10 Tips for Taking Yourself on a Date to King Spa in Chantilly, Virginia
In my series Important Things I Have Learned from Solo Traveling , I mentioned the concept of dating yourself. I FIRMLY believe we need to take ourselves out on a solo date, even if we are dating another person.
We are humans, too, and we need to check in on ourselves—especially if life gets busy. To be honest, I haven’t taken myself out on a date in the past few months because it's been an exciting/ crazy few months! I have:
Returned to my old demanding office job, which I never thought I would.
In a new relationship
Working my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT).
Taught an aerial classes.
Blogged on Wanderingbel.
And all of that happened while managing/ balancing life, friends, cats, and myself! Needless to say, I am one busy Wandering Bel.
It's been a lot, and it’s overwhelming. When I get like this, my motivation and focus disappear.
Does this happen to you?
I was excited about an overnight solo camping trip to Shenandoah National Park, but I had to cancel because a fire broke out in the park. Don’t worry; no buildings were damaged, and no people were hurt. It was just really smoky, and the electricity to the campground was cut off.
However, I was itching to take myself on a date to feel grounded and care for myself because I was burning the candle at both ends, so this fire was a major mental health setback. The prior weekend, my aerial friends went to a spa. I couldn’t participate because of YTT, so I decided to go there instead of the Shenandoah trip. To be fully transparent, I am not your typical spa girl. This was the second spa I ever went to (the first was in Budapest). But the idea of sitting in hot saunas and hot pools? My soul and body smiled!
So, since I desperately needed some grounding in the form of a date night for myself, I got into my car and drove about an hour to King Spa in Chantilly, Virginia, on a cold, rainy November Friday.
If you plan a date night with yourself at King Spa, below are my tips to make things go smoothly.
Tips for King Spa!
Tip 1: Buy your ticket online.
Sadly, you must still wait in the queue when you get there, but it helps speed up the process a bit.
Tip 2: Go early.
Get there right when it opens. There was already a long line when I got there around 12:30. I really wish that King Spa had a separate line for people who already had their tickets because the process was slow.
Tip 3: Bring a book!
I bought one of the yoga books I needed to read for my training. I'm glad I did because I read 70 pages in the 6 hours I was there. It was so lovely to relax, focus, and catch up on reading.
Tip 4: Try EVERY sauna.
They do recommend only three, but I tried them all.
Tip 5: I HIGHLY recommend doing the Hinoki + Ion Room.
This was my favorite room, and it’s where I felt the most relaxed. Hinoki means cypress; its sacred wood is believed to have cleansing qualities. You lay on these cubes and run your hands through them. It reduces stress (it really does! I almost fell asleep!), promotes circulation, and helps in muscle recovery.
Tip 6: I recommend you do the same sequence as I did.
I picked one sauna and did that for 10–30 minutes, then went into the room for at least 2–5 minutes. Then I decided on another sauna and continued this until I did all the saunas. It's similar to doing a hot tub and then a cold plunge. I felt refreshed, recharged, and ready for the next sauna. I also did the hottest sauna last and finished with the Ice room. The Ice room is 37-39 degrees.
Tip 7: Bring your water bottle!
I forgot mine, but thankfully, they had cups to get water. Drink up! Also, bring Gatorade for afterward. I stopped for Gatorade when I was done because my body craved the electrolytes.
Tip 8: Finish your day in the pools.
I am a sucker for hot pools, hot springs, etc., because it feels like I am being cleansed.
Tip 9: Don't get a massage here.
I couldn't justify the price. Yes, it did come with a free day pass for the next time, but it was still cheaper for me to do that day pass and get a massage at my local place. But if you choose to do one, I have heard from my friends that the scrub is fantastic.
Tip 10: You must wear the shirt and shorts they provide.
This is different from your usual Korean Spa. You don't go naked, except for the changing area where you can do the cold plunge pool—which I didn't do because I don't like being naked in public.
The Saunas
King Spa has eight more saunas, which can be intimidating if you’re not used to having so many different choices or are new to the spa scene, so let’s look at what makes each one unique.
Charcoal
Ice Room
Amethyst Crystal and Salt Room
Yellow Mud Room
Gold Pyramid Sauna
Base Rock Room
Bul Han Jing Mark Dome (HOT ONE!)
Salt Room
Wrap up
I would totally come back and spend the $70 for peace and relaxation all over again. It was a great reminder to incorporate more date nights and slow movements back into my life. I felt more grounded and present days afterward.
I hope you have the same experience on your date night at King Spa! I would love to hear from you!
