Illa Spa

It was my first time ever getting a massage. The atmosphere was very calm and the massage was amazing. I was running late and had a hard time finding parking and they were very accommodating and took care of me. I definitely recommend this place.

I’ve been to Illa Spa twice already in the past two months a signature and a deep tissue massage and both times had a very nice experience. To me the most important factor is how it makes you feel after. Both times I left the salon with a sense of deep bodily and emotional relaxation, and slept like a newborn at night. My body felt more elated and flexible for a few days after each session. The environment is simple but cosy and the massage therapist was attentive and adjusted pressure in problem area per my request. I will certainly be back for more in the future and can recommend it to others.

I thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Illa Spa. As several of the other reviews mentioned, the space is fairly small, but has been renovated to help make the most of what they have. Initially our massage room (which was intended for couples) was a little bit cool but the heated pads and blankets quickly warmed things up. My favorite part of our services was the Facial! I’ve gotten quite a few facials, but this one was probably one of the more thorough where I left feeling like I had a facial, but not looking crazy like I had one if that makes sense. If I’m in the area again, I will definitely be back!

I booked a couples massage with a Groupon discount. My husband and I were excited for a day of relaxation and left very disappointed. None of the muscle groups that we preferred to be the focus were addressed. A lot of the focus was on upper and lower extremities and our backs were hardly touched. The pressure for my massage was okay but my husband said his was light touch with little to no pressure applied. We left covered in oil, almost like we had been in the heat all day and were sweaty. Also, we left with the same sore and achy muscles as when we arrived.

Love this spa! Hannah is incredible, she’s helped me recover post car accident with her amazing lymphatic massage. The building may be a little older but the massage is out of this world. Don’t judge a book by its cover, just make an appointment and get the best massage of your life.

Purchased a Groupon for my husband for Father’s Day. He called the spa several times Wednesday July 10, 2024, no answer. Finally someone calls him back and he schedules for 12:15. He arrives no one is there. Apparently they see him on the camera calls him and says they have to push the time back 12:15 to 12:20. Its now 12:45 no one ever showed up so he left to get back to work. We have been here several times and had really good experiences. You guys dropped the ball. Why schedule someone for a service If you know you’re not going to be there. This is beyond unprofessional Groupon or not. People have jobs to return to and pay for parking only ti not receive services.

Id like to thank Illa Spa and Ms. Hanna for the attention and care they have provided for my family and I. My daughter went into the spa in desperation and hoping to find some relief after years of back pain. After an extensive conversation and coordination my daughter rescued a total of 6 massages that have provided positive results. As I sat in the room with them, I watched Hanna work with care and extensive knowledge on different techniques. My daughter is now able to sleep, has increased mobility and significantly less tension on her back. I also received a massage from Ms.Hanna. As a business owner I am on my feet all day and received a massage that realized tension of my feet and back. Thank you for providing this service with care and concern.

Do not pre pay for any service at this business. You are required to pay before even being able to book an appointment, at which point they will continuously reject your requested appointment time and/or cancel on the day of the service. Several of us have contacted the BBB about this “spa.” Protect yourself.

I read the previous reviews, but my experience was very positive. I was running late and they still gave me my full hour. They honored my Groupon with no question, the establishment was neat and tidy, and the masseur listened when I requested more firm pressure.Booked online, I was able to set in appointment the next day after I purchased the Groupon, which was nice because a lot of spa groupons arent valid for weekends or you have to book far out for an appointment.Located in a cute, bustling area. Perfect for getting a massage and grabbing some lunch afterward.

Worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. Booked a Groupon, told me I couldn’t use it because I had been to the spa before. Man at desk handed me a card and said I could talk to the manager. Manager laughed into the phone when I asked if they could honor the Groupon considering I had just driven 30 minutes into the city to get there. They couldn’t have told me they weren’t going to accept the Groupon before ACCEPTING my appointment (which was booked correctly noting it was a Groupon massage)?? I had already been charged $60 through Groupon and they wanted me to pay an additional $70 on top for a 60 minute massage. That isn’t even their advertised price for a massage?While this was being argued about, a couple came out of their massage and were yelled at they they needed to tip even though they payed through Groupon (obviously). The man handed the clerk cash and the clerk laughed and said that wasn’t a respectful amount. So incredibly unprofessional. Do not go here.

Just left this place and got a facial. It was a horrible experience because I believe they left a mask on too long and my face began to itch. I told the aesthetician, but she said it was just eating away my bacteria because of my acne. Also after, I tried to redeem my Groupon purchase and was told that I could not use it and would be charged the full $95. Also, they left product on my face afterwards and my face was not fully moisturized.Would not recommend 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾

Ana has horrible customer service and is very rude. I wouldnt recommend wasting your money here.. My appointment was at 2:15 I started got to the place at 2:02. I booked a 60 min message and they didnt start my massage until my massage unit 2:23. The man finished 10 early at 3:11 he said we was done. The whole time I could hear this lady in the back ground talking sound like she was fussing which wasnt very relaxing at all. Which is the whole point of a massage to relax. Then once he finishes. Im getting back dressed an Ana knocks on the door 2 time and the 3rd time she comes to the room she just walks in while my shirt is till off and tells me to hurry up she has other people waiting for this room. I told her not to rush me Ill be out in a min and she slams the door. Then when I come out she proceeded to kick me our of the spa. Shes is very nasty lady I would never go here again and I dont recommend it to anyone

I love this Spa! Such a calm zen vibe. Thio is the best, shes very professional & skillful. She massaged me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet literally, I enjoyed every minute. She took her time and listened to my requests when I mentioned the areas that need the most attention. 10/10 would recommend.

The space itself isn’t fancy, but they’ve done a good job of making the rooms feel cozy and relaxing. The massage was quite nice and seemed to combine a few different techniques. PLUS the therapist listened when I asked her to us a lighter touch on my leg and also adjusted to make sure the pressure was comfortable on the other side- I know this seems basic, but it doesn’t happen more frequently that one would expect. This therapist paid attention and didn’t fall into autopilot.

I’ve been going to Illa off and on for about a year. I would say I’ve been there about 10 times. It’s a very basic massage parlor but I’ve always had a fantastic massage. The massages are better than when I go to the spas with the saunas, robes, and cucumber water. I’ve done the signature and hot stone.When I started going there I would book on classpass and never had an issue. One time, they were running about 20 minutes behind and they gave me a longer massage. Another time, there h was a leak and my appointment cancelled but they called and let me know with plenty of notice.Recently, I started using the promo vouchers on their site. And the owner has been doing my massages, she’s really great, I’ve had a lot of tension and always leave feeling better. I’ve never paid full price for a massage and I’ve always tipped 20% on the ORIGINAL $110 price. Will continue to go there and tell my friends!

Ive gone for two facials now and got my boyfriend one as well. I booked my first facial and my boyfriends through Groupon, and they gave me a deal for coming back for a second facial within two weeks. My skin has noticeably improved already. Definitely recommend for a quality facial!

I got deep tissue massage from Jess she is great. Nice place good Frot desk i late 15 min but still i got full hours.

Very poor and unprofessional! There is a reason why this massage is so cheap on Groupon. The owner Hannah gave mediocre service, and tries to blame the customer for redeeming the discounted Groupon, and demands tips the moment after the massage was complete. Very odd and unpleasant experience. Plenty of other massage spas to go to around DC - I recommend any but this one

I came here for the first time last week and my experience at Illa Spa was great! I was able to book through class pass the day before my appointment, and got confirmed within the hour. Was greeted almost immediately into a room without having to wait too long. And then my Masseuse Sadiya was awesome! She asked what areas I wanted focused on, and was able to adjust if I wanted areas to be worked on with more or less pressure and was just all around pleasant.I would definitely recommend this place and especially Sadiya!12/10 recommend

We purchased a voucher for the European Facial at $75.1.The staff lacked professionalism, contacting us via text and phone calls after 11 pm. They were rude over the phone.2.The environment had a bad odor and was not clean, with food left out in public areas.3.The facial itself was mediocre and did not match the promised experience. The Custom Facemask turned out to be a generic sheet mask. The session, advertised as 55 minutes, was closer to 30 minutes with us spending 20 minutes lying idle. The extraction lasted only about 3 minutes and was not thorough. There was excessive rubbing of exfoliants without proper professional attention. They did not inquire about our skin types or problem areas.4.We were dissatisfied with the service and had decided not to tip more than $10 each. However, the staff at the counter insisted on a minimum tip of $15 each. When I expressed surprise, she claimed it was stated on the website. Upon checking, the website only suggests a 15% tip. It seems we were misled. It was evident that the staff member was uncomfortable enforcing this tip, indicating pressure from management.Overall, we felt deceived by this establishment. It was neither worth our time nor money.ALSO! It would be more transparent to label it as a service fee.

I was traveling from out of town and booked a 90 minute session. It was one of the best messages I have ever received. Thank you so much.

