Island Spa Catalina

The Island Spa is a must for those who want a 1^st class pampered day in the most beautiful location. From the time I walked in & was greeted, I was treated like the Spa was for my pleasure alone. I had a deep tissue massage from Maritza, which I felt for days after. Was almost a shiatsu massage! I was very impressed. After, some time in the steam room & the dry sauna to really loosen the muscles & detox.
Afterwards, I had the Green Curry Chicken soup with a pumpkin squash hummis? All I know was I was very impressed and very happy. I ate & sipped a reisling while watching dolphins jump in the distance.
I really felt myself relax here & have a full day of decompression. Of getting away from the real world. The staff was spectacular. Everyone had a smile and was around just enough that if I needed anything, they were there for assistance. But not so much that I felt always surrounded. I highly recommend this Spa if you have the time and want/​need a day away from the real world. There was not 1 thing I found wrong. I even bought some of the lotions, in the gift shop, for family back home. Thanks to all who worked that day, to make me really smile again & feel at peace.
Oh, 1 more thing. Zach, the Spa manager, informed me of their Yoga classes they offer when I was leaving. I went the next day & I highly recommend it. Beautiful room with ocean view. Dan gave a level 1 class (if only been to 2 in my life before). It was a Yoga/​meditation class and I loved it! He gave great instructions for someone who didn’t really know what they’re doing. I felt I really fit in & felt it in my body the next day.

I booked the classic massage, but was really going to try to get some relief for my neck and shoulder that had froze up earlier that morning from a bad night’s sleep. Mike was my masseuse and after a brief discussion of my pains and problems he went to work and it was magical. I can’t remember the last time I felt a huge knot release from my muscles. The way he was able to achieve such deep tissue massage without hurting me was a new experience. This is most definitely the best facility on the island when it comes to amenities: steam and dry sauna, pool, jacuzzi, beautiful viewing deck, and in house gourmet food– it really can’t be beat. But having somebody who knows what they’re doing and is able to help you actually achieve true relaxation and relief from pain is worth every penny. I highly recommend Mike C.

My goodness, what an excellent experience. Michael was arguably the best masseuse I have ever encountered. The spa was very quaint and luxurious. The service was excellent. I don’t think they could have done anything better. If you decide you need a massage, I highly recommend requesting Michael. You will not be disappointed.

I agree w/​«Sabrina K» (see below) on this review.
This facility may be the most beautiful, spacious, clean spa I’ve ever been to.
However, I give it 4 stars for the massage. I had the Classic massage. I was asked to fill out a questionnaire before the massage, asking where I wanted the massage to focus on. The masseuse, although nice, didn’t seem to pay attention to that form. & I wish I had chosen the deep tissue. However, this place is beautiful & I would definitely recommend it to others.

This spa is beautiful and the people are very friendly, so I expected my massage to be amazing. To my surprise it was pretty blah, the room was freezing, her hands were cold, and there was no way to make the table warmer. She was very nice but way too light.

Outstanding! Perfect island getaway if you are looking for a relaxing weekend. I visited twice in four days. The sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and pool are lovely. I had the best facial ever from Jennette. Hope to be back here soon!

Great service. Bar none the most friendly and helpful staff I’ve found on either side of the channel.
Recommend increasing the room temperatures. We had the tables on the highest heat setting and it wasn’t enough. The masseuse also applied the oils cold. Those little things would help get me to five stars.

My husband and I will be returning clients. Our whole spa experience was amazing from start to finish. Great staff and the spa itself is breathtaking. Truly one of the best spas hands down.

What a PERFECT, PERFECT, PERFECT way to enjoy and relax for a day in Catalina Island.
My therapist Jennifer was excellent, friendly, kind and professional. The view from the relaxation area was gorgeous. The pool and hot tub as well as the plush lounges made my day all the better. The staff from the locker room attendant, the server, the front desk were professional, personable. I could tell they were very proud to work at this Spa. The way the spa was designed, and re-​constructed in the original Catalina style although modern, it felt like «good ‘ol Catalina» The women’s locker room was easy to navigate, with a huge sauna and steam room. The showers were great from the tile to the overhead rain showers. I not sure if there was any way I could of had a better time. Thank you Island Spa.

Relaxing SPA! I booked my massage the day before. Got there an hour early and enjoyed the pool and hot tub. Had a mimosa and fruit by the pool too. I used the check-​in offer to add hot stones to my massage. Wonderful hands of Mignon gave me the relaxing massage I needed. Not too hard and not too soft… Just right! I will ask for a dark room next time. I had windows looking out to the marina. I will be back for another massage by Mignon next time I am in Avalon.

Best spa experience, bar none.
Breathtakingly beautiful view from the relaxation deck. Loved the steam room. The courtyard/​pool/​hot tub area is an oasis. Aesthetically, Island Spa is top notch.
By happenstance, Terri was my massage therapist. She was wonderful, attentive and genuinely concerned with making sure I was comfortable and well taken care of. I felt like she went above and beyond, but I’m sure she makes everyone feel that way. I will definitely request her next time.
Ashley, the spa manager, was lovely and accommodating. All in all, it was a great day and the best spa experience I’ve had to date. If you’re heading to Avalon, I would highly recommend a visit to Island Spa.

