Rhythm Spa

I have going to Rhythm Spa ever since I moved to Toronto, I usually see Maria. The spa itself is clean, modern, and beautiful décor. I have been to a lot of places for a Brazilian and Rhythm Spa is on par with some of the best places in Toronto. Quick, clean and (relatively) painless. They see me right away and I usually didn’t have to wait at all. They have amazing deals to offer, and let me tell you the service is also excellent. The location is good, as long as you are looking for it, as it is on the second level. I will definitely be back!

Came here for a spa package I bought on groupon. The admin/​secretary wasn’t the friendliest. She did a good job on my eyebrows though.
The spa itself was mediocre. Don’t expect anything luxurious. Massage was on point. The masseuse was an absolute gem!
Disliked the pedicure station. The seats were uncomfortable. My mani/​pedi polished chipped in no time.
Also — one of the only places that made me pay for the tax for the groupon???

Not going to lie, I was looking for a place to get a last minute massage on my day off. I called my regular spa, but she was completely booked. I tried a lot of places until I came across this one.
I read all of the reviews on google and Unilocal before I went, and let me tell you I did not raise my expectations too high, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got there.
The Location is a bit hidden, I was half an hour late to my appointment due to transit issues but once I got there I couldn’t find the place! I called Maria and she gave me instructions and still took me in even though I was very late. I found this to be very nice considering they had a lot of clients.
When I walked in the vibe was fantastic. Had some real good dance music playing, a coffee bar, and I absolutely love the purple walls!
I didn’t wait too long to get in, and something I really enjoyed was that they kept using my name. When my specialist came out to get me, Maria said «Cheryl is here to have this, this, and this done. «Rather than, «Oh she’s over there». I really liked that because even the most premium spas have made me feel like a dollar sign rather than a person.
When I walked into the room I was in shock. The lights were down low, the relaxing music was playing, there was a beautiful aroma to the room. I was in love with this place.
A lady named «Leena» I think, did my services. She’s a Ukrainian lady in case you decide to request her after seeing this review.
She was fantastic! The massage was incredible, it was almost like it was timed to the music playing which made me almost fall asleep. She really took her time on everything, and even though it was only supposed to me an hour it seemed like it went on for a little bit longer. This goes to show they are all about quality and not quantity.
The facial was even better. Something I really dislike about most places is that they put the steamer on your face for 20 mins and leave for lunch. Leena could tell I wasn’t a fan of the steamer, so left it on for about ten mins and started right away. She was able to tell me what type of skin I had, why I was having acne issues, what products to use, and how I can help my skin. This to me is huge, because she was super professional and knowledgeable. And she was able to relay this info to me without ruining the relaxing experience. At the end, she was very honest and said that she was supposed to massage my face before the mask, but she wouldn’t recommend it due to the acne bacteria spreading. Instead she gave me a longer scalp massage instead.
While the mask was on she gave me the scalp massage, and it was incredible. I was very impressed because the amount of facials I’ve gotten in my life, most of the time they put on the mask and walk out of the room to give you time to «relax.»
Next was the pedicure. The room was super funky, it was gorgeous. She brought me out a coffee and started on my feet. We had great conversation. I learned a lot about her and her life, and she learned a lot about mine. My biggest pet peeve is when someone is giving you a pedicure and the person receiving it is on their phone the whole time! It’s degrading and very rude. I would much rather make conversation, or even just close my eyes and relax.
After the pedicure I went up to Maria to pay. She made sure to ask if I liked my services and I let her know how much I liked the specialist.
I’m very pleased with their prices. I got a package for $ 90 which included a 1 hour facial, a 45 min facial, and a pedicure. Most places you go you’ll be paying $ 80 for just a massage. So this is a great deal. I saw them doing eyebrows as well, the sign on the wall said 8 dollars for wax or threading in case anyone is interested!
And lastly they have $ 45 massages on Wednesdays. You can bet I’ll be there at least once a month moving forward! Great quality service for such a great price.
A few cons on the experience, nothing too big:
I found there wasn’t much oil used, I’m not a fan of too much oil but it felt a bit dry
as well. Also there could of been a bit more pressure. Both of which are mainly my
fault because I could have spoken up and said something. Just an FYI in case anyone
goes in, you could always request a bit more pressure or oil beforehand?
And that’s it! Thank you so much for reading this review, and I hope you guys go
see Maria or Leena soon! :)

