Lafayette Park or Claremont for a spa day?
I would love to gift my mom a weekend away to thank her for helping with my son in the past year, but it looks like the scheduling may be too hard. Instead, I'm thinking of a spa day closer to home and it look like our East Bay options are either Lafayette Park or the Fairmont Spa at the Claremont. If you've been to both can you recommend which you'd choose as a alternative to truly getting away? She works in San Francisco, so going into the city would negate the relaxation factor for her! She'd probably want a massage and facial, a meal, and some lounging time in a hot tub. Thank you!
Jul 26, 2019
Parent Replies
What a wonderful way to treat your mom! I've been to both, and it probably depends on what you're looking for.
Lafayette Park: Had a great facial, pool is nice and relaxing (also a hot tub and sauna), service was good. Weekends appear to get very crowded at the pool and there were no lounge chairs available after 11a.
Fairmont Spa at the Claremont: Had a great facial and massage. Larger and even more amenities. Expensive!
For myself, I'd prefer to re-visit Lafayette Park - although I probably would not do so again on the weekend (at least during summer) to avoid the over-crowding at the pool. I thought the Fairmont was a bit too expensive once you factor in parking, poolside snack/drink/meal, and gratuity. I actually found Lafayette Park to be a very nice value. But if cost were not a factor at all, I'd probably choose to spend the day at the Fairmont since it's closer and has more amenities.
What a great idea! I would go for the Claremont over Lafayette Park having been to both in the past few years. I thought the services at Lafayette Park were great (massage and facial) but the facility is really limited - the common area inside the spa is a small windowless room, the pool is shared with the hotel guests and is just okay. Claremont Spa has great services too and a much nicer facility. I'd definitely return there before the Lafayette one.
The Fairmont is my go-to for a luxurious mini-vacation. The atmosphere and amenities really help you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, as if you just returned from a long weekend in the country. Just a note that the Fairmont includes parking validation and spa gratuities, so even though it's more expensive it's the total package.
I've never heard of Lafayette Park, but recently had my first spa day at the Claremont. It was truly a lovely experience. The massage was very good and I spent a lot of time in the indoor hot tub. You can also take exercise classes as part of the spa day, so I participated in a very good yoga class prior to my massage. The food was fine, but not amazing, although all I ordered was an expensive Caesar salad. We had an annoying billing issue, however (I was there with a friend) and the cashier person was not able to reconcile it, so my friend and I had to do some math and I had to pay her cash. I found this to be very odd at such an upscale establishment. So we ended the day on a low note. But I'd still recommend the Claremont if money is no object. :-)
Both are wonderful but the Claremont is more relaxing overall. The dressing room and waiting room are very cramped at Lafayette Park so there isn’t really a good place to lounge. The Claremont has a couple different lovely lounge areas. Plus, in summer you can use the pool during the week if you book a spa treatment so it’s possible to lounge there all day!