Gaia Day Spa

My first spa experience was here as a gift and I enjoyed it so much I’ve been back two times since. The last two times were because of a pinched nerve in my neck. I visited a chiropractor four times and was still in pain, so I decided to try a deep tissue massage. I got the therapeutic massage and although I was practically crying during the hour, I left feeling amazing and pain free. When my neck pain flared up again due to stress three months later I went back and left feeling just as good. I wish I could remember the name of the masseuse, she was awesome!
Only bad thing… I HATE driving to La Jolla

They have either gone out of business or moved. I walked by this location yesterday, and the store was vacant.

found this little gem when we were looking for some relaxation and sooo glad we did! the front seems a bit crowded but alot of spa things if you like to shop. but the back area was roomy and relaxing. go at least 10 – 15 min early because you can use their great foot massager.
my appointment was with LANA and since i have never been, was a little bit hesitant because it’s always tough trying a new person. but she was the best! maybe it was because i was so tired or maybe it was just everything but i swear she was one of the best masseuse i ever had. i thought the 60 min wasn’t enough and wished i had booked a 90 min but it was perfect. she covered alot of areas and i felt great after!
definitely give them a try!

Went to SD on a weekend girls weekend. Got a pretty good deal on our massages.
Customer service was ehhh… I wasn’t overly impressed.

I surprised my boyfriend on Valentine’s weekend with Gaia’s Romance Package which included a 45 minute sugar scrub, an herbal steam sauna and a 60 minute massage for 2. The only reason I selected Gaia (honestly) was because they were the only spa in the area that had an opening all weekend — but I’m sooo glad they did!
As you walk in, the reception area is a bit cluttered, but as soon as we checked in the receptionist took us back to a quiet sitting area to wait for our appointment.
My therapist (I’m pretty sure his name was Eduardo) had a very calm and relaxing energy — he was wonderful. Highly recommended. My boyfriend’s therapist (can’t remember her name) was very nice, but she talked a bit too much — explaining the sciences and benefits of each treatment in detail. Maybe some people like to know these things, but it was distracting while we were just trying to relax and enjoy. That’s the only reason I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5.
Aside from that, everything was perfect. The sugar scrub (our first time ever doing one) felt AMAZING. Our skin felt soooo soft afterwards. Then the herbal steam sauna was a real treat (i didnt even know what it was when i booked it), and the massage was oh-​so-​relaxing. We both walked out feeling like we could just melt.
We’ll definitely be back — we’d love to make this a monthly occurrence for us to do. It was truly romantic and the perfect thing to do with that special someone you love.

I’ve come here a couple times and it was great because I knew I was coming here to relax. There was one time I had deep tissue done and the therapist hadn’t cut her nails all the way down and it was a bit hurried but the next time I came it was wonderful. I like sitting in the relaxation room where the zafus are and just meditate since the other room (with the refreshments) is right next to the street and can be loud.

Unilocal UPDATE: After reading my (now) wife’s original review, Gaia’s manager contacted me and said thanks for your feedback, we’ve made some changes, and offered a complimentary treatment. My wife was impressed that they took her review seriously and went back.
She said: Gaia has improved their personnel in spades! My masseuse, Rose, really knew what she was doing and gave me a deep tissue massage that made me feel like a new person. They also hired Wendy, formerly the manager of the W, who is one of the best in the business. Their atmosphere could still use some work (the treatment rooms are a bit dated and bright), but for a wonderful renewing massage, I will definitely be back.

Amazing experience at Gaia. This was several months ago, so I’m going from memory, but its hard to forget the great treatment I received.
I was given a gift certificate for my birthday and blew it all on the Banya treatment. If you really want to awaken your senses and feel like the most special person in the world, I recommend it. You get your own private room with a massage table and private sauna. Basically you are escorted in and out of the sauna, with a massage and skin treatment between each visit. Its hard to describe… the smells are incredible. Eucalyptus, lavender, honey… yum. You finish the whole thing off with an ice shower after your final visit to the sauna. So exhilarating!
For a completely indulgent and unique spa experience, try the Banya at Gaia. And then help me figure out how to install a sauna into my small apartment.

