K J.
Yelp
My friend and I recently visited Yampah Spa and our experience was far from relaxing or enjoyable.
From the moment we arrived, it was clear the facility was not up to standard. The whole place presented as bare minimum effort, like the staff went out of their way to ensure every comfort, safety feature, and cleanliness standard was completely ignored. The whole place exudes a vibe of "meh, that'll do."
The changing room is incredibly small. The locker room/prison-style showers lack any semblance of privacy. To reach the facial spa services, we had to walk through the employee break room--a bizarre and uncomfortable path. The Solarium (waiting room) was filled with sweat-stained lounge chairs.
The underground vapor caves are dimly lit and have an overpowering sulphuric smell, though the murky atmosphere and stench can't be helped. It feels more like a haunted house than a wellness retreat. After reading reviews of some questionable characters, I wouldn't recommend women visit the caves alone. The staff should be doing regular patrols to ensure the good people of the world are breathing and safe, and that the shady characters are not plotting their next moves in the darkness.
The facial and massage schedules were running behind. To catch up, they cut my services short--cheating me out of time and money (no apology or compensation offer). The massage rooms are open-ceiling with curtain doors, making it impossible to relax as you listen to every conversation around you. The treatments were hurried, rough, and careless. It felt less like pampering and more like being roughed up. Honestly, my husband has more awareness, and his idea of a massage is a few awkward pokes and pats.
The mud wrap was the worst part of the experience. My friend and I had to share a room due to "space constraints. We were promised a non-awkward experience where we would be "covered at all times" but this was far from the truth. With bright lights on, we were both instructed to de-robe, walk the few steps to our tables, and lay face down with only small towels covering our butts. One employee handled both wraps, leaving one of us exposed and cold while she worked on the other. After being covered in mud and wrapped in Dollar Store plastic, we were rolled up in thick crinkly tarps--feeling very much like being trapped alive in body bags. Afterward, we walked down a hallway to the shower area wearing only a small muddy towel, adding to the overall discomfort. I have never had such a bad experience in other spas. Yampah's mud wrap service is mortifying and a complete disaster.
The employees are friendly and polite but clearly overbooked and run ragged. If they choose to play along with deliberate overbooking and unprofessional management practices, they'll inevitably be tied to the bad reviews this place garners.
This facility has the unique charm of being built into the side of a mountain, but unfortunately, it's more claustrophobic than cozy. There's no room for expansion, and space and privacy are almost mythical concepts here. In the right hands, this could be a fun, unique, and satisfying escape. However, it feels like the current owner/management team sees each visitor as a dollar sign rather than someone in need of relaxation. If they would spend the time and money to reconfigure the layout, it might just transform into the gem it has the potential to be.
If you go, bring a sense of humor and a love of tight spaces. I will never return to Yampah and cannot recommend it to anyone. Save your time and money and look elsewhere for a truly relaxing spa experience.
