flot San Diego’s float spa

It was my first time and they fit in an appointment for me. The guy at the desk was very friendly and informative when I arrived. He showed me into my room, everything was very clean. There was a changing area, a shower, and the tank. Once I took the quick pre-​shower and got in the tank it did take some adjusting, it was unlike anything I had really experienced. It was truly sensory deprivation. Once in a while I could hear what I think was the filters, other than that — nothing. It was a very cool experience. I did an hour and a half which was nice, I don’t think I would do more than that and I think an hour would be good too for me in the future. They offered ear plugs but said the experience is better without; next time I would opt for the ear plugs. It was slightly uncomfortable pressure in my ears during my float and after I had water/​salt stuck in my ear for a couple of days which was uncomfortable. The temperature was good, not to hot or to cold. Any little minor cut or scrape did sting with the salt so I understand why you are not supposed to shave before. Letting my head relax was the hardest part, I found it to be a bit uncomfortable but when I raised my hands above my head that was comfortable. Once I figured things out a bit it was very relaxing, I think I even dozed off a couple of times! When the time was up there was a soft knock on the tank. I then did a post-​shower to rinse off the salt, all the products provided were very nice smelling and organic. There is no mirror which felt a little funny but I was fine. I do wish they had tissues in the room and also a little waste basket. They had q-​tips but I didn’t want to use them because I could not see anywhere to throw them away. Overall it was a really great experience, Thanks!

Fred was very accommodating and welcoming from the minute we walked in. Loftin was also very helpful and informative. This was mine and my husbands first time floating so they explained it all to us and gave us a good idea of what to expect. The whole place is clean and they have lovely smelling shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and q-​tips in your private shower/​changing area.
As for the actual floating. It wasn’t for me. Hahah I never knew how afraid of dark places I am. I stayed in for about 30 min trying so hard to relax (deep breathing, visual imagery, counting backwards) but I just couldn’t. I even propped the door open with a to let some light in. When I did relax for the ~5 minutes it was pretty amazing. So I do suggest trying it. And if it’s not for you, you can get out, enjoy a nice shower and leave early. The staff are totally cool there and wouldn’t judge you for it.
Still give them 5 stars because of the cleanliness and the character of the staff :)

Certainly one of San Diego’s secrets. The peace and relaxation this brings is priceless. This is the only float massage place operating their business correctly; right machines, safe sanitary certifications through city, priced competitively. Fred, the owner, went above and beyond for me. I felt right at home. I’ll be back soon. Thank you Fred.

Yeah, no. They don’t really have a sense of how to create a nice user experience. They tried to upsell us to 2 hours before we came in. It’s a good thing we didn’t opt for that.
I like the concept of total relaxation, meditation in total darkness, a sense of being suspended. It’s a good idea. But not at this place. They didn’t tell me that you have to let your head fall back in the water, which causes pressure in the ears. If they’d have offered ear plugs, that might have helped. But water in my ears is painful and not relaxing. It’s also quite hard to breathe after a little while. I sat in the tank about 40 minutes and realized that it was getting muggier and muggier. They need a little ventilation. It was impossible for me to relax, so I got out. There was supposed to be a hand towel inside to wipe your face, but there wasn’t one.
Getting out, the shower was fine and their soaps and stuff were nice. But again, no ventilation. I was soaked when I walked out, no matter how much I toweled off. It was not a refreshing experience at all.
I told them it was a very uncomfortable experience, yet they still charged me. In fact,
I used a Unilocal coupon and they tried to charge me full price. Then the girl told me my wife would be in for another 20 minutes. But we were only scheduled for an hour. She apparently got us confused with someone else. If I hadn’t mentioned that we only wanted an hour, we would have been charged over $ 120!
Overall I like the idea. But I wouldn’t try it again at this place.
Update: The business owner called me on my cell phone after my Unilocal review. Unilocal reviews are under first name, last initial, so he had to look me up in his system and use that information to contact me. That’s not really ethical by Unilocal standards, but I was willing to give him feedback since he asked me for it.
He offered to give me two hours of free float time if I would take down my Unilocal review. I told him no. I left a truthful review based on my experience. I would only consider changing my review if I came back and had a better experience. I also explained that asking me to remove my review for money was unethical and a violation of the Unilocal terms of service. I spent 23 minutes on the phone with him explaining my experience. He apologized and said he’d refund my money. He also said that he’d add two hours of float time to each of our accounts and that he’d make sure to adjust the air temperature next time. I thought that was fine and ended the call.
That was fine, until…
The next day I got a call and a text from him, saying that I was drunk when I came to his business, and that I misrepresented his business. I was dumbfounded. He said that if I didn’t «resolve» it, he’d have to make a statement on Unilocal to the effect that I was intoxicated. The fact is that I’m clean and sober since December 4^th, 1997. I explained that there must be some confusion because I haven’t had a drink in over 18 years. I am a bestselling author in the field of recovery. I do not drink or do drugs of any kind. I explained this and he kept texting me, insisting that I was at fault. I explained that his behavior had destroyed any interest that we had in his business. I finally had asked him to stop contacting me.
He responded on Unilocal saying that they offered me ear plugs and so on. But they didn’t. Otherwise I’d have used them! That still wouldn’t have made it any easier to breathe, but it might have helped. At any rate, we would have been happy with the refund and would have given them a second chance. But since he harassed me over text and insisted that the only reason why I didn’t enjoy the experience was because I was drunk… well you can see how ridiculous that is.

