Ten Thousand Waves Reviews

Dreamy location to revitalize a traveler's body and active soul.

Easily one of the best meals I've ever had. Every dish we tried was fantastic.

I went to the spa and had a facial and massage. The staff was incredibly professional and really good at what they did! My skin looks amazing and I felt so relaxed after the whole experience. This place came highly recommend by friends and I'll definitely be back. If you're torn between two spas, I'd vote for this place!

Loved visiting, I will try to go back often. The p was great, love the cold dip option, but the sauna just made the whole trip worth it. Amazing package for just one reservation.

I went there to relax, but I left enraged. Where's the men only tub? I paid the same price for 2/3 of the experience. Sexism at it's peak.

Edit: why should I have to pay extra for a men's tub when women get one for free? What a joke.

Rio was spectacular for my Buddha Treatment! There private tub was definitely the way to go. All the service people I encountered were lovely. Personally I think ALL employees should be dressed in some sort of uniform. There were a couple instances where I didn't know who to talk to, and someone who could help me wasn't visible.

An absolute must! This spa is incredibly relaxing and world class.

My favorite place for a luxurious Japanese inspired spa day.

AMAZING SPA!!
I had 'the natural' package this week. And I enjoyed every single minute of it!!
Beautiful Japanese houses and private tub in a natural setting were incredible and my masseuse Lys was the one of the best masseuse I've ever had.


And it maybe not cheap but It's definitely cheaper than the others! I nomally paid for $300 for 90 mins for those hotel SPAs as I remember but at TTW, with much better environment, for 3 full hours, including private jacuzzi in the mountain, surrounded by cute birds, trees and sky.....I paid $250. (Tip not included )

Head and neck massage was wonderful. Lys poor warm oil to my head which made my hair sooo silky next day. And deep tissue was one of a kind. As a last massage, salt glow was amazing too ,oil+salt scrub made my skin literally glowing!!!

Domo Arigatto ManPa!!!!!

Cmae here for the first time for a shoji pool experience and was not disappointed. The temperature can be set and if it's too hot or too cold, staff is happy to change it to accommodate your needs. We came here as part of a girl's weekend, and we will come back.

Unique, relaxing and such an experience to take in. Do yourself a favor and come for the baths or for a private suite! The authenticity of the atmosphere and attention to detail are unparalleled. 10/10

Amazing experience! Attentive staff, Marcia the masseuse did in 25 minutes what tons of others haven't been able to in 1 hour-long sessions (putting hot towels on my feet, dimming the lights, the right music and great tips to visit NYC.) The pools are fantastic we are going to come back for sure. Also, the price is really affordable. Thank you!

took the Southwest Chief from KCMO several times to there. what a great destination to unwind from the journey !

Highly recommended as part of your Santa Fe experience!

Do NOT stay at this resort! The housekeepers go through your drawers and steal items. When we stayed here, I had a ring stolen that was hidden under clothes in the dresser drawer. We ran into the housekeepers coming out of our room as we were returning from getting a massage.

The "manager" wasn't concerned, nor were the police who he reluctantly called. Nothing was done.

Not impressed with this place. Massage was the worst I have ever had.

Selfishly want to keep this amazing place to myself....

Positives- Karen in booking was phenomenal. Helping me book 5 different packages and she efficiently took care of everything with grace and aplomb. The treatments were lovely and everyone enjoyed their choices. I had Ari who introduced me to shiatsu massage and was well trained, calming and perfectly communicative. The negatives- the spa is over crowded. We were there on a Monday and it still seemed body to body, with not enough space in common soaking spots like the foot soak. The locker rooms are WAY under sized! You're just on top of one another. It is the opposite of a soothing intro to your services. There are no facial cleansing products available, the robe ties are not attached, constantly go missing or drop and you have to return your robe and shiatsu clothes to the front desk- no robe drop in the locker room. Their system of getting from soak to treatment feels a quite like a cattle call. The relaxation room is small, bare bones and too exposed or close to/mixed in to the entry fray. The prices are fair for the lovely services but high for the rest of the experience. Considering the number of resort spas in Santa Fe, Ten Thousand Waves has some improvements to make. Be prepared to adjust your expectations or accept a lesser all around experience, though again, the treatments and therapists are well trained and great. The restaurant was so+so. Decent food and we had a nice waiter. But we arrived with a reservation and they treated us like walk ins. There were tons of empty tables and we had to wait quite a while to be seated. It didn't match Karen's amazing booking experience for the reservation. All in all, I understand why the experience is sought after- Japanese theme, treatment rooms are lovely and amongst nature with good treatments. But Ten Thousand Waves needs to improve the ratio of bodies to facilities and make the experience fit its theme and spa setting. As a prior spa professional and just a customer, I was disappointed with much of the experience and think there is plenty of room for improvement.

