Spa On The Hill

I was thoroughly disappointed with the setting and the massage. But I will say that both the receptionist and masseuse were professional and courteous. I have gone to other spas that are located in a row home that definitely have a spa like feel. But Spa on the Hill feels nothing like a spa. The waiting area although small is nice but the room I had immediately turned me off when I saw the visibly dirty and stained carpeting. Really? So that already put a damper on my outlook. I had a pregnancy massage and told the masseuse, whose name starts with a Z. (and indicated on the form) that I wanted firm pressure particularly on my upper back and shoulders. I even repeated that request during the massage but to no avail. The massage was ok but completely unsatisfying because she didn’t really know how to apply enough pressure to ease the knots in my back. The other part I didn’t like is that she massaged my belly! I’m 5 months pregnant and that’s the last place I need massaging. It didn’t feel bad just awkward so I didn’t say anything. You also hear everything that’s going on outside of your room, including the toilet flushing, if you’re in the room next to the bathroom. Given the rave reviews about other therapists I’m guessing I just had bad luck. But I will not be returning.

It’s like magic…
Hidden among a strip of row houses, this little gem is filled with professional masseuse who know how to manipulate the body into releasing pressure and relaxing at maximum capacity.
I’ve made several appointments. The staff here has always been professional and accommodating. While the spa may be small, the rooms are intimate with adequate office/​waiting space in the center of the building. They offer water and candy complimentary.
Onto the massage…
So, I have chronic lower back pain, which has recently extended into leg pain (sigh). Before a session, I consult with the masseuse (I choose no one in particular, everyone I’ve encountered has been ridiculously amazing), shortly after is when the magic happens. The way my body is massaged and flexed, moved to release stress… the last time I came in, the masseuse intertwined our limbs to stretch out my hips. Hands felt like continuous ribbons gliding across my back and shoulders. Mmmmmmm. I don’t usually go to sleep during massages, but I found myself snoring a tad bit. My goodness!
The fact that I don’t have a chosen masseuse speaks to the quality of the team. Besides, I never like relying on one particular person for a service. What if they get sick? Or go on vacation? Ijs.
My recommendation? Make an appointment IMMEDIATELY!

Five stars for Sylvia! I go to Sylvia for regular massages because she is amazing. She always knows the right amount of pressure to apply, and she is the sweetest person ever. Even when I’m super knotty, I always walk out feeling looser and slightly tipsy (in the best way possible). I’ve also had a massage with Janelle when Sylvia wasn’t available. When I told Janelle I wanted firm pressure and a focus on my shoulders and neck, Janelle was a machine. It was like she wouldn’t let up until every knot/​tension was gone. It also felt amazing afterward, but more in a «whoa that was intense» kind of way.

So this review is super overdue but I wanted to give my two cents on this place. I totally love Spa on the Hill! I’ve only been here for Brazilian waxes and I’ve had a good experience each time that I’ve gotten one. The staff is pleasant, and Arnetta does a great job waxing with minimal pain. Also, she is so friendly – but not fake friendly, if you know what I mean. She does a great job making me feel comfortable. She even remembers you even if you haven’t been to the spa in real long while (like over a year), I don’t know how she does it. I love that it’s in a cute rowhouse – feels homey. The environment feels very relaxing and calming. I definitely recommend coming here for waxing. I’ll have to trying some of their other services as well.

Let me start this by saying I LOVE Arnetta! She is amazing. Friendly, quick, professional, etc… I give her a 5 star rating. I go strictly for Brazilians and they are quick and relatively painless.
Now after saying that let me get to why I can only give this place a 3 star rating. As awesome as Arnetta is her front office staff is a mess and definitely bring down the place. There are 2 that I have encountered and they each seem to have their own set of issues. The first, the oldest of the two always has an attitude and is not helpful at all. She does not greet you when you walk in and when asked a question behaves as if you are bothering her. I generally tried not to book services if I knew she would be working. I have complained about this to Arnetta on several occasions.
The younger one whom has a much more pleasant attitude doesn’t seem to have any customer service skills beyond being friendly. I booked 2 services with Arnetta when I arrived I was told Arnetta had an emergency and had to cancel. Then I was told that she left me a message canceling. I went through my messages while there and there were no messages from this establishment. I use google voice and I know sometimes people try to leave messages when it is asking for their name so I asked if she waited for the second ring and she said yes but still I have no record of anyone leaving a message. I could see once I went through that I did have a missed call around the time she claimed to leave a message but that call had no message attached to it. I understand that things happen so it’s not that huge of a deal except I live around an hour away from the spa so I would have appreciated being giving a head’s up before making that drive for no reason. Also seeing as though there was no message, and I was already there with no knowledge that my appointment was cancelled you would think someone would try to re-​book me whether with someone else or for another day or at least offer a discounted service for my time but no the young lady at the desk said nothing and went back to playing on her phone as I sat there waiting for next steps. Once I realized no next steps would be offered I left re-​thinking whether I will ever book a service here again.
Also I booked my appointment online which sends me a confirmation of the appointment. It seems to me that is my scheduled services were cancelled I should have received a cancellation notice through email. That is how most online services work to my knowledge.
As I said I LOVE Arnetta but until she can find a front office staff that mirrors her excellence I am not sure I can continue to be a customer. A spa should have a certain atmosphere that removes stress not adds to it and I’m not sure if the personnel working the front office truly understand this.

