The Spa at 21c

My boyfriend got the package that included a $ 100 credit towards the spa service of my choice. I chose the hot and cold river rock massage and I made the right decision. I was literally high when I finished. The massage was so relaxing and the steam shower afterwards was just what I needed. I will be back.

This is a nice but quite small spa. As with the entire hotel the staff is great. There are only three rooms and they are all off one hallway so if anyone is out there it can be loud and ruin the peaceful feel you are going for. That being said, they do very nice treatments– I had a massage and facial and both were very nice, particularly the hot rock massage. Between treatments there is a private steam shower in the room which was really nice and relaxing. I would definitely return again if staying at the hotel– book ahead on the weekends, due to the small size they have quite limited openings!

The Spa at the 21c Hotel is located on the 10^th floor of the hotel and is the closest I’ve come to feeling like I’m on vacation while right here in Cincinnati. Is it pricey? Oh yes it is. Is it the highest-​end luxury spa experience available in Cincinnati? Oh yes it is.
If you’re not a guest at the hotel, you can get free valet parking for your spa appt. and then check in with the front desk to get buzzed up to the 10^th floor on the elevator. Then up another flight of stairs to the spa itself. The waiting room is small and the chairs are actually quite uncomfortable, but the service is immediate and gracious.
I had a special package for this visit which included a body scrub, soaking bath, massage, and steam shower for a reduced price. All the services took place in a private suite with 2 tables (one for the scrub and one for the massage), a massive soaking, jetted tub, and walk-​in steam shower. It really added to the luxury for me that everything happened in one private room, including changing before & after, and the same therapist performed all services.
The body scrub was one of my favorite parts – vastly superior to others I’ve had in Vichy rooms, because you’re not cold and wet. She used a vanilla sugar/​salt scrub and scrubbed pretty much everywhere a thong bikini doesn’t cover (note: if you’re not comfortable having your stomach touched, mention it beforehand).
The soaking tub was truly massive, but that experience left a bit to be desired. First, getting in and out of it was downright dangerous while oiled up/​wet – you have to climb over a wide marble edge and then it’s a fairly deep step even on to the bench portion. I actually slipped and bruised the inside of both thighs pretty badly. So be careful! They really should add a rail and/​or more gradual step-​in. Also, I would request a slightly cooler temperature next time, it was uncomfortably hot for me.
The other big miss for me was the time between the bath and the massage. The therapist gave me a 5 minute courtesy knock to get out of the tub/​dry off/​get on to the massage bed, but then didn’t actually come back in for at least 10+ minutes. Meanwhile, I’m feeling like a boiled lobster, going from the very hot bath to face-​down on the heated massage table, covered with a blanket. Even sitting up just wrapped in a sheet, I was too warm. The therapist was appropriately concerned when she came in and put some cold stones on me to help me cool down. After that, I really enjoyed the massage.
The service concluded with 15 minutes in the steam shower. I would have much preferred longer in there vs. the bath (25 minutes) as I felt like I had to actually shower/​wash and try to enjoy the steam within the allotted time. That was the one downside of the all-​in-​one private suite as I felt some urgency to wrap it up and get dressed quickly to free up the room.
Overall, it was an amazing, luxurious and pampering experience, with just a few misses away from perfection. Prices are sky-​high compared to anywhere else in Cincinnati, but for a very special treat (or if you can find a special), it’s an experience I would definitely recommend. To really make a day of it, check out the artwork on the first and second floors and maybe even grab lunch at Metropole before or after.