Hands down one of the most unique experiences in Santa Fe. High quality food of a new Yorker or San Francisco eatery

Romantic, beautiful, and calming spa experience. If you want a treat, this is a place to feel pampered. The toilet in the ladies locker room was heated! Robes and towels are offered.

My favorite spa in the world! The scent of pine while soaking in a hot tub outside relaxes you and gets you ready for your massage. Be sure to get a complete package. We also enjoyed the neck and foot massages which were probably the best of the experiences there. The staff is incredible!

An oasis in Santa Fe. We had just gone through a rough hail storm on a hike to Nambe Lake. Couldn't make it since we didn't have the proper gear. It was a short drive down to this wonderful spa - we went from shivering cold to warm and relaxed in these hot baths. A perfect replica to a Japanese sento (not sure if this is a true onsen) and I love that it is outdoors. Great mountain views. The sauna is hot. Extremely welcoming and friendly staff. Clean and well maintained.

You can't go wrong... Excellence. Will more than likely exceed your expectations!

A taste of Japan in the southwest! Everything here was amazing.

I mean you just have to go. If you have a bad experience I don t know what to tell you because it is absolute heaven. From the dining to private pools. Amazing!

WOW!!! This place was amazing!
Give yourself at least 3 hours here. And if you can, get a room here. I didn't even want to drive the 28 min back to my hotel in town.......I felt so relaxed after.

The food at the restaurant is 5 star quality with service to match.
Relax
Eat
Spa more
Sleep

A perfect day. Thank you!!

If you are looking for a piece of Japan this is as good as it's going to get! Located high up in the mountains, it is clean, tranquil, and as close to Perfection as you can get. I want to stay at the hotel but the Spa is perfect. Make sure to come here.

A wonderful place to relax and chill. The atmosphere is amazing, the staff friendly, and the food at the restaurant is delicious. We just went for the community pool, sauna, and relaxation room. It was an amazing birthday experience. I couldn't have been more happy and satisfied.

Update 8/6/2020. Terrible experience. It was my birthday and wemade reservations late. We thought we were super fortunate to get a room for 1 night, a tub for an hour and dinner all at the same place. Only problem was that the staff member that made our reservation reserved our room on the 6th and our spa on the 13th, a week later. No other tubs were available during our entire stay and nothing was offered in consolation. A half price room or some free spa voucher's were the least they could offer, but nothing except sorry. Didn't ruin my birthday but didn't feel any love for their error on a special day. Won't go back or recommend you do either. Ojo caliente spa is 10,000 ways better, go there or Pagosa Hot springs for a more appreciative staff and experience.

This is one of the absolute best things in Santa Fe. When people come to visit this is on this list of must do experiences, along with Meow Wolf, going to the Plaza, and eating green chile. Beautiful architecture and very unique and thoughtful layout of baths, waterfalls, and just wonderful places to relax. Their massage therapists are consistently the best of the best too. Well worth the money if you got it.

I went to check out the place, excited about how it may be. It came highly recommended to me. Something felt off the whole time I was there. On the way out, I picked up some handouts. One described the new communal tub policy. It starts as follows "If men behaved as well as women, we would not be changing our long-term clothing-optional policy." While I can imagine that they have had problems with certain men over the years, and I do not doubt this has led to the change as described, I feel this is a hugely sexist over generalization. I would never put myself in a vulnerable place, where I am intending to relax, where the management is openly disparaging me as a part my whole gender. Perhaps they could make this establishment female only, and save themselves from the behavior of men. I will not be planning to return.

They were very accommodating and when we did have an issue with our private tub they gave a discount and allowed us more time than scheduled. Love this place!

Love to go every couple of months to relax and have some me-time .

We had a couples massage and I have to say it was quite literally the worst massage of my (our) life (lives). The worst part was really when my therapist climbed onto the table with me, while I am on my stomach. She literally climbed onto my body with her knees in my buttocks and her hands on my back. Telling me let the pressure melt away. Uh, lady that's not a massage. Then she slipped her legs down beside mine so she's basically straddling me. Very unimpressive massage. At the end she remarks to me "what's up with your crazy Ham-Strings"? Uh...

Don't go to 10,000 waves for the massage - it's not enjoyable and is borderline something else.

A classic Santa Fe experience. They have the friendliest staff and the most calm, serene ambiance. Both the private tubs and the massages are amazing. I love the meditation room and the little foot soak space as well! I grew up coming here and always try to make my way back each time I visit Santa Fe.

