Re:fresh, A Day Spa

I used to live in the neighborhood and would frequent this spa if I could afford it. (I miss it terribly!)
The décor is clean, exposed cement walls, river stones, exotic silk fabric. There was plenty of lemon water in the ladies bathroom/​lounge. The service is friendly, they walk you to the lockers and offer you tea.
There is a wet and dry sauna, the wet sauna is my favorite, they had eucalyptus in there which relaxed me for my massage.
Out of the massages and facials I had there they varied, but were all very good to excellent. I am confidant that if I were ever disappointed that the manager would have rectified it.
Out of the many spas I have been to, this one is my favorite!

With so many spas out there that offer the same packages, treatments, and promises, it’s not that hard to just go for the cheapest one you can find that has a decent enough website to make it seem professional enough to try. The more I scoured through website after website of spas in San Francisco, they all became pretty much the same to me. I narrowed my search down to four categories:
1. Professional, convincing website.
2. Offers a wide array of packages and treatments to choose from, including the simplest facial.
3. Prices had to be reasonable enough for me to treat three people to a facial and massage without upsetting Amex.
4. Location, location, location.
That’s why I chose Re: fresh. For three people I spent about $ 450 which is about the average cost for a professional massage in the city.

First time at Re: fresh and a great experience. I was able to call in and make a same day appointment with Kelly. As an avid runner, I ran 12 miles the day before and really needed some work done. She was able to loosen me up and really took extra care in the right places to relieve my pain.
The facility is much larger than I expected for a spa in San Francisco. I definitely recommend this place to people who work out or just need to relax. They are great! Thanks!

I went here last Friday with my mom as a pre-​LSAT attempt at relaxing. We each signed up for the Re: Capture package that gets you a 50 minute massage, a 25 minute facial, and a 25 minute manicure for $ 160, gratuity inclusive.
Both of us had good massages. Mine went well-​over 50 minutes, and was harder than I wanted, but probably had more to do with how stressed out and tight my muscles were, because I told her I wanted a softer massage. The tables include heating pads, which are a real plus compared to other massages I’ve had where the massage therapist can adjust the air heat, but really, I’m still cold. The rooms were relatively quiet and well-​decorated with the re: fresh theme. I could hear some noise from the hallway, which my mom’s massage therapist seems to have solved by adding a small water fountain. The noise outside was sometimes distracting.
My facial was… interesting. I’ve never had a facial before, and was really interested to see what they are about. Leslee, the woman who did my facial, didn’t seem to know what to do with me. I’m not one who has a real skin-​care routine, because most skin-​care products make me break out. I also have sensitive skin. She belittled me to some degree, asking why I even wanted a facial and if I even knew what facials entailed. She seemed annoyed to be dealing with me at all. Obviously, I didn’t know what they entailed, but I was interested enough to pay for one… the whole experience left me feeling rather uncomfortable, slightly insulted, and really patronized.
The manicures turned out really well, neither of us had anything bad to report, and obviously no infections happened, as they were overly cautious about cleaning all instruments they used repeatedly in front of us, which was helpful.
The facilities in the spa were nice, but I missed the baths I’ve experienced at other facilities. While they are upfront about the fact that they only have a sauna and a steam room, and no baths, I think next time I might splurge for a facility that has that feature.
Also, the «tea bar» is really just a table with paper cups, a dozen or so varieties of the same brand of tea, and a hot water container. No iced teas. Hardly what I imagined in my mind’s eye.
My mom also mentioned while we were in the «waiting area» that the benches are entirely too high off of the ground, and entirely too wide for that height, which made both of us realize that we really could not get or stay comfortable.

Overall I enjoyed the re: fresh body wrap that I got here. They had a cool shower arm with several shower heads on it to wash off the body scrub while you were still lying on the (plastic covered) table. It was an odd but pleasing experience.
But they really need to work on their soundproofing. The room that I was in was right next to the woman’s changing room, where they had chairs for women to sit and talk. And the women talked, and laughed, and were generally as loud as you’d expect them to be in a place set aside for that purpose in a spa.
And warning to any other cat people out there: The scalp treatment that goes with this wrap uses a very heavily minty product. So much so that after 2 washes my cat is still treating my head like its made of catnip…

The manager, Christine, is very customer service-​oriented. I didn’t receive a good massage and was very disappointed. I wasn’t expecting much when I contacted her, she exceeded my expectations. She seemed genuinely concerned that I had a good experience and issued a gift certificate for me to have another massage. I was impressed by her professionalism. It was as if she had gone to the «Nordstrom customer service» school.
BTW, My sister went with me and had an excellent massage by Sarah Jane.

