Jjimjilbang Series: Spa Lei Review   Sealala  Things to Know
                            Mother's Day   Celebrity Spa  Five Step
Robbing is possible in Spa Lei, so not easy to be tricked by good reviews of tripadvisor. Robbing rumor, a part of spa review selection, is important to know before reading guides of things to do at Seoul, Korea. It is alarm for tourists.
The facilities are nice but there are many problems with this spa. I started going there last year. At first I was taken in by the facilities, the convenient location, and liked that it was for women only. As I began going there more I noticed more problems which all culminated into someone breaking into my locker and stealing my wallet and iPad. (the editor notes that no more details about ipad type, like ipad 2 or ipad air or ipad mini) A lot of the women who work there are unfriendly and downright rude.
Several of the women who worked as masseuses didn't want me using a sink right next to their room even though it was a public sink that anyone could use to wash up or brush their teeth. Another time, a woman started cleaning the showers with mop and soap and didn't care if it splashed on me while I was showering. Finally, my wallet and iPad were stolen from my locker while I slept. The following morning when I discovered what had happened, I went to the front counter. The woman there did not care. She even had the nerve to ask me to pay for the drink and food I ordered the night before even though I had just told her that my wallet was stolen and I had no money on me. Luckily, a Korean customer who knew English and overheard my situation was willing to help direct me to the nearest police station. I filed a police report, but the people at Spa Lei should have been more helpful in calling the police or sending a translator with me to the police station. (the editor notes that +82 2-720-4400 is Seoul Police Station Phone Number, call when you meet emergency or suffering; local police station phone should be tourism attention.)
Within the five minutes I stood at the counter, two Koreans came up to report that their smartphones were "missing", i.e. stolen. The woman at the counter also told them that Spa Lei isn't responsible for "lost" cell phones. There are signs throughout the spa that state Spa Lei isn't responsible for missing cell phones. Those signs are very recent and were not up last year which says to me that the place has had some incidences of theft and rather than trying to solve the problem, they are simply telling their customers that Spa Lei isn't responsible nor will they reimburse you if you have something expensive stolen. I asked the woman if they have CCTVs (there is a sign at the front entrance that states there are CCTVs) and she said that no cameras are in the lower level where the lockers are located.(the editor notes that before we determine to have a spa, it is important to check if CCTVs or cameras are facilitated, because it is significant facilities of bath house. Locker is not reliable even it seems big. Safety should be catched for tourism attention.)
There is no supervision of the lockers and honestly, I wonder how someone was able to go into my locker and lock it again. Either they: 1) work at the spa and these thefts are an inside job or 2) the thief is a master pickpocket or is able to unlock the lockers with another tool. Either way, I no longer find Spa Lei safe and it is disheartening that the people who work there aren't willing to solve the problem or help their customers who lose a large quantity of items. I was also told by a Korean friend that lots of prostitutes work in Gangnam and she has seen these women go in groups to places like Spa Lei. I don't think most foreigners realize that some of these facilities are frequented by people who would steal and break into lockers. I'll be posting my story all over the internet. This is just a warning to those who plan to visit to always keep your important items close to you. Don't trust that your items are safe in their lockers or next to you while you sleep.
Better yet, don't bring anything of value when you go to these spas. Leave your laptops and iPads(especially latest ipad air or ipad 2)at home; take a small quantity of cash with you. A lot of cell phones go missing because people charge them out in the open while they sleep and it is so easy for someone to steal these items since there are no CCTVs in any of the areas other than the front counter. Keep these items under your clothes while you sleep.
We cannot figure out if robbing rumor is true but it should be paid more attention once we are out of motherland.
Transport Card: Rail Plus  Incheon Airport Express
Nearby Recommended: Day Tour No.1   Day Tour No.2   Day Tour No.3
Sealala