Most fun I've had at a spa or sauna ever. By FAR the most fun I've had in a cold plunge (It really…read morehelps that you're alongside a friend or new acquaintance who is toughing through it to 5 minutes with you!) Gorgeous, humongous, proper hot, and dare I say social sauna? Loved it. And the selection of hot teas? (Insert chefs kiss gesture). Perfect for a cool day, even better for a rainy one. And this is just the beginning. The expansion plans are impressive and well laid out on the website and in the inner entryway. Can't wait to go back. Met more likeminded and fun people in two hours here than over the last two months. What a pleasant and unpretentious take of social spa-going. PS: as photographed, also learned about karma. And not in some enlightened sense, but the simple fact that if you beg the proprietress to up the heat in the sauna with a splash of water in hour one... she might come back while you're four minutes into your cold plunge with a three to five pound bag of ice.

Alchemy Springs has become one of my favorite places. I didn't expect that much from a sauna - but…read morewow does it have a noticeable effect on my mood. Every time I leave I feel incredible--almost euphoric. For us American's who are just learning that the rest of world does this - and not home alone but with other people. It's too little too late and all the more reason to go. The space itself is beautiful, peaceful, and unbelievably clean. Every detail feels intentional, and you immediately sense that the owners care deeply about the experience they're creating. One of the biggest surprises has been the people. The staff and guests are warm, interesting, and genuinely kind. It feels more like a community than a business, and I've had some unexpectedly great conversations there.

Lovely experience all around, I see why people come here to get pampered! Felt super refreshed and…read morerejuvenated afterwards would highly recommend trying if you've never been to a Korean type spa or just in the area (have to book in advance!) Facilities were clean and lovely, they have the spas and massage rooms on the first floor and a clay and salt room on the second floor. There is a vanity room where there are plenty of snacks and water/coffee/tea for you to rehydrate yourself with. I believe you get an hour before and after your appointment to enjoy all the amenities. And if you get the scrub highly recommend coming early and softening up your skin in the spas beforehand. I got the silverbell 1 hour message, which comes with the scrub, massage, and also a hair wash. The lady was super gentle and checked in on me whether that was the water temperature, scrub pressure or the massage strength. I thought with everything going on in this it might feel too rushed but time felt well budgeted.

Actual rating: 3 1/2 stars…read more Women only spa by appointment only. Day passes available but only the day of if there happen to be cancellations. Otherwise, you'll need to book a service at least a month in advance. It's situated in Japantown. If you're driving, I recommend parking in the garage as street parking is either by permit and limited to two hours. They kindly pushed our scrub time to later since one of our party members was running a bit behind. This is the first Korean place I've been to where they requested you come an hour earlier versus thirty minutes. Seemed like a long time to soak. There's also no clock inside the actual bathing area, so difficult to keep track of time. Also, first time going to a Korean spa where they want it to be absolutely silent. I get that they are going for a relaxed environment, but kind of difficult to just soak for an hour and not chit chat amongst ourselves. The shower/soaking area is on the smaller side and for some reason, they didn't have any stools for the sitting bathing areas available. There's one hot tub, one ice tub, a dry sauna, and steam sauna. This would have been more of a three-star experience for me if not for the scrub. My ahjumma, Lee, was great; very attentive and did a very thorough job! Not mentioned in the list of services, but they also wash your hair and face as well as part of the thirty-minute scrub. After our scrub, we headed upstairs to try out the Himalayan salt room and the red clay room. They had staff cleaning throughout so they definitely take cleanliness seriously. Locker room area has lots of Aveda product toiletries and blow dryers available for after. As we were leaving, they gave a face and eye mask which was much appreciated. I can see this being a go-to place if you live in the city, especially if you prioritize relaxation and cleanliness. Just be sure to make an appointment ahead of time.

Came here with a gift card and it was so nice!…read more Good: - Went on an all women day and really liked how it wasn't packed! - The place was super clean - Everything was explained to me well - The hot sauna cold plunge was so good! I also liked the steam room since you can rub salt all over you - The hot sauna was really good temperature and I liked that they had a clock inside - The cold plunge was the perfect temp and you can also see the clock - The hot pool was surprisingly amazing and I stayed in in longer than I planned - The hot tea and cold towels were a big plus Bad: - More on the expensive side - I also got a massage but it wasn't super memorable Overall would come again!