My slogan for them would be: «Re:fresh… a place to be massaged by Re: tards.» Granted, that is not fair to the retards, which I love dearly.
They said they do Shiatsu. Really? Oh, I didn’t know it was supposed to feel like a cat brushing against you. In Japan, it feels like a truck hit you, lovingly.
They may do something right here, but it is NOT Shiatsu massage! I’m annoyed that they would even pretend… just say what you are actually good at for F sake and I can go for that!
One star for the steam room, sauna, and for taking 20% off the crap massage (the price is WAY out of proportion with the skill level here… it’s like they all trained at a school that simply wants to stamp «graduate» certificates to any simpleton with enough money to take the courses).
Note: If you park at the garage next door and get validated, it’s $ 3. The machine doesn’t give change and it is almost impossible to understand when it tells you the total is $ 3. If you F up and need to ring the attendant, be prepared to wait 10 minutes. Wee!

Edited to let everyone know that Re: Fresh has actually contacted me to get more feedback on my experience. I’m impressed by that and am feeling more inclined to check ‘em out.
A friend of mine loves their spa package which includes a massage, mini facial and manicure for about $ 170.00 including tip. I decided to check it out based on her recommendation, and I might be back. The cons? It seemed a little dirty — wet towels out, broken sink, the changing area needs renovation. I also disliked the communal waiting area — it just seemed sparse; also one of the women working on me chattered non-​stop and would not answer the questions I was asking her about skin care. The pro is really the price. The facial and the massage weren’t bad, but a far cry from the best I’d ever had. If I want bare bones type of pampering, I’ll probably go elsewhere.

I have gone twice now to Refresh — it’s been awhile since I’ve really liked a massage therapist, and I’m happy that I found Sarah Jane! I got a prenatal massage — she is so good at finding knots in the shoulder and back. My husband declared his massage the best he’s ever had (by Darryl). My friends all liked their massages too. The ambiance is very serene and classy looking. The staff was very nice and welcoming. Yes, that parking lot is totally freaky with how steep the ramps are! Luckily it’s also partially validated — we paid $ 3 for 2 hrs the other day.
Okay, a few cons:
— One strange thing is that the women’s toilet area smells kind-​of funny. Don’t know what that’s about!
— My friend didn’t particularly like her hair/​scalp treatment — it was supposed to be 10 minutes, and it was a 5-​min rub with a lot of goo put in her hair (that she didn’t like). She also wished there were more beauty products available for use after taking a shower. (Agreed! The hair dryer was pretty weak, and there weren’t any products either.)
— My pedicure looked great, but the guy apparently scraped my feet too hard because he actually broke skin, and the cut on my foot stung for a few days (and made me a little worried about getting an infection! Luckily, no problem there.).
Overall, a pretty nice experience — I would return and take friends there!

CAUTION: Large cars packed full of SPA patrons should avoid the lot next door to Refresh OR I highly recommend dropping off all before heading into the nightmare-​of-​a-​parking-​lot-​with-​ramps-​so-​steep that it’ll take months to get the smoking rubber, sliding car experience out of your head!
Our organized Spa day for little sis’s bridal shower started as planned, with all 8 of us arriving at about 10:30. The facility is very nice… beautiful, serene, tranquil and aromatic the moment you walk in. We had the place to ourselves and all darted into the steam room to start the day.
I had the 80 min reflexology massage, consisted of 60 mins of shiatsu (for me, Mr. masseuse gently had to remind me to release the neck and limb tension, couldn’t float the head either), followed by 20 mins of massaging of the calves and feet (most ache-​y from running and spinning). Dat last part was good! I think i could breathe better from the foot treatment alone.
Overall, my experience at Refresh was very nice. Still trying to shake off the parking lot moment with more massages though. I’ll take gift cards if anyone can spare em…