Iris C. and I came here for our 1.5 year anniversary and had a couples Swedish massage for 50 minutes. I guess it was a bit pricey, but it was very relaxing. Right after you enter, you are seated in a waiting area where you can help yourself to hot spice tea and cookies. They also had a bowl of nuts. You fill out an information sheet noting what you want worked on today and head toward the massage room. This was way different from the one other time I had a massage, which was in China. There was no showering before the massage, nor were there any baths and water massages. I guess it has to do with the package. The oils were really nice and relaxing and I basically was half conscious during the whole thing. I like this place because the whole environment is very calming: they play soothing music, dark lighting and they even had a mini Zen garden for you to play with in the waiting area. The best part of all was that the massage cleared my mind of anything and after the massage, I just walked aimlessly around downtown La Jolla without a thought in my head. The time flew by so fast too.

Amazing, amazing, amazing.
I had the most amazing sauna and massage with Erin the day after I took the LSAT, and I left feeling like a new woman. This is the best spa experience I have ever had. Ever. I love the people, I love the organic, ‘green’ products, I love the services.
The only downside is that the waiting area is a little cramped, but you cannot beat the quality of the services.
EDIT 5÷29÷08: I gave it five stars in the review above, but after my last visit, I have to take that way down. My sister came to town for a visit, and I immediately thought of Gaia as a *must do*. The entire thing was disappointing, though. The booking was a nightmare (four separate calls from Gaia because the receptionist made mistakes with the appointment time and the price), but I didn’t really mind because it’s not easy to fit in two people at the same time. What was really a downer was that the treatments themselves weren’t great. My masseuse (who was not Erin, the woman I had before) talked about really negative and depressing things during parts of the service, so I couldn’t relax. My sister’s prenatal massage was apparently hit and miss (awesome foot massage, but somewhat careless in helping her position herself). My sister is way pregnant, but isn’t that all the more reason to help her during her massage?! The very worst part came later that day, when I received a message on my machine from Gaia. Apparently we were undercharged by $ 90. I did the booking and my sister paid (she’s so great!), so we didn’t catch it. The message said that they just rang it up on the same card, as if it wasn’t a big deal, but it was embarrassing! I had to call my sister and be like, ‘Uh, so that bill was actually $ 90 more.’ I don’t know if maybe they have a new owner, or I just had terrible luck, but I felt like a real d-​bag for taking my sweet sister to a spa that was so unprofessional. I don’t think I’ll be going back, ever.

Excellent facial. Awesome massage.
Two complaints:
1. I don’t want to hear cars driving by when I am trying to relax.
2. If you have bad breath and you are a facialist, wear a mask. In fact, since most people with bad breath don’t realize they have bad breath, just wear a mask anyway…
Other than that, it was a great experience.

If Michelangelo were alive and had a counterpart who specialized in eyebrows, Albina at Gaia Day Spa would be his equal. Albina can turn fuzzy, uncontrollable caterpillars into well-​designed, flattering, structured arches. My eyebrows are dark, thick, and curly, the triple threat for an esthetics’s as they are very easy to muck up because the regrowth is so quick and the curl is unpredictable. She is so good that I don’t have to go back to her every four weeks — I can simply follow the arch and tweeze. I go back because they need to be trimmed, something that I would not recommend for one to do oneself. It certainly is a Catch 22 because I like to give her my business more often but she considers it a compliment. As well, the wax and strips that she uses are practically painless, quite a feat for facial waxing.
I found GDS nearly three years ago when a friend gave me a gift certificate for a massage. After success with the masseuse, I decided to give an esthetician a try — I have very sensitive skin so quality wax and products are necessary and GDS seem to fit the requirements, especially considering the prices. I have not been disappointed and highly recommend this day spa to anyone who is willing to pay for it.

Super posh and plush meets Zen tranquility and happiness. This day spa is fully stocked and decorated perfectly to please the most discriminating patrons.
If you’re a guy, don’t feel ashamed to come here; just get the massage. Girls, they have packages for everything, catering anybody from pregnant moms to brides to be. If you get into a big fight with your girlfriend, a gift certificate to Gaia will ensure that the fight never even happened.
You’re paying for quality here so don’t be alarmed by the prices.

Best day spa I have been to. Everything’s organic. Highly recommend Lupe.

Very relaxing spa, I had two facials and a massage by three different people. You know it’s good when you don’t want to go back into the real world. They gave my tips on how to improve back pain and my skin was radiant for weeks after.