Please avoid at all costs. Super rude owner who cursed at me and won’t listen to her customers explaining the flawed system of booking with a Groupon. She won’t honor Groupons and is taking your money. Also the therapist started to give a massage and then left within a minute with the owner coming in to yell at me (while I was undressed) and said that she will charge at full price. Owner has odd unhealthy anger— ironically not a place to zen out. Was hoping to destress too. Therapist not great. Please just avoid. What a weird experience

This lady Anna doesnt pay the people who work with her when people leave she only hires undocumented and unlicensed immigrants no one in this SPA has a license so they dont pay people she makes up a bunch of lies the people who work there have to clean, wash clothes and serve customers and you have to stay at the SPA all day without earning anything being a slave you only earn if you get customers she doesnt pay people she didnt pay me 500 dollars Im going to report this on groupom and classpass good people dont agree with this conduct I am sure that this conduct does not represent the consent of customers and many will no longer go to this inhumane environment GOOD PEOPLE WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE ABSURDNESSES WILL NOT FREQUENT THIS SPACE

I found out about this business via Groupon and purchased a voucher for waxing services. The appointment went well until it was time for payment, and I was informed that they only accept vouchers from 12-3 PM during the week and that I would have to pay full price. Since then, I have spent months trying to schedule another appointment so I can finally use my voucher to no avail. When I schedule online, the appointment gets canceled with no follow up email or phone call to explain. And when I try to schedule over the phone, I’m told they can’t help me and to go online. It’s frustrating and extremely unprofessional and there is also no way to reschedule appointments online and they also refuse to assist with that over the phone.

The worst place Ive been to in my lifeFirst of all they know how to waste the time when they doing the massageThe second thing is, dont trust them, especially the owner. I informed her from the beginning that I was using Groupon, but after the massage, she refused the Groupon and insisted on doubling the price for payment.Never happened in my entire life

Depressing experience! The owner of this place is terrible!She doesnt accept Groupon but offers you a first time cliente price.I asked for a deep tissue masage and she said she would find a good masseuse for me. When I arrived to my appointment, she said that she would be my masseuse. All she did was spreading oil In a super slow motion and resting her hands for a long amount of time at one place. I started to feel cold and looking forward for her next move. Sincerely my grand mother would have done better. She had to interrupt my massage several times, to answer other clients comming in. And then get back to me in a tense attitude. She was nervous all the time dropping things and making all kinds of noises as she mover with her rolling chair around the bad. I was feeling worst each minute.She finished the masage 7 or 8 minutes earlier, and in the end asked for a tip. I didnt leave a tip and explained the reasons . She got mad and didnt accept anything and answered in a rude way saying that I should not come to her center again. Which is what I had already decided. I felt stolen! Worst service ever!!

Excellent massage!!! My husband and I have been several times and will definitely go back. Very friendly staff as well. 🩷 Fair pricing too.

Saidiya and Karen were exceptional! We really loved our couples massage.Saidiya was especially attentive to my wife. Checking in with her and reassuring her. Her touch was gentle yet maintained sufficient pressure.Karen knew just how to hit all my pressure points and made up techniques on the spot to target my hips & IT band.We will be back. Please book with these two for your next couples massage.

The facials and massage are excellent! They are very flexible and kind. The deep tissue massage is my favorite.

Honestly, the worst experience Ive ever had with a business in DC. I booked a Swedish massage through Illas online portal, which allows you to credit Groupons (including expired Groupons) toward the massage. I had an expired Groupon for a Swedish massage. The Groupon terms, which the business presumably agreed to, states that the amount paid will never expire and may be applied toward any goods or services offered by the merchant if the original goods or services . . . . are no longer available.I enter my Groupon number on the online portal, with the understanding that my cost will be the difference between the amount I paid for the Groupon and the total cost of services.I show up for the massage a few minutes early. The front door is locked, even though it is within business hours. I knock a few times, call (nobody answers), and sit down to wait. The massuese (who is perfectly nice and friendly) shows up a few minutes after my massage time, but doesnt know how to get in. Accordingly, Im stuck waiting in the lobby for what is supposed to be a relaxing massage for 30 minutes until she finally figures out how to get into the spa. She asks for and I again give her the Groupon number before the massage. The massage is fine and, trying to be a good customer, I tip the masseuse >20% on the total cost of the massage. The masseuse says I dont have to pay anything because I have a Groupon.A few days later, I notice that Illa has charged me for the full amount of the massage, without any savings from the Groupon. No problem, I think, probably just a mistake on their part. I call them, my masseuse answers, and assures me that somebody will call me back. Days go by and no contact. Because nobody has bothered to call me back, I submit a credit card chargeback a few days later.Finally, five days after my call and more than a week after the massage, I get a text saying u paid we dont have anything sale Groupon Swedish massage only before corona we did. So U dont booked Groupon voucher massages.I explain that I gave the Groupon number at two stages -- before the massage and also online. The owner says thats not true and that they checked on their camera (unless theres audio, how could a camera show if I gave the voucher number in-person, let alone online?). I get frustrated by the owners attempts to gaslight me. The owner proceeds to ask me to stop texting them and gives me a pleasant, Hopefully u understand your place.What a relaxing experience! To put it mildly, not a place I recommend giving your business.

Really loosened up muscles preparing me for long trip! He did a great job!

I made an appointment for a facial and the morning of the appointment, I called asking if there was flexibility with the time and the aesthetician said that I could only come at the time of my appointment, 2pm, and she didn’t have other openings. I arrived at my appointment at 1:47pm and nobody was at the salon. I patiently waited until 1:57 and called the aesthetician to let her know I was here and didnt see anyone. She said to stay right there and she would be there in a few minutes. I kept waiting and nobody showed up nor did I get a call, so I left at 2:12pm, after 25 minutes of waiting. She never called to apologize for not showing up, nor to reschedule the appointment. I had left work early for this appointment and was disappointed that I needed to wait 25 minutes and never received the service, and had to use PTO just to wait for someone that couldn’t be bothered to cancel with me if something came up.

Easy to book an appointment and have a best massage of my life. Will visit again thank you very much.

I had a GREAT Thai/Swedish massage here. The facilities are pretty basic but the massage itself is amazing. I booked through classpass and the booking process was smooth. I’ll be back.

Found this place through class pass. I had an excellent time with Yam. Originally I came in for a lymphatic drainage massage but it became a combo of that and a deep tissue massage due to the tightness in my back.Yam was very professional and really knew what he was doing. The pressure was perfect and Im slightly sore the next day (The good kind of sore ).Will be coming back for sure!

Let me start by clarifying that the massage therapist was great. Very professional and kind.However, I had reserved with a Groupon and the front desk person was rude, made me tip over what I volunteered to, and made me wait 20 minutes even though I had made an appointment.I never give such low scores but this place deserves it. Not a relaxing or kind place.

I literally just left this place and I’m pissed. she says she’s been waxing for years?? I felt like I had to walk her through how to properly wax. She was cool to chat with but she clearly doesn’t have any experience or has been messing ppl up all this time. it’s patchy. waxing over the same areas 3-4 times. NEVER had that problem before.This was my worst experience ever.Also I told the owner that the waxer double dipped. She said “oh it’s her first day, we’ll throw the pot out”

This place is so wonderful! the owner is so nice and.Hanna always takes care of me, I got a Swedish massage last week and it was great! The atmosphere is nice and the customer service is excellent! 10/10 I highly recommend this place

I made an appointment for a Groupon service two weeks prior to the desired appointment date. I called the day before to inquire about coming in at an earlier time. The lady immediately started yelling at me and tells me they canceled my appointment because they had not heard from me. She claims they called and texted me several times and I didn’t respond. I went back and checked my call log, texts, and email; not a single message from these people. I call back to let them know they never alerted me to the cancellation and she says “we can cancel when we want” and hangs up. I don’t know why they offer Groupons if it’s such an inconvenience to them.

This spa is amazing, the best therapist I have encountered thus far is Sadiya! She is very experienced & gives amazing massages. Would definitely recommend this therapist at this location.

Wonderful spa experience! Nina gave me an amazing massage which was the signature. She made sure to stretch and worked out pressure points. I felt so relaxed after I left I almost fell asleep at dinner. I also slept better than I have in a long time. I recommend and will return!For those concerned about the Groupon reviews, ensure you read the fine print and follow instructions. They indicate you must select “Voucher Services,” when making your appointment. I had no problem at all scheduling mine using Groupon!

Want to be scammed? Come to this spa! They will cancel you whenever they want! Do not and I repeat do not buy the Groupon deal for this spa! I booked almost a month prior and was rescheduled two times the day of then ultimately canceled! How unprofessional! Front desk is the worst and has a disgusting attitude. Imagine being so miserable? How sad!

My go-to-place for massage in DC since 2018. Therapists are professional, friendly and patient to listen to my concerns. The owner lady Hannah can be a bit impatient but overall she respects my requests. I also normally purchase the bundle/package for a good discount. (Agree with other comments that the owner doesn’t like Groupon purchases for some reason, but you can buy the package from her for a similar price.)

Im going on a beach vacation so I booked a wax online. I chose a time and date that said they were available. I was then emailed a day later saying that my appointment time got declined. I called and was told that they actually have no spaces available for the rest of the week, so I wont be able to come in before my vacation. The woman who explained this to me on the phone was rude & condescending. I booked the wax through Groupon so I cant get a refund.Edit: I see that they responded. I would like EVERYONE to know that they charged me and took my card information for this “request”.