Massage whore-​ing again! I just got a massage last weekend, but being the massage whore that I am, I went again. This time, it was for a special occasion. My lil’ sis’ getting the ball n’ chain tied to her ankle in August. So, before she begins her life with her new man, a bunch of us ladies (yes LADIES) took her out to be pampered.
I called 2 weeks in advance to book all 8 ladies for various treatments. They were able to take all of us in at 2pm. I was like, cool, we get to be pampered at the same time, get out the same time and then we can grub afterwards. THEN I found out there were only male therapist available at that hour. Well, some of us are squimish about a man (besides the one in our lives) touching our sensuous bodies. So, I reschedule everyone to 11AM for female therapists.
Refresh was very understanding/​sensitive to our needs and was able to move it the week before our appointment. Good thing their facililty is large enough to take all of us in at the same time.
OK — enough about their customer service! About the massagie massagie!!! I had the Citrus Salt Scrub and Neck/​Shoulder Nirvana Massage. The Citrus Salt Scrub was good, they have this 5 – 6 shower head to spray you down with. Wow! They spray you down like a cow! (That’s a good thing and NOOOO, I’m not a cow… hymph).
Neck and shoulder Nirvana massage was really good. Ask for Sarah Jane, she was really really good. She added in some hot stones for my toesies and hand for comfort. It was lovely!!! I can literally say that I feel RE: Freshed :)

Not a posh spa. All the basics provided… slippers, robe, towels, cold water & hot tea. There’s a steam room & sauna in the locker room. I haven’t encountered chatterboxes who lack spa etiquette. Massage therapists skills vary in degree.

Very nice. Would love to go back there. I got a prenatal massage with Sarah Jane (I think that was her name). She was very careful in terms of avoiding certain areas and making sure that I was comfortable at all times. The squishy cushions with space for my belly helped a lot too, of course. Unlike other spas I’ve been to, she started out with a firm touch, which I LOVE, and she didn’t tire. She also worked on my kinks and knots in my shoulder areas until they were practically gone. I hurt a bit the next day but that was expected.
The locker/​shower area was comfy and super clean. Not a big fan of the rubber slippers they have but I guess they’re easier to clean.

I was sick for almost two weeks. On top of that, one of those weeks I barely slept 2 hours each night. So by the second Friday, I was almost dead. Very tired. Achy body. Just completely drained of energy. Eugy had been trying to get me to go get a massage at «his place», which is this place. I had never looked it up, so I always thought it was a macho, korean type of place. Boy, was I wrong…
I was politely greeted and shown to the women’s lounge area. There’s a steam room, sauna, 3 shower stalls, 2 chairs, lots of lockers and 3 toilets. Pretty small, but serves it’s purpose. I showered and then sat in the sauna for a little while. Went out to the waiting area for my masseuse.
Later, out came Brian. He was polite and very calm. The massage was great. The pressure was never too much. And though I never fall asleep during a massage, I almost did during this one. I felt much better afterward.
I loved the shampoo and conditioner that they had in the showers. Bamboo and yucca organics. Loved it so much, I bought it. They sell their items in the front. Pretty expensive though. 8oz bottles at $ 24/​ea. Um… yeah…
Overall, this place is good. It’s not great. Just good. Prices are steep. I hope this isn’t the only day spa in SF.
PS. Next time you run into Eugy, say «What’s up FFG?!» It stands for Fru Fru Gangsta.

I’ve gone here twice – once with a friend for a facial and pedicure, and once by myself for a facial. Both times I saw Harmony for the facial, and I thought she did a great job (hence the second trip). The pedicure was nice, but pricey for what you got, so I’d probably skip that from now on.
I like the steam room and the isolation. It seems like a big place but you don’t really see other clients. Very calming; I always leave relaxed and refreshed (ha)!

