Hello,
My sister and I are going to San Francisco for the first time in May and we are interested in pampering ourselves with a spa day. We'd like to go to a really nice one, that's friendly and fun.
I'd appreciate your advice based on your own experience.
Thank you!

Anybody???
We have never done anything like this before, and we don't want to go anywhere we might feel uncomfortable because of our "inexperience" with Spa Life!!LOL We are just 2 humble girls doing something for ourselves for a change!
Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and/or answer this post!

Try the Claremont Hotel Spa in Berkeley. It is on the hill overlooking SF. Or you could go to the Mission Inn in Napa. Both are luxurious, pampering and expensive.

Usually people go OUT of SF for a spa experience to places like Calistoga.

I highly recommend LaBelle Day Spa on Kearny St. near Union Square. This is their temporary location until they move into permanent place on Grant Street this year. Call 415-433-7644 to check exactly where they are right now. I guarantee you won't feel intimidated. I go regularly to the one in Palo Alto and they are good and reasonable priced and very friendly unlike some of the very stuffy places. Have a great time.

I love to spend a day at the Kabuki Springs spa in Japantown. You can just use the communal baths (three days a week are women only, three days are men only and one day is coed bathing suits required) or you can also avail yourself of their massages, facials and other great spa treatments. The baths consist of a dry sauna and a wet sauna, a hot pool and a cold plunge pool, plus lots of cucumber slices, lemon water, cool towels, etc. A very relaxing way to spend the day. Their website is kabukisprings.com.

Spas in San Francisco! I wouldn't be caught dead at a spa in San Francisco. You probably will find most spas in the Castro (Gay Area)

There's Susan Spike from the SF convention and visitors bureau hard at work.

I went to the La Belle spa in the Stanford Shopping Center when my husband was out there for a conference. It was very nice.

About an hour above SF is a place called Osmosis that is the only place in the US to have a Japanses enzyme bath, a great treat. You'd need to rent a car for the day, but it is worth the trip. Out in beautiful country, east of Santa Rosa. You can reserve in advance (highly recommend you do this or risk disappointment - I learned the hard way!) on www.osmosis.com

Nordstrom department store has a day spa on the fifth floor of their downtown store. It's very relaxing, quiet (no hair salon on premises, so no blowdryer noises, etc.). They have a full range of facials, massage, manicure and pedicure services. The last time I was there, they were really into the aromatherapy/New Age thing. Getting one of the facials which include a hand and foot massage will make you drift off to sleep in minutes. Remember that any good spa will fill up with bookings way ahead, so make plans early. If you are staying in one of the downtown S. F. hotels, this would be walking distance, as the Nordstrom store is at Market and Powell streets.

Lizbeth is right. I posted a recommendation for Nordstrom yesterday but it never took so I gave up. Everything she says about it is true. They are so into service anyway it is just extended in their spaaaaaaaah.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your recommendations! We are looking into all of these great spas. I really appreciate all the insight provided.

Thank you!!