Spas in Manhattan where a big girl will feel at home?

May 1, 2015 12:28 PM

I'm headed to NYC for the weekend and would like to spend part of a day relaxing at a spa, with massage, sauna, baths, the works (think Aire Ancient Baths or Russian Baths, for two I've considered). Where, based on your experience (preferably personal) will I be least likely to stick out as a woman who's a size 22?

Posting this in part because I've seen reviews for various places that mention things like too-small robes, or a clientele made up of models. I'm pretty comfortable in my skin and don't deal with much unpleasantness due to my looks on a daily basis, but would definitely like to know what I'm likely to walk into, especially when I'm paying specifically for stress-free relaxation. So, any recommendations?

Although I want to visit the mighty Spa Castle* and King Spa someday, I can't make it outside of Manhattan this trip and am especially looking for advice there.

*if they'd just reopen the one in Manhattan, there'd be no question!

posted by anonymous to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

Along the Spa Castle line, and the novelty of 24hr korean spa service... Juvenex is pretty decent. I don't think you'll find yourself out of place, but you may want to call ahead to confirm robe sizes.
posted by larthegreat at 12:38 PM on May 1, 2015

If you haven't been to the Russian Turlkish Baths, that's where I would say to go. It's a diverse crowd. They have women-only hours if you'd prefer (I went once and it was nice, not to mention less crowded).
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:45 PM on May 1, 2015

Juvenex is good if you go during the women's only hours, which iirc are 7a-5p every day.
posted by poffin boffin at 12:54 PM on May 1, 2015

I'm a little bigger than you and felt totally comfortable at the Russian Turkish baths.
posted by Neely O'Hara at 5:35 PM on May 1, 2015

Russian baths for sure, there is always a variety of different ages and bodies and everything else. But they are not nearly as luxurious and fancy as aire or the peninsula hotel spa.
i just went to silk day spa and they ask your robe size in advance and have larges (they dont have baths though so they might not be what you want).

Places to avoid if you don't want to be surrounded by skinnies: clay spa is lots of yoga moms and fitness people, guerlain and the other upper east side spas which are trophy wives or plastic surgery wasps, and great Jones spa which is lots of Soho fashion types..
posted by rmless at 8:25 PM on May 1, 2015

If you're going for modern luxury, I'd go to the Bliss Spa inside the W Hotel on Lexington and 49th. I've gone there when I was a size 20 and have always felt comfortable. You might want to check with them on robe size, but when I was a size 20 the robes were fine, so I think you'll be ok.
posted by bedhead at 9:27 PM on May 2, 2015