Nobody asked for a Kabuki vs OnsenSF comparison, but here…read moreyou go. 1. $$$ Price Kabuki is $49/pp 2.5 hrs OnsenSF in the tenderloin is $50/pp 2 hours 2. Environment & Ambience: Kabuki has a much wider space, calming music, great ambience, wonderful smells and decor. OnsenSF is a dining space when you enter and spa in the back. Everything looks modern and nice, relaxing environment despite being located in the tenderloin. 3. Hot Tub: Kabuki has a rectangle shaped hot tub as opposed to OnsenSF's square shaped tub. 4. Cold plunge: Kabuki has a cold plunge that's perfect for people who don't need it to be extremely freezing. OnsenSF has a cold shower with many heads in place of a cold plunge. Both are enjoyable experiences 5. Steam Room: Kabuki's steam room is also rectangular as opposed to OnsenSF's square room. Kabuki's steam room also has a shower to rinse off excess salt and sweat before entering the common area. 6. Showers: At Kabuki, there's also a line of stools for the seated handheld showers where you can fill a tub of water and pour it over yourself in addition to the traditional shower stalls, where OnsenSF only has the traditional showers if I recall correctly. 7. Sauna: The sauna was great because you could adjust the heat by moving up the wooden bleachers. There was also plenty of space to stretch out and lie down. There were wooden half-cylinder blocks to place under the neck and back to promote blood flow. My partner's favorite standout was the salt scrub they have that's free to take at the refreshments table. You use it to scrub away dead skin in the shower and steam room. My favorite was the bowl of towels buried in ice cubes that helped me keep a cool head in the hot tub and sauna room. I will say that the thing that makes OnsenSF stand out is their dining pop-ups, but there's plenty of dining options on Fillmore and in Japantown. I would definitely go back to Kabuki again. The experience was incredibly relaxing. Highly recommend.

First time went to unwind and actually really enjoyed the community vibes…read more They offer everything you need to relax, there's honestly not a lot of places like this and I appreciate it. Two things that I can't ignore and hope management reads this. 1. There is room for improvement on the locker room getting so crowded. 2. Do NOT trust the sandals. They are plastic and incredibly slippery when wet. Since they are not sized to the individual, it's dangerous. I slipped out of my sandals and fell down the stairs in the large Russian Sauna. This resulted in multiple abrasions and a large laceration on my forearm and I actually got stitches for the first time. Sandals have to be fixed, there's stairs everywhere here. The people in the sauna were super nice and helped me, luckily, I'm pretty fit, but it could've been really really bad. Credit to the staff for not charging me for my time there, honestly, I would've rather paid and left uninjured. I'm not 100% sure that I would return, it just happened today so maybe in time that will change.

Came here for a dinner experience as well as a 3 hour soak in the banya experience!…read more Good: - It wasn't busy Saturday at 4:30 pm! We got a lucky break - They added a super beautiful sauna with an amazing view on the top floor, loved sitting here and reliving the feeling of being in Finland Saunas - I love the aromatherapy experience! It's super hard to sit through it all and I didn't make it all the way but I basically got through the last round and the cold plunge after felt so great - The food experience was amazing, I loved the tom yum soup with chicken - it feels great to do 2 hours into your experience - Ample spots to sit and I have only felt the squeeze in the hot tubs Bad: - It can get quite packed during peak hours so try to visit when there's less people, otherwise it gets messy and a bit dirty too

Most recently I had a 60 massage with Eva who is one of the best therapists I've had here. I had an…read moreacupressure massage and she was very good, checked with me often about the pressure and was able to release tension in my neck that has been there for years. I have been going to this spa for a few years and have had consistently excellent experiences. I have tried every wet treatment , scrub and combo along with a variety of dry room massage services. The first time I had a scrub I was a little shocked at how effective it was. While the exfoliating technique is between medium and intense, the results are undeniable. The basic scrub is 30 minutes but I highly recommend going for the body scrub acupressure 90 minutes service. Having tried all the spas in the area I can say with confidence that the water temperatures at Imperial are the most reliable. The hot tub is perfectly scorching and the cold dip is perfectly icy, almost unbearable, as it should be. They offer hot and cold water, sometimes have tea. They have a really nice selection of hair dryers to use on the way out, Dyson style. I prefer to go during the week when it's slow but I have also found that during the busiest of times here, the staff does a great job of enforcing the rules of silence. Overall I have enjoyed every single experience here. I can't post pictures because it's not allowed to take photos inside, but the facility is clean, inviting and enjoyable.

First time checking this place out. Not bad for a $100, 45-minute "Swedish massage," though the…read moretechnique was a bit unexpected. Instead of the usual kneading, there was a lot of poking, finger-tracing, and some elbow work. I ended up opting out of the back-walking part. The facilities are a bit tight--the parking lot only has five spots, and the steam and sauna rooms only fit about 4-5 people at a time. The men's and women's areas are separate, which is nice, but the shoe lockers don't actually lock (though you do get a bracelet for your main locker). A few quirks: the water cups are so tiny they are like shot glasses, and they leave the massage room doors open during the session. I think I'll try Kabuki Spa next time to compare.