Wow, for those of you who want to try a new/​unique/​mind-f***ing/ relaxing/​amazing experience, sensory deprivation is the way to go! This particular location was very impressive. Super clean and had really chill vibes. They have their own parking garage located next to their building. Just go on their website and follow the directions so you don’t miss it. I bought my deal on groupon and was able to book my session with ease. The people who work here are friendly and knowledgeable. I felt rejuvenated and clear minded after the float sesh. I will definitely keep coming back and would recommend this to my friends and family!

This place is easy to review. They have the best tanks, very clean showers, friendly staff, and they are also the least expensive. So it is a no brainer. Also, the soap and shampoo they have smells so good I had to taste it but it was not very tasty so that is something they could work on.

Wow, for those of you who want to try a new/​unique/​mind-f***ing/ relaxing/​amazing experience, sensory deprivation is the way to go! This particular location was very impressive. Super clean and had really chill vibes. They have their own parking garage located next to their building. Just go on their website and follow the directions so you don’t miss it. The people who work here are friendly and knowledgeable. I felt rejuvenated and clear minded after the float sesh. I will definitely keep coming back and would recommend this to my friends and family!

Trying to get weird? Go into a blacked out room with warm, extremely salty water, and float for 2 hours? Sure, why not? I enjoyed being with my thoughts in there. Really clean place and a good price for what it must take to run all that salt water. I got some good stretching in at the end of my session which really loosened me up.

This is the third float business that I have personally experienced. I had a gift certificate for an hour and the owner, Fred, kindly offered to upgrade me to 2 hours for an extra $ 20 and I thought that was a great deal. In addition, the owner did not end my session until about 15 minutes after the 2 hour session and I appreciated the extra time. The room where the tank is has your own shower and I found the room to be clean and spacious. The soap/​conditioner/​shampoo were natural & very nice smelling and you also are provided with towels, ear plugs, and q-​tips.
My favorite part of the experience was the actual tank. For me, it was great as it was completely dark (which is not the case with all tanks) and virtually silent (I heard the low humming sound of my guess would be the filtration system). The tank was clean and VERY spacious. At one point, I was in a complete star position and I still did not hit any of the walls. The temperature for me was perfect and I felt extremely confident that the tank was clean. My experience in the tank was great. I was able to meditate and definitely felt the relief from pain afterwards.
For me, there were two drawbacks. First, the only bathrooms are the bathrooms for the building. This very old and outdated (maybe clean?) looking bathroom also serve as your vanity area. So you have to leave the nice spa in order to be able to brush your hair in front of a mirror, apply make-​up, etc. I asked for a dryer, which the owner pulled out from the front desk, and he said the best place to dry my hair was in the bathroom. I opted to not dry my hair as I did not want to return to the bathroom. You will need to bring everything to the bathroom with you such as facial lotion, hair products, etc as they are not provided in the building bathroom. Secondly, in order to inform you that your time is up the owner goes and knocks on the filtration side of your tank to get your attention. You are supposed to verbally acknowledge that you hear him and he will acknowledge you back. The owner tried to say something to me after he knocked but I could not hear anything, as I still had my earplugs in. I personally found this not to be a very pleasant way to be awakened from my session. However, I will say that other tanks I have been in gently wake you up by playing pleasant/​calm music and turning on the lights.
I would recommend flot spa if you are interested in a no frills float spa experience. The tank was definitely the highlight for me and if that is the only thing needed then you will thoroughly enjoy your experience.

