Falene Day Spa

I’m really disappointed with how this place is going with the new management.
(1) Prices when up by ¹⁄₃ with the new mgmt. OK, everything has gone up in the UWS, so that I was willing to put up with.
(2) I called last week to make a facial appointment with Martha, who I’ve been going to for about 3 years. I was told that she was out, and when I asked when she’d be back, got a very curt ‘she’s out for a long time’ and then the receptionist started trying to sell me other people. I’ve been going there for a long time, people often are away, but there was always an explanation with a timeframe.
(3) Other longer-​term employees (talking like 10+years) all of a sudden aren’t around anymore. Seems disorganized and shorthanded.
(4) On my most recent visit, I also noticed that it wasn’t as squeaky clean and nice spa smelling as it used to be. The bathroom closer to the facial/​massage rooms was kind of icky, like it needed a cleaning, and smelled musty, with paper on the floor.
I loved having a spa in my neighborhood and really hope new manager gets it together or this customer is going elsewhere!

Went here wanting a manicure… I totally understand if there is no availability, BUT, I was spoken to in a RUDE manner by a woman with a heavy accent, telling me they were closing early… no sign on the door. I will NEVER go here again because of the rude and unwelcoming treatment… lots of great places in NYC WITHOUT attitude… Go to Pinky Nails… nice, welcoming, great…

Absolutely fabulous… the staff is friendly and attentive. Falene was recommended by a friend, and so far it has been the highlight of our trip to NYC. I had a full body massage from Magdalena that was one of the best I have ever had, if not the best. Ask for Magdalena!

If I could give Falene Day Spa 0 or ½ a star I would. I ended up not even able to get my wax service that I made appointment for but somehow everything leading up to what was supposed to be my appointment was unpleasant.
I called for appointment last night and asked if they have Nufree Soy wax (cause I react to anything else) and they did so I made an appointment for 11 AM the next day. The girl on the phone was pleasant enough. She told me they would have the Nufree available.
I arrived very early at 10:40 and checked in. I know I was early and didn’t mind waiting. The girl at the desk had a sour face, did not offer to take my coat or any refreshments. I didn’t want refreshments but still should be offered but I did want my coat taken. I said thank you after checking in. She told me «have a seat and wait» no please or thank you. I expect a receptionist in a customer service position to be courteous this way and have a smile (as the face of the company and first point of contact) no such thing from her. I was kinda thinking «what kind of place is this?» But decided to experience the whole appointment. At this point if it started to get better I wouldn’t be writing this negative review but it got worse.
I waited past my appointment time in the waiting area. This is annoying but still ok if I was offered some information but I was not. I had to again approach the sour mouse of a receptionist to ask how much longer I should expect to wait. I understand things happen but when they do as a waiting customer (with an appointment not a walk in) I should get updates. She told me a few more minutes.
Lucky for her a few more minutes later the esthetician came out for me. I went back to the room and the bed was not ready and I had to glue myself to the wall while she covered it with paper. And I’ll add here, for what is supposed to be an upscale NYC spa the room was small and a bit run down and grimy. There was rust showing and it just didn’t look clean (maybe I should be grateful the actual procedure didn’t happen). The woman stayed in the room and I was expected to undress. I’ve never experienced this before at any spa. The ethetician should leave the room so you can undress and lay down on the table and have something available for you to cover yourself for when she opens the door and walks back in.
At this point I asked «you have Nufree soy wax?» And she said no. I told her I made the request when I made the appointment and she apologized and said she would go look in another room for it. She came back and said there was none ready to use. At that point I told her I didn’t want my appointment. I specifically sought out this salon BECAUSE they told me they would have Nufree which is the only wax that doesn’t irritate my skin. At this point not only did I waste all the time there but my travel back and forth. And also now I have to find another salon.
The esthetician was friendly and hopefully she would have done a good job but the incompetent front staff that answered the phone didn’t notify anyone of my request. And the receptionist this morning was the unpleasant cherry on top.
However even if the esthetician was amazing the front desk staff is important and make it a good or bad experience when making the appointment and coming and going and I would say just as important if not more than the actual service. This experience was so bad and I have so many other choices that I don’t see myself wasting more time here.

Wonderful spot for being pampered! very attentive, polite and professional personnel and relaxing atmosphere. I stopped by today without an appointment and the lovely receptionist fitted me in without any problem, many thanks to her and the whole team, highly recommend this spa !