I came for a Brazilian on a Groupon deal. The spa has a very nice atmosphere, although the room I was in had a very dirty floor. Although the lady was very polite, the wax itself was not worth my money and pain. She kept going over the same spots multiple times, which didn’t matter anyways since I was left with a lot of hair that I had to wax off myself the next day.
Leaving my appointment, I had wax all around that region and even on my lower thighs. I had to sneak some oil to try to remove it all. I also noticed that I had a wax strip, with wax, UNDERNEATH me. Yes, it got stuck to my leg.
Overall, save your money. Don’t buy the Groupon. Spend a bit more and go to a more reputable place.

Owner is very friendly and makes me feel comfortable. Eyebrow threading is excellent! Also very reasonable prices.

I would really put this as more of a 2.5 stars, but I’ll err on the side of being positive.
I’ve been here a few times, after buying a couple of deal vouchers and I think I’ve had the full run of services: waxing, facial, massage, mani/​pedi. Basically the services are all acceptable, but not great. The spa really misses out on the details that make a spa experience enjoyable.
Some examples: They never offer you tea or water, they don’t give you robes and will move you from room to room for treatments while you wear a towel. They have no magazines at all, so when you get your nails done it’s pretty boring (ditto if you have to wait for your service), the pedicure chairs and uncomfortable and straight backed.
As for the actual services? Well, they’ve been okay. Nothing special. The bikini wax I had was fast and relatively painless, but I did experience way more redness and irritation afterwards than I’ve had at other places. The manicure/​pedicure was okay, but they left smudges of polish on my fingers and toes and my nails chipped within hours. The facial was fine, but it’s definitely a generic facial not customized to your skin type. Massage was fine, more of a rub down than anything.
The place is cheap and I think I got what I paid for, which is fine. I would never pay full price for any of these services. They do a $ 35 mani/​pedi special which is the same price as most of the walk-​in places, which I have found a) do a better job and b) have the extras that help (massage chairs, magazines, bottles of water).
So I guess just go there with the warning that you’ll get what you pay for.

Very small, dark, awkward environment. Went for a dealfind voucher, probably will never ever go back.

I have come here for wax several times, but its always been VERY inconsistent.
Sometimes the staff are wonderful. Sometimes they are rude. Sometimes they are efficient and do a good job. Other times, I feel rushed.
They seem to be consistently understaffed, which might actually be contributing to the problem. Good for a quickie wax, or if you’re in dire need. I wouldn’t expect to get a blissful spa experience here.

This place has deals on Groupon all of the time, which is actually what attracted me to it. My Groupon consisted of 4 — 45min sessions in the infared sauna and 1 — 60min massage.
I’ll talk about my massage first. Stassi was my massage therapist, and she did an incredible job. I was so relaxed at the end of it. The pressure was great, and she made sure I was happy without talking too much so I could just lay there and relax. I would definitely go back to her for a massage.
There is lots of room for improvement, and they seem to be proactive about doing so. For instance, during the times that I went, they were renovating the place, and even installed a little coffee bar.
The prices aren’t too bad, especially with the Groupon and they seem to have deals all of the time. It’s not as expensive as many spa’s in downtown Toronto, and you get pretty good service.
I took some starts off b/​c the customer service could use a bit of work. For instance, they forgot my appointment one time. I walked there after work and the place was closed!

I love this place and became an instant regular!
I am super picky about my eyebrows. Maria, the owner of Rhythm Spa, is absolutely amazing at threading eyebrows. It’s fast and painless. She knows how to create a beautiful shape for your eyebrows to best suit your face.
I’ve also had a manicure done at Rhythm Spa. I enjoyed my experience and my nails looked wonderful afterwards.
Maria is a very attentive business owner. She’s got a great personality and is very personable.

