and absolutely loved it. Our masseuses were meticulous and conscientious and the massage was absolutely wonderful. And, they had a special going on so we didn't find it very expensive! All around positive experience. read more

I used the couple massage Groupon for my boyfriend's birthday today and it was perfect!! We left there feeling calm and relaxed. Looking forward to going again. read more

David was an amazing masseuse! Totally worked out the knots in my neck through a deep tissue massage. He was friendly and informative throughout. Recommend! read more

Service is extremely poor. My partner and I had an appointment scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 AM. We were looking for parking and were going to run five minutes late so I gave them a call to give them a heads up. However no one picked up. We promptly arrived at the location at 10:35 AM and no one was at the reception desk. After waiting for a few minutes a staff member came out, and immediately let us know that we weren't going to have our couples massage that day because her colleague had just quit that very same day. She offered to reschedule us for another time and gave us a 75 minute massage as opposed to the original 60 minute one as compensation. All was fine but we were confused because they did not inform us ahead of time of the change until we arrived in person. However, we understood that things can happen last minute and so rescheduled for the following Sunday at 11 AM. Two days before our rescheduled appointment we received a text message saying that our appointment was canceled, followed by another text saying that it was not. Confused, we called the spa a day before our rescheduled appointment to confirm. They then told us that 11 AM still worked but that we needed to arrive by 10:45 AM because we needed to sign some papers, otherwise our massage would only be for less than an hour because they had another appointment scheduled right after us. We let them know that 10:45 AM could work but they had promised us to extend our massage from the last time to 75 minutes and were curious if that was still an offering. They had forgotten about making that offer and so then asked us to come in at 10:30 AM instead to make the 75 minutes work. This all has been a very poor service experience because again, had we not called they would not have let us know about coming in earlier and would not have remembered honoring their 15 minute extra massage. Regardless since we had already paid through Groupon we decided to go with the 10:30 AM appointment. On Sunday when we arrived at 10:30 AM, no one was at the front door and it was locked. We waited for about five minutes before someone showed up at the door and finally let us in - even after they made a big deal about coming in early so we can finish the massage on time. The actual massage was good but the service all around was very poor, coupled with extreme lack of communication, failure to follow through on promises, and consistently did not put their customers at the forefront of their priorities. Would not recommend due to the service and scheduling. read more

Received a groupon gift. Made an appointment online - very easy process. A lady who made a message jumped on top of me and put her knees on my buttocks. Yes, literally, she was on top of me!!!! SMH... I was thinking it is not a Swedish massage that I expected. And she was not 110-120 lbs. She was more than that. I told her that she hurts me, so she jumped off. Then, she started to massage me but she pressed one spot for 65 secs (oh yeah, I counted). She pressed me so hard and I asked her 12 times to lower the pressure. Oh yeah, 12 times for my 60 minutes massage. Do your math - it is every 5 minutes. Also, when she pressed with her fingers, she pressed so hard so I can feel her nails dig into my skin (and yes, I had marks after it). I asked her to stop but she pressed again. One time, she pressed so hard on my upper back, so she crunched something on my right side... as a result, I made an appointment to see a chiropractor because I cannot get rid of terrible pain she caused. If a chiropractor confirmed that a masseur caused my pain, I need to report this place (or even worse). PS. I was a good customer and left 18% tips after this experience. PS2: Cannot wait to go back to NYC to have my massage done by licensed masseur. TIPS: Asked to show a license before having a massage at ILLA read more

This spa is clean and the staff are both welcoming and attentive. The esthetician took the time to explain the difference between the two types of wax she used on me. I was satisfied with the thoroughness of the Brazilian wax; no post-appointment, at-home touch-ups were necessary. read more

If you're looking for a place with amazing reception and fancy waiting area, this place is not for you. This place is about the service and massage that they provide. I've had lots of massages in my life however by far the one I got here is the best. My masseuse was Kandra, she was very attentive to every sore muscle and had a great skills. She is only there on Saturdays and Sunday's. I had an amazing session that I booked my next one already. I highly recommend this place read more