Jang was amazing, the Swedish Massage she gave me for 60 minutes was truly amazing. She explained the massage and the intensity of it and recommended stretching to help with cramping of my legs.
The Receptionist in the front is unfriendly and not welcoming, when I went to pay for the massage she indicated the payment and when I asked where do I place the tip she gave me an envelope and expected me to place it in a box without the name of Jang. Then I said this is for Jang she was annoyed scribble on it and left the envelope unopened. My hope is Jang get the generous tip and not her. So she is RUDE, perhaps she was having an off day, but I cant even understand her English. So watch out for her!

I recently moved to NY from LA and was looking for a new person to do my electrolysis. I read some reviews about Sia so I decided to try her out. The cardinal rule of electrolysis is that they should NEVER be pulling the hairs out of the hair follice once they are zapped. The electrolysis seemed to just pull hairs out with the tweezer with no real sense of which ones she had zapped. I felt the pulling of the hairs which is terrible for electrolysis. Not only that, but I had to point out major hairs that she missed. I appreciate precision when going to someone for electrolysis.
It has now been a week and I also have scabs over the hair follicles. I will never be going back…

This is a very nice local day spa with a warm ambiance. I love my facials with Lucyna, who is gentle and thorough, and who leaves my skin feeling soft and well scrubbed. Also love my laser treatments with Sia, who is like Sherlock Holmes when it comes to finding and zapping nasty unwanted hairs. Thank you, Feline.

I have been going here for years and Olef is an AMAZING masseuse! My mom goes to Magdelana and raves about her as well. Great neighborhood spot!

I have been going to Feline for years and for Sia, the electrologist. She is absolutely terrific! She finds every hair and gets it done quickly, efficiently and is very professional. On top of that, she is a pleasure and that is why I keep returning. Definitely see Sia for laser, electrolysis and facials. She is the best!

Imagine your dream comes true– NO MORE HAIR ON YOUR LEGS, NEVER EVER AGAIN!!! Mine did at Feline’s Day Spa with the funny and gentle Sia, certified technician who knows how to zap those hairs from A to Z. Sia will explain the process, if you want, of her miraculous CynoSure laser machine, and takes her time with every area (I also did under arms :)).
No more waxing, which is not only expensive, every two weeks, but damages the capillaries. The laser gets the hair at the root where it grows.
Feline has a great ambience, it offers a relaxing comforting place to get any treatment in a beautiful building with an antique decoarted entrance.
The real beuaty will be your hairless legs. Your dream can come true as mine did.
Thanks Sia for your hardwork and dedication! I love you and Feline’s!!!
Julie

Lucyna and Joanna are two of the best girls. I come here regularly for the hard wax Brazilian. It’s done very well, they are always timely, the ambiance is great, and best of all the women are always open to your input. I’ve been to other places outside nyc and haven’t found anything that matches the service here. It’s expensive, as is to be expected but it’s worth it.

I had a facial here yesterday as I was in the mood for some pampering. It was WONDERFUL. They really know their stuff. I can’t wait to go back. It’s a real upper west side experience. Housed in a brownstone with old iron doors at the entrance, it was a real treat. The dermologica products they used in my facial are ones that I coincidentally use at home. It was really lovely. Helena assessed my skin type first without hurrying and talked to me about what she thought would work for me. She really listened to my responses to her questions. My new spot.

If you like a strong massage (I’m a triathlete and personal trainer) then you should come here and see Jang. She is my go to on the UWS and I recommend her to all of my clients! Have not had other services here so can’t speak to those.