Some of the older reviews are puzzling — as Pouneh pointed out already.
I have visited this place to use my gift certificate for a massage & pedicure. I have booked 2 appointments to utilize that — I used their online booking system which is quiet handy and easy to use. Both days I got a call earlier in the day asking me if I could make it a bit earlier, which I could so it worked out well for me.
First was the massage — I was taken to their biggest room which is for couples massage. The room was tidy and darkened with heavier curtains & pleasant relaxing music was playing. All in all the massage was excellent — even though the lady was not an RMT I felt that she was very confident with what she was doing. What I also enjoyed was that she has cleaned excess oil from my skin with a hot towel. I also got a mean scalp massage — I left the spa extremely relaxed.
Yesterday I went for my pedicure appointment — again the girl was very confident and worked very efficiently. She noticed my ingrown nail issues and cleaned them out. I brought my own polish so I cannot comment on the quality of polishes there but I did not recognize the brand they use.
As to comments on cleanliness & general state of the spa — I really do not have much to complain about. Of course it is not a spa at the Continental hotel with an indoor pool & fresh jasmine tea but they do the job well. My only suggestion would be to offer customers some beverages — tea & water would be great. I think I’ll be back for a pedi if I’m in the area and also maybe a facial.

I actually didn’t mind this place. I don’t know why they’ve got some poor reviews. I mean there’s definitely some room for improvement but there wasn’t anything that WRONG with them. Like most of the other people I learned about them through the deal they had on living social. I have to admit it was pretty hard to make an appointment for the first month, but this is pretty much the case when it comes to all the places who post a deal on one of those sites cuz suddenly their traffic goes up.
I’ve tried the following services here:
Manicure and Pedicure: a pretty good job. Takes about an hour for pedicure, 35 minutes manicure. The chair is comfy, the girl does her job while you read or text or whatever you do during these things. my point is it doesn’t feel like you HAVE to make a conversation.
Brazilian wax: obviously cant get into much details here. takes about 10 minutes. she’s pretty good at it. And everything looks very clean.
They also have an online booking system which is great, saves you the time to call.
UPDATED REVIEW: It takes a lot to make me a regular customer, and I have to say I am now a regular customer of Rythm Spa. I really like the owner she’s a brilliant young woman and I appreciate her hard work to give the best customer service.

This is definitely not a refined, chi chi spa — if that’s your expectation, you will be dissapointed. Absolutely. The floors are creaky, the décor truly eclectic (and not in a hip way). But I like the space — it’s comfy and pleasant. The view (of church st and an old church) is urban but calming and there’s a water feature in the mani/​pedi area that provides the always soothing sound of running water.
The customer service was friendly, but neither refined nor particularly professional. It took several attempts over the course of a couple of months to book my appointment — phone messages weren’t returned and I eventually resorted to email, which worked well. If I didn’t have a groupon, I would have given up.
Perhaps because I went in expecting most of this stuff, I had a pleasant experience anyway. The woman who greeted me seemed genuinely happy to see me and brought me tea in an adorable little glass cup. She also did my massage, which was pleasant and relaxing, but not particularly skilled or deep. As someone else mentioned, she used hot stones as part of the massage. In my case, though, I was warned before hand and I’ve been dying to try hot stone massage, so I was pretty thrilled about that part.
Unfortunately, in this creaky old building, the walls are thin and sound travels easily. Twenty minutes of my massage were spent listening to two women (possibly two staff? not sure — but they definitely knew one another) in the next room talking loudly about school and holiday plans. Not fantastically relaxing. This was definitely the most annoying part of my visit — and I feel like it could be improved by asking patrons (and staff, if that’s who it was) to be respectfully quiet during their visit so as not to disturb other guests.
The woman who did my mani/​pedi seemed… nervous? hesitant? new? She was pleasant enough and my nails looked pretty afterward, but her hands were light and unsure and she took for-​ev-​er to do the service.
If I had paid premium price for this visit, I would have hated it. But I didn’t. I got a super groupon deal ($ 55 for a one hour massage and a spa mani/​pedi) and feel happy with what I got for what I paid. I recommend that you do the same. This spa almost always has some kind of deal on offer, either in house or through groupon and the like, so you should be able to get as good a deal as I did and enjoy your cheapie spa day.