It was such a relief to have some real privacy, peace and quiet.
It was the perfect space, just what I needed. Thank you

I found Flot on groupon and tried floating for the first time ever here today! I got the two hour float after reading numerous reviews on Unilocal suggesting it over the one hour. For the first half an hour, I kind of just floated/​splashed around trying to get settled in and it seemed like an endless eternity inside. It took me a little while for me to find a comfortable position for my neck. However, I finally felt peaceful and eventually fell asleep. I woke up maybe 5 or 10 minutes before my float was over because my body started getting cold so tried to cling to the left side of the tub where it was warmer. I read some other reviews saying that the air in the chamber and the water were supposed to be the same temperature, but I felt like the water was warmer and my exposed skin was getting chilly by the end. I also read that you could ask the staff to adjust the temperature if needed, but when I asked the guy who showed me the room he said that it was preset to your body temperature and didn’t offer to change it if I had any issues. The guy manning the front desk wasn’t exactly friendly either. Although he knew it was my first time, after it was over he didn’t ask me how my experience went. He and the girls who man the cryotank (?) kind of just talked around me. I’m pretty sure that it wasn’t the owner Fred, as one of the girls asked the front desk guy where he was today. Pretty much the only interaction I had with him was when he gave me a quick overview of the rules and to ask me for my groupon voucher. I was also disappointed that the café was closed, as I was looking forward to trying their bulletproof coffee. At least the amenities inside (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, towels) were nice and the facility was very clean.

Tried flot SD for the first time today and it was an amazing experience almost like dream of just floating in outer space. If you’re afraid of the dark it might take some getting used to. I also brought along my 5 month pregnant girl friend and she enjoyed it as well, only bummer was that they don’t facilitate a couples tank but it’s totally understandable why. The staff and facilities where super friendly and clean. The price is very inexpensive as well we did the 2 hour flot for the first time, and it was totally worth it definitely recommending all my friends and family

You must try this! An experience like none other. Absolutely first class facility and experience. Best float tanks in the business. Always friendly and easy to deal with, Fred and his staff are always good people to see.
Meditation, relaxation, body rejuvenation are just the beginning of what happens. This may be one of the most powerful experiences of your life. There is no other means of obtaining what these tanks provide. Words will not do it justice.
Every time I visit I leave rejuvenated and brand new. I float twice a month now and will never stop.
JUST DO IT!

Wow, where do I start with flot SD… I found out about sensory deprivation tanks 7 or 8 years ago when I stumbled across a Youtube video of Joe Rogan talking about his experience using his lol (and flot happens to use the same exact tanks Rogan does!) Anyways, I finally tried it out at flot and had such an amazing experience.
The facility is super nice, clean showers/​towels/​amenities, super friendly owner (Fred) and staff, and here’s a biggie, they are the ONLY floating facility in San Diego to sterilize their tanks naturally rather than using chemicals (other places use chlorine or something like that?). No that probably won’t kill you, but I would like my sensory deprivation space to be as naturally clean as possible, for my body (hair, skin, etc) and overall health.
Oh yeah, and the shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion they have for amenity use and for sale are top of the line! All natural as well, and made with a lot of essential oils. Will be buying some next time I go in! :)

I floated for the first time this week and it was a really great overall experience. I would highly recommend trying it out if you are a first-​timer or checking it out if you have used another facility before.
The facility is very clean and comfortable. The private room and shower allows you to truly relax. Fred, the owner, is very helpful and knowledgable.
I found the experience to be very relaxing and soothing on my whole body. I’d love to do it again on a Sunday night after a long weekend of events to recover and set the tone for the week.
I will be definitely coming back and highly recommend that you check it out!

