Watercourse Way

My aunt, sister-in-law, and I all had the Oasis package. This was our first time at Watercourse Way. Upon arrival there were no changing rooms, so we undressed/changed in the sauna/hot tub room. All of us couldn't bare the smell of the chlorine in the hot tub, so was didn't utilize the entire hour. More like 20 minutes, but no big deal. Oh, and the quality of the towels and robes were extremely cheap. While we were sitting in the hallway (what they consider their waiting area) for our massage, facial and foot treatment we could hear another couple having sex. Lots of moaning and groaning. Definitely a disappointing experience. We didn't complain to staff, just paid and left, but will not revisit.

Posted 05/06/09 | Report Abuse

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Ive been here multiple times for a room with a sauna and hot tub....very nice and relaxing. Ive never once had rude customer service. They have always been very pleasant and willing to answer any questions.

Posted 10/18/08 | Report Abuse

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I read great reviews and heard great things. I have never heard/been to a Spa that uses chlorinated water. Small room with steaming chlorine = WWI gas chamber. I smell of chlorine. my eyes are still watery a day later. A quick google search will show you many papers on the carcinegenic (ie cancer) effects of chlorinated water. 6-100 times more is absorbed through the skin and lungs with steam baths than by drinking. I paid over $100 to feel like crap for 24 hours?
I told them at the front desk that it was overly chlorinated, this didnt seem to concern them.
If you care about your health you will not go here until they change their water treatment - copper, ultraviolet light, anything will disinfect water without killing my health.

Posted 01/08/08 | Report Abuse

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The receptionist was so rude I decide not to make an appointment. Her name was Jennifer.

Someone referred me. I called to make a massage
appointment. A woman named Jen answered the phone
laughing and I could not understand what business I
had called because of the laughter. Therefore, I had
to ask her if it was Watercourse Way. She replied very
rudily. I wanted to book a $280 dollar couples
message. She was not very helpful and rude. I was very
pleasant to Jen so it was very hard to understand why
she was so rude. This completely changed my mind to
book an appointment. I told Jen she
was not very nice and I did not want to book a $300 appointment. She did NOT hestiate to say, "ok"
and hung up the phone.

Posted 03/02/07 | Report Abuse

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I really love this place. The have private rooms with hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, cold plunge tubs, showers, etc. Each room is different and beautiful. If you get a treatment, like a massage, you can relax in the room for an hour beforehand to really take advantage of a total relaxation experience. I've gone with a group of girlfriends before and it was a really fun way to spend the day.

PROS: private rooms, relaxing atmosphere
CONS:

Posted 10/04/06 | Report Abuse

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I love this place; it's probably a good thing it's so expensive (upwards of $26 an hour, per person), because otherwise I'd be here all the time.

The place has a great oriental theme in the waiting area/gift shop (with some amazingly cool gifts for amazingly high prices), but each of the private tub rooms has a different theme; one is very Moroccan, one is very modern/Japanese/minimalist, and so on. They have fairly good pictures of each of the rooms on their website.

You will most likely need to make reservations, and you'll likely want to make them at least 48 hours in advance. This place is posh, it's not just a gym with a hot tub.

I've never had a massage, but I've heard from friends that they're good. I'll need to try one sometime. But for now, I'm always happy with a good soak in the tub, and maybe a few minutes in the sauna.

PROS: Luxurious private tub rooms
CONS: Luxury isn't cheap

Posted 08/03/06 | Report Abuse

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Even with all the recent construction going on on High Street, Watercourse Way is still a zen retreat. I had a great facial there recently and find it to be a completely relaxing and soothing place. From the moment you walk into their lobby/store, you feel yourself start to relax. If only the tranquility could stay with you for days after...I guess that's why you have to go back.

Posted 07/25/06 | Report Abuse

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Watercourse Way is a beautiful oasis right in downtown Palo Alto. When you step into the spa, you are transported to an exotic temple somewhere in a lost paradise. The sound of rippling water, the smells of delicate herbs surround you. The space has been lovingly created and cared for, and this energy surrounds you during your precious time there. I did not try the massages or other services yet, we only used our time for hot and cold baths with sauna. I can't wait to go back for more. The gift shop is amazing as well. Friendly and helpful staff.