Quick facts:
Rude staff that ignore you
No music in main manicure room
Everyone frowns
Techniques for manicures, pedicures and massage are sub-​par
Owner is not around and doesn’t care about this business or her staff
Long story:
I bought a Groupon deal for this place last year: I bought 2 vouchers, each cost $ 40 and covered a mani/​pedi and unregistered massage. They could never accommodate me and my friend in for all services at once so we split them.
I finally tried to book the double-​massage for this year. I called many times and no one answered. I began to think the spa was shut down.
Finally, i got ahold of someone and had to book 3 weeks in advance because I wanted my mom and I to get a massage at the same time. They promised a confirmation call but it never came.
I had the appointment in my Blackberry as 3:45pm. I called on the day of to confirm and they didn’t answer their phone, I left a message and assumed it was fine.
We arrived at 3:25pm. When we arrived, they said we were late because our appointment was at 3:15pm. Then they totally ignored us and kept working on 3 girls’ mani/​pedicures. they didn’t even come over to talk to us or anything. Finally, when they finished the pedicure (which had definitely been going on longer than the 10 minutes we were «LATE»), they said they wouldn’t do it because we were late. Even if we were late, it was only by 10 minutes. They weren’t ready when we arrived anyway. Clearly they were only halfway through an appointment.
So, instead of just taking us in and saying they had to cut it short by 10 minutes (which I would understand), they made us wait 30 minutes without saying what was going on. Meanwhile, their toilet was overflowing and they had to call the owner. Then proceeded to speak in Indian, clearly bitching and griping because they didn’t FEEL like doing the massage. Now it was after our ACTUAL appointment time and close to 4pm.
Finally, they graciously agreed to do a 45 minute massage (because their manager forced them to), which was actually only 35 minutes (I looked at the clock). the massage was not very good, as they are not trained at all. The hot stones were nice, but i was so mad by now, the massage felt terrible — and the girl definitely was not massaging my neck — it was more like mild strangulation.
BTW, I heard another guy come in at 5 and complain about their phone line. The receptionist/​estetician/​massuese said they «don’t answer their phones because they outsource calls to India,» so no one gets appointment confirmations.
On top of that, they put me and my mom in a «couple’s massage» room. Ick.
When we had the mani-​pedi last year, it was OK. The owner was there, so people were less rude. They did a sub-​par job on our nails. Could have done better at home.
Plus, there’s no music in the mani/​pedi area. It’s silent and feels like a funeral service. So much for «Rythym’s spa’s music therapy»
This year, it was disgraceful. It must be that the owner oversells groupons, pays her staff nothing and then isn’t around to run the business. BY THE WAY, the owner’s trying to start her own Groupon-​like business so she doesn’t care about the spa at all (This is what she told my friend who does web-​design while we were getting our nails done!)
EVEN FOR FREE I WOULD NOT EVER GO BACK TO THIS SPA! I HOPE THEY SHUT THEIR DOORS FOREVER!!!

went here with a friend on a groupon deal.
well I should start with their customer service that definitely needs improvement. it’s close to impossible to get someone answer your calls so making an appointment was super hard — the only way to do it is to leave a voice mail and hope for the best.
we were also confirmed for a 45min massage while our deal included 1hr massage. we spoke to them on arrival and fixed that.
the studio itself reminds an old apartment with many rooms. random musical instruments and fitness equipment.
a room for couples massage was nicely decorated though. but chilly. same with the massage lotion — chilly. I would think that everything has to be a tiny bit warmer to make the muscles automatically relax. the warmest thing were hot towels that the masseuse used after the massage.
mani/​pedi was ok. but I think my cuticules were cut a bit too short as I had some irritation in few places after. but otherwise it was done very attentively.
interesting deal they have that I want to check is a toonie tuesday — polish change or eyebrow shaping for just $ 2.

