“These are young people with students’ schedules, and this is the kind of place they want to work,” says owner Randall Nelson. “We have a very special group.” Indeed, guests cite the gentle spirit of the Tea House and its employees as key reasons they return again and again. They also love the lavender aroma of the products used and retailed, sourced from the local Bonny Doon Farm. The spa’s roots go back to the late 1940s, when a Santa Cruz native known as Anne Sunlight established a traditional Japanese tea garden just off Pacific Avenue. Dressed in a kimono, Anne would serve tea to her guests while facilitating conversations on how to heal the wounds of the recent past.
Deep Tissue Massage
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In 1970, the current Tea House owners moved to Santa Cruz and into the apartment building that sits in front of the garden to this day. Eight years after they had settled in, they purchased the property from Anne and got to work clearing out the wild roses and jungle plants that had overtaken the garden. Soon enough, the bamboo grove was back, more peaceful and majestic than ever. Until midnight every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas, the spa relies on careful scheduling of its 24 part-time staffers. Given the spa’s proximity to the University of California Santa Cruz, many of those workers are college students.
Services
“A lot of our clients work high-stress jobs, and they need the relaxation of the hot tubs,” Nelson says. The private soak experience also appeals to couples and small groups up to four. Prices range from $100 to $300 for singles or couples, day or evening, with or without cedar sauna. Grateful for his loyal following, the owner still admits that from 2008 until 2012, business was hurting. “I’ll tell you honestly, we had to lend the Tea House money from my family’s resources,” he says. But spa traffic is back up and seems to have ensured the continued presence of this beloved retreat.
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The Tea House Spa is a locally owned Spa retreat since 1984 providing private hot tub rooms, sauna’s in each room and massage. Centered around a 70 year old grove of timber sized bamboo, it is an oasis of tranquility in the bustling heart of Downtown Santa Cruz, CA. The Tea House Spa offers therapeutic massage, exquisite teas worldwide, hand painted art, waterfalls , relaxation and courtesy. Escape and rejuvenate at this beautiful private spa oasis at the Tea House Spa. With beautiful botanicals and a bamboo garden, private spa rooms with fountain views, and a hot tub that melts away all your stress, you can see why this is for sure a hidden gem. Experience an amazing seasonal and complimentary tea selection to help you relax while you experience the salt purified, soothing jets.
A steady clientele, composed mostly of progressive women, kept the tea garden afloat for over ten years. Visit Santa Cruz County is a private, non-profit corporation, serving as the official visitor marketing entity for Santa Cruz County. Visit Santa Cruz County works to enhance tourism, the visitor experience, and the area economy by positioning and promoting Santa Cruz County as a year-around visitor, conference and film destination. Nestled in Santa Cruz, California, Tea House Spa offers peace and tranquility to all who walk through its doors.
Peace-Making History
Cleanse your energy with your partner in a cedar wood lined sauna and relax your muscles with amazing massages and massage therapists. “Serenity is a word we use a lot here, because it’s not something most people get enough of,” says Nelson. So, she created a bamboo sanctuary and opened a tea house where guests would be served a traditional tea service by Japanese women dressed in traditional clothing. “Local women who came to tea here were making a political statement about East-West relations,” says Nelson. He bought, and then leased, the property, which was eventually converted into a spa. And in continuation of the House’s history, complimentary tea service, which includes an extensive tea menu, is an important part of each guest’s visit.
The Tea House Spa is a locally owned retreat since 1984 providing private hot tub rooms, sauna and massage. Centered around a 50 year old grove of timber sized bamboo it is a oasis of tranquility in the bustling heart of Downtown Santa Cruz. The Tea House Spa offers therapeutic massage, exquisite teas, art, a waterfall, relaxation and courtesy.
