Introduction: Spa World, Centreville, VA

If you are ever in DC and have a day (or just half) with nothing planned, you should check out Spa World.  It is a Korean spa located in Centreville, Virgnia, you will find it in the middle of a strip mall with a H Mart.  Recently a Tous de Jours opened up next to it, which is delicious start to our morning (at 8:00am).  C loves the jam breads and I prefer some meat in mine.

Just a warning: you will be totally naked, it is not as discomfortable as you expect but it is a part of the experience.

Spa world is open 24/7 and so far we have never had an issue in going in whenever.  It has never felt crowded (usually 5-10 people in the general area and 10-25 people in the woman's sauna).  We have always bought a sauna+poultice admission, which costs $40/person.  This seems like a lot, but we feel it is worth it.  It gives us 12 hours worth of access.  Though the longest we've stayed is about 4 hours.  You can easily stay 12 hours if we prepare for it, because there is free wifi!

You pay for the general admission only and are given a locker number and orange (female) or yellow (male) outfit.  This consist of a T-shirt and shorts.  I have never been asked my size, but the outfit always fits.  The locker number in 1000's are men and 2000's are women.  At your locker, you will store your shoes.  Once closed, you cannot open it again until you leave.  So do not store anything you might later need!  If you must open it, please talk to the front desk.  That key is now your key for the associated sauna locker and any additional charge.  Instead of carrying around money, you just charge any purchase to your key.
From the main entrance, you will proceed to the separate gender's sauna to either enter the pool/sauna or the poultice room.

Review: Body Scrub at Spa World, Centreville, VA

On our most recent trip to Spa World, C treated both of us to a body scrub after reading posts on Four Square demanding it be tried.  I honestly had no idea what to expect, but I imagined it would be the same type of body scrub I can do at home.  Boy was I wrong!  We chose the 30 minute scrub which cost us $55.  A little pricy but after experiencing it.  I feel it was worth it!

You have to soak in the hot tub (or steam sauna) for 30 minutes prior.  I was having a hard time sitting in the hot tubs for so long.  So periodically stepped out to the locker room to drink some water.  When it was time for my appointment a middle-aged Korean lady in black bra and underwear found me in the steam sauna.  She took me to the scrub area (behind a half wall next to the hot tub) and put down a warm wet towel on a plastic covered-table/bed.  She then proceeded to cover my face and torso with another towel.  Afterwards, she started pouring warm water onto me and as she progressively moved toward my head, I had flashes of water boarding.  It never reached my face.

Afterwards she started scrubbing.  Vigorously.  Firmly.  With such determination that I was convinced she saw some tough stains on me that needed to be removed.  And slowly I would feel the dead skin clumps on my body.  Taking a peek, I realized that I have never felt more filthy.  She had me start on my back, then side, then lying on my stomach, and lastly the other side.  The only words we spoke to one another is when she was telling me to turn.  In that 30 minutes, I was amazed at how dirty I have allowed myself to become.  By the time we were done, I felt like I had new skin.  It was so clean that I swear I could hear it squeak!

The only "complaint" that I had to get used to was in the vigorous cleansing of every nook and crevice of my body, she had bumped against my vagina slightly.  Though for me it was not painful, it immediately made me think of C.  Turns out, for a guy, this experience is just AWFULY AWKWARD!  Instead of an older Korean lady, you get an older Korean man in boxers.  Though these men are trained to never hold any of your privates, they do have to move it out of the way to thoroughly clean you.  So a awkward lift here and there can leave most men I know quite uncomfortable.  C rationalized it as no different than professional athletes getting a post workout massage from a male trainer.  I think that was very mature of him to recognize that some things are just not sexual.

For such a thorough scrub, my feet were rather neglected.  In the end it is probably good, because I am very ticklish, but I was surprised.