UPDATE: If you do nothing else, just look at the filtered reviews. This «spa» consistency receives 1 star! The 3 star rating is inaccurate. Mine can’t be filtered, but I bet they’ve tried.
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I’ve been holding off writing a review because I don’t enjoy sharing a negative experience. I finally am putting this out there because I continue to see daily deals for this place and I think people should know what they are getting into before they buy it thinking it’s great value.
Rhythm Spa is a true example of ‘You get what you pay for’. The deals they offer through any one of the numerable daily coupon sites are way below market value for professional spa services. And that’s because they are not a professional spa. I imagine they’ve only managed to stay afloat through offering these deals that constantly bring in new, one-​time customers.
Things started out well on my visit. The owner and her helper were friendly to us when we arrived. My friend bought a deal for us to use as a birthday gift to me for a mani/​pedi and massage. He had never been to a spa or had a massage, so he didn’t know what to expect or how to make a judgement call before choosing a spa.
I got a decent manicure and pedicure in an open area off the reception and so did he. They were very quick to take us after the last set of people at the pedicure station and it made me concerned about how well they had cleaned the equipment but I just went with it. We enjoyed talking to them but it felt drafty in this area because the front door was open at the bottom of the stairs and the fall wind was blowing in.
Somewhere during this time it was assumed that my friend and I were a couple and therefore would be okay with having a simultaneous massages. We were never consulted, so I just assumed we’d be going one at a time. After the mani/​pedi they put us into a large room at the back of the house that was partitioned with a screen. They left us there before we saw the two massage tables behind the screen and realized what was going on.
The massage room had windowed french doors and no curtain over them, so anyone in the hallway could see in. It also allowed for a lot of noise to come through the doors. Not ideal or tranquil.
The biggest problem with the room was the temperature. It was very cold. The tables were near an old window that was likely not well insulated and it didn’t feel like they had turned on their heat for the fall yet. There was no area for us to change for the massage without being in front of each other or exposed through the french doors so changing was slightly awkward.
Because it was so cold in this room the massage was easily the worst I have ever had. I had the owner, who said she is a RMT, do mine. I was freezing cold, nearly shivering for the entire massage and it was surprising she did not notice this while massaging me. Not only does being so cold do nothing to help the muscles relax but it’s incredibly uncomfortable to be mostly naked in a cold room having someone rub even colder lotion onto you. I asked her to turn on the electric fireplace that was in the room half way through the massage and she told me it was already on!
I’ve never had a massage actually make me feel worse than I did beforehand but that’s what happened here. When they put hot stones on us (which I had no idea was even coming because I don’t recall being consulted) they were a little too hot on my sensitive skin. I didn’t complain at this point because at least it provided some brief warmth.
In terms of technique, the skill level was not up to RMT level. I have a lot of experience going to RMTs and I would compare this massage to some of the massages I’ve had a massage schools, when I get a fairly new student.
When the massage ended I waited for my friend to get dressed and leave before getting up to put my clothes back on. That’s when the assistant who had performed my friend’s massage walked in on me changing!
The place was partially under construction while we were there which, I take from the other reviews is still the case many months later. I wouldn’t eat at a restaurant that was still under construction so why would anyone want to go to a spa in the same state? They should really close down and get a contractor to do the job all at once instead of trying to DYI it bit by bit themselves.
Bottom line, this place is just not up to snuff. Just look at the owner’s incoherent responses to Unilocal reviews (which is what dissuaded me from writing this review last fall) and the 23 filtered reviews (I encourage you to go down to the bottom, enter the security code and browse through them).
If you don’t mind all the above, then best of luck to you. I’m sure some people have a good experience here but the inconsistency is very worrying. The owners seems to hire untrained staff who are not qualified to work at a spa. Based on what I’ve read and experienced, I don’t think she has enough good business sense to operate one either.
I will not be be back.

I think they’re trying to work on their online booking system, which will help people get an appointment.
The service is very friendly, my esthetician and I chatted candidly throughout the waxing procedure.
Aside from the child running around the spa (I went on a Saturday, and I guess babysitters are expensive?), and the few stray hairs that were missed, I’m happy with the service.
I can’t really comment on the price, because I went on a deal coupon.