Glad this spot opened up in Little Italy. The float tanks here are second to none. I’ve been floating here for the past six months and its helped me tremendously with spinal problems and mental relaxation.

This is my favorite place to set my mind free when in San Diego. Very clean, and professional feel. The staff was welcoming and not pushy about anything. I’ve been in float tanks/​depo chambers before but none have been this top notch. Has the feel of a day spa, you can tell the owner didn’t cut any corners. I wish more centers were ran in this manner. As far as the experience in the float tank, it was amazing. I was suffering from a sports injury and the weightlessness and warmth of the Epsom salt water did wonders for my recovery. Everyone uses these tanks for different purposes and there really isn’t a wrong way to enjoy your experience.

This was my first time doing floating. I did the 2 hours that was recommended just so there was enough time to calm down, relax and enjoy. It helped me center my focus on my thoughts and allowed me to let go off stress. I didn’t have a problem trusting that the water was going to hold my head and it was very comfortable. Freeing in a way. I definitely recommend trying this! I know I’ll be back. :)

I floated here in a sensory deprivation tank for the first time today and it was an overall good experience.
The guy working was super friendly and helpful and the facilities were upgraded. Each person has their own small suite that includes a changing room, nice shower area (w/​citrus mint shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, q-​tips but no trash can, some slob had used a few and threw them in the floor in the hall for someone else to clean up that i noticed as I exited (not the staff’s fault just a rude customer’s), towels (no extras like some other spas have like deodorant spray or hair ties for example, so bring those) and finally flot labs tank, which puts you in complete darkness and is about the size of 2 large bathtubs combined.
The flot tank contains 12 inches of extremely warm water so I guess it’s safe to fall asleep but my type-​A personality just wouldn’t allow me to fully let go. I chose a 2-​hour session post core40 Pilates upstairs and the first 20 – 30 minutes were incredible and I felt very zen and almost like I was in a trance. After that though, I was getting way too warm in there and my face started sweating so I had to crack the door a few times to attempt to cool down and be able to relax once again… (At the time I didn’t know staff can adjust the temp to your perfection) Didn’t really work and I ended up basically doing the whip and nae nae in there, doing all kinds of near weightless stretches and salt water angels etc for the rest of the time. If you are really type A, 1 hour may be best for you. ****** with temperature adjusted to your preference 2-​hours may be perfect for us type-A’s too! (See below).
Definitely worth trying! I will be back to give it another go with a lower temperature since my body naturally «runs hot» it appears.
*had to update this to 5-​Stars because the owner called me and apologized profusely for my first experience not being perfect and was very genuine and kind while addressing everything I had to say about his flot spa. Thank you!
***important: The staff CAN change the temperature of your water and spa to a large range of temperatures! All you have to do is ASK (which I didn’t, my fault).

Did my float last Sunday, and had a very peaceful experience. Fell asleep during my float, and slept very well Sunday night. After talking to the owner about a few adjustments I would like made, everything was worked out. Floating is something everyone should try and grow to love!

I’m finally getting over a 2 year battle against lower back pain. For those of you out there that haven’t considered a depravation chamber for rehab on back pain need to re consider! Highly recommended! And there’s great organic coffee and kombucha on tap to grab on your way out!

Best flot experience I have had yet. Great staff and the tank was super clean. You can tell they pay attention to the littlest detail. Will for sure recommend to anyone I know. If you have hit this place up its a must!

