Valeo Chicago

I had a service here recently. Walked in off Adams around six on a Saturday– impulsive and figured it was worth a shot. The receptionist was brand new, and she did a great job letting me know about the space and services, and then see what I could squeeze in for. Before booking, I was given a tour and introduced to Kiaya, who was amazing! She apparently does it all! When someone’s got it, they got it… this girls got it. She wanted to work and offer an amazing service, so that was a good sign!
I went all out after she described the treatment– Clarity Chamber. It was in this amazing warm room, very peaceful. It was a body scrub, wrap, and then lotion applied in front of fire place.
It was amazing.
I didnt have time to experience the amenities because they were closing, but I will definitely be back!

I made an appointment here with two other coworkers for hair and makeup before an event. When we first arrived the receptionist had trouble finding us in the system. Kind of off to a bad start. They were very friendly and apologetic but it took awhile for them to figure it out.
I have had my hair and makeup done multiple times for different events and this is just not a place I would recommend to anyone. I did like my hair but my friends hair was washed and straightened for a slick look and the hair serem they put on her roots made her hair look like it was wet. Unfortunately, as soon as we left she had to rewash it. For my makeup I suggested a brown smokey eye and the artist suggested purple instead. I am open to trying new things so I said okay. I should have stuck with what I wanted to begin with because I had to redo my makeup after I left.
Staff was very friendly, but I was very unhappy with what I paid for.

The couples massage was one of the most romantic!
Lets first say walking in to the Experience Room, there’s two massage tables, an oversized day bed, serenity bath tub jacuzzi and oversized stone shower for two.
The masseuse used hot wet towels on my back and feet at certain points throughout the massage that added an extra feeling of sensation.
After the massage the couple has 30 extra minutes in the room to use the shower or jacuzzi tub with changing lights.
I will say it is all done in a very tasteful manner.
Anna had a great technique using her arms and elbows instead of just her hands.
Only downside were the sheets on the massage table. So rough and an uncomfortable.

I want to start by saying this was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had from the beginning to the end nothing but wonderful service everybody was attentive I also want to personal say Thank You so much Shanikia. As soon as I got there she showed me all through the locker room got me a nice beautiful warm robe put me into the into the lounge and also got me lemons for my tea. I had a so many Beautiful experiences there and I can’t wait to go back into another clarity chamber which is which is very much like a Turkish bath it was just one of the best experiences I’ve ever had thank you so much Valeo. Also a great place to have girls or guys day because they have a full bar menu and food if your hungry.

The sauna was cold/​off. There was no chance in heck it would heat up during my stay.
The waiting room offered hot tea… also cold.
My therapist, or someone, forgot about me. @ 15 minutes past my scheduled appointment I could only find someone at the front desk to inquire about my therapist. (I don’t like walking to the front desk in my bathrobe and flip-​flops.) It was another 10 minutes before the therapist showed. Actually starting my appointment ½ hour late put my post-​appointment schedule in peril and it was therefore hard to relax. …and my parking meter expired during this layover.
I told the therapist three times I wanted a deep tissue. Received some kind of Thai body work/stretching…or so I’ve come to understand. If I wanted body work, I would have requested it. I was merely looking to get out of the cold and find some relaxation before continuing my week.
This ‘experience’ did not leave me tranquil or relaxed. I actually waited 24-​hours to write this post so I could clear my head and make sure I was not to blame. Clearly, I paid a sum of money to be calm and relaxed and left frustrated.

SO hubby bought a groupon here for us for my bday celebration.
Let me say for on a discount, this spa is GREAT!
Steam room, sauna, hot tub, pool, fitness center, showers, etc all included in any treatment. You cant get that anywhere in Chicago. The relaxation room was just ok, but still… very few places have all of these amenities included in your spa treatment.
Next, the facility by the pool is a little worn down but I am not complaining. I totally thought we got a fantastic deal.
I probably had the best massage I have ever had in the city… Stan I believe his name was. I would go and pay full price. A lot of his technique is deep tissue/​stretching/​thai style. Wow, it was great.
I felt like this was a fantastic spa experience on a budget. I would totally go back. You could spend all day here if you wanted to.

I made an appointment two months in advance with management. I requested a female. I didn’t get what I asked for and staff were not able to provide any accommodations. For this to be a 5 star hotel. Do not book with this spa! Horrible!