went here for an oxygen facial. called in advance the day before to ask how long the session was for the price when i booked it, as my friend was paying for it and picking me up after, for Valentine’s Day (btw, the advertised price online is $ 75, which the lady said was for 1 hour). i called the day of, saying I would be a few minutes late. the lady over the phone said it’s fine (thankfully!) and they had still reserved an hour for me. she greeted me when i walked in and mentioned I was booked for the oxygen facial… long story short when i went back to the counter to pay afterwards, she told me it was $ 150. even though online it stated $ 75. I asked what for, they didn’t really have a reason except that she did «additional things» and that oxygen facials are only 20 to 25 minutes and I was in the room for an hour. HUH? why did they book me for an hour then? why did they tell me it was an hour over the phone? why wouldn’t they just STOP the appointment when the appointment is supposed to be over, then? She literally pushed papers around the desk and looked at the computer screen for a second to make up a price out of thin air. Ironically, the «oxygen» part, what I came for, was not actually 20 – 25 minutes, but only about 10, according to the aesthetician during the procedure.
i give them more than 1 star because in the end she only charged me $ 75 + tip when I was late, and was pretty easygoing about the whole thing, but the lack of transparency in what you are being sold leaves a bad taste. i want to feel good about my purchase, not guilty for being a patron. it takes the fun out of what was a very frivolous, only-​for-​pleasure purchase to begin with.
also, the aesthetician had obviously just eaten lunch because her hands smelled of garlic and food, not to mention she breathed on me, for the entire duration of the facial. For $ 150 a pop, where are the face masks??? the oxygen facial intends to leave dry skin hydrated, but I still had to ask for face lotion before I left the day spa.
both the aesthetician and the desk associate, however, were still really nice and had exceptional politeness towards me, the guest. I feel bad giving leaving the bad deets for all to see because they were so sweet, but, guest service is only a small portion of a facial experience. its apparently not a big deal to this business if you pay half the newly quoted price, but its a very big deal to the customer that you asked for twice as much.
ALSO, during the appt. she mentioned how we neglect cleaning our décolletage, and this evening i washed my face. After I used my gauze pad, there was a bunch of foundation coming off my neck still! really?! Happens to me nightly during routine washing but shouldn’t happen after a facial!

I had been going here for over a year for electrolysis on my chin and neck — I thought they had been getting better, but they were still strong & noticeable. I then went to my dermatologist for a yearly check-​up, and he told me that I was getting scars from the treatments and that I should switch or stop. I moved over to Mario Badescu, I’ve had a couple treatments and they have also given me samples of whitening cream to help lesson the damage (and they’re less expensive).

Lucyna at Feline Day Spa is the BEST FACIALIST in all of New York City. Yes, it’s a bold statement, but alas, I think it’s true!!!
So, first, here is the low down on overall experience at Feline Day Spa: very calm but no frills waiting area with magazines, a clean and perfectly useful locker room area (though I’ve never actually seen anyone change into a robe), water, coffee, tea and a wide variety of skin and beauty products for sale. If you’re looking for an overall escape with a luxurious «Spa Experience» then I would probably recommend someplace else, like the Spa at the Mandarin Oriental… where, of course, you pay for those amenities a la dried fruit, «relaxation rooms» and «water experience rooms».
The main reason you go to Feline Day Spa is for the amazing people who work there, and the services that they provide. Now, on to the important specifics, like Lucyna. She is just amazing, and I constantly get compliments on how glowing and gorgeous my skin is. So, okay, I guess I am lucky to have been born with fine skin… but it’s nothing «amazing» on it’s own. My secret weapon… which I’m obviously revealing here… is… LUCYNA…
This Goddess customizes your facial to your specific needs and skin issues. I get a peel most times I see her, which is roughly every 2 months, depending on the season and depending on my budget that month. Sometimes she’ll customize a slightly different skin peel for me depending on weather and any seasonal skin issues. Lucyna will chat with you for the first part of the facial, if you instigate conversation; otherwise, after a few pleasantries, she will let you melt into the experience sans chat. I have a relationship with her now, so we chat for the first 15 mins or so pretty much on every visit. But I’ve also had times where all I wanted was to tune out. She totally gets it either way, and is great at reading people.
She gives you a massage in the neck and shoulder areas as she’s applying various serums and potions, which is often times more relaxing to me than a full body massage. I like that she uses an assortment of products (Skinceuticals, Dermalogica, etc) as opposed to just sticking with one line. She also gives your face a light massage, as her fingers dance across it with the various liquids and creams. Ahhhhhhhh. I literally just took a 30 second break and called to make my next appointment because I was relishing in the treatment as I’m describing this…
Next, she gets down to the extraction portion, which is always thorough. Sure, it’s sometimes a teeny bit painful, but any extraction is going to be a little uncomfortable regardless. Lucyna is a professional and knows exactly what she is doing. She also performs the extraction portion fairly quickly, which is a bonus. Afterwards, you get a customized mask painted on, and you sit with it for 5 – 10 minutes. She gives you a quick hand massage and puts your moisturized hands in warmed gloves before the exits the room. I know some women complain when a technician leaves the room while the mask sets during facials. Like they expect a foot massage or something cherry on top. But this is the way it’s done at Feline, and I personally enjoy the 10 minutes to myself while I get lost in the spa-​like tranquil music.
Appointments are fairly easy to come by, and I typically book a week or two in advance if I want a weekend appointment. If I go on a weekday/​night, I’ve been known to book the day of or a few days before.
A smidge about me for context: I’ve been going to Lucyna for regular facials for over 5 years. I am 32. My skin looks better now than it did when I was 22. She is great at giving me tips about products (when I ask – I’ve never once had her push a product on me like most facialists try to do shamelessly), and also understands when I tell her things like «Sooooo, Lucyna, I can only afford ONE of these three recommended products this trip… which one do you think would make the most impact?»
When I moved from the Upper West Side (I used to live across the street from Feline Day Spa) to the West Village a few years ago… I’ll admit it: I tried to go somewhere else that was closer to my new apt. Never again. It was a great reminder of just how rare Lucyna is.
In terms of the pricing it’s on par with most medium priced facials in NYC. Depends on whether you get a peel or any other add-​ons, etc, but facials start at $ 105 and go up to $ 165ish. For my money, I’d rather drop $ 150ish plus tip on a fabulous facial once every 2 – 3 months, than have some silly facial with someone I’ve never met before through a daily online deal. Those deals are great for things that are less subjective or perhaps more straight forward like a haircut trim or a pedicure. But your face? Spend the extra dough.
Now, go call Lucyna! But pretty please, don’t call too often so that I have to start calling 3 months in advance!!!