I had a coupon for this place, and finally checked it out yesterday.
I was acknowledged upon arrival, and my wait time was pretty reasonable.
~~~
I’ve been to other spas, places that charge $$-$$$, so I found myself often comparing yesterday’s experience to Aveda and Elixir Spa (on King st).
Service:
I thought the service was genuinely kind, nice, accommodating. Truth be told, service IS important — if the service, anywhere, was crap, no matter how good their skills or products were, I’d be inclined to not ever give them a second chance again. And likely, be Unilocaly or etc… about it.
Spa Skills:
As for their spa skills, abilities as masseuses, pedicurists, etc… I thought it was okay-​good. Limited perhaps by lack of some technologies, and perhaps specialized training. I don’t think they need more technology, unless it’s for a more advanced facial. It wasn’t due to lack of effort. :)
The same spa person is assigned to you for your whole visit. There aren’t any «specialists», which isn’t unusual in small spas.
I spend three hours there, the longest I’ve ever spent at any spa. I’m happy I went, since I had been looking forward to this same-​city getaway for months now.
Vibe:
I couldn’t place the theme/​vibe. The name of the spa is Rhythm Spa (musical), I saw Buddhist/​Zen? things throughout (religious), and some of the products were Ayurvedic (which I enjoyed). I feel that it’s important for a business to have an image, since that’s a part of what they are selling/​a part of their «package».
Feedback on my actual spa services:
chocolate body rub — i felt chilly as it was applied, but after the plastic was wrapped over me, I was much happier;
facial — was an «express» one. Elixir spends an hour on their facials, here it was at most 30 minutes. Technology wasn’t used, and I couldn’t tell what kinds of products were being used on me (or if she could tell what kind of skin category I was in).
shower stall — ha, this was NOT a service. I was about to use their state of the art steamy shower stall. Yay, preheated/​presteamed at 28 – 29 degrees celsius, for me. Boo — the temperature is impacted when somebody outside turns the water on. During my 10 – 15 minute shower, the water changed (3−4x!!) to a scaldingly hot temperature. My skin was left pink in those areas, but this was only temporary. Until the system is changed, I feel that clients should be warned beforehand — by having a sign posted or verbally. For example, «Dear Clients, We are working on improving our water situation. During this time, you may notice the temperature of your shower rapidly changing to an extreme HOT. We ask that you be careful about this, and thank you for your patience as we are working to change this. Thank you, Rhythm Spa management».
massage — one hour massage. Kind Sossa (I think that’s her name), did a good job in the shoulder area, but what I really enjoyed was what she did with my feet and scalp, and back of my neck. I fell asleep, since I had felt tired all day anyway, and because Sossa successfully helped me feel so relaxed.
pedicure — great! Good selection of colours. I liked the part where my feet were exfoliated with a sugar scrub. The woman beside me had both her feet and her legs scrubbed; you may wish to request that your legs are scrubbed, too.
Value — fantastic deal, since I had a coupon: well worth trying them.
In all, it was good. Really kind service, I think they are trying to be an upscale spa, but are not yet there. It will be interesting to see whatever progress has been made, again in the future (I still have another coupon).

I grabbed the online coupon for a full body exfoliation along with infrared sauna and t-​zone vibration. I’m glad I had a deal because there is no way I would have paid full price for any of these services at this spa.
I went to sessions from January through April. My first impression was of a very basic facility, trying hard to do better. There was the ubiquitous Buddha statue in front with the regular muzak; the entrance was messy and shared the room with the front desk and the mani-​pedi stations — a bit awkward for those trying to get a relaxing experience. On various visits I saw towels left around the procedure rooms, I put my bag down on a small table that had oil spilled on it that wasn’t cleaned up, and lots of dust (especially in the room they put me in for the t-​zone vibrator, which I decided afterwards to never use again). Their layout improved over the few months, such as rearranging and cleaning up the entrance, and they gained an extra sauna (I’m sure the capital offered from the coupons helped), so that made getting appointments easier.
While the staff was kind, the services they offered were not of great quality. The exfoliation felt alright, but it was quick as they tried to rush me through that session (despite me being on time) to the infrared. The massage was also in an open space, not very private. On my second visit for the sauna, I was shocked when the person who I’ve assumed is the manager, asked me if I had brought a towel — she said they didn’t have many (hello — aren’t you a spa?) and encouraged their clients to bring their own; thankfully, they didn’t ask me on my subsequent visits because there’s no way I’m dragging my own towel around. On one visit, the manager had an argument with one of the staff in front of me at the entrance. On my third visit, they never offered me tea or water as they had at other times. When times were busy, I noticed that communication between the staff was a bit disorganized.
This is a so-​so sub-​par place — if you want proper, professional services, you might as well pay the same price elsewhere.

The spa is just ok. Their massage tables were right next to each other, and even though we are family it is awkward getting undressed and dressed all in the same area. The massage was just ok — I’ve had better. Mani, pedi, were just ok too. Unfortunately the nail polish came off within days! that means they are using either old or diluted polish. The space is actually quite huge… still for mani/​pedi the set up is such that only 2 people can be taken care of at a time.
They were nice, however, and offer tea, etc.
I don’t think I would be going there with regular prices, but with some «offer» they are ok.