Re: fresh is very clean and well lit which is pretty important to me since I have to take off all of my clothes here. The spa is simply decorated, but still had a classy look to it. I came for the massage and was greeted by the friendly staff.
Disappointment #1: No shared rooms – for couples. Enough said, although I don’t care anymore.
Disappointment #2: No music. You can literally hear everything going on outside of the massage room. (Unfortunately, I even heard a car honk during my massage, which is weird because it looks like the walls are 2 feet thick concrete.)
Disappointment #3: Kind of pricey for a 50 minute massage. Why don’t they just make it 60 minutes?
In any case, the place isn’t bad and neither are the people who work there.

I HIGHLY recommend the spa package deal. Decent price, and the spa treatment is pure bliss! I’ve been here a couple of times… and really enjoyed myself. It has a very relaxing & earthy feel to this place, that makes you feel very serene & tranquil. The last time i came here was w/​my cousin, and we had the RE: JUVENATE spa package (50 min spa facial, 50 min swedish massage, & mani/​pedicure). What i particularly enjoyed was the fact that they incorporated massage into each portion of the package. All that for $ 250 (which already includes gratuity). I particularly enjoyed the deluxe mani/​pedi, where we literally sat on «thrones» and it made me feel like a queen. Let me tell you… walking out of that place, I went home & slept like a baby.

I’ve visited the spa on numerous occasions and have had a combo of experiences, good and bad.
I was once perceived as being rude by one of the other guests in the women’s lounge. Thinking about it now, it’s a bit humorous, but at the time it made me mad. I was not talking, but listening to my cell phone messages while changing which was bothersome to this particular woman. She had no problem telling me how rude I was being and then proceeded to tell the staff how rude I was being; of course one of the staff members had to be sure to reiterate this to me. People, put your cell phones away! Actually, do not even bring them with you to Re: fresh! If anyone sees that you have one you will be reprimanded! I am certainly glad I was about to go into a massage appointment, as it was too tense a moment to be having at a spa. But what I really wanted to do was grab my shit and just leave.
Other than that, I do like this spa. Not a lot of bells and whistles, appointments are easy to get. Aside from that one staff member, it’s friendly.
I use to live close so it was convenient… now it’s a bit of a pain for me to get to; however, if I have a day to spare, the Re-​Juvenate Spa Package is absolutely wonderful and quite the treat! It’s a fabulous deal almost too good to be true, with gratuity included. Certainly, by the time you get to the final treatment, you’re ready to bolt out of there. But if you’re having one of those months where all you can think about is running and hiding for a few hours, look no further… this is the perfect escape.
I’d recommend a week day — it would be quiet. Although, you’ll be pretty out of it so it doesn’t really matter, unless you are annoyed quickly. The steam room never seems to work, but the sauna is nice. Pop in after your pedicure for quicker dry time.
I also love Leslie — she’s a real character. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table and gives remarkable facials, and skincare advice.
I hope to go back soon…

Re: fresh is so great! For me, it served as an amazing introduction to a worthwhile day spa experience.
Friendly staff members wait at the front desk and will greet you with warm smiles as soon as you walk through the front door. [You won’t find intimidating or pretentious girls on staff who make you feel awkward or less than worthy to take part in their services.] The locker room, sauna and steam room are tres amazing and clean — I loved the little slippers and my plush, comfy white terrycloth robe.
The super clean, subtle, minimalist décor is inviting and makes the patron feel as though they’re in a reputable place where you’re guaranteed to feel calm, subdued, respected, and well-​taken care of. I had a superb massage, an amazing pedi/​mani experience, and a wonderful facial… Mmmm… recounting my experience at Re: fresh makes me crave coming back here… Meow!

First, this is NOT a spa but an extension of 24 hr. fitness. There are no amenities whatsoever, no shavers, no make up remover, toner, combs or brushes… and you have to ask for them! The steam room doesn’t work (supposedly is on a timer, instead of temperature gauge) and there was no water (to drink) after I got out of the sauna. My aesthitician was more like a masseuse and after getting out of the room, she disappeared only to catch her eating and talking to me with her mouth full while I got some water.
Upon telling the staff about my experience, they promised to have the manager contact me and perhaps compensate for this terrible experience. Instead, I ended up calling the manager (no compensation) who gave me rebuttals and defensive words. «You pay for what you get,» rings true and this place is not worth going.
Perhaps they’ve changed, but this is my first and last experience here.