My sweetie and I visited Ten Thousand Waves for the first time May 21, 2016. It is a beautiful Japanese-themed oasis with a tranquil setting to relax and just "be." The tub settings are lovely, with views to the sky and outdoors, and the meditation room is a quiet place of indoor repose.
However, it is NOT a place for the handicapped - and this needs to be made VERY clear to first-time visitors. There was no mention of the 91 steps from the lower parking lot to the main building. Though there was a call box for a ride to the main building, it was out of order, and it wasn't clear that a handicapped placard was not necessary to park in the upper level. My sweetie had injured his back the day before we went to the spa (and 2 weeks after making our reservation), so the 91 steps to the main building were literally a living hell for him.
But that wasn't all. Once we reached the building, there were another steep flight of steps to reach the front desk and lower level tubs. No elevator. The fellow who was assisting us then explained that the men's changing area was up ANOTHER flight of steps which my sweetie would have to ascend -- and then come down again to go up yet ANOTHER flight of stairs to our assigned tub.
We were on the verge of cancelling, when the attendant allowed him to change in the main level restroom, but we still had to walk up to our tub. By then we were both super stressed out, so the first 40 minutes of the soak were spent just to try to unwind from arriving at the place.
Also, when TTW called to confirm our reservation, they told us we needed to bring nothing to the soaking experience. But when we arrived, we were asked if we brought our water bottles. Yeah, 91 steps down at our car! They kindly provided us with pitchers of water and cups for our soak, but that should have been make clear during the reservation process.
So, my suggestion to TTW is when people call for a reservation, ask them if it's their first time. If it is, explain the upper level parking accommodations, but also that there are still ample staircases that need to be navigated to get to the main desk and to the tubs. And remind people to bring a water bottle.
Not sure if we'll return, but if so, it will only be when we are both able-bodied for the multiple climbs to the facilities.

A most relaxing and fulfilling experience. Excellent staff and service. Will return many times.

Loved our private bath and massages. Only complaint is that there are too many kids in the public areas. Kid was picking his dead skin in the foot bath. I complained and the staff did nothing about it. This place would be 5 stars without kids.

Beautiful but crowded on a Sunday afternoon. Two of the common use pools were luke warm at best. The atmosphere is absolutely amazing. Had a wonderful time and will return.

Beautiful setting, we love to come soak in the tubs and have a bite at Izanimi after. Service is phenomenal.

Enjoyed my reservation in the ichiban spa suite. 90 minutes flew by - great experience and everyone who works there is helpful.

Every moment here was perfect. We began with a private soak and sauna, had massages and salt glows, then had dinner at Izunami, the restaurant at TTW. I'm a massage therapist and it is difficult to find a therapist at a resort or tourist spot that I feel really cares and is so intuitive. My husband and I agreed our massages were above and beyond excellent. I was so impressed. My therapist's name was Midori, and she has been at TTW for 14 years! (I also know someone whose mom worked here for like 20 years- great sign when all the employees seem so happy and they hold onto therapists for so long.... This is difficult in the spa industry). My husband was with Sundown. We'll definitely be returning and requesting these therapists. Thank you to the entire staff for being so friendly and inviting and just so good at your jobs! The whole staff is professional and work together to give you a seamless experience. Also, dinner was fantastic and the perfect end to a perfect afternoon of relaxation. Can't wait to return.

When you go to the Waves, you feel like you are making a spiritual pilgrimage to a sacred space high in the mountains. After hiking up the lantern lined steps, you feel you certainly have earned a soak in one of their amazing tubs & a massage from one of their many experienced staff members. It is one of the most beautiful spa settings on earth, peaceful & soothing from the moment you arrive. A luxurious experience, Ten Thousand Waves is great for couples or pampering yourself.

My fiance and I relaxed here at the spa. We purchased the day pass for the communal areas, which were wonderfully affordable. Alternating between the deliciously warm pool and the cold plunge, our bodies are flushed into pure bliss. We then waddled over to the restaurant for a most scrumptious meal that wasnt too heavy, but totally satisfying. To top it all off we flip flopped back over to the spa, showered, and went on our way. Will return 100%

Very beautiful and relaxing. I had a wonderful facial and did not want to leave! Will definitely be back.

I love their private tubs I go there at least once or twice a month I'm very familiar with that place I love it and I recommend it to everybody

Epic, remodel is lavish. I miss the wooden communal, and the clothing optional, but the new tub and sauna are great. Always impressed. Top notch spa.

Wonderful place. Very well out together and very relaxing.

Loved it! A home away from home. Customer service was a bonus. My new getaway.

Went with girlfriends. Spent hours and left younger! Aesthetically pleasing, Japanese inspired architecture, elegant.

This was on my to do list for myself and I finally did it this weekend. If I could rate the massage only I would rate 5 because Mark was wonderful. Everything else was poor from checkin to check out and all in between. Facility was not warm, relaxing and comfortable. I will not be retiring.

Wow! What a treat this place is. A legitimate Japanese spa experience and amazing staff. We stopped by for dinner after the spa, and the sake, grief avocado, and hot stone wagyu were fantastic.

Disorganized. Lots of older people. Walking around naked Changing rooms are small. Found hair in my food at restaurant

A remarkable experience. Make sure you have plenty of time to soak it all in.

