The Du Da Spa

Best massage I’ve ever gotten! My husband and I got a couple’s massage right after our wedding here, expecting it to be decent but nothing special, and it surpassed our expectations. Robes were comfy, ambiance was tranquil, and the massage was perfect – not too light, not too rough. Afterward, we relaxed in our robes in the sitting area drinking lemon water. Perfect way to de-​stress. Pricing was fair. Would highly recommend this spa.

My girlfriends and I came to Portsmouth for a girls weekend, and got manis and pedis here! The spa was really nice– a separate room for nails and the girls were professionals and did an excellent job! They even fixed my toes 4 hours later when I realized I smudged them! Would totally recommend for pedi!

I;m a guy. a 68 yr old guy. I got an ultimate pedicure. DEE was my pedicure provider and she is AWESOME. she must have some massage background because she knew where and how to massage the lower legs and feet with the sugar scrub (my favorite) and the hot lava rock treatment (sounds strange) but feels great. Oh, yeah. My toes were trimmed and buffed
(please, no polish). Extremely relaxing and friendly. next time I will bring something to, um, sip while this is happening. After wards, I was out and about and my feet felt like they were floating along the ground. Seriously. very light and alive. Must be better circulation or something. Great stuff. what would make it 5 stars? a private room or a football game on a screen, or a set of headphones and my ipod which will I bring next time. Thanks DEE!

I really wanted to like this spa. So much so that I gave this place 4 attempts. This was my experience.
2 visits to eyebrow waxing: 1 star
— One of the worst experiences I’ve had. The experience is very long (25 – 30 minutes) and uncomfortable. I’m not new to waxing but the constant waxing of small sections and plucking away makes it very annoying and irritating. On top of that, the first time I came in I asked my waxist to not make my eyebrows too short or too thin. I have very long thick brows which I love. She made them way too short — so the next time I came in, I mentioned this to her and offered to show her a photo of my brows the way I used to get them done at another place to give her a sample and she refused to look at it. She said there was a «formula» she followed and that the fact that I wanted them longer at a specific place was very «strange». I find that attitude from someone I am paying to do a job on my face to be in poor taste. She ended up doing a bad job again so I vowed never to return for brows. This waxist also kept asking me about my private life and I get she was trying to just make conversation and make me feel at ease /​therapy session-​like, but it was uncomfortable because she kept offering her $.02 on everything and my love life and. it just got to be too much. I really wanted to be in and out and it just dragged on for way too long.
2 visits to massage: 3 stars
— I like the ambiance of the du da spa. The two massage therapists I had were OK. Definitely not the best and I’ve had quite a bit of massages in my life. I wanted to give it another go after my first mediocre massage because I really did like the ambiance so much but it was just blah at best. I won’t be coming back.

Tried calling the spa this evening to book an appointment, had to leave a message that was never returned. I tried calling again at 7:30 and got voicemail again but didnt leave a message. Tried again at 7:45 and still no answer although their website states they are open until 8:0

Absolutely amazing! I took my girlfriend here and we both got 30 minute facials and 50 minute massages. Lauren gave me the best massage I have ever had. The spa is beautiful, the staff is friendly, and the experience was perfect.

I came across this place while I’ve been working away from home. My only day off was a Sunday and I was desperate to get rid of a bad hair cut and hi lights. I looked for a nearby salon that was open on Sunday and called them. I am so happy I did! The owner, Dina, called me back, set up an appt and I was on my way. Dina was friendly and accommodating. She asked plenty of questions to pair me with the right stylist. That was kaylee and she was fantastic! She took her time, talked to me about what I was looking for, showed me options, etc. I was initially worried because she was so young, but her work is what you’d expect from someone with twice her history. She was so pleasant and easy to work with. I enjoyed every second I spent there.
The results were outstanding. I was so pleased with the cut and color and the overall look. I felt like a new me! The best part was the next day it was easy to keep the look which was important to me.
It’s not often you receive this level of service and quality. It was such a special experience I would actually consider driving back to NH just for a cut and color from kaylee. I can’t say enough good things about them. If I could give this place 20 stars I would!

Amazing!
I brought by boyfriend in for the honeymoon retreat as his birthday present. From start to finish everything was perfect. The staff went above and beyond in making us comfortable. our massage was great, one of the best I have ever had. As well as a flawless facial. I was a little nervous about the clay mask they use because if goes over the eyes and mouth (they ask if you are comfortable with that) and I was never uncomfortable. I was always relaxed, as was my boyfriend. His favorite part was his hair treatment. This is something we will do again! This spa is the best in Portsmouth. It is intimate and warm, my boyfriend and I agree it is leaps and bounds better than more expensive spas in the area like the Wentworth. We would like to say thank you for everything and for giving us one incredible weekend!

Had an amazing facial, massage & pedicure! They did a great job!!! If your ever looking for a good spa this one is awesome!