Was forced to tip nowhere on website did it say I have to tip not even in Groupon were I got my voucher from first she called 30 min before my appointment on 2/10 and wanted to change time I couldn’t change time so she gave me another day 2/11 and text 30 min before my time 11am to tell me come at 11;20am to say they will be running late the owner is rude very rude I was confused on the force dc tip $7 was no problem but she couldn’t show me on app where it stated I had to pay 15% tip of regular fee if you get your voucher off Groupon be aware of all the hidden fees

Decided to book a couples massage for my lady and I for a late Valentines Day present. Im not really a big fan of massages. Just not really my thing. But after the massage I am a changed man and have been missing out. My lady is happy too. Happy wife happy life.

Terrible “spa.” I made a reservation based on the Lyle hotel claiming it as their spa. Walked in a hot today to an even hotter office space that was dirty and dingy. I asked for water and was given a baby cup. I started feeling lightheaded and told the owners I would have to leave because the stifling heat was making me feel sick. When I raised it they were extremely rude and responded that it was 75 degrees inside so I should have no reason to complain and would not be getting a refund. I have never been to any place that would try to tell me 75 degrees was cool and a hot day. Stay away from this place, it is not at all a real spa and completely lacking customer service.

My spouse and I enjoyed a lovely and relaxing massage experience—our two therapists were experienced and wonderfully welcoming. The cost is very reasonable, too, and everything exceeded our expectations.

Ive had 2 massages and a facial here. Today, I left feeling like a new person, I was so relaxed. The staff was friendly and my services were good. Will return.

The entire experience was amazing, I scheduled an appointment last minute and was accommodated. This made my anniversary! The actual massage was top notch as well……. 5 star services for me all around 🙌🏽

Great massages! The only complaint I have is that I was rescheduled twice. I had scheduled my massage for a Friday afternoon at first and was asked to reschedule because the shop would be closed (which confused me because why would you even accept my request for Friday). So they then rescheduled me for Saturday which was great still, but when I arrived the doors were locked and no one was there so I called and was told that I wasnt on the schedule and was asked to reschedule for later in the day or another day. This kinda of annoyed me, but I got a call about 10 minutes saying that someone was coming in that could accommodate me and he did a phenomenal job.

So this was actually my very first professional wax experience. My tech (the owner) was extremely professional. Very clean environment and safe environment. I love the intimate/cozy location very close to dupont circle.Pls pls pls if you get a voucher through a 3rd party like groupon.... read the fine print it will help when understanding what to expect from your appt

The massage was really great. I went with my sister and we both had a great massage. I would recommend Sadia and Hannah. And the place is really clean and relaxing.

After booking a service on their website, I walked into my appointment and was told they would not honor my Groupon because it was a holiday. Upon looking at their website, I saw nothing that said this policy. The woman was extremely rude, blamed me for not reading the website (even though it never stated that), and I left without completing my service. If I hadn’t prepurchased my service, I would not be returning to this salon. Additionally, they charged me twice for the service.

Maria was excellent. I recommend her if you’re feeling any soreness in your legs.

I have visited this spa twice for their signature massage and both times have been exceptionally better than my massage experiences elsewhere. When you ask for deep pressure, they REALLY deliver and you can tell they have a really strong understanding of how different muscles/tissues are connected because they seem to release tightness in places I didn’t know I had. This most recent visit, I had Kuzon and he helped me with some deep tightness in my upper back/shoulders and hips—it was intense but in a good way!! Kuzon made me feel very comfortable and was thoughtful about my requests. Afterwards, Kuzon gave me a promotional deal for a discount on my next visit. I have booked through ClassPass and their website. I recommend this place highly if you are looking for an above and beyond massage, but if you are looking for a luxury spa with glitz/glam, this probably isn’t it—I appreciate the simple space.

Not sure how this isn’t a one star on google. These are not trained people - they simply just rub your shoulders and put no pressureThen the lady said it’s a minimum $20 tip - which is not legal. I get massages on a biweekly basis and this isn’t worth your money

Shuichi is one of the best massage therapists I know, and even thought I moved from DC to Chicago, I always book an appointment with him when Im visiting DC. He combines Swedish and Shiatsu massage for me. Casual setting, but clean. Room walls are a bit thin so you might near people in the next room, but if you book on a Monday, Shuichi is the only in the office. Also, pricing is very reasonable. Highly recommended massage therapist.

My boyfriend and i just had an anniversary 2/14 .. so i planned a spa day for us. we traveled from baltimore to come to ill’s spa it was the first time him and i had gotten a massage the service was great! the massage felt so good i loved the customer service. and i got a facial which was also great 😊 illa even taught me some things i needed to know about my face i just fell in love 😻 yess, she’s the best im also gonna post a review of my experience on tiktok @nialov2 🫶🏾 thanks illa ❤️❤️

Had an amazing facial here! Very relaxing and my skin was glowing after!

I visited here today for a 60 minute facial and loved every minute of it. I will definitely be back!

Went for a 60-minute massage today. The therapist really knew what he was doing. The level of press was just about right. I felt so refreshed. Amazing service!

I got a the Illa Signatura massage by a male-masseur at Illa Spa and it was amazing!! At the beginning he pressed particular pressure point in my back, arms and legs, which felt quite relieving. The, he moved on to massaging and carefully moving my articulations. He was absolutely professional and I really liked the overall experience.

Its good. My massage therapist, Patricia is very good. The only thing I can suggest is to have options to chose the massage cream or oil. Scented cream would be good. In addition, a little light would be helpful to prepare oneself before a massage- the room is too dark.

My facial was excellent; the only downside was the smell of gas in the spa.

Run the other direction. The business owner is rude and yelled at me when I expressed frustration of having my appointment request denied twice. She told me if I wanted the appointment not to use a Groupon and to go and pay the full price. She reminded me I had four months to use the Groupon. If you don’t have the appointment available then how is suddenly available if I pay full price? She also raised her voice at me and yelled at me like a child the. Sent me a rude text message. I have been here years ago but I never dealt with the owner until now. It will be my last time.

I booked through Classpass not knowing what to expect. Yam was an excellent massage therapist. Skilled, communicative, and respectful. Thanks so much, Yam!

Very bad and unprofessional!! Had an appointment for 2pm. I reached and they shut the door on my face saying there is a leakage issue. Not at all respectful nor informed me prior. Don’t recommend illa spa and Don’t waste your money!!

Had a groupon for a 60 minute massage. The massues was attentive and listened to my concerns and he put in work. I wish i had gotten his name.Note the if you use a groupon you must book through the website.I would make this my regular spot but its a HIKE for me to get here.Check them out.

Anthony was wonderful, he was very kind and polite and did an incredible job with the massage. He was able to identify the knots easily and work through them.I do want to say I was not happy to find out that Illa Spa does not allow customers to use Groupon vouchers during any time of the week except weekday working hours. They dont include this anywhere on the Groupon page, which is misleading. Its not on their website either.

The service was excellent and the massage quality was better than I expected. I was apprehensive considering the reviews but I noticed that a lot of them were from Groupon customers. and many were because they had not read the fine print on the groupon.I have no complaints and would go again!

Horrible experience! The front desk lady verbally abused and harassed me. I had already paid for the massage on their website by entering the Groupon redemption code and they did not honor that. Terrible customer service. Will never recommend

I purchased a Groupon and reserved an appointment online. Their online system was impossible to understand. Then after my massage, they charged me full price and refused to accept the Groupon. So I paid double for an average-at-best massage.I had already paid for the Groupon and I gave the owner a chance to correct the issue and refund the difference between the Groupon price and the full price they charged me, but she rudely refused. This place is a complete scam.Also, there are flies EVERYWHERE.

Ive been experiencing neck and upper back pain for a while due to strenuous exercise. Mike was able to release and relax the pinched muscles and I feel about 50% improved after my first session. Will be back for additional sessions and hopefully can return my body back to normal. Appreciate you Mike!

The facility leaves something to be desired. While for the most part it seemed clean, the rooms were crummy and need updating. They were also too small for the masseuse to easily move around during the session. On top of that, my masseuse, David, didnt do a very good job. He claimed to do a combination of Swedish/Turkish massage, but kept continually scratching the bottoms of my feet and palms and painfully pushing repeatedly on pressure points that hurt. I had to tell him a number of times to stop or move on from an area. He also was inappropriate with his hands and I had to tell him to stop massaging so close to my private areas as he was making me incredibly uncomfortable.To make the whole experience even worse, they overbooked their Groupons and called and canceled mine and my friends appointments just hours before until they were able to find more masseurs. Overall it was not a pleasurable or relaxing experience. Recommend going elsewhere.Note: I read many of the other reviews and have to add that they must have had a different front desk person in January because the young man I dealt with was incredibly sweet and apologetic about how things were being run. He was the only positive that came out of the experience.

The stars are all for the massage, as the massage therapist was great. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the front desk and hostile phone staff. I had booked my appointment via ClassPass and the woman I spoke with made me feel like an inferior and less deserving customer for suggesting any kind of accomodation. The woman that worked the phone and the one behind the front desk both gave me conflicting information and when I pointed this out for further clarification, I was literally cut off and yelled at for a length of time by. I just cannot believe how rudely I was treated which is unfortunate because the location is ideal for me to have frequented.

Went for a massage and had a great experience. Professional and friendly staff and fair price.It’s not a “lifestyle” kind of interior place but I prefer paying for the good quality of the treatment rather than a super fancy interior. I’ll book it again!