Phenomenal service, setup and location.
It was a great hour you can spend however you want but you continually feel refreshed and less stressed after shutting your senses down. It’s nice to be able to shut out all inputs from the world, be it phone, noise, light etc and be able to relax.
As a professional athlete, it also significantly helped my body recover after a grueling work out the day before. I’ll definitely be going weekly for the mental and physical healing it provides.

This was my first time floating and the experience wildly exceeded my expectations. I am a claustrophobic person yet for some reason I experienced no sense of anxiety or fear. The facilities were bright, clean and the room had a lock on it to make you feel more secure. The owner and operator could not have been more friendly or accommodating.
When I first laid in the tank i felt as though I was never going to get out and wondering why i did it. I have no recollection of when I began to relax but 2 hours later i didn’t want to leave. My my mentality completely changed.
My biggest recommendation is you do no less than 2 hours. What may seem like an eternity at first quickly goes away. I often like getting massages but this may replace those as my new pampering. I asked the owner how long he would allow people to stay in there and said he could tailor it to any amount of time I want. My thoughts are the longer the better. Do as much as you can afford.
Thank you again, and see you guys soon.

Incredible experience like nothing else… I was a bit nervous to try my first floating session, but felt instantly at ease. The facilities are very clean, tidy, and private. Floating was AMAZING. It felt truly therapeutic. I was able to completely relax, and was actually surprised at how wonderful my body felt; I was able to stretch and move much more easily afterwards. I was able to turn off my thoughts and just be in my body; I think I actually fell asleep a little bit! It was way more restorative than a nap or even a typical massage. I had a Groupon for 1 hour but chose to upgrade to a 2 hour session, which gave me extra time to settle in, since it was hard for me to give in to the sensory deprivation at first, and finally I embraced it and felt transformed.

I’m so glad I went here as opposed to the other float places that I researched on Unilocal.Even more than I expected, I appreciated that the facilities felt luxurious, clean, and comfortable.
(This was my first time in a sensory deprivation tank, and I think if I’d gone to a different place that didn’t offer a private room with a large tank and a nice shower, I would have been disappointed.)
If I lived within walking distance, I could see myself making Flot a daily ritual!
I loved the owner (Fred). Super nice guy. And so was his employee (whose name I forget).
My girlfriend floated at the same time (in a separate tank), and it was fun to compare experiences afterward.
P. S. Don’t even bother trying to use the parking garage, which can pretty much only fit small 2-​door cars. Instead, plan to come as late as possible on a weeknight and find street parking.

Hubby and I tried FLOT for our anniversary get away. We thoroughly enjoyed it, this being our first experience.
We each floated for 2 hours. My hubby loved it and immediately started looking for FLOT locations in our City, only to find out they are triple the price!
It is very relaxing and calming and allows you to settle your mind and body from all world and life stresses. Epsom salt is so good for your body and soothing for muscle aches and tension.
There was only ONE negative for me:
I was very cold the first hour! I had goosebumps all over. I finally realized that the heat was coming from the left side, so spent the first part, clinging to the left side for warmth! My husband DID NOT have this problem, and I did warm up!
When you exit the FLOT chamber, they provide all items needed to ready yourself, such as: shampoo and conditioner, body wash and lotion.
If we are in San Diego and have time again, we will gladly float our stresses away again!

I stopped in for a 60 minute float while in town for business. The experience was awesome. The space is clean and modern. You shower off, step into the sensory deprivation tank and float. It takes a few moments to get used to being in the dark and just floating. You end up relaxing and getting in a meditative state. You feel really relaxed and your skin feels smooth when you are finished. I’d do it again!

Tried floating for the first time yesterday and finally coming down from my high enough to write this review, lol.
At first I was nervous to try floating and when I actually got in, I felt super comfortable and at ease like it was something I’ve been doing for years. The temperature of the water and outside of it were seriously one, since it’s pitch black, I didn’t know whether my toes were in or out at one point. I would compare it to what you’d think it feels like if you were floating in outer space.
Once I got out, I really didn’t know what to feel — all I knew was I felt different, but in a good way! It’s really weird and hard to explain (aka I felt like I was a bit high). I also read an article that you don’t know how you really feel about the experience (as a first timer) until the next day, and today I’m all about it!
And I’m really glad I chose this place of all places! The guy at check in and the guy at check out were both so friendly and patient with my newbie-​self. Not to mention they have a café next door that serves drip coffee blended with butter — seriously the perfect combo. this place is really on to something!
Definitely coming back and highly recommend!