Thought I’d leave a review as it’s quite surprising to me that a spa that been around for awhile has so few reviews. I wanted a massage and I researched a number of different spas. I was drawn to Feline Day Spa because of it’s proximity to my apartment, it’s reasonable cost, and the fact the owner’s seem to care about Unilocal reviews. Given the number of reviewers who had the owner contact them after the bad review, I thought this meant that things had changed at Feline and the experience would be excellent.
I was very very wrong.
The same thing happened to me as happened to other reviewers: I booked an hour long Swedish massage (listed for $ 105 on website) with Joana (spelling might be incorrect). The massage was pretty good, moderately intense, and something I would have returned for.
I went to pay and tip at the front desk and was informed that it would cost me $ 120 because the massage I had received was a deep tissue massage. WHAT??? That clearly was never mentioned to me! Joana never said to me during the massage that she was «using deep tissue techniques» or anything like that! In fact, she barely said anything to me at all! I replied to the front desk woman that I had booked a Swedish massage and I was confused by the increased charge.
She said she could go check with Joana and would report back, while I waited at the front desk like a complete idiot. When she returned, she said to me «this time» she would give me the lower rate, but that I had received a deep tissue massage. WHAT? I don’t need pity heaped on me by the woman working at the front desk, I just need not to be scammed!
She then charged me $ 110.73 — a number which seemed to arrive from nowhere. So I left then ASAP, having now had the bliss of my massage ripped away from me.
I’m sorry, but there are just too many «spas» in NYC for this place to be so shady. I won’t be coming back!

I have been going to Feline for a couple years now. I recently started to go for facials and have been seeing Donna. She asks what concerns you have and gives you tips on how you can help, ie recommending ways to help reduce breakouts (not elimate completely but tips on preventing them getting really bad). The electric device they use is also helpful when you feel a breakout coming. I have gotten facials here before and I was not pleased with them at all so I can understand why some of the other reviews weren’t as complimentary but i think you just need to find the right person to go to.

I was in desperate need of a massage, my back was tense and hurting. I tried one of their package deals (hour massage, hour facial and a manicure). Unfortunately they did not go in that order.
First was my massage, great. It HURT, we’re talking killed. he kept asking if it hurt and I kept saying yes but that didn’t seem to trigger him to be more gentle. When he was almost finished he asked me if I bruised easy; when I replied yes all I heard was an «uh oh»! Are you kidding me?
Next was the manicure. Wasn’t really anything special, I would def stick to my regular places but it wasn’t bad either. She took me over to the drying station and almost instantly the facial lady came and got me. My nails literally dried for 3 minutes, not even one cycle through the drying. Then she tried to make me change back into a robe, when my nails were wet. As I’m sitting there trying to relax and enjoy my facial, most of the first 10 minutes was spent trying to up sell me to some peel for whatever. I didn’t know I said yes, but apparently somewhere in our conversation the word was spoken and as I’m checking out I see that I am paying more.