Do not go here. The owner is not professional and scammed me out of two-hundred dollars. She pressured me to purchase a 3-package deal because she said my neck and back were in such poor shape that the therapist couldn’t properly treat me in one session. I trusted her and believed her- and thus purchased the package. When I tried to return for my remaining two sessions, she said the therapist who had helped me was no longer available and asked that I go to a different person. It takes me at least one session to feel comfortable with a massage therapist so I did not feel comfortable going to a new person. Safe to say, I would not have spent so much money on a package offering if I had been told upfront that I would not be able to pick the therapist.

I love going to Illa for massages. They are professional, skilled, and attentive to my needs. I look forward to my next visit!

Horrible experience do NOT go there. I booked a Groupon and they wouldn’t let me use it. It was a mistake and I asked if I could still use it and the front desk woman proceeded to yell at me and told me to call the police if I wanted it resolved. It was just a mistake- there was no reason for her to raise her voice at me and call me names.

It felt clean and we were the only people there which was nice. I really liked the way he kept asking consent when touching different areas. I think I was hoping for a more intensive foot massage since we paid full price for the full body and a groupon for Foot Reflexology. I feel like they kind of held back on the foot reflexology part of the deal 🤔

Only giving 1 star because zero isnt available. The receptionist is EXTREMELY rude and impatient. Kind of makes you want to smack her through the phone. They tried to redeem my groupon without allowing me to come to my appt simply because life happened and as a decent person is supposed to, I called ahead and informed Id b running late. She kept talking over me, when I asked if I could simply reschedule if it was that big of a deal, she told me no and hung up on me. Then about twenty minutes later she text me the exact words go read illa spa policy. You booked yourself .seriously? Do they not realize I dont HAVE to give them my money? By then Id already got groupon to send the full refund for my voucher (fyi, they ask for the voucher number at time of scheduling the appt, I guess so that its easier to pull scams without accommodating potential customers). This place does not care about recieving business, nor are they inviting or warm - not even from the first phone call when I tried to book the appt. She literally HUNG UP on me because I was driving on bluetooth and couldnt use my hands to pull up my groupon code. I had to call back later to deal with her attitude again. I shouldve known better and just processed a refund then. But Its okay. I found a better deal elsewhere and from the look of other reviews, I wouldnt have enjoyed a foot massage here anyway. Take your money somewhere else because they clearly dont care enough.

People need to learn how to read directions on these Groupons. They have such a hard time because they dont follow instructions.If you actually read the process, you wont get turned away from your massage. You appointment needs to be confirmed first. That first email you get is only an appointment pending email. Not a confirmation.Understandably covid has made appointments limited, so sometimes you may not get booked on your requested day.I called and spoke with the owner prior to booking due to poor reviews regarding Groupon that concerned me. She was incredibly helpful, kind and answered all my questions.It angers me that the people leaving these reviews are the ones at fault. Read directions and dont assume just because you already paid for it.A great business with a wonderful owner shouldnt have its name tainted by these Groupon users not being responsible.

I purchased a couples massage voucher through Groupon. Then I contacted illa spa to make a reservation a week in advance. The lady I spoke to over the phone who worked at illa spa, advised that they do not do couples massages in the same room. I agreed to get separate massages in different room with my partner. A week later, on the day of the appointment I called this business atleast 20 times because my appointment was at 3 pm and I wanted to confirm they were still open since with COVID-19 they might change the way they operate. I called since 12 pm no one answered. I finally decided to try my luck and head over to my appointment despite the fact that no one was answering my calls. I get a phone call from illa spa at around 2:30 pm telling me they were returning my call. I advised I was on my way to their location for my appointment. The lady asked for my name and phone number and then told me that I did not have an appointment with them and that they only had one massage therapist available so they could only give one person a massage, either it’s me or my partner but not both of us. I literally had to book an appointment over the phone as I was heading over to the spa. And I told the lady over the phone I was not going to get a massage, I would just let me partner get the massage instead since they can only give one person a massage due to the lack of staff. The lady had a terrible attitude over the phone and her attitude was even worse in person and she seemed to be angry. This place has poor bookkeeping, poor customer service, a poor location, no parking, and a poor massage experience. My partner stated the massage therapist massaged him with the sheets covering his whole body. So, he did not really enjoy the massage since his whole body was covered with the sheets. I was surprised since I have NEVER heard anyone getting a massage with sheets covering their whole entire body. Honestly, I should have believed the reviews I read before going to this place so I would have never purchased this Groupon deal. Worse massage experience EVER. Please save yourself the trouble, and stay away from this place!!!! Don’t be stubborn like me and go there and experience this hell place for yourself. You have been WARNED!!!!

I was a little nervous seeing all of the negative reviews on here, but I actually had a great experience. My massage therapist was competent and provided the right balance of pressure and precision. The actual facilities aren’t as fancy as a luxury spa, but I understood that going in. Check them out on ClassPass. A one hour massage is a great deal!

Worst foot reflexology ever. Place is dingy and is very expensive.

Amazing first experience with a wax. I was so nervous but everything was set up to make me as comfortable as possible. No pain! Hanna you’re the best!

Do not ever book with this spa, especially with a groupon.I have been trying to redeem my Groupon for about 5 months with this spa, every time I have booked my appointment was cancelled. I finally got in contact with a woman who worked at the spa, when I expressed my concern of not being able to book an appointment and she rudely cut me off and told me she didnt care because she was on her lunch break and told me they would call back. Two hours later and I call again, she rudely yelled at me on the phone telling me to book it myself on the computer, her tone was very condescending and rude. This company should not be working with a 3-party voucher like groupon if they are going to be biased when someone wants to redeem their voucher. Worst customer service Ive ever experienced. Dont waste your money on a terrible institution like this.

Hana is amazing and always accommodating my crazy schedule

Same experience as a lot of other reviewers here .. appointment was confirmed via email and text, show up on time and the appointment has been canceled. Receptionist was rude and told me “the computer never lies” and that it was canceled bc they don’t have anyone working during this time. If you don’t have someone during those times, why do you offer them online?! And I could only book online, I even tried calling bc I was having trouble with the Groupon voucher on their website! And now she keeps texting me telling me that it was my fault and to understand. Definitely won’t be going back. Just bummed I wasted money on a Groupon for this place.

My friend got me a Groupon from Illa for Christmas. I have attempted to schedule a massage with them for the past 2 months. Either they don’t confirm my massage when their site says they have available slots OR when I am confirmed, they call me and reschedule for the next week. Today I was getting ready for my massage when I got a call 30 mins prior saying they couldn’t do it and needed to reschedule. If you have a Groupon massage from here, save your money because they just won’t simply schedule you.

Me and my boyfriend went there using the Groupon and it was so easy and fun. I was scared going here with a Groupon because of all these other reviews, but as long as you use the Groupon code while booking the appointment online there is no confusion at all. They’re even accommodating if a little late which is amazing with dc traffic! I would 10/10 recommend to a friend for a good Swedish massage.

Similar Groupon voucher experience to others mentioned here. Attempted to book couples massage, but only after attempting to book online, emailing, and calling, was told they were only honored from 11am-4pm M-F. This information was not on Groupon or their website. Would not have purchased if that information was provided ahead of time. Would not recommend purchasing Groupon for this business.

Owner/manager unhappy I used a coupon&wanted to add a half hour&pay the difference.Lied about its details,called police even if I was prepared to pay the difference which in fact I paid MORE for the extra half hour than I did for the whole hour. HORRENDOUS experience in over 25 years of getting massages. Dont give her your business.

Can I give less than one star? My boyfriend bought a voucher for a couples massage that took close to a month for them to try to honor. I called on several occasions when I wasn’t able to book online. and when I spoke to the lady at the front desk she was extremely rude and hung up on me and told me that it wasn’t her fault that their computer didn’t honor our voucher, not to mention the “death in the family“ excuse for not honoring our massage.

I had an excellent experience here. I bought a Swedish couples massage on Groupon and called to schedule an appointment few weeks in advance. The experience was professional, clean, and most importantly, relaxing. Its important to know that you need to tip on the full cost of whatever service you receive - not on the Groupon price (seems fair!).

The therapist has to leave in the middle of message due to the emergency, but her technique is soooo good. It’s the most comfortable bed I have ever laid down in spa. Hope everything is well with her.

My fiancé booked me a massage on Thursday april8. He got a confirm email from Illa saying it was today ( april10/2021) at 12:45pm. When we arrive they act like they have no idea and told him he missed his apt because it was at 11:30. We checked and he recieved a 2nd confirm email today(april10) at 12:33pm saying it was at 11:30; which is NOT the time he booked for. Instead of helping us they just acted like we were not their. Didn’t take any responsibility for the fact that their system messed up and said we had to leave. They were rude and unhelpful. The room was also like 90 degrees with no ventilation or circulation . Would not recommend

This place is terrible. The Groupon is not worth it!The manager gave me shady reasons why Illa couldnt give me a refund, though I tried to cancel a week in advance of my appointment. While at the spa demanding my refund, a gentleman came in after me upset that illa canceled his appointment with only a 10min advanced notice of his appointment time. I finally got my refund but didnt stick around to see how the manager handled that guys situation. Stay Away from illa Spa. You leave more stressed than when you enter.

