Recommends

steve_p_

Joined 8 years ago

Great Place to Warm up and Relax on the Cheap. December 22,2009 - My wife and I visited the Paradise on this snowy morning. We've been coming here for about 3 years now, with 3 to 4 visits during the year. As the other reviews state, it has become a little worn, but I will say that, most important to us, it is very clean.

We check in at the front desk, and put down $20 each - $18 for the sauna, $2 for the key deposit. You get a robe and two towels...one large, and one small. We bring our own flip-flops, which I would recommend. We leave our valuables locked in the car trunk to avoid any problems and temptations. We both go our separate ways - her to the women's side, me to the men's side.

Once inside the locker room, I like to take an old towel to stand on by my locker while I change. Inside the sauna, you head over to the shower, and then do the circuit of treatments. You can first hit the Jacuzzi, the steam sauna, the two dry saunas, then the cold and hot pools. *****Just be sure to take another shower after you exit the steam and dry saunas, before you hit the Jacuzzi or cold and hot pools!***** After an hour, I went to the relaxation room to cool down and relax. There was a guy in there snoring after a while, so I left...but I wished that was me sleeping. After another hour in the sauna, I used the small towel, as most of the guys do, to scrub myself

down in the shower to remove any old skin. They have a mirrored dressing area where you can shave, dry your hair, and put lotion on, which they provide for you, (along with soap and shampoo in the shower area). You can get a massage or even a body scrub for about $1 a minute - a real bargain.

There were about a dozen or so guys in here this morning doing the circuit. There were no kind of oddities as mentioned in some of the reviews. Most guys go naked, some do the rounds with a towel wrapped around them. Everyone kept to themselves and were there for the purpose of the sauna treatment. There are young guys, old guys, thin guys, and overweight old guys, and also various ethnic backgrounds, all here to relax and get treatment.

After about two hours, you can kind of get a headache, at least we do. We try to stay hydrated as much as possible. There is a water cooler in the lounge area, or you can bring your own bottle.

My wife and I then went to the Paradise Japanese restaurant next door. You can enter right through the spa. The food is great after the sauna. We were really hungry and wanted something healthy. We shared a sweet seaweed salad and a few Maki rolls, some scallop appetizers, and Japanese style pot stickers. The tea they serve gratis is very unique and tasty. They really did not want to share where they buy it or what type of tea it is, only saying the owner brings it in because it is his favorite. It is really good, I will say that.

So, my wife and I enjoy our little time away here, and we will continue to patronize the Paradise. I only hope they spend a little money and spruce the place up a bit, such as a new paint job on the ceiling of the sauna, and maybe some new carpeting in the locker room.

It's a great place to come on a cold winter day!

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HotChick4U

Joined 4 years ago

Great body scrubs. I love their body scrubs. Its very inexpensive if you consider what other places charge for a similar service. I love being undressed around other people so I'm very comfortable at Paradise Sauna. -1 Because the place needs renovating.

Doesn't Recommend

Swain

Joined 4 years ago

Maybe it is because I not Korean. I have been to this establishment several times in the past and have had no issues, However I had a early morning appointment last Saturday for a body scrub and a massge and i have never been so humilated in all my life. The associate that was assigned to do the scrub looked at me and REFUSED. Although I am African American I have never experienced blatant discrimination until now. She did not speak english so I asked another customer who was friendly to translate that I was the next client. The massage therapist comminicated in korean that I was next. Two more customers communicated that I was next. She fully and knowingly refused. I asked for my money back and was asked to pay for the sauna portion. She eventually refunded all of my monies. Even though I always thought the place was less hygenic than required it was quaint and the services were good. I will never go back.

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Jennifer Olvera

Joined 10 years ago

Attention ladies: This Albany Park sushi spot shares space with nail salon.. In Short
Now here's a perfect excuse to grab dinner with a girlfriend: After sushi, customers can have their nails done and shoulders massaged at Paradise Beauty Shop & Sauna next door. The bamboo-adorned restaurant, while relatively under-the-radar, has earned a following for its supremely fresh sashimi and unexpected (but oft-ordered) Korean dishes. Buttery morsels of raw tuna and by-the-basics maki make a great first course, but bi bam naeng myun noodles and hae dup bob rice bowls might just steal the show. Hot sake is a perfect foil for all.