This cute little spa on the hill is wonderful! They are reasonably priced and all of their services, massage, facial and waxing are excellent! I feel comfortable going to this spa, I just wish I could go everyday before I get home to my very active 2 year old and 6 month baby.
When I was pregnant, I had a pre-​natal massage and it was excellent! I can go on and on about this great little secret spa!
I discovered them by doing a google search for a spa in capitol hill and by accident, was going to the dentist next door and just saw the sign while passing by!

Last chance blown. I called yesterday to make an appointment, as I have today off. I was offered a few different slots, and chose 9:45 a.m. I got there at 9:30, as I left extra time for traffic and for parking. Immediately I was told that my massage therapist would be late. I thought that was a little strange, since I was 15 minutes early at the time. Half an hour later, I was told that my therapist was in an accident and wouldn’t be able to come in. If that’s true, then I really hope she’s okay, but I have to say… I am suspicious, given that I was already told she would be late 15 minutes before my appointment time, and then I was only told she wasn’t coming after the receptionist — who was very nice — called her, not vice versa.
I had one great prenatal massage here about 1.5−2 years ago, so I thought I’d try one more time. They couldn’t stay in business if they can’t keep appointments, right? Ha — big mistake! My history is now one appointment cancelled the night before (I guess the 24 hour policy doesn’t apply to customers), 1 great massage, and 2 cancelled after I got there and waited ½ an hour because the massage therapist didn’t show up. Clearly, keeping appointments is no one’s priority here. Don’t waste your time.

I wasn’t planning to indulge myself with a prenatal massage until my husband’s work cancelled our vacation and he insisted I treat myself to one. Boy am I glad he did! My pregnancy has been very easy so I didn’t think I needed any special treatment, but the day after my first massage I realized that suddenly all my lower back pain was gone. I’d just accepted it as one of the normal adjustments I’d have to make during pregnancy, feeling slightly sore and tired at the end of an active day, but instead I felt easy and comfortable in a way I hadn’t for months.
I’ve gone two more times since then, about once every three weeks when the tension in my back has built up again and doesn’t want to go away. Sylvia takes care of me every time and is a sweet and calming presence who I look forward to seeing. The style is a mix of typical massage and targeted acupressure which can feel a bit intense, but you can actually feel a tingling and releasing shoot down through the muscles, and I use the sensation as an opportunity to practice my labor breathing and focus on staying relaxed.
The spa itself isn’t your luxury hotel variety, but it is clean and mostly quiet and the receptionists have always been friendly. Highly recommend Sylvia and Spa on the Hill.

Hands down the best massage I’ve ever had (and I get massages pretty often). My masseuse today was Janelle. She asked about my problem areas and boy did she hit them ALL! She focused on those areas for the majority of the session which I was surprised about. It was perfect. All the soreness and tightness I had before the massage are GONE! She had the right balance of medium to firm pressure!
I love that it wasn’t your typical Swedish massage. I had the 90 minute therapeutic massage and it was unlike any massage I’ve had anywhere. I liked that unlike a Swedish massage you couldn’t guess what area she’d be going to next… yet the massage still had a rhythm to it. The entire experience was great! I am pretty sure I was drooling (as well as snoring) during the session (I wish I was kidding).
Lastly I love that this place is in a row house hidden in SE DC. I’m glad I finally found a place not far from home that I can go that’ll provide me with the Kevel of service I want.
I’m curious to go back and get a bikini wax since I see all the wonderful reviews. I will be back for sure!

I just had a prenatal massage with Janelle at the very end of my third trimester and it lived up to my expectations. I’ve been very fortunate and have had massages at a couple of the top spas in the world. So I know when someone is skilled. She really worked all the areas that I needed worked. I tried to mention everything I wanted and she hit all those spots plus she found an additional area that needed work and really helped me. Last night was the first night my calves didn’t get tight while sleeping and I have more flexibility in my hips now.
It was a little tough getting comfortable on the table when I was lying on my stomach but that’s just because my belly is so big and I have ligament pain in my upper torso. When I was lying on my back she was able to raise the upper part of the table which was great so I wasn’t lying flat.
I really recommend splurging on yourself and having this done by Janelle to help ease some of the aches and pains.
I plan to get a post-​natal massage with her to help get my body adjusted after delivery.

Best spa ever! Everyone so nice there and very attentive! Best specialist for massage Silvia! And for facial Arnetta! Just a tip– make appointment in advance because its tough to get it!

I have been to any number of spas prior to going to Spa on the Hill, and had dozens of waxes elsewhere. Arnetta is the ONLY person I am willing to trust to wax me anymore! She does an amazing job!
Even though I have moved a few times (always further away from Spa on the Hill), I still come into the City from NOVA to have her wax me.
As a side note, parking is always a nightmare in Eastern Market, so if you drive, give yourself some time to wander around looking for a parking space!