This is my safe space. Being a psychotherapist dealing constantly with severe mental illness, it's…read moregreat to escape and shall I say... "Reboot." I like my floats in dead silence and darkness. I'm left at peace listening to my heartbeat gallop away as I breathe. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about my experience. I do love this place and recommend it to everyone. I do wish I had one of my own but this clamshell of a pod is massive lols

Had a really great float experience at Reboot! It was my first time trying float therapy and the…read moreattendant walked us through the steps and guidance. Each room is equipped with a shower, the float pod and basic towels an shower products. The float experience itself was so cool and it really helps you clear your mind and meditate in a peaceful, zen environment. The facilities felt very clean and comfortable as well. After floating, there is a powder room outside with small hairdryers, some more hair and facial products to help you get ready again to head out. Definitely a good experience and I can see people add this into their self-care routine on a regular basis!

As someone who loves a solid workout routine, finding the perfect post-gym recovery spot is…read moreeverything--and Perspire Sauna Studio in Berkeley completely delivered today. The studio is pristine, welcoming, and set up for total relaxation. I booked an infrared sauna session and added on the HaloOne halotherapy (salt) treatment, and it was pure bliss. The infrared and red light setup is fantastic. Because it uses light wavelengths to heat your body directly rather than just making the room stiflingly hot, it gave me a true, heavy, from-the-inside-out thermal sweat. It felt incredibly detoxifying and did wonders for my tight muscles after hitting the gym. The absolute highlight was the halo treatment. The specialized unit mounted on the wall releases a smooth, calming stream of micro-salt particles that fills the booth. Breathing it in felt so refreshing for my lungs, and the visual of the steam filling the space added a whole new level of zen. Sitting there with a fresh cooling towel, absorbing the red light therapy, and letting the halo stream do its magic was the ultimate luxury. I left feeling completely rejuvenated, light, and relaxed. If you are looking for top-tier recovery or just a private, peaceful escape to sweat it out, this place is a must-visit in Berkeley. Excellent facilities and an amazing experience!

Love this place! I purchased the unlimited and my fiancé has the 8x monthly. He's a trucker so it's…read moreharder for him to come in. It's only been about a month and I'm hooked. The staff is always so sweet, the place is always so clean. I just LOVE this place!!!

Lovely place to go relax and recharge. The outdoor hot tub was clean and the surrounding areas were…read morewelcoming and soothing. Customer service was excellent with lot of care given to keep the space quiet and calming.

What a disappointment. My first session was AMAZING! Being that I need massages once a week to…read moreevery other week, I was happy to have found this place. I get a call that the massage therapist quit and after a lot of back and forth, we make another appointment. I told her the date that worked and she told me the time. So I planned my day around my appointment. The day before (today) I get a call and I'm told that they need to change the time because it's "inconvenient for the massage therapist". WHAT?!?! They wanted to push my 90 minute massage from 3:15 to 4 pm. What insulted me was calling me the day before as if clients don't have anything else to do AND tell me the appt time was "inconvenient". I cancelled my appointment and will never go back

Wonderful experience and a clean facility! I was so sore after running the SF Marathon but after…read moretrying out Reboot's fire and ice, I felt so much better after. Alysia and the rest of the staff were so welcoming and great! I'm so excited to come back!

Love this place. All of the staff is amazing. But a special shout out to Kate! Thank you so much…read morefor being so helpful in tracking down the items I left in one of the rooms and making sure they got back to me safely. You're the best! Cheers! Johnathan

I came here for Mothers Day , got a massage from Sumi , & it was wonderful ! The tension in my back…read morewas released by a pleasantly unexpected stepping on my back method I didn't know I was getting . Sumi was professional & was great w/ communication during the service . Whether if it was pressure , specific area to focus on , temperature of the hot stones used .. she gave a great experience . Also , SHES REALLY SWEET ! It was a good vibe of having little conversation & quiet time to just relax & enjoy . I really appreciated the friendliness & also the peace given . Now my fav fav part . ( infa-red sauna ) I'm an advocate for the health benis of a good sauna .. let alone an infa-red one ! Is a MUST add on if you can . I took my massage first , then sauna to relax after to help w/ the detox & then took the shower afterwards to freshen up . Was given plenty of water . & I honestly didn't pay attention to parking for this review .. I got passenger princess treatment . I did see some street parks though !

This place is clean, organized and HONEST!! I booked online while out and about & they called to…read moreconfirm. When I got there they were flexible with what I wanted and what they thought would be best. I had Jenny who worked out my knots and adjusted when necessary. But this is where I can't say enough good things. I took my wedding rings off and one accidentally fell into the trash and I didn't see it happen! I realized after I walked back to the hotel one of them was missing. I WAS FRANTIC! I ran back and asked them to please look. Jenny found it in the trash. I was so relieved for her HONESTY and INTEGRITY. I hugged that woman, thanked her profusely and tipped her with more cash. That was such a close call and I am grateful for Jenny & nice reception staff who took me seriously. The emotional intensity was real. Thank you Jenny!