My fiancé and I had an amazing time here! The massages were great and the staff was great. We didnt get anything from their café because it was a little pricey, but we did just hang out by the pool and drink water and it was so relaxing. We really didnt want to leave! Next time we come to catalina we will definitely be coming here again

My husband and I went to Island Spa Catalina for the day. We scheduled two ‘1 hour’ couples massages and used our Unilocal Check in to get a complimentary hot stone pkg for each of us. Pretty cool !!!
The person at the front desk asked if we wanted to upgrade for an additional $ 25 to a deep tissue from the ‘standard’ massage, that she said was similar to a Swedish. I WISH WE DID !!
In my previous experience, deep tissue can be too deep, making me more tense. I needed muscles worked, and thought at the price $ 125 for ‘standard’ massage, the therapist would have the experience ((since working for tips)) to have gone a bit firmer upon my request However, nothing changed when I asked her to go a bit deeper. =(
On a very positive note, other than the super soft body rub, the grounds are beautiful with a nice menu, the staff very customer service orientated and extremely pleasant, and the amenities clean. We will defiantly return upon our next weekend get-​away, yet this time upgrade to the deep tissue !

I took my fiancée to Catalina to celebrate our 1 yr anniversary and decided to take her for a Spa day. The facility itself, looked so inviting and after reviewing the services available, I scheduled a couples massage: a deep tissue for me and a Swedish massage for my fiancée. We both were looking forward to spending time being pampered.
UPON ARRIVAL: The facility is beautiful and in a great location. There’s a small pool area w/​a jacuzzi, nicely decorated and spacious. The Men’s locker room, although small, was clean, neat and had a sauna, which was nice.
We walked in and there was only 1 employee present, who was on the phone helping a prospective client. After a few minutes, Jennifer walked in, humming a happy tune. She was friendly with a great attitude. It took a bit to get us checked in, since Jennifer was helping another guest and the other employee was still on the phone. Still, Jennifer showed us to our locker rooms. We just made it in time for our scheduled massages.
MEET THE MASSEUSE (S):
We walked up the staircase and took in the gorgeous view of the upstairs lounge area and were greeted by one of the massage therapists — Kelsey. Kelsey introduced herself, she was friendly and advised that she would be working on my fiancée.
Enter my masseuse … This older lady rushed in, NOT making eye contact, shaking my hand nor did she introduce herself. She was on a mission to get down to business. She advised that she would step out of the room and asked that I lie face down on the table.
Upon her return, I asked her name which she replied «TERRI» and asked if she would please focus on my left shoulder and sciatic. First off, her movement and pressure was terribly rushed and uneven. She spent a good amount of time on my left arm and hand rather than shoulder work. All throughout the massage, her movement was haphazard and seemed to be purposeless. She seemed to have zero understanding body mechanics or pressure. I asked several times to slow her massage strokes and to apply more pressure. Terri seemed to be irritated each time that I would ask.
I figured that I’m paying her $ 150 plus an already assessed 18% gratuity and that it shouldn’t be an issue if I ask her to perform a certain pressure or work on a specific area. What I found was that she would apply an excessive amount of oil and spread it around without any regard to focusing on working areas of muscle tension. My sciatic was never massaged and her movements became even more frantic as time passed.
One of her comments was, «Well, you only got the 50 minute massage and for me to really work it out it would take 80 minutes.» quite honestly, i was counting down the time to exit the room because the massage was so bad, However, it was a couples massage and i didn’t want to disrupt my fiancée’s experience.
I want to also state that this is NOT my first massage. I’ve been to the St. Regis, The Ritz, Montage, Ojai, Spa Gregorie’s, 10,000 waves, Chiropractic massage … and this was one of THE WORST massages. At 10,000 waves, I had a 25 minute neck and shoulder massage that was divine! And Terri thinks that additional 30 minutes with her haphazard massage was going to make things better? Not likely.
I want to say that she seems like a nice lady, I’m speaking directly to her service and profession. Terri did not once check in during my session to see about pressure or anything. And even in the beginning, she didn’t ask me what areas I would like her to focus on, I took the liberty of telling her, because she was so rushed. I was honestly shocked when she told me that she had been doing massage for 25 yrs. I’m convinced that it hasn’t been certified work. I was hoping for a relaxing massage w/​deep muscle work. I ended up feeling like a greased up pig, more tense from the uneven pressure, rushed and haphazard movement.
My fiancée’s masseuse Kelsey, was far better than mine. However, my fiancée also advised that the pressure was uneven and that Kelsey seemed uncertain of how to work certain muscle areas.
UPON CHECK OUT: Ashley checked us out, but didn’t ask how we liked the massage. She actually charged me for 2 deep tissue massages, which I corrected her. I also advised of my experience with Terri. Ashley’s response was, «Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll let Terri know.» Granted, I didn’t at all pitch a fit or demand for my money back or anything of the sort. But some kind of acknowledgement or even a free drink would have been nice.
All in all, the view is incredible from the upper lounge. The lobby service was ok. But if you want my advice: Save your money for something else or get a massage BEFORE you come to the island. They also have massages at Descanso (sp?) beach area and a couple of other places. Or perhaps, SKIP the Massage and get a facial instead. But at all costs, if you get «TERRI» as your masseuse, immediately request for someone else and ask if they are certified massage therapists.
GOOD LUCK!

