Spa Castle is more Dr. Seuss-inspired water park than urban day spa but coveted nonetheless.

The young hipsterati have recently discovered this unlikely paradise, but the traditional customers at Spa Castle are as old-school as they come. Tucked away in gritty College Point, Queens, about a 30 minute drive from Manhattan (there’s also shuttle bus service from the 7 subway stop), this local version of jimjilbang, the traditional Korean 24-hour bathhouse where families soak, steam, dine and even nap together is a five-story, 60,000-square-foot “spa and water park” that almost defies description.

Pools for soaking, swimming, bathing and relaxing shimmer from the many rooms and corners of this bustling hive. There are nude and clothed areas, depending on your comfort level, and visitors span the age range from infants to elders. What else? Saunas lined in (real) gold, jade, and salt, an Iceland room with pipes covered in frost and a light dusting of snow. Beds in the buffet area. Heated floors for napping.

Add to this heady mix a seemingly endless menu of spa treatments ranging from standard to exotic to whimsical and a daily price of only $35 and up and it’s a wonder this gem of a spa took so long to be “discovered.” Snacks and meals–everything from Starbucks to Korean noodles–are available in the food court around the clock. A la carte items–from food to spa services–are tallied on an electronic wristband you receive on arrival. Lest you think anything might be missing from this paradise, there’s a full bar and a hip top-floor lounge.

Spa Castle
130-10 11th Avenue, College Point, Queens
718-939-6300
http://www.nyspacastle.com/