The 14 Best Spas in Seoul for Foreigners

Lavishspa focuses on massage and facial treatments, including a signature massage that uses heated sand bags and a Mother To Be treatment for pregnant guests. Therapists are attentive and the setting in Jongno is calm, which suits travelers who want to recover after a long flight.

Treatments at Areuke Spa begin with a skin analysis, after which the staff explain the findings and recommend a plan suited to each person. Facials are the main service, offered in a clean, calm space in Mapo-gu.

Insadong Spa & Sauna combines a traditional bathhouse with massage and body scrub packages. Hot and cold pools and several sauna types give a full soak, and most visitors add a massage or scrub on top. The facility is kept clean and sits in the basement of an officetel on Yulgok-ro.

Full body massage and facials are the core of Jeonggwanjang Spa, a health spa in Daechi-dong in Gangnam. The facilities are clean and well maintained, and the treatments are done with attention to detail, which suits visitors who want a quiet treatment rather than a large bathhouse.

Arden Spa is a day spa in Gangnam where therapists look after guests with complimentary drinks and snacks. Massage is the main treatment, the atmosphere is welcoming to foreigners, and payment is easy with credit cards, debit cards and mobile NFC.

The specialty here is the traditional Korean facial, which combines gentle masks, a head massage and micro needling. The team gives personalized skincare advice and also offers massage with unusual stretching methods, so a visit in Jamsil works as both a facial and a recovery session.

On the 15th floor of the annex of The Plaza hotel, Bellspa offers hot tubs, saunas and cold water pools, plus deep tissue massage. The facilities are well equipped and the setting is in central Jung District, close to the hotel.

Massages and facials are offered at The Spa by Grand Hyatt Seoul, a day spa on the garden level of the hotel in Yongsan. The facilities are generous enough to spend half a day there, and small touches such as a birthday gift add to the visit.

Spa Lei is a women-only spa with English-speaking staff, which makes it an easy introduction to Korean bathing for foreign visitors. Facilities include hot baths, an outdoor bath, a sauna, locker rooms and a cafe, and body scrubs and aroma massages are available for an additional fee.

Golden Spa fills the second basement of the Lotte Castle Venezia Mall with themed sauna rooms, including hydrogen, oxygen, red clay, salt and Egyptian styles, plus pools at different temperatures. Oil massage and full-body scrubs are available, and massage chairs, a restaurant and a bar make it easy to stay for hours. Families, couples and teenagers are all catered for.

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is the hotel's own treatment spa on Saemunan-ro in Jongno District, offering massages and facials. It suits visitors who prefer a private hotel treatment to a public bathhouse.

Dragon Hill is a large spa complex in Yongsan where one entrance fee covers a stay of up to 12 hours. Gender-segregated bathing areas offer body scrubs and massages, and sauna rooms run at different temperatures. Restaurants and an arcade on site make it a half-day outing for tourists.

Riverside Spa Land offers the classic jjimjilbang experience at a reasonable price, with varied sauna rooms, sleeping areas, baths, a game arcade and activities for children. Open around the clock, it works for families and groups who want to spend long hours together, and a kiosk sells snacks.

Happy Day Spa offers body scrubs, hot pools and saunas within walking distance of Hongik University Station. Entry costs around ten dollars and you can stay as long as you like, which makes it an affordable first bathhouse for Western visitors. The facility is kept clean and the staff are attentive.