I had a lovely Saturday afternoon massage! My masseuse was professional and very friendly. She was concerned for my comfort and went out of her way to make sure everything felt great!

Great deal! We had a wonderful couples massage. The staff was very attentive and focused on areas where we had tension. We felt great afterwards!

I booked Illa Spa on Groupon for the 60-minute Swedish massage and the experience was terrible. It was hard to book an appointment with them because they hardly answer the phone. So I booked an appointment online which was still difficult because the slots are always filled somehow. I scheduled my appointment for Wednesday and they sent me a confirmation email. About a week before my massage they sent me a email saying that my appointment was rescheduled for Thursday instead. Luckily I was off on Thursday, even though I didnt like how they just took it upon themselves and rescheduled for me without confirming with me first. So I go to my appointment on Thursday and the building looks janky (Im glad my bf came with me). A guy greeted me at the front desk and he also was my masseuse. The massage was OK. Nothing more. Honestly if I wouldve paid full price for it I wouldve been very disappointed. When the massage was finished I went back out by the front desk and was about to leave. As Im leaving, the woman at the front desk tells me I have to leave a tip and pointed to a sign that said leave a 10% tip.Now this was my first massage so I wasnt sure if that was a policy for all massage parlors or something . I began to tell her that Groupon never stated that even in the fine print. I looked at the coupon and read everything on my phone again to make sure I didnt miss anything. She kept overtalking me saying that they have their own rules and Groupon basically says you have to follow them. I looked at her with a confused look because I knew it was a scam. My bf attempted to hand her a $5 bill just to stop all the commotion so we could leave. She then told him, it needs to be 10% of the original price of the massage, not the price I paid for. After I proved to her that I didnt NEED to tip she began telling me that it was a DC law that you tip 10% everywhere you go which I definitely knew wasnt true. After she realized I wasnt buying her lies, she yelled at me and called me cheap, and told me to never come back! She also said that I shouldnt mind tipping because I was already getting a discounted service. She said more but my bf grabbed me and we left before I could tell her about herself. That woman was extremely rude and I would never recommend anyone to go to this spa. Find another one on Groupon please there are plenty to choose from (just not Illa Spa).

I booked an appointment at Illa Spa because of a Nift gift certificate. It was a wonderful experience -- and highly recommended as your go-to spa. Its straight-forward and was truly the best massage Ive received in the District. My therapist listened to my concerns and built her practice around them.

Worst experience ever!! I went to have a relaxing couple massage and even though I got a confirmation 2 weeks ago, when I get there they say that my appointment was cancelled; however, I never got a cancellation e-mail. The worst of all is that the person at the counter was ABSOLUTELY RUDE!! TERRIBLE customer service! She didnt offer any solution to the problem, she didnt seem to understand the client point of view. I asked her what is the solution to this. She said: No solution. She stuck to her system where it said it was cancelled and she practically kicked us out and closed the door in our face! I have never been treated like that and I usually never complain. Worst experience. I went to relax and instead this lady made us mad! Try somewhere else!!!

Whenever you buy something on Groupon or social living or platforms like that, call the place first. Thats what I did and they were very accomodating. The masseuse was the only one working there but she still gave my spouse and I the couples massage for the price we paid on Groupon, on the day we booked. Claming environment; gentle light, soothingmusic, heated massage table on my lower back. (The greek cafe next door had great prices, great food, and slow preparation times but the chef was alone.) Honestly, paying for parking via that stupid silly app was the hardest part of the experience.

RUN AWAY!Read the reviews.You will regret if you choose this place.

Horrible Place! Staff is Very rude and unreasonable. Stay Out. Waste Of Money

Had the pleasure of receiving the couples massage with my fiancee and I. Our two therapist were great. They made sure we were taken care of. I live in Dallas and was visiting for the Cowboys vs Redskins game and we were able to book an appt before the game. My fiancee fell into a deep snore twice during the massage. Needless to say, the experiment was very relaxing.

ABSOLUTE SCAM - AVOID BUYING ANY GROUPONS! Update: Reported to Groupon who are investigating given the number of complaints and similar incidents with other clients. The vendor should be blocked on the platform soon for not honoring deals.

An absolutely horrific spa experience. We arrived to police presence and a irate employee demanding payment from the manager. People were yelling at each other in the waiting room - not ideal for relaxation. This continued once we were in the massage rooms, and the walls don’t actually join the ceiling, so you could hear everything. The massage itself wasn’t great either - the masseur clearly hadn’t had a lot of training and didn’t use appropriate pressure. We won’t be going back.

Hanna is the best! I went there first time nearly a year ago by recommendation of one of my friends and i never had better experience with a Brazilian wax. She works nice and fast, takes everything away and wont let you go till all looks good :) Ive tried some other places when I moved away from DC and had to switch to a regular shaving after few bad sessions... Hanna saved me from that night mare and took a real good care of my skin! I havent tried other specialist there, but I can vouch for Hanna with a 100% confidence!

Horrible customer service. Door was not open when I got there for my appointment. Started my massage 15 minutes late. Changed the price on me so I had to pay $50 more then booking price. Very rude front desk person who insulted me many times. Don’t go here!!!

I had a retched experience at this establishment - The owner of the establishment provided a waxing service and left multiple patches of hair on the skin. When I called to complain she instructed me to return the next day. Upon returning here she never showed up for the appointment. When the staff called to report this, the owner proceeded to yelled over me multiple times. After passing the phone off to the staff members on hand, she proceeded to yell at her staff and hang up the phone on them. The business refused to refund my money. Save your time. Your money is better spent elsewhere where you and the staff will be treated with respect.

DO NOT GO HERE. there is a much better place across the street where the masseuse wont use their phone while they massage you and then charge you full price when they didnt complete the appointment and wont refund you the full amount. Illa spa is now trying to make the argument that it is acceptable to use a cell phone while massaging clients - wish I had known this before I got SCAMMED out of my money because now I have to argue with their staff to attempt to get a PARTIAL refund... sorry, in my experience there is no need to be on your phone while massaging paying clients.

Worst experience. I went their specially asking for a deep tissue massage as I was sore due to workouts that week. They charged me full price for a normal Swedish massage. The masseuse was clearly inexperienced and didnt know what a deep tissue massage is, Totally disappointed. The masseuse also asked for more tip while I was paying for the session.

They were fantastic. My appointment was confirmed weeks before I requested it. They were on time, professional, and courteous. The place was super clean. I would 100% go again. For a massage or wax appointment. :)

As others noted, this is a smaller space in an older building (though a nice part of town). I received a birthday gift certificate for a massage here and was admittedly a little skeptical going in, having read the reviews. The presentation doesnt blow you away but the deep tissue massage I got was very good. Ive had many and this was near the top. Really working into the trigger points with elbows and knees, as requested. Id give the space a 2.5-3/5 but the massage a 4/5 and, to me, thats what matters most.

Fraudulent charges on my card. DO NOT BOOK A GROUPON WITH THIS SPA. My boyfriend gave me a massage Groupon from illa spa. After weeks of calling and not being able to find any open appointments at my desired time, illa spa turned off their phones. They have a message up that says you can only make bookings and cancellations through their website. Not wanting this Groupon to go to waste I tried to find an appointment using their website. They required that I enter my credit card info, even tho I had a Groupon. Going against my better judgement, I did so. When I never got a confirmation email I decided that I did not feel safe using this service. We called and were able to cancel with Groupon, and I emailed illa spa to let them know I would like to cancel my appointment. They emailed back and confirmed my cancellation. Now weeks later I received a text reminding me of my appointment. I tried to call the number... no answer... I texted back and let them know that I had cancelled this appointment weeks ago... no answer. Now I have a $45 charge on my card for a massage I never got, from a spa that is unreachable. I had to spend a long time on the phone with my credit card company trying to dispute this charge. This was supposed to be a gift and now I have gone through so much headache trying to book and cancel. It is totally unfair. Illa spa is a truly terrible business and I hope that no one has to deal with the frustration that I am dealing with now.

Ive tried several times to book a massage. First of all, Their booking website is horrible. After a few failed attempts I tried booking by phone. Illa later canceled because they said they were going to be closed. I decided to try one more time and went in person to ensure that I was booking on a day they would be open. Still they canceled just the day before I was to have my massage with no explaination. I dont appreciate having my time wasted.

Service was HORRIBLE! They are very rude, very disrespectful! Will NEVER EVER Be back. i don’t recommend this this to anyone. Over charged, they texted and harassed me. I promise there are much better places than this. Most unprofessional spa EVERRRR!

My favorite massage therapist Shuichi recently started working here. Ive been seeing him or years and he is the best for therapeutic massage! I highly recommend him!

I booked a facial through ClassPass to use up extra points and it was lovely. Not sure where all the grumbly reviews are coming from. Staff was friendly and professional. The building is old and not super renovated but clean and relaxing. Would definitely go back.