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roady32

Joined 5 years ago

What a spa! great!. Yesterday was the first time I ever been to a sauna. I was feeling kind of under the weather and had some chest congestion.. I went after work and the steam room was awesome! I felt completely relaxed at this place.. not sure why one reviewer called it a wankers paradise???? I had no experience like that. People were friendly and place was clean, My over all experience was great,. I definitely will become a regular there. When I got home and woke up it the morning my chest congestion was almost completely gone. Thanks Paradise sauna.. This for me was truely paradise.

Doesn't Recommend

Galaxina5

Joined 5 years ago

A wanker's Paradise?. I read previous reviews before going to Paradise Spas. I was specifically looking for any information that intimated that this might be a gay hang-out. I'm not gay and, although I have absolutely no problem with homosexuality, I just wanted to make sure that when I went to the sauna I would not be: followed around by other men, or witness any sexual activity.

Previous posters seemed to indicate there was no sexual activity occuring, so I went with the mind-set that it would be a relaxing day soaking away my aches and pains.

Was I wrong! As soon as I entered the steam sauna, 2 men began masterbating RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME and looking expectantly for me to join in. Quick exit to the dry sauna- WHERE THE EXACT SAME THING OCCURRED. Was it a fluke? Wandered over to the "nap room" to cool off and escape the "wankers." Lo and behold- another man pleasuring himself- and being very loud and obvious about it.

I wanted to get my money's worth, but the number of men openly masterbating on the premises was too much. I quickly showered and left- which is a shame because the facilities, though not elegant, weren't that bad. However, public masterbation is simply gross. I am quite glad I wore my own flip-flops.

What gives? I HIGHLY suggest not going to Paradise Sauna- unless you like to watch older, out of shape men jerking-off while they make little bleeting noises and stare longingly at you. Totally gross and TOTALLY unacceptable. If this is a "bath house," other reviewers have made no indication of it. I tried to complain to the management- but besides an obvious language barrier (they are Korean), no one was even manning the front desk when I left. They have plenty of signs indicating lewd behavior will not be tolerated- but they obviously don't enforce said rules.

Save your money and take a hot bath at home- at least you know that some fatty isn't choking his chicken mere inches from you!

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franny9

Joined 5 years ago

a great no-nonsense soak. I love Paradise! A friend of mine and I once strayed and tried one of those "fancy" Chicago spas. The entire time, we just complained about how we wished we were at Paradise. Turns out I like my saunas like I like my bars: comfortable, divey and to the point. It can be kind of confusing the first time you go in. But the staff is friendly and you will feel very much at ease in no time. Paradise doesn't have any new agey music, fancy robes or clever decorations designed to relax your mind or soothe your Chakras or whatever. What it does offer is an amazing hot and cold dip, a spacious steam room and dry sauna and an unrivaled nap room. Plus you can get pretty darn decent sushi next door after you've melted all your cares away.

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bluebummer

Joined 6 years ago

Best sauna in Chicago!. When you walk in you dont know quite what to make of it. To get any of the services(massage, bodyscrub) you must also pay the $18 all day access fee to use the sauna. You get a key to your locker, a robe, a small towel to sit on and a larger towel to dry off. Goto the locker room and am very pleasently suprised to find large lockers that have a separate cubby for your shoes. The nap room was pitch black and extremely quiet filled with large leather reclining chairs and footrests, completely silent and peaceful for napping. You must go through this room to get the the massage tables once yourr masseuse has found you. There is also a lounge with a water cooler, pop machine and a menu for the Paradise restraunt next door. Then when you go into the sauna there is a huge hot tub that holds 10 people tops also you will find a hot plunge and cold plunge. Through one door is the steam room. The temperature varies depending on the time you go in and weather anyone has douced the heating element with cold water lately. The dry sauna has 2 rooms a cooler room and a hotter room. I got a massage while I was there and it was wonderful, very comfortable, and very hard half hour massage. I plan on going back again very soon! The patrons there were also very friendly in a good way.

ADDITION: I have visited this sauna a few more times since that first visit. the body scrub is phenominal at just $30 for a half our of full body exfoliation. when your done with this experience your skin can breath again like you have never felt before and your skin feels like you are 5 years old again. absolutely wonderful.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review. Korean-operated no-frills spa features a sauna, hot and cold dipping pools, body scrubs and massage services.