Not good. I got a combo Groupon 60min massage and 60min European facial. I arrived and there was a misunderstanding about the appointment as they only understood massage. Had to schedule facial at later date. The massage wasn't necessarily bad, but it was weird. I'll give credit that the girl tried. I just don't think she had much experience. The facial later was a total fail. It lasted about 25 minutes (not 60) and I don't think the products were very good. They again acted confused when I said that I got an hour-long facial. They agreed, but seemed to not care that I was rushed out in 25 minutes. I wouldn't recommend. read more

Absolutely rude and unprofessional service, and from the previous reviews it seems like I'm not the only, should have checked here before getting my Groupon for this place. I was denied so many times for my bookings and when I finally called and got a date squared away they cancelled my appointment. I tried my best to be patient but she would not work with me regarding finding a date that would work with my schedule, I was having trouble understanding her and she proceeded to yell at me to the point that I had to calm her down and she still did not try to work with me to redeem my groupon. At this point I don't even want to use it after the treatment I received today and will be getting a refund. read more

I booked a 60 minute couples massage for myself and a friend for her birthday, and I must say, it was one of the best experiences I've had in a long time! I have been to many different spas around the DMV area hoping to find one I liked enough to return to---and I've definitely found it with ILLA. I most certainly will be coming back and requesting Georgie again because it was one of the best massages I've ever had. They were super accommodating with booking such a last minute appointment and even honored the highly reduced groupon price so that I did not have to go through the trouble of creating an account and purchasing the voucher. When I was concerned that without the voucher I would have no proof of the reduced price, the receptionist offered to send me a confirmation text/email--- which was very much appreciated! As for the massage itself, my Therapist was Georgie (sp?), and boy was he an amazing! Not only was he highly skilled, he was very professional--and most importantly-- attentive! I never had to ask him to lighten up or assert more pressure because he could tell when my muscles tensed or relaxed. He focused on the areas I asked him to at the beginning of the massage and worked through all the knots between my shoulder blades (which I've been told is like a landmine). By the end of the 60 minutes, I felt like a brand new person! As a side note, I also liked that the lotion(oil?) they used did not have too strong of a smell and was very light, not oily. I am already planning my next visit! read more

I've gone to Illa for several services now including waxes and massages, and I have never been disappointed. Their staff is so kind and goes the extra mile to ensure it's a quality, comfortable and relaxing experience. Everything is so clean and tidy - and they're constantly doing deals, which makes it very affordable. I can't recommend them enough! read more

An absolutely horrific spa experience. We arrived to police presence and a irate employee demanding payment from the manager. People were yelling at each other in the waiting room - not ideal for relaxation. This continued once we were in the massage rooms, and the walls don't actually join the ceiling, so you could hear everything. The massage itself wasn't great either - the masseur clearly hadn't had a lot of training and didn't use appropriate pressure. We won't be going back. read more

I purchased a Groupon on 12/5 and then booked a massage for that same evening. Illa cancelled on me within seconds of walking in their spa. I then booked again on 12/6 ....and again, my appointment was cancelled within 30 minutes of my massage because of a sick therapist. I have a text offering me a free 75 minute massage for my inconvenience but when I called I was told I could only use it if I came in later that night, which I could not. What business forces a client to use a compensatory offer the same day?? So, Illa not only cancelled on me twice with less than 30 minutes' notice each time, but now are not honoring their text offer of a free 75 minute massage. Apparently I'm supposed to give them another chance and yet again, rearrange my schedule. No way! read more

I usually get a massage about once a month and this place has been great. Very affordable and nice staff. It's not as high-end as some of the other spas in the city but I've had excellent massages every time. There has been a couple of instances where my appointment was delayed due to overbooking so they gave me complimentary services for facials and waxing. Hannah is the best, hands down. I would recommend this place if you are less concerned about aesthetics and want to receive a good massage at a reasonable price. read more