I was very unimpressed with the service at this spa. I requested one of the specials that included the Something Wonder. It was a large tent that was hoisted down from the ceiling and then it sprays out a warm mist. The «tent» came down around my neck, which was a very uncomfortable feeling. The woman administering the treatment tried to accommodate my wish not to have the tent choking my neck. This only resulted in my head being bent back into a very uncomfortable position, from which I later experienced pain, tension and a terrible headache. Also, my discomfort with being in a confined space was ignored.
Overall, the treatment was not right for me. However, what really disappointed me was that none of the staff caught on to my discomfort and subsequent panic attack. I was in tears after the treatment, yet no one picked up on this; if they did, no one was astute enough to help me calm down — the reason I sought services in the first place.
When I signed out, I told the woman checking me out that I had a bad experience; she told me that the real results of the treatment come later. I left in a worse state than I had entered — heart racing, stiff neck, and on the verge of tears. Yet, not one of the people who I encountered picked up that I was leaving in a worse state than when I entered. Their imperceptiveness was astonishing for people who claim to be working toward relaxation, and happily taking my money for services rendered without regard for my expression of my displeasure.
I would strongly recommend against using the services of this spa. The employees seem to be there just to «do a job» and nothing more. I have never experienced such uncaring and imperceptive working in this industry.

Bonnie at the Du Da Spa transformed my hair from frizzy, over-​bleached and out of control to manageable and easy to style. I researched the Italian Alfaparf products used at the spa and decided to have Bonnie straighten my hair, although two previous attempts with Keratin had left my hair flat and limp. The results are better than I could have imagined – no more frizz or wildness for six months and counting, but plenty of volume. Bonnie also improved the color of my highlights without using bleach, and her haircuts are the best I’ve ever had. She’s on time, positive and fun. What more could you ask for? The atmosphere at the spa is low-​key and friendly. I also like the ease of booking or changing appointments, as well as the reminders.

I was in town for the Holidays and had a fabulous experience! Bonnie did a great job on my double process blonde and was such a delight to talk to. The whole staff went over and above. Thank you!

One of the best spas I’ve been too! The staff was very friendly. I received a mani/​pedi and hot stone massage. Almost a week later and my nails still look great! The hot stone massage was amazing. I loved the lemon water and chocolate almonds too!

My best friend and I were here over the weekend and were very impressed. We had the «couples escape» package which included a massage and a facial. Both were fantastic! Especially the massage… it was one of the best I have ever had! The spa was beautiful and everyone we encountered was friendly and engaging. I look forward to checking them out again when we are up in Portsmouth!

I had a hair treatment and had my hair colored by Bonnie tonight and I feel so beautiful! Bonnie listened to what I wanted as well as made some great suggestions as the professional that she is and I couldn’t be happier! She is such a kind and caring person, as is everyone I’ve come into contact with at the Duda. This is my third visit to the Duda and I can’t think of anything they could so to make me more impressed. The décor and ambiance at the spa is second to none, yet the owner mentioned to me that she was making improvements to the spa over the next week. I can’t wait to see how she is going to make what is so incredible beautiful, even better! I can now whole heartedly recommend the Duda spa’s hair, nail and massage departments. I can also say with confidence that the price points are extremely reasonable and every dollar is well spent.

To begin, this will be my second attempt at writing a review, seeing as what I choose to write continues being deleted.
I moved to the Portsmouth area from the West Coast and was looking in the area for a new hair stylist. This haircut was going to be somewhat of a dramatic change so I wanted to be sure that I reviewed each salon well. I came across Du Da Spa and decided to give it a go. As I walked in I was greeted by a disinterested young woman. I shook it off and then met my hairstylist who was a very pleasant woman. We talked a for a little bit about what I wanted and seemed to be on the same page. Then the haircut began…
It was a nightmare. She was asking me questions about what I wanted the whole time in a way that made her seem not very confident. Then she continued to question my choices and descriptions. I was so confused and uncomfortable, after all, I am not the hair stylist. I thought I had prepared her enough with details, consultation, and several pictures but she was still confused. As she started cutting the first layer underneath she cut too short. Much too short. She took off so much hair that I would no longer have the ability to pull it into any sort of pony tail or up do. And previous to this I had hair to the middle of my back. I began to cry and that’s when the owner stepped in.
She did a decent job. She took her time to hear me out and proceeded to cut my hair the way that I described.
The reason why I gave this place one star is because though I eventually had a more competent stylist fix my hair there were several things that were still not right. I ended up still having to pay for the service even though the very bottom layer of my hair was 2 inches shorter than the rest. The cut did not blend well enough to hide this. And while my hair was being cut the other girls who were not working on anyone were huddle around looking at me and talking. It was very uncomfortable.
Needless to say, I made an appointment immediately after this at 6 Degrees in Portsmouth. The stylist here were fantastic! They fixed my hair and reduced the cost of the cut when I told them that I just received a botched haircut. I am happy that I have found a place much better than Du Da Salon. Hopefully they can focus attention and resources on training their stylist better and holding the employees accountable for having a more positive attitude towards the customer.

