Here’s How 24-Hour Spa Actually Work in China
If you’re traveling in China or living here for a bit, one of the most interesting local trends you’ll hear about is the 24-hour spa (洗浴中心 or 汤泉). But for first-timers it can be confusing because it’s far more than a Western spa or sauna. Prices are usually around RMB 200–400, depending on how long you stay and whether you order extra services like food, drinks, or massages.
Here’s how a typical 24h spa works:
you will get a wristband that acts like a digital wallet when entering, which you use for food, drinks, massages, or any add-ons, and you settle the balance when you leave.
Then you store all your clothes and personal items in the locker. From there, you walk into the bath area, where everyone showers and cleans up before soaking. The hot pools are gender-separated and usually nude, similar to traditional bathhouses in Japan or Korea. Phones are not allowed in this section because everyone is bathing.
There are shower stations and optional spa treatments if you want a scrub or massage. After soaking and bathing, you head back to the changing space and put on the spa’s robe or lounge clothes. After that, you’re completely free to explore. The spa has multiple zones, and you can wander between them at any time:
- Big movie screens inside the hot spring area
- Quiet reading corners
- Board game rooms
- Cafeteria or snack bar
- Capsule-style nap or sleeping areas
You can dip into hot pools, sit in saunas, grab a late-night meal, play games with friends, or nap for a few hours. Many people spend the night because housing in big Chinese cities is compact, nightlife goes late, and the spa is cheaper than a hotel.
I also compared two of the most popular 24-hour spas in Chongqing in a longer here: https://www.240hoursinchina.com/en-us/guide/24hour-spa
It’s a really fun cultural experience and way more social than spas elsewhere. I’m curious — has anyone tried something similar in Japan, Korea, or Southeast Asia? Would a 24-hour spa become popular where you live?
Posted Dec 9, 2025, 9:36 AM UTC