I got the clarity room treatment from Valeo using a groupon that I bought. Samir was amazing — I certainly got the traditional Turkish experience of a Hummum. Basically this is a more complex version of a body scrub. Think King Spa, but with a Turkish twist. I love Hummums, this is the only one in Chicago (perhaps the state). The only minus, is that the room wasn’t that warm, I’ve experienced Hummums that are within a steam room to get a full detox. But that’s no one’s fault.
Samir was wonderful, this is less of a relaxing experience then a treatment to detox and clarify your skin on your body. My skin is smooth, soft and less lumpy, lol! It’s not for the faint of heart. But if you are adventurous go for it.
The spa is clean, and you get a concierge to help you in the locker room. Pretty cool. The steam room was pretty weak sauce, it was cold in there. The infrared sauna was great. People are kind of skittish if you sit in the steam rooms nude — even with a towel on which was annoying. Try the Hummums and definitely ask for Samir!

I hate to review this place that I’ve never visited yet but I am submitting this because First Impressions are the Lasting most important impressions. I am planning a trip Chicago in October 2014 with a special friend and was planning our visit. Gilt City Chicago is one of a websites I check out for recommendations. When I saw the Deal for a 90 minute Couples Massage I decided to check out the website online. It look luxurious and I was quite excited. Before I purchased the deal I decided to call and make sure we would be able to make a reservation for the time we would be in Chicago. I called and a very friendly young man answered. I told him what I why I was calling and he said he would check but that appointments for October would more than likely be available. He asked how did hear about Valeo and when I responded Gilt City he sounded somewhat disappointed. I had him on speaker phone and my friend looked at me a bit surprised. At that point he tells me that he couldn’t tell me if an appointment would be available until after I purchased the voucher because he would need to put that in the system to see the availability. I told him I was about to purchase it now but didn’t want to waste money since I will be visiting. He proceeded to say that by the time I made the purchase and called back they could be booked already. Really! I understand that but right before I mentioned Gilt City you were certain there would be availability. After I asked again and explained again that I didn’t want to waste money he said that the voucher was refundable and looking at the schedule they were not booked. He wasn’t rude but his tone had drastically changed and he wasn’t the same pleasant voice before I mentioned Gilt City. What got me was ending the call I said «Thank you, I will make purchase and call back. I also asked for the hours this weekend in case they closed before I called back. He gave me the hours and again I said Thank you. He hung up the phone… like CLICK! No Thank you for calling. No Goodbye… Just click. Not one time was anything other than pleasant with him. I asked my friend if he thought it was because I was getting a discount that I became less important. This young man didn’t know what other services I wanted to include with the special. At that point I logged onto Unilocal to read other reviews and saw that some others experienced the same treatment with discounted purchases they made.
Well this totally made me decide NOT to visit Valeo. I actually have a membership with another spa near downtown Chicago which I am quite pleased with so I guess I will go back to what I know. Which brings me to why I wrote this review. The purpose of these deals is to generate more business. If my initial experience had been pleasant as well as my spa experience I could have very well been a new customer.

Yesterday my husband and I had the most amazing experience here! We went and received facials and massages for his birthday. This was our second time back together receiving these services. And let me tell you, it was just as good, and even better than the last time. We also received Turkish baths last time which were mind blowing! A great service to experience if you’re looking for something new.
We always ask for Jean the massage therapist and Melissa the esthetician. Jean gives the best massages with her unique techniques with making sure to reach every knot and stretch every tight muscle. She is highly educated in massage and the make up of the muscular system in the body. If you go for a massage, ask for her!
As far as the esthetician, Melissa, she is just as fabulous! She makes sure she uses the right products for your faces trouble spots and even gives an arm, shoulder, and ear massage. Its so relaxing. And they just got in their new facial products that smell delicious!
When it comes to the spa atmosphere, it is clean and organized. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.
All in all, Valeo is a wonderful place to experience!