When I first entered the Du Da Spa I was so impressed with the ambiance. They had trickling fountains, beautiful lighting, and this serene environment. My friend was treating me to a girls-​night couples-​massage after we’d spent a backbreaking weekend moving her from her 2^nd story apartment to her house. Needless to say, we were sore and in desperate need of a massage!
We were shown into this lovely relaxation room. It was actually a little dark, and I struggled to see, but I have difficulty in low lights anyways, so that could have been me. We changed into the relatively scratchy robes (a little too over washed) and enjoyed the candlelit room, and fruit infused water. It was so calming!
When we got into the massage room it was very comfortable and warm. I really liked my massage therapist. She was kind of new, less than 2 years experience, and I enjoyed her quiet demeanor. However, my friend had this gruff woman from NY or something. She talked and talked, and despite my friend’s constant «ow!“s she wouldn’t acknowledge her discomfort or change her style. The woman’s comments/​conversations were definitely crossed the line, especially for having just met us. She made some inappropriate comments, and even curiously alluded to us being lesbians! I get curious about things, too, but some things you just don’t ask!!!
So after our massage, we went back to reception. The woman at the desk was older, maybe the manager/​owner? She went to check us out and my friend gave her a
gift certificate. Well shame on me, that website shows ALL spa’s regardless of whether they accept SpaFinder gift cards! I overlooked the little badge that indicates whether the spa is approved or not, so that was MY mistake.
The woman just had this attitude to her. I think we were the last ones there around 7−8PM, so maybe she was just tired, I don’t know. But she gave us this attitude that they don’t accept SpaFinder, because it’s a paid service they don’t have. She did try calling the company to see if they would release the funds this once. It took us about 15 minutes to check out. So while she’s looking into that, she tells us there’s a remaining balance that the gift card doesn’t cover, and asks for another form of payment. My friend gives her a card that gets denied, and now we’re getting more stressed out. We give the woman ANOTHER card, and she gives my friend the receipt for the entire balance due. Shocked, my friend says, «what about the gift card?» and the woman replies that she can’t do anything about it, NO REMORSE! She was just being so rude! That was the worst part!
In the meantime, I’m trying to figure out if I want to leave 20% for the therapists, because while mine was great, her’s sucked, and she didn’t deserve as much as my therapist. I felt so uncomfortable with the attitude of the woman at the desk, and the therapists hovering behind her. I ended up leaving 20%, but we will never be back.
I completely understand that they couldn’t accept our form of payment. That was an error on our part. But the whole attitude of how it was handled is what really bothered me. We won’t return for that reason. There are plenty of other places on the Seacoast who can provide the same experience with better manners.
2 stars for the ambiance, cleanliness and the quality of my massage therapist. The other 3 were lost on the inappropriate therapist, the rudeness of the desk clerk and her sneaky charge to the card

Exceptional day spa experience because both the massage therapists my mother & I were booked with gave us an incredible treatments. The service outside the treatment rooms felt warm, informative and personal.
In a great spa like this where you can get any spa treatment from hair to reflexolgly– a spa concierge would be highly beneficial. The same delightful woman was manning the front desk, explaining & booking appointments, checking guests in, touring the locker room & relaxation area, administrating the paperwork and right there to deliver tea & chocolate post massage. Lastly, wet areas like steam & hot tub would be beniffical as well.
A must visit when staying at the Sheraton. Don’t let the name fool you– they’re serious about making clients happy.

The spa was very nice, a relaxing setting. The receptionist (girl at the desk when we first walked in) was not very polite or inviting but the other staff was friendly. They were also a little unorganized to be accommodating a group of 5. So I signed up for a 30 min reflexology re-​balance which according to the website was suppose to be a foot and hand treatment and the therapist spent the entire time on my feet and never even touched my hands. It was very disappointing and misleading. Would not do it again.

I came in with my bridal party as part of my October wedding weekend and overall the Spa was very accommodating. I ended up having to move the times around a little to make sure everyone could get in for manicures and pedicures between the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner and they were great about responding via email and helping to coordinate. The on-​site staff was lovely, and the ladies doing the manicures and pedicures were also great. Everyone was chatting and enjoying their experiences and one of my bridesmaids said it was the best pedicure she ever had.
Why 3 stars you ask? Well unfortunately every one of the girls in one way or another ended up with smudges or messed up nails. Partly I blame the fact that a few of us waited a little less than an hour before putting on shoes, but on the other hand I had shellac french manicure and within 4 days it was already chipped and starting to peel off my nails. My toes smudged after I waited about 90 minutes before putting on shoes. I have been told by a number of people the shellac should last at least 2 weeks and now my nails just look terrible and are catching on everything where the sides are peeling. After I left I also noticed my toes had polish all over the skin and there were chunks of shellac polish under my fingernails/​on the skin that I ended up having to pick off since it looked terrible.
Unfortunately while the people and facilities were very nice, I can’t give it more than 3 stars when my manicure and pedicure now both need to be redone within a week of being done at Du Da.