First off let me say that this was my first professional massage experience and oh my GAWD did it exceed every expectation that I had!
Ok, on to the nitty gritty. What made this even more special was that I was able to have a prenatal massage. At first I was a bit apprehensive because as a FTM I wasn’t sure if the masseuse would hit certain pressure points and send me into premature labor (dramatic, right?). That was very far from the case. I didn’t wait for long in the waiting area before Sylvia called me back. She began to ask questions about any aches or pains and noticed (by observation alone) that I was very tense in my neck and shoulders. She was very gentle yet firm and made me feel very comfortable. But let me tell you… she also worked it out. I mean everything.
Being that this was a gift (from the best man EVER!) I had no clue what to expect or even how long it was supposed to last. So the hour passed but felt like two. The entire experience was simply amazing and one that I’d be willing to go back and pay for myself, no questions asked.

Never get a gift certificate here.
I received a gift certificate for $ 250 for my wedding, and life got busy and I didn’t use it and it «expired» after 1 year. I called the Spa on the Hill shortly after the expiration to see if they would honor the gift certificate. First time I called I spoke to someone who said that it was up to the owner’s discretion to honor the gift certificate and they would call me back. No one called me back. The second time I called, I left a message asking if they would honor the certificate. Again, no one called me back.
Most states have made it illegal for gift cards to expire, at least within FIVE years of issuance. I will check into DC laws. This is at least a horrible business practice and shows that this spa is not a member of its community, but instead intent on getting every last bottom dollar, without concern about its reputation/​repeat business

I come here because it is close to my home and I really need the massages due to my scoliosis but lately, the ambiance leaves something to be desired. Listening to top 40 music in the waiting room and then during your massage does NOT relax you at all. I would suggest the owner think about the mood they are putting their clients in prior and during what should be a very relaxing experience.
In addition, my massage therapist was 45 minutes late for my appointment. During this time the receptionist left me in the waiting room while she went to «fold towels» but I could hear her talking on the phone the whole time. I think she just didn’t want to have to sit with me while a therapist wasted this much of someone’s time.

I go to Spa on the Hill regularly. I always see Janelle E for massages — she is AWESOME! Janelle takes great care in making sure I’m thoroughly relaxed and caters the massage toward my muscle aches and needs during each session. Janelle really knows her stuff, and that’s why I keep coming back!
I’ve also had facials with Sara. She always does a great job. The reception staff is very friendly, and they always let me know about spa specials and deals. They are also very helpful with my future bookings.

Got a facial here a few weeks ago. The place was clean, and offered a soothing mood… but if you are going for a ultra spa-​like experience then a place run out of a cap hill home is likely not for you.
I’ve experienced better facials. My biggest problem was that the woman didn’t really explain what was happening. I usually like to know what is being put on my face or what is coming before lights are turned on without warning or oxygen is blown on it, etc. She also didn’t really seem to know what she was doing and kinda fumbled a bit which made it hard to relax.
I’d maybe go back to try a massage, but not a facial.

First, the good:
I came here at the very end of my third trimester for a prenatal massage with Janelle. It was very good, calming, relaxing, and soothed my aching body as much as it was possible to do at that point. She is very skilled at what she does and I have been singing the praises of Spa on the Hill for the last few months to my friends. I know that I generated some business for them, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately, for the reasons below, I will not be returning.
The bad:
I found out today that if you book a service less than 24 hours in advance, it is essentially nonrefundable. Even if you try to reschedule for another time or day, you will be charged 75% of the cost of the service. They do not tell you this on the phone when you make the appointment. I tried to reschedule an appointment for today that I’d made yesterday but I was told I could not do so without incurring a cancellation fee because it was less than 24 hours before the appointment. (Of course, it was impossible for me to reschedule more than 24 hours in advance since my appointment didn’t exist at that time.)
I understand that businesses like Spa on the Hill have a cancellation policies for a reason. However, these policies should be clear and communicated to customers when services are being booked. They should tell customers when they are booking a service less than 24 hours in advance that there is no cancellation or rescheduling of the appointment. They should also be clear about this in their written cancellation policy, which they send out to customers AFTER services are booked, because the policy does not say what they think it says. Instead, they were quite rude and harsh about the whole thing.
Is it really worth alienating a customer for one $ 37 cancellation fee? I wanted to reschedule; now I won’t be returning at all.

I think Arnetta has me confused with someone else, as in the 3 years I’ve been going to Spa Oin The Hill, I have NEVER asked for a discount prior to this incident and I have ALWAYS rescheduled the appointments the establishment cancelled or postponed, without making a fuss.
If that’s the way the business owner wishes to respond, so be it.

When I first moved to DC, my skin went completely awry. I came here to find some type of relief for my skin through a facial. Unfortunately, the facials only exaggerated the problem. My skin and the products they used did not mesh and as a result I suffered from pretty severe breakouts for the next few months. I’m sure it wasn’t anything this spa did, I just unfortunately have terrible skin. On a positive note, they were all very kind and the facial was very relaxing.