DO NOT GO HERE - DO NOT BUY THE GROUPONI had a HORRIBLE experience here. I apparently made a mistake booking my appointment (I still dont understand how?) but their website did not show an option for Groupon pricing so I selected a regular Brazilian then selected, yes, I have a third party voucher/groupon and put in the Groupon number. Sounds sufficient to communicate that I have a Groupon, right? Nope.I arrived and an INCREDIBLY rude woman informed me that because I booked the full price I would be paying full price and she didnt care if I had a Groupon. Apparently there is a quota for how many Groupons they will take in one day and I should have somehow known this. She barraged me with such insults as-Dont you speak English Cant you read? I dont need you as a customerI literally told her, Im not trying to be difficult I just dont understand what I did wrong and why we cant fix it. She was incredibly rude, began to ignore me and MOST IMPORTANTLY****SHE WAS NOT WEARING A MASK DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC****BEWARE do NOT go here

Had a great 60 minute massage at Illa Spa! The space is small but relatively quiet for Dupont area of D.C

TERRIBLE DO NOT GOAfter purchasing a second group on thinking that I would be able to use it. After calling to make the appointment no one indicated that I could not use the groupon. On the date of my appointment I received a text saying that the massage therapist had a family emergency so my appointment was being pushed back an hour, I replied that was fine, I then showed up and the receptionist was on the phone having personal conversation stating: I’m going to see the Chris brown concert this weekend, would it be ok if I told him I was single if he pulled me on stage and asked?...etc. she then remained on the phone while customer came in and checked in and out customers while still on the phone having personal private conversations. She then had me waiting 15 minutes to speak to a manager, while waiting she saw another employee and asked if using a groupon on a second visit was allowed the employee stated it wasn’t policy then the receptionist told me while still holding the phone to her ear oh it’s not policy to use a groupon but I want to check with the manager first I said okay and continued to wait for another 5 minutes. The manager then came out and spoke with another customer which she was about to see before the receptionist signaled to her she had a question, the receptionist then asked her about the group on issue to which the manager responded no its not policy we can’t see him. The receptionist then called me up to speak with her and the manager, as I calmly repressed my annoyance at the lack of notification of this after calling in to book a second appointment and having been contacted about the therapist not showing up but was unable to realize that I was already in their system and that the groupon would not be accepted. The manager then proceeded to raise her voice at me while speaking yelling at me telling me to contact groupon for a refund and if they don’t refund me that she would take care of me. I then said to her “why are you raising your voice? I am calmly speaking to you trying to understand what you mean by you will take care of me.” She then calmed down and said yes I will refund you if groupon doesn’t. I said okay, that’s all I needed to know, HAVE A NICE! and left the establishment.

Poor service and record keeping. I purchased a 3 pack of massages after my 1st massage. I had made an appointment for the 2nd massage but due to surgery i cancelled beforehand and walked in to the place to discuss it. They gave me a 2nd card since they could not finds the first card. I tried this week to schedule the appointment for my 2nd massage and verified with the person answering the call that they had my pre-purchased info and they said i did not need to bring the card I showed up today and they had me recorded as having all 3 of the massages i purchased. Have they heard of a computer system? Pretty easy to track rather than the archaic paper system they had. Additionally the original massage was average at best as they were unable to provide a deep tissue massage like i have experienced at other places.

I from New York. I came down to visit friends and family. I wanted to get a massage so I searched on Google and popped up Illa Spa. I saw they have great deal on deep tissue massage. So I called and booked my appointment, they took me immediately. My massage was so wonderful I felt like a new person!!!!!

DO NOT GO HERE! I would leave 0 stars if I could...this place is a scam and the employees are incredibly rude and disrespectful. Was told they dont take Groupon after I booked the appointment and entered my Groupon at the time of booking, refused to service me, and the woman screamed at me and walked away. Save your time and do not go here.

I was ethnically and religiously discriminated against, manager verbally assaulted me and made me leave the facility, then sent me a harassing text, my massage was only 40 mins instead of 60, the massage therapist was sick and didnt clean her hands after each time blowing her nose throughout massage, massage therapist was fighting on her phone in lobby, and several other issues happened. I recommend never going here even if you get a great discount because they have so many problems that you are almost guaranteed to leave stressed. I am more than appalled and they dont even deserve one star! Theres not enough space for me to leave all details here. But most importantly...When I politely talked to the manager about the issues, she interrupted me, kept repeating herself and getting louder, then stood up and told me that she didnt want customers like me (referring to my culture), didnt want my tip, and told me to leave. She said she would give me a full refund through Groupon but to get out and never come back because they dont want people like me. I never received the refund from her.--I stood up and went towards the door, left, and she closed the door hard then locked it. I could hear her talking about me to the receptionist.--About ten minutes later I received a very long text message from the manager basically repeating what she already said including an ending that stated: Out of respect for you and your culture, we respected that and gave you female therapist but you did not respect the therapist in talking negative and talking about her personal matters. Im aware your culture is different being from the middle east but here, in our culture we can not talk about personal issues.--Note: The manager is not originally American and is most likely from somewhere in Southeast Asia. The massage therapist was African American. I totally respect them as human. Im only pointing this out for context and to show the hypocrisy.--Note: I am part European, Mexican and Native American. I am not Middle Eastern. People always think Im only white because of my light features. My immigrant family immigrated to the US in the 1700s and 1800s. I have no foreign accent at all and I was wearing American style clothing. I never asked for or insinuated that I must have a female massage therapist. She was religiously profiling me because I wore a scarf on my head when I entered the facility (because it was literally freezing outside)! Notably, when I came out of the massage and went to the bathroom through the lobby, I wasnt wearing a scarf on my head and there were men around.Dont do it...never go here. Such a shame!

I wish I could give zero stars. Ive been to many massage parlors, and this is by far the worst one Ive ever been to. The staff is rude and pushy, not inviting at all, the masseuse I had was terrible, unable to apply any pressure and half assed the entire thing. I asked him multiple times to please increase pressure and he didnt. Also I asked to focus on my shoulders and neck and low and behold he focused on my legs. I also paid for an hour massage, which lasted less than 45 minutes and when I got to the front desk and complained they said there was nothing i could do and that tip was a mandatory 15%. A warning to all, do not go here! It is a scam and you will be disappointed.

I went to this place thanks to a Groupon. This was my first massage ever. When I get to the park about the actual massage, please keep in mind Im very lean and was not tender at the time of the visit. The venue in an older building and could use some TLC. Im not opposed to retro theming but this was not that. Honestly, just was really old. Doors were really squeaky, halls were creaky and overall the venue had a legit old home feeling and appearance. Quaint is more or less descriptor.There was a mixed employee dynamic, a couple women of color were there along with a couple of Asian women. I think, mostly to help with language acquisition for the Asian women so it was a little bumpy getting in and settled.You will need to change in the actual massage room which is quite small. There is a vent that leads to outside so traffic is audible. There were two firetrucks that were obnoxiously heard over the music. The beds themselves werent bad but could use a little more padding.Masseuse didnt exactly tell me when she was coming in so, I sort of rushed into the bed and as I was finishing up to slip in the sheets, she entered the room. Since the room is so small, Im not too sure if she saw me in my delicates but I wouldnt be surprised if she did! She immediately started! I still have no idea what her name is lol! It was half rough half relaxing. I went with my girlfriend here and she felt the same on everything except the actual massage. Her masseuse was more delicate than mine. I wouldnt come back.

I didn’t even get to experience this place because they cancelled both my massage and facial an hour before my appointment - since I live across town, I was already on my way. I replied to the email that I wasn’t able to reschedule as I had appointments all day, and never heard back from them until I got to the office where they informed me that I was just going to have to leave. Don’t waste your time or ClassPass points here.

It was a really nice experience, the service was excellent. Keep in mind you have to pay for parking. Overall 9/10

My husband and I booked a couple session last week for this weekend. After we arrived and settled in we were informed that our reservation was not processed. We showed them our reservation confirmation but they denied our service because they double booked. We even called before arriving and never informed us that our reservation was not in their system. We even arrived before the other party, yet they kicked us out. Horrible customer service. Disappointed with how they treat customers. I do not recommend this place. It’s best to take your service somewhere else.

Just saw 1st review on here wish i had known...the worst Brazilian wax Ever .Lady pulled out a razor on me n which i informed her i never needed razor b4 so not starting today! THEN she got upset and proceeded to snatch my hair roughly on purpose leaving me discomfort for days ..i emailed company they responded by informing me that esthetican did nothing wrong...WOW REALLY??? Luckily it was only $35.never again tho

I used to go there a couple of years ago and they were great but when I returned recently they were totally terrible! When I say “they”, I mean the owners, not the staff. I got very rude answers and I told her it was not a great example of customer service and she told me to go somewhere else. Well, that’s a terrific idea, thank you!

I really liked my massage therapist, but the rooms are very tiny. Most places have a nice pleasant aroma in the air or at least in the rooms, but this place smelled like old food. The staff was helpful, but not a relaxing atmosphere.

OMG...simply amazing! First time here and Im a big fan. Great dynamic staff, soothing environment, and mostly great massages! You have earned a new client!

Super friendly staff, clean space, and it was one of the best massages I have ever had- very attentive & helped the spots I requested a lot! Thanks again!

Got a great massage there today through classpass

Called to get information about where they were exactly. Told the lady I was on P and 20th and wanted to know which building they were in. was put on hold 4 minutes hung up then called back. They didnt answer for 20 minutes. When I finally got someone to answer she told me she was too busy and gave me the address. Let her know I was attempting to be there for my appointment she began having a conversation with someone in the lobby I presume. I asked again for the building she very frustrated told me what building. I asked her about parking she sighed and said there was none. I asked about my appointment she said just be on time I told her I was there just looking for parking she said just be on time Im busy ok bye and hung up. Not exactly the kind of place I want to spend money with.