PROS: Beautiful environment, friendly staff, convenient hours
CONS: The good stuff always costs more doesn't it

Posted 05/14/06 | Report Abuse

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What a great treat if you need to relax. My husband and I have used this escape for years. They are a really great place to get a great massage and have a nice hot tub. It is a very peaceful environment.

shana

Posted 05/12/06 | Report Abuse

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Convenient location, deep tissue massage and
hot tub soak can not be beat for the price,
attentive staff, clean rooms, lots of lotions etc...
for purchase

Posted 05/09/06 | Report Abuse

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I have visited Watercourse Way in Palo Alto on several occasions in the past few years. They offer a wide range of ways to pamper yourself. I have received gift certificates for a combination hot tub/sauna and massage. The rooms are private and the service is excellent. I highly recommend this place to anyone whose back is aching after a long work week.

Posted 05/05/06 | Report Abuse

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I have to say that I was really reluctant to go to a hot-tub place. I know what people do in hot-tubs, and I don't want to be in water where people do that, but I tried it one time, and I have to say it wasn't that bad. The place was clean and pleasant. I highly recommend getting one of the rooms with the cold water plunge!

PROS: Clean and pleasant
CONS: Try not to think about what others do there

Posted 05/05/06 | Report Abuse

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From hot tub to facials and saunas to massages they have it all. Recently has gone through an extensive remodel and offers the most serene, calm and relaxing environment in the Bay Area. Hot tub rental are surprisingly inexpensive. Some specialty spa treatments can be a bit pricy. Alway friendly staff willing to help. HIghly recommended!

Posted 05/05/06 | Report Abuse

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Watercourse Way is an indulgent treat when you want to retreat from the everyday world. While the spa has a high volume of clientele, I never feel rushed or that my privacy is compromised.

Posted 05/03/06 | Report Abuse

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Watercourse Way is a warm and relaxing spa. It is not a snooty joint where you feel initmidated by some dazzling looking specimens. I was given a certificate for a massage by my wife. After some long weeks of hectic work, this was the perfect gift. Bless her heart! I was given a wonderful massage. I slept through half of it and felt so good when I woke up. The masseuse was friendly but not overly so, considerate without being chatty. The massage was worth 10x the price.

PROS: warm, relaxing, classy
CONS: seemed to be under construction

Posted 05/02/06 | Report Abuse

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Always hard to get an appointment. When you do manage to get in you have to wait between services in narrow corridors with not enough seating.
Every time we have been there the massage therapists try to sell their "other business" wherever else they work chiropractor or whatever.
I don't like to be cahtted up when I want quiet and relaxing time.

Posted 05/01/06 | Report Abuse

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I recommend getting there in advance of any service. I love the fact that you can take a hot tub, for a small additional fee with your massage or treatment, as long as you book in advance. I would make sure that the hot tubs aren't too hot, before undressing. We went once and it was too hot to sit in and then you don't want to have to go to the front desk and get another tub.

They have great massages and treatments

PROS: Great setting, great tubs
CONS: Tubs tend to sometimes run way too hot!

Posted 05/01/06 | Report Abuse

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Watercourse Way is perhaps the best place to relax on the Peninsula. Book a private tub room for an hour or more and choose a sauna or steam room if you like. Each room has a different room with mellow music and a relax area. Go with your significant other and enjoy the freedom that this space provides as all rooms are soundproof and totally private. The experience is something that you will want to do again and again and again.

Posted 04/26/06 | Report Abuse

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Watercourse Way has great private hot tub rooms. The massages are also wonderful, especially after an hour in the hot tub rooms. You feel completely relaxed afterwards.

Posted 04/24/06 | Report Abuse

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This place is fantastic. The setting is calming, the service is outstanding, the massage therapists will add years to your life. It is reasonably priced given the beautiful, soothing decor and the VIP service.

Posted 03/13/06 | Report Abuse

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I consider myself to be a manly man--I lift weights, I drive a truck, I know how to whistle, the list goes on and on. Still, I can't help myself, I like a good spa day.