My feet have been hurting for Years. Today I mad an appointment with Maritza the massage therapist. Her massage strokes were very effective. I fell asleep
After first leg was massaged. I woke up with no pain in my feet & they felt like feathers. I will be back !!!

What an amazing way to spend a day pampering yourself in Catalina. Spa is centrally located with a gorgeous relaxation patio overlooking the harbor. Service is outstanding. I would definitely recommend a massage from Juanita. She was attentive and left me feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
The spa has a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room.
We had a delicious lunch out by the pool. They also serve beer and wine. Our server, Brian, was amazing and never kept us waiting for anything.
They definitely put customer service first. We even had the Spa Director, Criswell, come by for a quick chat to make sure we had all of our needs met.
Everyone was extremely helpful.
They accept SpaFinder gift cards.
This spa is worth the boat ride over. I will be back!!!

WOW! What an amazing experience I had last weekend at the Spa! Not only was massage excellent (Maritza is the therapist to have) but the attention to detail by all of the attendants (Brian and Ashley) was above par!
Criswell did an amazing job making sure our group was taken care of!
Thank you for such a wonderful time and I will be back again, very soon hopefully! :)

This gorgeous spa is the most relaxing and tranquil place on the island. I highly recommend spending at least a good hour on the loft terrace before your treatment– the best view on the island.
I was checked in by Ashley who is the sweetest.
Brian, from the café, spoiled me rotten with a delicious Quinoa Salad and ice T on the loft Terrace.
Maritza is an amazing massage therapist– I was in heaven.
And Mandy is the sweetest and gives a great Mani/​Pedi.
My experience at Island Spa completely made my whole trip!

What a wonderful gem! This spa is 5 star service without the high price tag. We stayed at the Pavilion Hotel and walked over to the spa. The spa has a beautiful courtyard with lots of places to lounge and hang out: pool, jacuzzi, steam, sauna, upstairs patio with sweeping ocean views. If you can spend the whole day here, I would do it! Their spa menu is small but the food is delicious. Our server, Brian ensured we were taken care of as we were lounging after our amazing treatments! I had an incredible facial! Thank you Criswell for taking care of our corporate group. Definitely helpful for our team to relax and bond. I bet this would be awesome for Bridal Showers as well. We loved it here and will definitely be back!

First of all, I do have to say that everyone at the spa was very friendly and the facilities clean and the views are beautiful.
That being said, the quality of service was poor. We purchased a helicopter round trip/​spa package and upgraded to couples massage.
The staff was friendly, we were greeted and taken to respective men’s/women’s locker room, shown the facilities.
Issue 1:
Bar service
We came back to pool to relax before our massage… ordered a bottle of champagne and some OJ for mimosas. After more than a short wait, the server returned with 2 glasses of champagne and a glass of OJ. She informed us that they do not allow glass outside the café and that she would return to top off our glasses as needed. OK, fine. She disappeared, never to return.
30 minutes later, we moved to services staging area at the top deck (beautiful view of the harbor) as instructed. Fed up, I went back to café to request the rest of the champagne and returned. 10 min later, still no champagne, but time for massage. After the 1 hour massage, we returned to the deck area to find 2 warm glasses of champagne. Nice, so we had to again go back to the server and she finally brought 2 glasses of champagne.
*If they are going to sell product by the bottle which they do not allow in the area, then they should consider plastic carafes in a bucket of ice OR inform the customer when they order AND then make an attempt to provide timely service (the spa was NOT busy at all).
Issue 2:
Massage
The was the worst massage ever. Again, everyone there was very pleasant. These were supposed to be sports massages, but apparently there was miscommunication between masseuse and manager, because we received the «Catalina Special»…their version of a Swedish massage, apparently. It was more of an oil rub. Inconsistent/​imbalanced from left side to right side. My masseuse, an older lady, was nice, but very inexperienced. This was not my first massage. My girlfriend’s experience was much the same.
The price is about the same for what you would pay for a local OC masseuse, but I would expect at least the same quality… not amateurish.
**hire experienced service personnel.
After the slow bar service, the amateurish massages, they ended up charging us for 2 additional massages beyond what was in the package, so we had that to clear up the following week.
One of the problems there is lack of incentive to perform. There is an automatic 18% gratuity added to your bill for services/​bar.
Overall, nice facilities, friendly people, but slow bar service and poorly trained spa services personnel. We won’t return.