This is a top spa in Santa Fe. I usually have a one hour message. This place is magical at night and especially in snowy weather. I often bring houseguests here.

My wife and I went there for Christmas in Santa Fe. We bathed in the common pool under the stars with a light snow falling. Truly beautiful night in a genuine onsen spa. The bath products - iris and yuzu - are so fresh you have to watch out for bees thinking your head is a flower. The hinoki scent is a kind of pine that is great for men and you won't find anywhere else.

Brilliant. Perfect. The baths and massage created a deep relaxation that continued into the next morning. The restaurant's food was loved by both me, who hadn't ever had Japanese food, and my husband, who lived in Japan. The server refilled my water before I even knew the glass was empty. It was a perfect second honeymoon. Perfect in every way.

A beautiful, serene setting and lovely staff. I appreciated all the precautions they were taking due to COVID-19. Relaxing massages and secluded tubs makes Ten Thousand Waves a must visit for locals and visitors! Wish we could go every weekend!

Outstanding experience in the mountains. The atmosphere is so peaceful and serene. The spa experience is great, as good as I've had anywhere, or even better. The lodging was totally worth the cost as it really enhanced our relaxing weekend spa experience. The restaurant is always outstanding. I love their seasonal specials.

Despite the company struction, the environment was still very peaceful and relaxing

Great place to relax and soak. Top notch service, quality amenities, great staff. Stop in if you're looking for a relaxing couple hours while in Santa Fe.

The best place in all of New Mexico starts at 10 thousand Waves. Located in Santa Fe NM the land of enchantment and 10,000 waves is a resort/spa that provides the wonderful energy that Santa Fe has to offer.

Beautiful location up in the mountains outside of Santa Fe. Quiet and secluded. Good food. Lovely hot water baths, and great massage. A wonderful place to get away.

Massages well worth it, expensive but worth the money.

Heaven on Earth! A true delight. Even my husband loved it. Treat yourself to this wonderful local treasure.

Both the spa and the restaurant are exceptionally fine establishments.
The fine Japanese food on offer at Izanai Restaurant is matched by an extraordinary range of sake varieties.

Reception is very rude and condescending. I don't expect to be treated like an idiot for asking a simple question, especially from a place with such high ratings. I won't be supporting an establishment that treats their patrons this way, and I don't suggest that anyone else does either.

World class joint, my favorite tubs and sauna. These folks know how to do it!

As part of my ongoing "Treat Yo Self 2015" campaign, and coinciding with a serendipitous business trip, I made a day trip out of going to Ten Thousand Waves. Many friends recommended at least checking out the communal baths (one low rate gives you access to them, as well as a few other amenities). I took a taxi from town (a shuttle service between TTW and, say, the Plaza would be perfect - I ended up spending about $40 for the round trip). Once I arrived I opted to get a Japanese organic massage facial and also the CryoStem cell treatment. The staff was very professional. My aesthetician, Fatimeh, was friendly and gentle, even when dealing with my jacked up upper back and during extractions. She explained all of the steps she took and gave clear instructions on how to maximize my treatments effects. The communal women's bath was so peaceful. It comfortably fits seven, so be prepared for a little (clothes optional) crowding. Make sure to check out the restaurant nextdoor. The food is excellent and can be scaled up our down to meet your needs. My only qualm with the restaurant was the bizarre machine/construction noises coming from the kitchen, which you might not hear if you aren't seated along the side of the bar (which has the best view!).

Worst massage ever, with Shea! 80 minutes of wasted time/$220 down the drain. Everything through a sheet, no oil. I ve been going to 10K Waves for almost 40 years. Front desk person not that nice either. Not going back! sjt

Magical place whose equal as a ryokan you won t find without visiting Japan.

Incredible. Friendly staff, beautiful grounds, and very clean.

Had the opportunity to dine at Izanami for our anniversary. Really great experience.

If you are a person to whom price matters not, then welcome to paradise. And if you do fret about cost, then let the beautiful atmosphere and welcoming hosts here wipe away those mortal thoughts for however long you allow yourself to be fully immersed. My boyfriend and I booked the Ofuro room for 90 minutes and accidentally showed up an hour early. No problem. We got a last minute couples massage and then got to lounge around and use the never ending amenities while we waited for our room to be ready. It was the most luxurious end to our vacation that we could have imagined. In fact, my partner wants to make it an annual trek.

It was beautiful. We had everything that we could possibly need. Breathtaking facilities.

Beautiful spa, extremely welcoming and helpful staff

Nothing like being naked in a private pool and just relaxing. This place is one of my favorite spas and the staff is always so friendly. I visit here frequently.

I would recommend 10000 waves to anyone. What a great Hot Springs & Spa area and a wonderful restaurant next door. Some of the best Japanese style food I've ever had that made me want to weep.