Day spa review: Balian Springs vs. King Spa

• Axios reporters Anna and Mimi took the cold plunge at a pair of relatively new spas to find out.

King Spa: A Korean-style wellness compound in Chantilly that opened in 2021.

Balian Springs: A ginormous, multi-storied self-care destination in Alexandria that opened in 2022 and which used to be a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission office.

Neither is cheap. Both are relaxing (and very Insta-worthy). So which is the best fit?

Balian Springs

Price: $130 on weekdays, $165 on weekends, with discounts for students and military members. Monthly memberships are available, too.

Vibe: Def office-turned-spa. A second-floor mezzanine overlooking the sprawling first floor of pools gives off mall vibes, and the entryway's Indonesian-style sculptures and architecture don't camouflage what still kinda looks like the exterior of the Dunder-Mifflin office.

• The place bills itself as "a social club for wellness," not just a spa, which is why it has a space for doing work, a gym, a meditation room, workshops on self-love and intention setting, and lots of lounge areas.

Treatments: Massages, scrubs, facials, and nail treatments are available at the day spa for added fees, but run on the pricier side — think $195 for a body scrub session with crushed coconut shells or $185 for a lifting facial.

Lockers: First, you put your shoes in an entryway locker, then head to either the men's or women's locker room, where you're given a robe, slippers and your own personal locker. Showers, towels and some toiletries are available.

Food/drink: Tons of options. On the first floor, there's a cafe for smoothies and snacks, plus a mocktail bar (some drinks run over $20 — steep for no booze!).

• The second floor has a restaurant for entrées like avocado toast and lettuce wraps, as well as a sushi bar. On the rooftop, you'll find a bar with beer, wine, and cocktails.

Pool guide: The first floor has a huge main hydrotherapy pool, with a series of hot and cold plunge pools, as well as private women's and men's lounges where you can soak and sauna sans-clothes (everywhere else you're required to wear a "conservative" bathing suit).

• The third floor has a heated, outdoor rooftop pool with whirlpools, plus cabanas and a fire pit.

Sauna guide: So. Many. Choices. There's your typical steam room, a Himalayan salt room, an infrared sauna, a gold-infused sauna, a clay sauna, a charcoal sauna, a chromotherapy sauna, and a cold cryotherapy room.

• My personal fave: Going from the cold cryotherapy room to the rose quartz-pink Himalayan salt room, where you can warm up like a bougie little lizard.

Pro tips: Bring a book — you could easily spend a whole day here soaking, alternating between all the saunas, working out, hanging in the many lounges, and taking snack and drink breaks.

The bottom line: It's a good option for either a solo self-care session or a group outing. But prices are steep for an admission that doesn't come with treatments — and even steeper if you add them on.

King Spa

Price: All-day passes are $60 on weekdays, $70 weekends (Friday-Sunday), plus some high-roller packages like a 24-karat gold couples' facial.

Vibe: Entry is a little more TSA than TLC — with a line leading up to the desk and posted notices (e.g. no smoking or alcohol, possible bag checks).

• But once inside, you're transported to an Asian mega-spa experience with tropically designed indoor/outdoor pools, traditional Korean saunas and group-friendly spaces in both single and unisex areas.

Treatments: Massages, Korean body scrubs and facials are pricey (average $110 to $250). Least expensive for women is a $50 "V-Steam" (let Gwneyth explain). But you must be comfortable with … so many things. Mainly getting your v-steamed in a small, communal room off the ladies' lockers.

Lockers: Two lockers, one for shoes and another clothing, are included. It's worth spending $5 for a robe — better to BYO socks — but you'll be issued a cotton spa uniform that must be worn in communal areas, including the saunas and dining hall (no swimsuits or robes allowed there).

• Showers are communal and no clothing or bathing suits are permitted. There are two private showers on the second floor.

Pool guide: Hit the rooftop's huge heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool first — especially in winter when you can maximize a series of water jets that massage your body from head to toe, and cold plunges into the air. The nearby indoor pool has an atmospheric faux-waterfall and dry sauna.

• There is also a series of single-sex hydrotherapy pools adjoining the men's and women's lockers. No clothing or swimsuits are allowed.

Sauna guide: You can spend an afternoon hopping between 11 saunas and therapy rooms, each with their own theme and health benefits: a calming crystal salt room, anti-aging gold sauna, purifying charcoal, and beyond. It's not unusual to find fellow spa-goers sleeping, meditating, or reading books inside.

• My favorite: the intense Bul Han Jing Mak Dome, an ancient style of Korean sauna heated to 390F to sweat out toxins (one visitor referred to it as "the pizza oven"). Take a plunge in the frigid ice room after.

Food and drink: The cafeteria serves a large, fairly pricey menu of Korean, Japanese, and American dishes (spa hoagies, anyone?). Stick with Korean dishes like kimchi-tofu stew, bibimbap, and decadent shaved fruit ice.

Pro tips: Visit off hours — early morning or weekdays — as the place can get crowded, especially saunas that have capacity limits. Also bring a book if you want to relax all day.

The bottom line: It's a fun experience, and I'd go back for the steamy outdoor hydrotherapy pools alone (they're surprisingly uncrowded in winter). The environment feels inclusive and body positive, whether you're comfortable in the nude pools or hanging with friends and family outside.