So the third time actually went well. My dinner plans were canceled so I was able to stop back in for a new attempt. Hannah was great at the counter and Marco - Sida was my massage therapist. Unlike the initial experience, Marco greeted me, looked over my paperwork, and was very communicative prior to and during the massage. He had great pressure doing more of a deep tissue/pressure point massage which I thoroughly enjoyed. The linens and awkward space hasn't really changed. There definitely needs an upgrade, especially on the towel over the headrest - it became uncomfortable after a bit. This experience was a great improvement over the first one and certainly offered a new perspective on the establishment. Hopefully they continue this level of service versus the first experience I had. read more

My boyfriend and I received a 60 minute couples massage from Hanna and Daniel this week- and boy were they excellent! The massage room was relaxing and clean and Hanna was very conscious of the temperature, comfort of the beds, music volume and our overall experience. The massages themselves were wonderful-we both left completely relaxed. My back is extremely tight and Hanna was somehow able to loosen up my shoulders and lower legs without hurting me- something that not many massage therapists can do! I highly recommend supporting this new small business - you'll be happy you did :) read more

I found Illa on Groupon and was a little freaked out by the negative reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised by my experience. The place is definitely a little janky/sketchy looking, but I enjoyed my massage and the therapist (Priyanka) was friendly. I understand why some people may not have felt super relaxed in this atmosphere, but it served its purpose for the price paid ($45 plus tip for 60min massage). read more

This place is lousy! It is an extremely hostile place and zero customer service. I bought a groupon to be told it would not be honoured. And the front desk staff (claiming to be manager and then owner) burst out screaming!! (Zero forewarning here) that she cannot honor the groupon because we are second time customers. I explained calmly to her that no one on the phone told me this when I made the appointment over the phone with the groupon. She screamed saying that it is not her problem and that it's not upto staff to ask those questions. She claimed that groupon had those details and I told her that they didn't. All good! But the constant yelling and shrieking was killing!! Horrid!! She said I was Indian, i needed to be thrown out. Racisim to the T. This place is crazy!!! read more

Went in for a Swedish massage with Kiki and it was incredible! She was very receptive to my personal preferences, which made the experience even more enjoyable. A very relaxing massage overall! read more

Went here on Mother's Day, had a great experience.. Relaxing massage, nice atmosphere and relaxation. Would return for another massage.

I had a great experience here with Hanna. A full Brazilian wax took about 12-15 minutes and was thorough and pleasant! Could ask for nothing more! read more

Absolute scam. I ignored the other reviews and booked anyways because of the price. DO NOT GO HERE.

Great for a lunch time massage, right in the middle of the city.

Most unprofessional person I've ever encountered. This place is unsanitary. How can you allow people to come in and not have wipes handy. On top of that, she talks to you like a dog as if it's your fault she chose to become an esthetician. What makes all of this worse, is they demand a 15% tip on top of the Groupon stating it's a "requirement" and I must pay it. The esthetician jumps in and says "get out, I don't need your money, I'll get it from someone else, you're unprofessional." I was floored that the owners of this establishment would ever hire someone like this....this also includes the receptionist. I have them a 1 star because there's no options for zeros. read more

BUYER BEWARE: If you have purchased any time of discounted voucher prepare to be treated like a 3rd class citizen. I purchased a Groupon for a 60 minute couples massage. The fine print clearly says to book two individual appointments for the same time which I did about 2 months ago. We arrived today for the appointment, filled out the paperwork, and were told we needed to wait 5 minutes by the lady at the front desk. An Indian woman then came out and told us that only one appointment was booked and their weren't enough therapists to accommodate us and that only one of us could have a massage or we could come back at a later time. We then logged into MyTime (their booking app) to check what had happened and saw that one of our appointments had been cancelled (see photos). Looks like they saw an opportunity to allow someone paying full price to have one of our appointments and canceled ours. I asked if they're just going to inconvenience the customer and they simply responded yes. I've opened a complaint on Groupon for a refund since I was refused service after following the instructions. I will never come back here! They've lost the opportunity to take a Groupon customer and make them a regular recurring one. Shame on you Illa Spa. read more

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I love and trust going to see Hannah for waxing services. She is fast, friendly, and really good at what she does. Thanks Hannah!