Had an appointment for today August 19. Got my confirmation text and everything. Drove 300 miles to d.c. for the weekend. When I arrive they tell me my appoitnment has been canceled. I received no notice of cancellation. Relaxing weekend nixed. Wish I could give it 0 stars.

Got a Groupon and selected the box exactly as instructed to make my appointment. Upon arrival owner was unnecesaarily rude, told me i had not followed the instructions and they wouldn’t see me. I felt very disappointed to have taken the trip to be turned down and treated that way and I hope Groupon will reimburse me At full. The place also looks very shady, I wouldn’t recommend it for so many reasons..:

VERY rude and Unprofessional. I scheduled an appointment for a Saturday and it was later cancelled without any notice. I received a text that I should come in that day at 2 when my original appointment wasn’t scheduled for another 4 days. When trying to reschedule I was spoken to very rudely and ended up not being able to reschedule my appointment. Poor communication.

My wife and I are recently married, and as a late birthday gift she decided to surprise me with a couples massage from ILLA Boutique Spa. Now I love my wife, but this is one gift she shouldve skipped.ILLA Boutique has one true thing in the name, it makes you sick and painful, and regretful of wasting your money on such a horrible experience.I have had many massages in my life and this honestly takes the cake for worst one ever in every way.When you walk into the second floor stairway we noticed someone dressed in what looked like dirty construction clothes sitting on a step looking pissed. Lucky me as that turned out to be my masseuse. We then encountered another sloppy dresses guy in sweats who was my wifes.In all other massages that I have had in the past it is standard and probably required to either fill out or discuss your medical history to make sure the masseuse is aware of any issue, like the back surgery that I had a few years ago to prevent them from causing any personal damage. Instead she tells us to go to the back room and disrobe.Also, as is standard AT EVERY OTHER massage parlor when you request that one of the massage therapists is female, and then ask to confirm prior to beginning the massage, the response should not be no mixed with annoyance and amusement.Instead of immediately asking for our money back and walking away we decide to give it a chance, another choice we will regret as we are led into a room that has two beds with filthy sheets and more walls with cracks across the room. We are again instructed to disrobe by the one masseuse out of the two that speaks English.At the very beginning of her massage he asks her if she has an area of focus which she mentions (shoulders) which either due to lack of memory or caring he spends about two minutes on. The rest of her massage is subpar without him ever asking if the pressure is comfortable or appropriate other than trying to up sell to a more expensive and more intensive massage.Then we get to the fun part...my masseuse (who apparently does speak English begins by removing most of the blanket covering me and half of my boxer briefs I chose to keep on to avoid getting any diseases from the dirty table. He then proceeds to massage my butt, most definitely beyond what would be considered necessary or even normal or beneficial. After I try to adjust my underwear to make it clear to the guy that hes making me uncomfortable he briefly moves higher on my back only to go back to what he was previously doing after. To make matters worse after saying multiple times to avoid putting pressure on the area of my lower back where surgery was performed a few years ago he instead puts more pressure until I can get the second masseuse whos working on my wife to yell at my masseuse to stop putting pressure on the surgery area, obvious due to a small scar/stitches.For the remainder of the hour my masseuse does motions and massages that I have never experienced previously in over 10 other reputable massages, and when the whole thing is over my wife and I cant wait to escape this nasty unsanitary and unprofessional excuse of a massage boutique.I honestly dont think that my masseuse was licensed, something I should have bluntly asked him, nor does he speak enough English to understand clients to prevent injury.My wife and I left feeling worse than when we arrived and are SHOCKED that this place has any decent reviews, although they all seem to be for a therapist who was not there and may no longer be affiliated with this dump of a business.Im quite confident that no one from the business reads these Yelp reviews, but if they do, please feel free to contact me, so I can explain in the same level of detail how bad, dangerous and unsanitary this spa is...To all of you yelpers/grouponers considering this place, stay far far away....I am looking forward to another massage elsewhere thatll fix the pain and problems caused by this experience, especially without the inappropriate grabbing of the guy at ILLa...

This massage was wonderful, by far the best Ive ever had. I booked the deep tissue 90 min with Shuchi and it was amazing, Thank you!

They said the Groupon they offered doesn’t cover men and made my friend pay the difference. They should say it in the Groupon if men are excluded.

Leading up to this appointment I had arranged with the staff that it was okay for me to get a Swedish massage while pregnant. When I got there Teresa refused to let me get the Swedish massage. She had a terrible attitude, escalated the disagreement way out of control, threatened to sue me, and stalked me with a lengthy, inappropriate text message.

Labi from Kosovo offered me a fantastic Swedish massage that I purchased Groupon. He was professional, strong, and thorough. He spent a lot of attention on my feet, which felt remarkable. I would definitely go again.

Tried to book a couples massage and they declined it without any explanation or even calling. Sadly I believe the reviews now that say this place is garbage.

Went in for a foot massage and had an amazing experience - Hannah and Nina were very calming, asked exactly what I wanted and gave a great massage. Willl be back!

THIS DISRESPECTFUL ASS LADY JUST CALLED MY PHONE AND TOLD ME NOT TO COME TO HER SHOP! i booked my couples massage a week ago and now they are just TXTING me today saying that it’s only one therapist and i need to reschedule! i told her i will NOT reschedule because this is my second time having to reschedule due to lack of employees!!!!!! she called me screaming and hollering VERY UNPROFESSIONAL!

From Baltimore. One of my colleague told illa spa massage is unique. I did last week with my momWonderful massage. They have every month deal at yelp or illa spa wedsideWe did first time client . we will be back soon.

The owner of this business is appalling. Not only did she refuse to accept my Groupon after I had booked an appointment and went to pay, she called the police and claimed that I had tried to trick her by attempting to steal her services. A classless individual with an awful establishment, shame on you.

Similar to the Groupon complaints, I booked through class pass and it was cancelled 5 min before due to double booking. They should not be advertising through secondary sites.

My husband and I enjoyed every sec of our massage. Thank you guys so much!!!! We definitely will be returning.

Easy process for booking, nice location, hospitality was great…and the actual massage!!! AMAZING!!! Can’t wait to come back!

I’m posting my first Google review because this place is literally underrated. At least when it comes to their massages. Called last minute to schedule a couples massage and they managed to squeeze us into their schedule. The room was nicely AC’d and the masseuses were phenomenal - great pressure, plus asked where to focus and did exactly that. When it was time to pay, they said they accidentally gave us a Swedish massage instead of what we booked and charged us the lower price. If I lived in DC, I’d definitely be back.

Dont recommend!!!!! service is not good. Horrible parking even when you pay for street parking you will still get a ticket.This establishment does not pay their employees. owner is a fraud.

I bought my best friend and I a couple massage and made a confirmation online. The fine print did state that when buying 2 Groupons, they both can’t be used at the same time. The guy (forgot his name) stated that he’ll still honor it. My friend and I still read the fine print for everything and couldn’t wait until our appointment. I recently found out that I was pregnant so they told me that I had to pay extra for a prenatal massage and I was trying to figure out why when our usual appointment (2 facials and 2 massages) turned into a me not getting a massage and was told they both cost the same. So after the massage was over we was asked if we wanted to tip and we wasn’t able to and the front desk/owner stated that it’s on the website that tips are mandatory. We searched ourselves and it states tips or suggested “not mandatory”. When we showed her this, she told us we were cheap and that she will call Groupon to not serve us no more. We went to pay (the additional for the prenatal massage) and while signing our receipt, she snatched it from us and we we told her we still had to sign it and she said “it doesn’t matter you not allowed to come back, this will be on your karma, get out!” She then slammed the door while we was walking out. We told her we was not raising our voice or causing an issue. She was rude, unprofessional, and she lied about her own policy. And to add, her staff asked if we wanted to tip and we informed her about it, she said “she don’t know how to talk.” The masseuse could speak perfect English when we was talking to her. Wouldn’t recommend

Was able to book with ease and the time that I needed. Pleasant staff, my deep tissue massage was amazing. Walked out feeling relaxed, would definitely come again.

Therapists did a great job, were really friendly/polite, and the massage was A+. Only reason Im not giving 5 stars is because it was a little noisy outside of the building, and in the waiting room. But otherwise a great experience. Would return.

The worst. Short tempered front lady, isn’t trained to be facing customers and attend to their needs, and doesn’t want to serve in any way or form. STAY AWAY from this spa!!

The place is tidy and the staff friendly. The problem is that they were not very organised when we visited. We had booked the Swedish couples massage and when we got there, the room was not available. They still had other people they were attending to. We were told the room would be available within 30 minutes. We had to wait an hour before we got our massage. The masseuses were very good, though. They made up for the long wait. The overall experience was not too bad but they need to work on their scheduling.

Suichi is the best masseur in all of D.C.! Incredibly high quality and excellent customer service.

They are awful. They forced us to tip while we were not happy with the services at all! Also, they lied to us about their prices!The massage itself was not good at all. Not worth even half the money that we paid!

I called for an appointment and the lady from front desk was veryyyyy veryyyyy rude. I will go and cancel my purchase. I do not recommend this place. I v been before and can not say that is the best place and best massage. Everytime when i am calling they are rude.