Husband & I treated ourselves to Valeo for our 1 year anniversary yesterday. As a platinum lifetime Marriott member, my husband (and I) know that you can always expect good stuff from any JW. We also used our groupons that we purchased about a month ago– great deal!
We came a bit early to use the gym before getting our spa treatments. The spa facility itself is very modern & clean. There are seperate locker rooms, bathrooms, showers, saunas & steam rooms for the men & women. I hit the sauna & steam room after the gym– sauna could have been a bit warmer. Steam room was good. Had it all to myself! After a quick shower I met my husband in one of the transition rooms at about 10 mins before our scheduled massages. Well we waited…& waited… about 10 mins after our scheduled massages two men walked in to get us. Wait, two MEN? We had specifically requested women for our massages. (We just get weirded out by the thought of a dude touching us). Well, we didn’t say anything– I mean what could we do now? They led us to our private couples room– the one that also has the bath and shower (which we paid an extra $ 125 for a ½ hour after the 60 min massages). I had Stan for my massage– and let me tell you it was amazing! It wasn’t your typical deep tissue. It involved lots of stretching and I think shiatsu? Whatever it was it made me feel like a million bucks after. Husband liked his too. Fear of male masseuses: now nonexistent.
Like I said we paid extra for the special room and private time– but it’s worth it. They leave you with water, towels, etc You can even order some drinks or a bottle off the menu. It was nice to not feel rushed out right after such a relaxing massage.
After our time was up we were starving so we headed out. We were thinking of doing some pool time, but FYI the pool is shared with hotel guests and yesterday it had tons of little kids in it. We took a pass on that.
Overall a great experience, definitely recommend it and recommend Stan for a massage.

I love going to spas and this one is one of my favorites. The one hour clarity chamber service is simply awesome. The staff is always very accommodating.
Lately this is my first choice for spa experiences in Chicago.

After a few long weeks of business travel, I needed some therapy… massage therapy.
Valeo was a welcome retreat, and my massage therapist, Jean, delivered a wonderful experience. I had the 60 minute massage. I used a Groupon and since the treatment is typically $ 150 before tip, my expectations were still high.
If this review were just for Jean, it would be 5 stars, she was perfect. That was the most important part of my experience and I’ll likely be back to see her. I’ve had some nice massages, and she had a few moves I’ve never seen before. Really unique and wonderful hour.
If this review were just for the facilities and employees, 4 stars. Valeo was spacious and had a steam room, sauna, 4 large showers, locker room, separate restrooms, and a relaxation room. The décor was modern and luxe. I didn’t use the clarity chamber, but I got a tour and it was pretty cool, I’m considering a return to try it out. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The JW Marriott pool/​whirlpool were disappointing, but that’s only offered to hotel guests anyway. At this price point, I’d like a nice whirlpool that feels like part of the spa.
If this review were for management, 3 stars. While all the employees were incredibly friendly, I was surprised at the lack of little touches that usually make a spa at this price-​point feel luxurious. The relaxation lounge, while nicely decorated, had zero magazines. I asked for some, and the employees kindly found some upstairs in the salon for me, but they were all weird salon/​hair magazines. The shampoo/​conditioner/​body wash in the showers seemed generic… left me wishing for a spa scent. I was expecting some snacks (dried fruit, nuts, yogurt raisins), something other than a few oranges. I was also expecting a higher quality tea selection. I had to ask for a few things… a bag for my bathing suit, and body lotion. Could I bring all these things with me? Yes, but I might as well have spa time at home and save my money.
Overall though, enjoyed it and I may be back if I can get another good deal. If the spa fixed my little issues, I’d have no problem paying their standard prices.

I thought Valeo was real nice. They were able to accommodate me last minute and Mary, the esthetician, was super nice and thorough. I will be returning and I do recommend it.

I went here for a couple’s massage with my boyfriend in the room with the huge bath. Awesome.
Get Stan for massages. WOWOWOWOWOWOW. He gives kind of a fusion massage, but the pressure is awesome.
If I had more time in Chicago/​discovered Valeo earlier, I would have been a HUGE repeat customer.
The one strange thing was that we were charged for strawberries we never had. I think someone charged to our account by accident, but the front desk quickly cleared that up.

I admit I am a spa snob! I love going to nice spas with amazing amenities! So I admit I was a tad disappointed when I walked into Valeo & saw that it was on the smaller size. They did have a sauna and steam room in the women’s locker room and I had access to the hotel pool and hot tub.
What they lack in on size they more than make up for in service. All of the staff was wonderful and on a Saturday afternoon I had the place to myself (huge bonus!)
So I was a tad worried at what my services were costing would I get my money’s worth & I can honestly say yes!
Miles was my therapist and he was amazing! I started with a 40 min Turkish Bath treatment and then a 30 min massage!
O M G — Miles is amazing! The Turkish Bathing ritual was fab! They start by throwing hot water on you, then you get soaped up, then more hot water, then a amazing scrubbing, then more hot water and then you go lay on a warm marble table in front of a fire place!
Then Miles escorted me to a massage room where I received my 30 min massage! I asked him to focus on my back, shoulders & neck. Miles pressure was perfect & firm. He worked on all my knots. As I was laying there I was trying to figure out if and when I win the lotto if I can convince Mile to come to Ca (where I live!). He was amazing and honestly gave me the best massage I have ever had. At one point, I was drooling!
So, go and ask for Miles, enjoy the small spa area but honestly just go to have Miles work on you!!!

