My Blissful First 24 Hours at Seoul's Spa Lei
A money saver + jet lag cure, all in one!!
Friday, May 9th, 2025
And…I’m still ahead of you all!
Me (at time of publishing):
You (ditto):
Which is why I’m eating 아침식사!
KOREAN LESSON OF THE DAY!
아침 - morning
아침식사 - morning meal (breakfast)
보리 - barley
보리차 - barley tea
마약계란 - marinated boiled eggs
수박 - watermelon
수박 슬라이스 - watermelon slice
Note: 슬라이스 is a phonetic rendering of "slice" into the Korean language sounding like:
"soo-lai-suh"
I RECOMMEND SPA LEI HIGHLY!
For women traveling to South Korea alone or with other women - Spa Lei is a splendid landing destination!
If you’re from my neck of the woods (near Seattle), you may be familiar with the lovely Women-only Korean Olympus Spa in Tacoma and Lynnwood.
In Seoul, Spa Lei is like both combined PLUS outdoor terraces, a salt water pool, and traditional sleeping/resting areas —some with actual twin beds (for a fee) or floor mats in a super dark set away room, where I slept happily after napping off and on in this larger resting room filled with women quietly relaxing however they wished.
(All photos are from the spa’s website!)
A day pass to the Olympus Spa in Tacoma is close to $50, I think? This spa (open 24 hours) is $14 for the first 8 hours and about $1-$2 an hour after that (yes, they can store your luggage if you ask nicely, and lockers are pretty big).
An AirBnB near the airport (Incheon) typically costs $50 a night and you often must take a taxi, which is $20-$30, only to be alone in a condo.
So, if you’re here to experience Korea, spend your first day and night at Spa Lei!
By taking the subway/train to Spa Lei, I've been helped by random English Speaking Koreans on the street (who noticed me looking around in confusion 🤣) and lovely "aunties" here at the spa who grabbed me and got me situated in the showering off part of the spa (step one before entering the pools)...all for $6 in transit and (as I'm staying almost 24 hours!) only about $24 in Spa fees.
I also enjoyed a marvelous dinner (보리비빔밥 - Barley Bibimbap), simple and healthy breakfast, and I will get one more meal to tide me over as I head to the airport and my two upcoming flights to Manila and then Boracay...all in one incredibly pleasant, restful, and rejuvenating place!!
And the Wi-Fi is great and free!
Next trip to Seoul, consider Spa Lei…
REGARDING NUDITY:
Nudity in the water is required to protect the quality of the water. Korean spas do not permit bathing suits. If you’re squeamish, I suggest giving it a try anyway. No one will remember you and you are here to experience Korea, yes? Take the plunge and see how it feels!
REGARDING GENDER:
South Korea, like many Asian cultures, understands that while some people wish to "dress up" like the other gender, even using modern medicine and surgery to further emulate the opposite gender, these are NOT reflective of actually "switching" one's gender.
The USA is struggling with this issue, and our beloved Olympus Women's Spa is under attack by the state of Washington for "discrimination" for not allowing a cross-dressing, fully intact man into their nudity-required women's only traditional Korean spa.
Olympus Women's Spa has been dragged into court twice, so far. Please support them, as the legal fees are astronomical.
Here in Korea, there is no such problem. Women-only means biological women-only.