The Burke Williams of Santa Monica spa is located in a very urbanized area. It is on the second floor and features multiple balconies overlooking the shopping and restaurants in the area. There is an incredibly prestigious feeling about being in robe looking down at the hustle and bustle of the city.
The experience starts off in an elevator that is pretty lack luster. However the smell introduces you to the tantalizing scent of the actual entrance of the spa. You walk into an area where they sell merchandise from various vendors including their own brand – H2V. Nestled behind the shelves is the front desk where very friendly staff greet and check you in. Here is where they confirm the treatments and therapists on your schedule and assign you a locker. You then walk into the double doors which leads you to a hallway with cucumber lemon water, fruit, as well as a vanilla lemongrass tea that is specially curated for Burke Williams. (If you plan to stay here all day, fill up on the fruit because they do not offer any other food). This hallway also leads you to the grand room (where you wait to be called for your treatments) as well as separate spa facilities for men and women. These include lockers, showers, washrooms, saunas, eucalyptus steam rooms, a social hot tub, quiet hot tub, and quiet rooms.
The lockers are opened with a key which is bedeviling at best. I much prefer lockers with code access so that you’re not dragging a metal accessory with you. Inside is a hooded robe, towel, and spa slippers. The robes have a nice weight to them but could be slightly more cushy which is just my way of nitpicking. I highly recommend asking to switch robes for a petite size if you wear xs-large clothing or on the short side because they are a 4xl which will swallow you alive. The slippers are more or less shower shoes and make me feel like Daffy Duck. However I am keen on the hygienic purpose they serve by being able to wear them inside the wet spa facilities.
The showers are well designed, spacious, and clean. They have a rain shower head as well as two other high pressured heads aimed at your mid abdomen. They have their eucalyptus spray for you to utilize as well as body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. In a perfect world they would also have face wash. Now, if you’re like I am you’ll bring your own shampoo and conditioner just to ease the anxiety of potential sulfates. Each shower has a shelf that makes using your own products easily accessible. To further enhance your shower experience they offer razors, shaving cream, and shower caps to use at your disposal.
There is a vanity area for you to style your hair featuring all the accessories you should need. You can also apply your makeup here as well. Who doesn’t like to primp after a shower?
The steam room, ah the steam room. I am a true steam junkie at heart so even the thought about saying something negative regarding one makes me feel like I’m becoming unhinged. Luckily there are only glorious things to say about this one. It is one of the bigger steam rooms I’ve been to and it smells like eucalyptus. You’ll leave it with that ever so sought after spa glow and you’ll see the table of iced washed clothes right next to you to close those fabulous pores. Steamy and dreamy.
The sauna is smaller than the steam room but still nice in its own right. That is if you’re a fan of dry heat. I don’t prefer this as I live in Los Angeles and could easily drive to the valley, picture a wooden background, and get almost the same affect.
They have two hot tubs, one social and one quiet. Both are a very nice size and have cold wash cloths and cucumber water for your enjoyment. You are able to bathe in them in your birthday suit or in swim attire. They are chlorine hot tubs which is tragic – cue itchy crocodile skin. I’d prefer if they were salt water which makes your skin supple and your hair extra delicious. However overall the tubs are pretty nice.
The quiet rooms are awesome. They bear chaise lounges with personal lamps that are dimmable if you want to check out the plethora of magazines you’re able to thumb through. The lounges are adorned with cushy cozy blankets that coax you right into a dreamy meditative state. And if that weren’t enough, the room also presents you with chilled slices of cucumber for your eyes. Have much love this room.
This leads us to discussing the treatment rooms. There are multiple floors of these. It’s a tragic to have to walk upstairs after just receiving a treatment but it is what it is. They are small rooms but perfect for their use. Light music plays in the background which inspires the unwinding feeling to start before you even embrace the table. The tables are temperature sensitive so you are able to ask your therapist to set it to your liking.
Overall this experience was delicious and I left thinking about when I’d return. Everyone working here really cares about your experience. Or at least they pretend to in a very believable manner. Brava, Burke Williams Santa Monica!