I called to ask questions regarding the Groupon since there were a lot of bad reviews regarding it and the lady gave me one word answers. She was not helpful at all and in all honestly sounded sketchy. I asked if I could book an appointment for today at 6:30 and she said no we don't have that available and I asked could you tell me what you do have available and she responded with "no." I said I'm sorry? And said I have to go online to book. read more

I found this place from using a Groupon and am so glad I found them! I have been searching for a place that did organic waxing and at a minimum, not painful waxing, for 2 years. I was so impressed, I bought a package deal and have continued to buy them for the past year. I love that you can book an appointment online. You also get a text message and email if you would like. They are super flexible with same day appointments as well. It's walking distance from DuPont Circle Metro station which is another big plus! The owner does a lot of the work herself and is always pleasant, courteous and happy. I've also had a body scrub, facial and Swedish massage - all which were very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend trying them out at least once and see for yourself! read more

I booked a couples massage for Valentine's Day and it was a great experience. We did not wait for more than 5 minutes and it was a great deal. I had a male masseuse that stretched me and applied the right about of pressure. I had a full body massage and left feeling completely relaxed. He was very attentive and careful about doing what would make me feel best. I think I have become a regular! read more

Here's the email I sent the spa on April 19th regarding my experience: "I visited your spa Friday, March 30th, in the evening. Pregnancy hormones are causing embarrassing hairs to grow on my chin that I've been getting threaded for the last few months, and I was thrilled about the idea of switching my business to you because you're in a more convenient location. I called at 7:00 to see if I needed an appointment and was told there was an immediate opening, which was wonderful. "Unfortunately I had a terrible experience with the person who treated me (if this person is an esthetician I'm guessing they're new at it) and I am writing to ask for a refund. First, the assumption was apparently that I was there to get my eyebrows threaded. I never said I wanted my eyebrows threaded, and when I realized that's what the woman was preparing to do I reminded her I was only there to get my chin threaded. She seemed annoyed by this, and acted like she was in a hurry in general. Although I was in a beautiful room with calm music playing, her demeanor was so uptight and rushed that the experience was anything but relaxing. She ripped out my hair, slapped a thick gel on my chin, said "okay," and left the room. I thought she might be going to get a mirror so I could take a look at her work, but she didn't return. I noticed a small mirror on the wall, but the room was so dark that I couldn't see anything. I reluctantly left the room and went to pay. "At checkout, I was told that the charge was $15. I questioned this since the website said $9 for chin threading. The receptionist checked with the person who treated me and was told that the front of my neck was threaded too. I wasn't aware I needed treatment on the front of my neck (by her that night or anyone else who's threaded my chin), I definitely didn't ask her to treat the front of my neck, and I don't even recall her spending time on the front of my neck! The receptionist offered to let me speak with her, but considering I could easily hear them talking I really didn't want to engage in what I imagined to be an embarrassing conversation for the entire spa to hear. I reluctantly paid the $15 and left. "When I got home and finally looked in the mirror, I was appalled at the job that had been done. There were many visible hairs, some that had been plucked and were stuck in the gel and others that weren't plucked at all. I immediately called (it was 7:45) and left a message on the answering machine asking for a call back. It's been almost three weeks and I haven't heard anything. Attached please find a photo of my chin, taken that night. "Please let me know how to proceed with collecting a refund." Here's the response I received on April 21: "thank you for reaching out to us. We apologize for the less than satisfactory service you received. We will look into this matter and get back to you with an update." It's now May 22 and I'm still waiting for the update I was promised and the refund I expect. read more

My boyfriend and I went for a 60 minute couples massage today. I was very disappointed with their service and professionalism. For starters, they were 30 minutes late to start. I got there 20 minutes early to fill out my paperwork and make sure everything was in order; however, they failed to mention that they didn't have a second masseuse available until 10 min past our start time when I asked them what was going on. After that, they promised we would start no later than 20 minutes past our time. They ended up starting 30 minutes late and then ended our time the minute the clock hit 50 minutes, when we were told we were getting 60 minutes of massage time. And no, we were not offered any upgrade or amenities for our lost time. The women who did our massages were talented - yes, but overall the customer service and timeliness was poor. read more