This review was for an appointment that I had a few months back that I am just now able to write about.
This is a great spa and very relaxing. I would give them all 5 stars but there was a booking issue on my appointment. Valeo was having a student night for Columbia College students to take advantage of some treatments. I orginally booked an eye-​brow threating at 6:30pm but two hours before my appointment I got a phone call asking if I could make it in early by 10mins because my technichan needed to leave early for the day. I work in a spa and know this is only allowed if it was an emergancy. I told the lady I would try and make it in as I was getting out of class at 6pm and needed to walk over. I showed up 3 mins late and the receptionist told me I was late to my appointment and the technichan had already left, really after 3 mins? Anyway, they offered to rescheduled me for another day an honor the student price.
I went in two days later and got my brows done. The guy was so nice and we were joking about me crying while getting my brows threaded because it hurt so bad. Not complaining about the treatment but any process of ripping hair off your face will hurt.
He did such a great job on my brows that I recommend Valeo for threading.
Warning if your first time it will hurt so just prepare yourself.

I had the pleasure of having a spa day this past Saturday at Valeo. My experience was essentially 5 stars from start to finish. The stand out portion of my day was my massage with John. It was definitely nothing like the strip mall massages I’ve received in the past. I left feeling relaxed and revived. I believe he mentioned that he’s been honing his craft for 18 years. No doubt about it, this man knows his stuff.
I also have to commend the female hospitality staff… Patricia and Christine tended to my every need. cocktails, robes, slippers, water… anything under the sun. As a guest, I truly appreciated being treated so well.
One last thing… the facility itself is beautiful!

After getting married at the Marriage Court, we headed to Valeo to celebrate.
I forgot I had reviewed them 3 years ago, but this place has not changed a bit. It is still HEAVEN in Chicago!!! The facility is as clean as when they first opened, and well maintained.
Patricia has been there since the beginning. She is a very professional and graceful lady. Her attitude shows that she cares about her work and is happy to work at a place like Valeo. It makes me feel great to meet people like her. BTW, she makes KILLER gin martinis too!!! Eric, who took care of my husband, he was very attentive.
Erin and Christina gave great massages. The hubby said, ‘you really don’t know an arm and leg massage was needed until it was done by Erin. Christina has mad skills! Her pressure was right on! I was relaxed and all tension was gone without feeling pain. That’s what I called great deep tissue massage!
The Premier Suite was a wonderful experience. The transition rooms were clean, quiet and zen. What a great place to relax before and after our treatments!
Thank you Valeo! All of your staff made us feel very special on our wedding day! The hubby and I couldn’t have chosen a better way to celebrate the beginning of our marriage than being pampered by the staff here. We were so happy that we called the manager Katy to let her know she has a great staff.

I wish I could give a 0 star. My husband and I have been Wellness members at Valeo for 3 – 4 months. While we enjoyed our services, but their checkout process always took close to 30 – 40 minutes. No one knew how to get to the ‘liability screen’. Don’t know why they could not pre-​generate an invoice and make the experience happier for all involved. Complete disregard of our time.
Anyways, we decided to cancel our membership in Oct 2013. I personally spoke to Margaret about it and she mentioned that we needed to give a month’s notice. So, it was decided that we will have 1 more month in Nov and then starting Dec, we will not be members.
Fast forward to Dec 2013, not only have they not cancelled the membership, but they have charged me for Dec. When I call to clarify, Margaret — the only person who deals with membership, doesn’t respond. I have called them multiple times to clarify the charge, but Ms. Margaret doesn’t call back. No one on that team follows up on their words. They have promised me multiple times that Margaret will call back or email me. Nothing. I feel so cheated and lied to.
I wonder who the spa manager is. The website only has a generic email and no one on the team is willing to get me touch with the manager or Ms. Margaret.
Ms. Margaret, if you are reading this review, I just want to mention that at this point its not about the charge, but your unprofessional attitude and rude behavior that has prompted me to write this review.
Although conveniently located close to my office, I would stay away from Valeo because of you and your rude front desk.