San Francisco might be better known for its tech-centric businesses, renowned attractions including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, and dizzyingly steep streets lined with charming Victorian homes than it is for serene spas, but even busy urbanites and tourists need somewhere to relax and rejuvenate now and then.

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Fortunately, the City by the Bay is also home to a diverse range of spas appealing to locals and visitors alike, from a group-friendly Parisian-themed day spa to a tranquil Japanese-inspired bathhouse and a modern wellness spa rooted in the ancient practice of traditional Chinese medicine. Check out our California spa guide to discover the best spas in San Francisco.

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Bamford Wellness Spa at 1 Hotel San Francisco

8 Mission Street, 8th floor, San Francisco, CA 94105; (415) 278-3789

Located inside the 200-room 1 Hotel San Francisco, Bamford Wellness Spa offers a range of massage, body, and facial treatments created by Carole Bamford in the English countryside using natural and organic products.

Standout services include the Bamford Signature Treatment, a blend of Shiatsu, Meridian, Swedish, and pressure point massage techniques; the indulgent 24 Karat Gold Facial, designed to repair and firm skin with Knesko’s Nanogold Infused Treatment; and the luxurious Diamond Radiance Facial, which utilizes the healing powers of diamond to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration and dark circles.

One of the best ways to appreciate the Bamford experience, however—along with the San Francisco skyline—is to book the Aromatic Bath Salt Soak, a Pacific Ocean mineral-rich bath salt soak that takes place in the spa’s stone tubs situated on a rooftop terrace offering panoramic views of the architectural and natural surroundings.

Burke Williams

845 Market Street, Suite 510, San Francisco, CA 94103; (415) 694-7980

Although the San Francisco outpost of California spa chain Burke Williams is located in the San Francisco Centre above Bloomingdales, guests hardly remember they’re in a shopping mall upon entering the elegant black-and-white Parisian-themed spa.

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The spacious 1,600-plus square-foot facility—especially popular with groups—boasts 15 massage rooms, six facial rooms, four nail care chairs, and a “wet room” featuring 12 Vichy shower heads where a variety of full-body treatments are performed.

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The full-service spa offers massage, facials, waxing, manis and pedis, private spa baths and chiropractic services. The newly introduced Tranquility Massage combines Swedish massage with sound therapy from Nepalese singing bowls. Make sure to allow enough time during your visit to relax by the fireplace in the lounge and enjoy the spa’s whirlpools, steam room, dry sauna and cool misting room.

The Spa at Equinox at Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco

757 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94103; (415) 633-3000

Located at the city’s epicenter, the iconic Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco is home to the city’s top health club and offers spa services through The Spa at Equinox, located on the fourth floor of the Hotel. The spa has nine treatment rooms, and offers a variety of services including body treatments and facials.

Their range of body treatments have been designed to restore and improve the condition of skin, as well as detoxifying and hydrating the body. Treatments to try include the Body Scrub, a gentle exfoliating sugar scrub followed by a body cream application; as well as a Body Wrap, a deeply relaxing and rejuvenating treatment that includes dry skin brushing, essential oils application, and European mud to stimulate the lymphatic system.

The spa’s facials offer personalized treatments that use a variety of results-oriented products carefully selected for guests’ needs. Their Express Facial is a 30-minute service designed to refresh skin during one’s lunch break; while their HydraFacial is a non-invasive, multi-step treatment that combines hydradermabrasion, a chemical peel, automated painless extractions, and a special delivery of antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.

Healing Arts Center & Spa at Cavallo Point

601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker, Sausalito, California 94965; (415) 339-4767

Although a visit to the Healing Arts Center & Spa, located at the luxury resort Cavallo Point, requires traveling across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, the center’s focus on treatments that benefit the body, mind, and spirit, along with its beautiful setting, make the trip worth the extra effort.

Spa services, including massage, body treatments, and facials, integrate cultural healing practices from around the world and organic products. The spa’s signature massage, for example, blends both Swedish and Thai techniques, while the Golden Aura Facial Ritual incorporates facial and scalp massage techniques using a gua sha stone.

Rounding out the offerings healing arts services such as reiki, chakra energy balancing, guided meditation, and hypnotherapy. Before or after services, make sure to spend time enjoying the on-site heated meditation pool, eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, outdoor whirlpool tubs, relaxation lounge, outdoor firepits, and Zen garden.

Kabuki Springs & Spa

1750 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94115; (415) 922-6000

Since 1968, Kabuki Springs & Spa has been welcoming locals and visitors alike to its serene bathhouse and spa tucked away inside Japantown’s Minoru Yamasaki-designed Japan Center.

The heart of the spa is the beautiful bathhouse, an ode to Japan’s famed sentos—or public bathhouses—featuring a hot pool, cold plunge, dry sauna, steam room, traditional seated and standing showers, and amenities like sea salts for DIY body scrubs and chilled face cloths.

The spa menu includes Eastern and Western style massage; facials; and a selection of body treatments inspired by wellness rituals rooted in Thailand, Indonesia, and India.

Redmint

2044 Fillmore Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94115; (415) 888-8368

1958 Union Street, San Francisco, CA 94123; (415) 888-8693

Focused on holistic wellness treatments that merge the ancient practice of traditional Chinese medicine with modern innovations, Redmint’s two San Francisco locations provide a calming oasis in the city’s busy urban environment. A variety of acupuncture treatments target overall health, wellness, and beauty, while the micro-needling and acupuncture treatment combines two services in one to stimulate collagen and elastin production along with restoring inner balance.

Traditional massage and specialty bodywork services, including meridian gua sha therapy and foot and hand reflexology, soothe and restore mind and body. The menu of skincare facials, utilizing the spa’s own line of herbal products, includes services like the Magic Glove Microcurrent Facial, designed to improve elastin production, boost collagen production, and repair and rejuvenate skin, and a facial incorporating the ancient art of cupping. LED therapy and sound bath meditation are also available.

Along with spa services, each Redmint location also features an herbal bar where guests can enjoy herbal elixirs, lattes, and teas intended to restore inner balance. The adaptogenic menu includes blends targeted at bolstering immunity, improving mental focus, and promoting better sleep.

SenSpa

1161 Gorgas Ave., San Francisco, CA 94129; (415) 441-1777

Located in the Presidio neighborhood of San Francisco, SenSpa has been recognized by a number of publications as a local favorite spa, especially for its massage services, which include hot stone, deep tissue and shiatsu.

With an emphasis on results-oriented treatments, SenSpa offers not only traditional massage, facials and waxing, but also a wide range of alternative treatments, including acupuncture, craniosacral massage, lymphatic massage, corrective posture balancing and neuromuscular reprogramming. 

The relaxing, serene, plant-filled space features a bamboo garden, tea garden, warming room, and couples’ treatment room. An on-site café serves healthy light fare from Urban Remedy and Dosa, along with a selection of wine and specialty beverages.

[Photos courtesy of spas and resorts]

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Lotus Abrams is a San Francisco Bay Area-based writer who has written articles on topics ranging from beauty and interior design to business and tech in her multiple-decade career. Her work has been published in Marin Magazine, Nailpro, Beauty Launchpad, Brit+Co, PUNCH, SoCal Design, SPACES, American Salon, Chicago Agent, and more. Follow her on Instagram: @lotusabrams_writes.