My favorite spa activities are hot tubs, steam rooms, and deep-tissue massage which is why Watercourse Way is one of my favorite spots. They have private rooms that you can schedule that contain a great redwood lined hot tub, a eucalyptus (or some other aromatic herbal extract) infused steam room, a multi-head shower, and a comfortable place to lay down and relax for a while before you don a fluffy robe and shuffle off to your massage in borrowed slippers.

The massage therapists at Watercourse are superb. Just the right amount of pressure and attention to muscles where I carry all of my ultra manly stress and tension.

I also like the Japanese inspired decor. It is upscale and tranquil in a very understated and gender-neutral way.

This spa isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but the prices seem fair considering the downtown PA location and the extreme relaxation a visit ensures.

Posted 03/10/06 | Report Abuse

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I have only been here because someone else gave me a gift certificate for a massage. Both times I've been there I've had a good experience. But I've only see the lobby and the one room where I had my massage.

Posted 03/09/06 | Report Abuse

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This spa offers a wonderful, relaxing environment from the decor to the music and friendly, skilled staff.

They offer private hot tub & sauna rooms. The massage was great!

Posted 03/05/06 | Report Abuse

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I've had several treatments at Watercourse Way -- massages, seaweed and mud wraps, and facials -- and I've been very happy every time. The aestheticians don't try to sell products, appointments always start on time, and prices are comparable to other Bay Area facilities.

Posted 03/05/06 | Report Abuse

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Extremely relaxed, peaceful, calm. That's how I felt after my visit to Watercourse Way. They are very professional. Their indoor environment is wonderful. Their services are exellent.

Posted 03/03/06 | Report Abuse

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My boss gave me a gift certificate here a few years ago and since then I have returned many times. They provide many spa services, but I have only been for massage. The atmosphere is very serene and the massages are thorough and relaxing. The masseuses are responsive to how hard or soft you like it and don't chatter with you if you don't want to.

Posted 03/03/06 | Report Abuse

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What a treat this place is! The staff are attentive and courteous. The tub and treatment rooms are clean - and I am a stickler about cleanliness (I don't even want to see a strand of hair on the floor!). The rooms are well-appointed with no detail untouched. Each room has its own decor, all done tastefully where you truly feel like you're at a retreat. They also use and carry top product lines (i.e. Jurlique, Epicuren) but do not pressure you to buy. A great experience whether you're just going for a tub or a full treatment (although I recommend full treatments).

Posted 12/21/05 | Report Abuse

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Watercourse way used to be my favorite and my friends like it too. A few years ago I would have recommended Watercourse Way but we've (my husband and i) have been disappointed with them recently.

We felt that it was a bit overpriced and the quality has dropped. There is a relatively new spa (Thermae Day Spa) in Menlo Park which my sister has been to and was very happy with. So we are going to try that one next

Posted 09/08/05 | Report Abuse

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I love to get a hot tub for an hour before an hour long massage and if you go before 4 pm there is a discount! They provide robes, flip flops, shampoo, lotions and your choice of rooms, some featuring cold plunges or saunas. The massage therapists are all top notch, and I leave feeling like a million bucks. They also offer facials, body treatments, and have a gift shop area. It's pricey to go everyday, it's but nicely decorated and a classy atmosphere.

PROS: Provides lotions and other extras, excellent staff!!
CONS: on weekend nights it gets full of couples using the private hot tub rooms!

Posted 07/28/05 | Report Abuse

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this spa offers a variety of massages and facials. i personally love this place. this spa has a very relaxing and calming evironment with professional employees that help relieve your stress. i guess the prices are about average because it's not that cheap and at the same time not TOO expensive. i like how they are sanitary and organized witht their stuff.

Posted 07/01/05 | Report Abuse

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this is great way to relax. the spas are SO NICE and it makes you never want to leave. i usually go here on my free time and i enjoy it so much! it's a necessity in my life. the massages are SO GOOD! they're very professional and the service is really good. the prices are fair, but not cheap! enjoy!

Posted 05/02/05 | Report Abuse

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Day spa that offers a variety of services. I enjoy the variety of massages that are offered and the great customer service.

Posted 11/25/04 | Report Abuse

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