A spa with a free eat-all-you-can buffet is a novel concept in this crazy city. A weekly massage is the refuge of the vain and the figure-conscious .. throw in a munchfest and the concept is changed altogether.
My friends have mentioned Wensha Spa when it had its lone branch in Timog, Quezon City before. I couldn’t wait to try its offerings when it opened a sprawling complex in Macapagal Blvd. nearer me, beside the Legend Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant and Star City. It boasts of an Asian-inspired facade and a ball-shaped fountain at the entrance.
Most of all, the appealing thing about Wensha is its price: it doesn’t really hurt much to pay P580 ($13) for a one-hour full-body massage with free use of the jacuzzi/sauna plus a buffet spread where you can eat all you can before AND/OR after your massage (ouch!)
We went to Wensha at 4 p.m. and I purposely didn’t eat my lunch that day so I can taste the quality of their food. It wasn’t really to die for but it was enough to ease my hunger pangs. As usual I conversed with the waitstaff:
Me: I heard that in your QC branch, you serve shabu-shabu and dimsum?
Waiter: Well here ma’am, we have an Italian buffet…
Me: Is that Italian.. then why do you have fried rice and errrhm, menudo?
Waiter: That’s not menudo ma’am.. that’s pork with basil leaves.
Me: Aaah, pork cacciatore ba. In fairness, masarap sya ha! 😛
The buffet that day had Caesar’s Salad, asparagus soup, mixed vegetables, fried rice, the pork dish, and some soggy pesto pasta (this wasn’t a surprise anymore, Pinoys always overcook their pasta). Iced tea, hot tea and soda was also free. Wensha Spa has a nicely-upholstered, classy looking dining area with a large projection TV. Customers who don’t like to avail of the free buffet can order from the extensive a la carte menu consisting of Japanese, Chinese and Filipino specialties. You can even mix your own shabu-shabu or hotpot.
After eating, we changed into our robes in their high-tech locker room. We had our locker numbers strapped to our wrists and we just pressed our wrists close to the door lock to unlock our personal locker.
The jacuzzi and the dry sauna were a big disappointment since they weren’t hot enough!! It turned out that the spa was only running on a generator and that the proper Meralco connection would only be available the next day. So much of trying out a spa during its opening.
If only for this, my friend Cathy – a spa connoisseur – said she’s not going back “110 percent.” As for me, am giving the place another chance after a couple of weeks just to see if they have ironed out all the kinks and improved training of the “clueless” waitstaff. The spa also has other services, like foot spa, manicures and body treatments we can try.
For inquiries, call 832-0515. Wensha Spa is open 24/7
im on my way there now… hehehe… maybe this weekend…
Wensha is still one of the popular massage places people go to. For other massage and spa places, check out Philippine Massage & Spa.
I was there last night, the timog branch. My friend says, it was different when it newly opened. A lot better this time. As my first time to visit a spa, it was a terrific experience. They have a smoking lounge, eat all u can buffet plus a shabu shabu mixed to your own taste. The sauna has two corners, the wet and the dry and they’re both pretty hot. In less than a minute, i was sweating profusely, all the toxins out! the pool had a cool and hot water. Too bad, the cold pool was small and everyone was like squeezing themseleves to cool down after the hot sauna. the foot massage was also good, the foot massage includes a body massage but you only pay the foot massage price. And if you feel like sleeping you can stay in the massage room or anywhere in the lounge to take a nap and no one will bother you. hehehe, all this for only 580 pesos! Me and my friend stayed there for 7 hours!~ HEHE
hay naku omg talaga ang wensha…katakot pumunta baka akoy suctionin ng vacum filter nila…
cguro naman dpat cguro nakalagay dun sa vacum or jacuzzi nila “babala humihigop ng tanga” i was there when it happen at sa ospital cia binawian at may sakit cia !!! really guys kaya ako pupunta pa rin ako:::: love wensha
We would love to try this one out. Hopefully next week. 😀
BEWARE – Don’t be fooled with the low price (690 Pesos but you pay another 100 P for aromatic oil). I am from NY and wife is Filipina. We go to Philippines every year and go to “The Spa” massage and they treat you like a king and Queen. I saw on internet about Wensha and was impress with the low price which included buffet and wanted to try. At first we went to Wensha at Quezon City. They were very unprofesional and treated us like low lives. The Jacuzi area was full of green fungus all around. To go to the massage area you have to pass from one end of the restaurant all the way to the other site. Then in massage rooms you smell nothing but food. The message lady was very rough. I asked her to do softer but she was doing it harder and harder and she kept using her elbow. I thought I was tortured. I am glad I got out alive. Then we went to eat and most of the food was cold. I felt I wanted to vomit.
Then we thought we should try the new Wensha at CCP…maybe they different….We went there 6 of us and in the locker room they did not allow me to wear my own short (I always bring my short when I go to spa and never had issues). They wanted me to pay 20 pesos for disposable underwear. I did not want to and dressed up and went out with my two friends. We called my wife and her two friends to come out too. We asked for refund and they wanted to charge us 600 pesos for some of the 3 ladies that already used the shower. I got upset and started yelling at the very selfish lady manager “This is Bullshit” “This is Bullshit” …..that is when they gave us full refund. We went straight to “The Spa” and treated like kings and Queens again. Same price for massage but no food.
If you like to go to a Spa and be treated with respect then go to “The Spa”. If you want to get free food and treated like a low life then you go to Wensha. They expect you to call them Sir and Madam instead of them treating you with respect.
ive been there once after namin gumimik ng frends ko… at na enjoy ko naman sya… planning to visit there again… may pregnancy massage kaya sila sa timog? hehehe =)
pwede ko ba malaman ang mga location ng wensha??? parang gusto ko kse mag relax at kumain ng kumain,,,, 😀 tnxz……@_@
I WENT THERE TWICE. FIRST, DEC.20,2009 FOR OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY AT WORK. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS WENSHA EXPERIENCE SO I TOLD MY MILITARY BOYFRIEND ABOUT IT. SO WE WENT THERE TOGETHER AND CELEBRATED OUR MONTHSARY ON JANUARY 2010, (NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER I FIRST WENT THERE WITH MY WORKMATES AND BOSSES.) 10/10 RATING I MUST SAY =) PLANNING TO COME BACK AGAIN WHEN HE COMES HOME HERE IN MANILA… I JUST HOPE THAT THE TIP FOR THOSE MASSEUR MUST NOT BE COMPULSORY. GO WENSHA =)
Nice story. Not a lot of spa services have this kind of spa, massage and buffet package all in one. I’ll try it some time. Thanks for sharing your write up and for providing the place’s contact info.
Plus there are cruisng fat gay who follows you anywhere you go. I hate it! I went there to relax but I end up even more stressed!
May I know the exact location of wensha and I want to know also the rate including the foods,spa,massage and if the use of all facilities are also included in your price?
Tried Wensha on 15 Feb 2012, nice place, but poor service at the buffet station, did not felt welcome nor comfortable with overpacked customers on a weekday, with school of senior citizens lining into the spa. Did they come in truck loads?
The massage was alright with a requested male masseue instead of the usual female masseue, but i suspect i fall sick (acute asthma attack) after suffering from the masseue’s over-exerted chest jerk palm compressions, i was afraid some of my lung’s air-sacs got busted?…… Or was it the bacteria in the pool and steam room? (Btw, i had breathing difficulty all the way, until i had to spend Php 5ooo to get treated at ER in Tagaytay on the next day)
The buffet setup was massive but lack style, make me felt like a pig. The food quality and ambiance should have been maintained, even at this price, if their staff are better trained and the self-initiated.
This is my first visit, and my last. Thank you.