Horrible experience! A total scam. I have no clue how this place operates in the center of Washington D.C. I should have read the reviews before going to this place, extremely shady.

Worst spa experience EVER!Saw this place on Groupon and purchased a couples massage. After calling in, the rep said follow instructions on Groupon...that stated go to online website, schedule appointment then show voucher upon arrival. I did just this for my girl and I one week in advance (12/12/2020 for 12/19/2020). NOTE that I received an email AND text message confirmation. The day of 12/19, I called 5 minutes before 1pm appointment to confirm appointment. Upon check in I said, hey, I made this on Groupon, do you want me to redeem the voucher? The male masseuse said, no, you can do it after service.We were led to a couples room. We stripped down to underwear as instructed and got under covers. When both male (same as before) and female masseuse came in, the female asked to confirm the $180 couples massage. I said no, this was made through Groupon and confirmed through your websites scheduling system.Long story short, they said that we didnt appear in their system (even after reviewing my confirmed email/text/phone call) and were asked to leave because someone else was scheduled and confirmed for a 1pm appointment. WORST SERVICE. DEAL. COMMUNICATION. SERVICE RECOVERY. EVER. Nothing was ever offered to make up for it.DO NOT GO HERE. DO NOT SUPPORT THESE SCANDOLOUS, MANIPULATIVE and CARELESS AMATEURS.

I found this place through Groupon. I honestly thought the massage was better than one I got at MassageEnvy a few months ago. And everyone was very polite. Ill be returning.

Went in for a Brazilian wax. It was quick and painless. Already booked my next appointment. Definitely recommended.

Initially the negative reviews had me worried but do not let them fool you.We bought the Groupon for the couples Swedish massage. Upon reading directions on Groupon it said to call and schedule an appointment with the spa and let them know you have a Groupon during which they will ask for the Groupon number or ask you to show it when you get there.We initially went into the spa website and entered our Groupon number and selected an appointment time and date. We got an email that our appointment was not approved so we called and they said our time we wanted (11am) wasn’t available but they could do 11:30am which was perfectly fine. If you’re worried from the reviews I suggest calling and make sure everything is set and don’t assume the website is accurate.The massage itself was wonderful. My husband and I were in separate rooms but the doors in between the rooms were open so we felt like we were still together. If you’ve never had a Swedish massage it will help to research it to get an idea of what to expect.If you wish to return to this spa after using this coupon you cannot expect to get that same deal again. Nothing is for free and they work they do is worth paying extra for. Only one Groupon per client. Read fine print and I find that fine print to be entirely fair. It’s meant to get people into the spa and make them realize it’s worth coming back not to take advantage them.My husband and I will be back again. It was a wonderful quality massage and even at full price it’s cheaper than most spas around.

Nina is wonderful at what she does - shes detail oriented and knowledgeable of her craft! She thoroughly explained what was going on in my muscle fibers that cause tension.

Unfortunately didnt have a good experience..the massage table had a bad detergent smell.the massage therapist was v rude. She had freezing cold hands and when I requested her to try to warm her hands, she said she can do nothing about it and went on massaging with those freezing cold hands. When I asked her to change the amount of pressure she snapped at me..Never going back to this place.

Before the pandemic this was a nice place to go to. But now they a very rude when you call. The lady got very mad when I ask her to repeat something again because I cant understand her. She just hung up on me. I

Great massage and convenient location.

The massage was good, though I think my masseuse was newer—she didn’t use enough oil and I could feel the rough skin around her fingernails. She did target everything I asked her to, though. The biggest problem is the rooms are only separated by a divider—they guy next door talked through his entire session (who does that??) and I could hear him plain as day. It made it impossible for me to relax and enjoy my own massage. The price is right for a one-time trip, but I can’t recommend it for regular visits.

Very professional, great massage

Decent massage overall. But I am still sore in places. Where the lady did massage was ok.

$90 for a one hour deep tissue massage is pricey even for DC, and I thought my massage was just okay - at times too sharp, at times not forceful enough. The heated blanket was a nice touch. I came with a coupon and even then didnt feel it was worth the price, but a massage is a massage!

Illa Spa is great! I’ve been here a few times for waxes & massages. I’m not from the area but when I’m in the DMV I always come here. The waxes are very fast & painless, the prices are affordable, very clean & cozy spa, & the therapists are very professional & nice! I love this place!

Love going there- so quick- in and out in 20 minutes or less for a Brazilian wax- very friendly & efficient staff- easy to make online appointment and reminder is sent as well!

I went for a couples message and my service was the worst my partner was Scratched multiple times the lady who gave me a message kept stopping and the merchant charged us twice then had theOrudacity to tell me I can use my Groupon at a later date like I would ever come back on purpose .

The person in charge was very very rude, she definitely didnt know how to talk to customers, This place has no customers and to the one or two customers the receptionist was extremely rude.i tried my level best to be patient enough ,but the person massaging me was more interested and focused on texting in her phone than the actual massage..No wonder why this place is poorly rated and the completely doomed,Never go this place, there are multiple options in the same neighborhood to try

We did the couples massage and were pleased with the service. The team was punctual and professional.

I was 2 days post marathon and they were GREAT value for the Groupon price. I had Patricia!

Best massage I have ever had! I came here with my wife for a couples massage and we were both very pleased with the service. I feel great. thanks

Beware: The times offered for Groupon vouchers are extremely limited. You cannot book anything later than 4:45pm, so dont expect to be able to get an after work massage. This is NOT in the fine print.

I tried to use a Groupon here, but was unable to book the correct treatment through Illas website. I tried to rebook and was dissapointed to hear that I was going to be charged another $20 for a rebooking fee (all due to a very non-user friendly website).Anyways, when I finally did go to the establishment, I was highly dissapointed by the lack of ambiance and unfriendly staff. Needless to say, I wont be going back. Id suggest trying a similarly priced spa.Owner need not reply, but Id suggest working on your website and providing training in customer service. Unfortunately, youve already lost my service.

You have a shot of getting a cheap good massage here. You also have a chance of them attempting to defraud you of your Groupon voucher through a variety of antics. This is a shady business

The lady that works here wouldnt honor my paid voucher and she even said she goofed and then she started yelling at me and when I told her she was going to have a negative review she told me her lawyers were going to come after me???? NEVER GO HERE.Dont use the Groupon or lvonigsocials to this place. It also looks very poorly maintained.

Positives: personable, important staff; nice location; comfortable waiting room. Areas for improvement: small rooms; the cloth put on my face did not have a pleasant smell.

Anthony is amazing! The best massage Ive had in a long time, and at a really affordable price.

These people are a joke. There seems to have been a scheduling error on their end and they booked me for a full fare slot when in fact I had a Groupon. I had provided them a Groupon number, but apparently the person taking down the information neglected to pass that information on. There was never even a discussion of us being able to receive the massage anyway due to a mistake on their end.Bizarrely, they at first had the massage therapist tell us that I couldn’t use a Groupon a second time, but the woman at the desk contradicted this and it wasn’t mentioned again.They waited until my boyfriend and I were in our underwear under the covers to even tell us of this issue. The woman at the front desk was extremely unhelpful, and called me a liar several times even after I showed her text message evidence to the contrary.They also told me that they “don’t care about reviews”, so this could be pointless. But hopefully I can help someone else not have a terrible experience.

SCAM ALERT!Do not buy a massage voucher for this place, you will never be able to redeem it. I am reporting them to the consumer protection agency.

Extremely bad customer service. Bough a groupon for brasilian and wanted an appointment on Saturday along with underarms waxing. she told me they dont accept voucher on Saturdays. I told her that this condition isnt written on groupon like they usually do and that moreover I also needed another service without any voucher. she told me it is their rules and hung up on me ....

Wish I could give NO STARS. Holy moly people let me tell you a story: I purchased a Groupon for my wedding anniversary. Called the spa to make an appt right away, which was two weeks ahead of time. Cool. My husband and I show up (maybe 5 min late) and no one seemed to be there. The owner came out and told us to fill out paperwork. Also cool. Our appt was at 7, and we were STILL waiting at 7:45 for someone to tell us what was happening. We were asked if we had an appt at this time - we said yes. Then, we were taken into the couples massage room and told to take everything off but our underwear (pretty standard). I was good to go and covered up first, but my husband was still in his underwear when the owner knocked twice and then just barged in and told us that we dont have an appt so we have to leave. Um why didnt you tell us that before WE JUST GOT NAKED AND WAITED ALL THIS TIME. Then, we got dressed and the owner was in her little hiding room. The poor girl behind the desk clearly looked like she is super scared of her rude hiding boss. RUDEST LADY EVER. Then I couldnt get my Groupon refunded because of their stupid 3 days rule. They basically stole my money. I stated how much I hate Illa Spa like 50 times during the rest of the night - mostly just to release my frustration (A MASSAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THAT THOUGH! UGH RUDE). We got donuts at Krispy Kreme though. Happy Anniversary to us you jerks... Seriously: DONT GO HERE PEOPLE.

It was an amazing experience and the massage was tremendous ! I was soo relaxed after wardsThe Spa is very clean and relaxing and the staff were very welcoming and professional.

Definitely on the heavy handed side, but I love it. Excellent massouse but I question the age of the table and sheets. Parking is EXTREMELY difficult to find so I recommend metro or some other form of transportation. Overall it was a good experience.