I called Float this morning at about a quarter passed their opening time, no initial answer, but my call was returned promptly!
Tips:
— Call ahead to schedule.
— Parking garage is connected to the building that FLÕT is in. $ 4 for 3 hours, leave ticket on your dashboard.
— Use the restroom before going in.
— Don’t shave before going.
— DON’T let the water get in your eyes, it will burn.
Pros:
— Friendly and welcoming staff, from phone call, to entering the spa, to leaving the juice bar.
— Remarkably clean.
— Affordable for almost anyone.
— Surreal experience. Unlike any other.
Con: (Hardly, I’m not holding it against them)
— Noise from construction work that disturbed me in my chamber and disrupted my float.
The construction is a biproduct of the work being done to implement a Cryogenic chamber! Available Nov. 9.
The chamber is supposed to give you a flash freeze, which sends your blood into your organs. As you exit the room about 3 min later, your blood will flood throughout your body. Giving you a superb detox and surging sensation!
Summary: Speechless. Fred is the proprietor of this fine establishment. A charasmatic and friendly man who properly welcomed me. Formalities were executed in a respective order and his staff memebers were courteous.
I was led to my own room with a shower and the chamber. I was advised further on how to carry out my float.
Upon entering the chamber, I was immediately enveloped in absolute darkness. My sight had been rendered useless. I laid back into the salt infused water and began my float.
My second sense to be deprived was my hearing. The water comes up just right to where the edge of your eyebrows are. Under there, the only things I could hear were my own beating heart, my steady breathing, and later on, the construction workers, but I digress.
After about 10 or 15 min, my third sense failed me. My sense of touch would diminish. I would attribute it to the chamber’s air and water temperature being one with your own.
You lose sense of the body. I had a phenomenal sensation of falling and levitating at the same time.
Your mind will wander off and you become fused with yourself, so you are no longer in yourself. I felt mystical. I had become entranced in this meditative state of being; I existed and didn’t.
I had felt as if I was in there for only 30 or 40 min, but was astonished to learn that I was in there for 2 ½ hours! (Fred gave me some extra time.)
A couple of taps on your chamber door is enough for you to snap back to reality.
The way I felt was a mystery, however, being in your mother’s womb is actually he most apt description I could give to convey what I felt. Being in that chamber is an intimate time with yourself.
Upon returning from the «World of No Sense», all of my sense immediately felt heightened. After almost 3 hours of sensory deprivation, my mind and body should naturally return to me sharpend!
I felt extremely aware of everything, not just physical, but mental. My thoughts and ideas just seemed to be laid out for me. «Here is this information, there you go.» I was «mentally organized».
I feel evolved, in all honestly.
Fred did courteously ask if the construction work, from the Cryogenic chamber perturbed me and gave me a comp, in order to make up for the disturbance, which by the way, he didn’t really have control over. Originally he was going to only charge me $ 45 for this 2 hour session and $ 45 for the next float also. It was fair, however I learned that for only $ 50 a month I could be a member. Floating is going to be a consistent event with me, and Fred not only made me a member, but gave me today’s 2-​hour float, completely free! No contract, no initiation fees, and all the amazing discounts and benefits.
Forget any other spas, you could consider, this is the one to which you must go.
Prior to my departure, Fred offered me a tonic shot mixed with Kombucha (an addicting taste), and a special blend of coffee (inorporated with alkaline water to diffuse acidity and bestow upon the body a smoother feel and better caffeine kick than regular coffee.
FLÕT does support and offer military discounts.
Everyone should be doing this, or at least try it out.
You will transcend.
Keep calm and FLÕT on.