Bathing in San Francisco
July 30, 2015 9:46 AM   Subscribe

Along the same line as this post that inquires about bath houses in Los Angeles, I'm looking for a place to get clean in The City!

This weekend I'm visiting a friend in SF who lives near the Ingleside/Oceanview area and I'm going to want to bathe on Sunday morning. I can't take a shower at his place. The aforementioned Kabuki seems pretty nice, but I'm wondering what other places the Hive Mind can suggest! It can be a bath spa like Kabuki or just a simple place where I can take a shower.

My only requirement is that I need a place that can supply a towel. I'm certain that I can Uber/Lyft to pretty much anywhere in The City on a Sunday morning.

Thank you! :)
posted by starscream to Travel & Transportation around San Francisco, CA (11 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Just to let you know that Kabuki Springs is effing awesome.

There is a hot tub place on Van Ness that provides private rooms with hot tubs with lots of chlorine & showers & saunas as well.

I've heard from a bunch of friends that the Imperial Day Spa is terrific and I'm dying to give it a whirl but I don't think it's the bathing site you're looking for, but check it out in case I'm wrong. (Huh, now that you've reminded me, I think I'll see about checking it out some time soon)
posted by janey47 at 9:51 AM on July 30, 2015 [1 favorite]


In a similar style to the Kabuki is the Archimedes Banya. It's Russian style rather than Japanese, so some steam rooms, pools of various temperature, an ice plunge, that sort of thing. Plus you can pay someone to beat you up with a leafy branch, if that's what you dig.

Otherwise: day pass to a gym with towel service?
posted by themadthinker at 9:52 AM on July 30, 2015 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: janey47: thanks for the confirmation on Kabuki! If all else fails, I'll set an appointment for Sunday :)

themadthinker: I'm completely unfamiliar with Russian baths; thanks for the suggestion! The idea of a gym with towel service crossed my mind, but the only one I know that does is Equinox. I'm not certain if the SF Equinoxes offer day passes though.
posted by starscream at 9:55 AM on July 30, 2015


Certainly less luxurious than some of the spas above, but a number of gyms in SF will have towel service. The JCC (no need to be Jewish!) does $25 day passes. Offers towels, showers, and a expansive fitness center.
posted by zachlipton at 10:20 AM on July 30, 2015 [1 favorite]


starscream, if you're interested, I'll see if I can get a one-day guest pass from the gym in the office building where I work (FIDI). I used to belong to the gym & it's pretty nice and they provide towels. Hit my memail if you want me to do this, and we can figure out logistics.
posted by janey47 at 10:36 AM on July 30, 2015


Seconding Archimedes Banya. Great place.
posted by JuliaIglesias at 10:50 AM on July 30, 2015


Looks like the 24 Fitness places in the city offer downloadable free visitor passes.
posted by rtha at 11:02 AM on July 30, 2015


Mission Cliffs in the Mission has towel service (and climbing/bouldering, a small gym set-up, yoga/bike classes, and a nice sauna). Day pass is $20 on the weekends and they open at 9. Dogpatch Boulders in the Dogpatch opens at 10, and doesn't have a sauna (or roped climbing), but same price.
posted by Jaclyn at 1:32 PM on July 30, 2015


Response by poster: Thank you very much, everyone, for your ideas and suggestions :)

I decided to treat myself to a Hammam Body Wash and Scrub at Banya. Having never experienced one of these rough scrubs before, this should be fun!
posted by starscream at 4:45 PM on July 30, 2015


I see you're set for a lovely bath, but if you need a backup, the Stonestown YMCA at Eucalyptus and 19th is nice and provides towels. They will offer a guest day pass for $15 as of this writing.
posted by blnkfrnk at 7:26 PM on July 30, 2015


FYI, Groupon routinely offers discount passes to Banya, although there doesn't seem to be one available at the moment.
posted by gingerbeer at 3:15 PM on July 31, 2015


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