Dedicated my last day in Vegas to the spa and started with trying out a pedi at @GarraLasVegas This spot was a lot more fun & low-key than I expected & the fish were as good at their job as they are said to be. The customer service was worth mentioning; The girls who work the spa inject their fun & youthfulness into the business as they prep and inform you about everything you need & want to know. Not only are they kind, but incredibly informed about their job.
The spa is located inside a mall, so their music is blasting and there’s always a few people walking by the windows, so you can people watch, if you’re into that 🤷🏽♀️. It’s a true mall, so parking is plentiful and the spa itself is actually really easy to find. The blue water colors mixed with fluorescent lighting make it feel more like a relaxing party than a true spa, but it really helps combat the giggles you’re bound to have if it’s your first time. It doesn’t hurt at all, but it can be incredibly ticklish. It took me a good 10 minutes to stop laughing and uncurl my toes 😂
Garra are tiny fish which typically clean algae off of rocks & big fish. These fish are used to apply the same cleaning process to human skin. As soon as you put your feet in the water, the tiny fish swarm and attach themselves to your skin. There is a bit of controversy on the cleanliness of the procedure, as well as the treatment of the fish. After a bit of reading, I found there is an argument that spa utensils should be discarded & the fish being reused is unhealthy, but there’s no evidence of that. At Garra Las Vegas, your feet and legs are wiped down before you are exposed to the fish. Other critics claim that the fish are starved and then fed human flesh. Still, the young lady at the spa told us that the fish aren’t actually eating the skin, rather chewing it off if you. I’m not sure how true that is, but I did believe her when she said the fish are fed nightly & live for about 5 years. What I can attest to is that the fish were not “working” the entire time; it looked like there was a seating system in place to give the fish breaks between clients. The place was not packed, so it was perfect for social distancing. I got a reservation, but I think you can also just walk up.
My feet were, in fact, super smooth after the treatment. We were told that the fish leaves a chemical similar to aloe on your feet, helping to moisturize. Having this foot treatment right before a full body massage was perfect. I didn’t disturb my massage wondering if the masseuse could feel my corns 😂 The fish were able to get all in between my toes by the end of the session & it was all worth it.
I found this deal on Groupon so it was really affordable. If you’ve never used Groupon, feel free to use my code.
If you’ve tried a garra pedi before, plan on visiting Garra Las Vegas or have any other questions, please leave a note in the comments or slide in my DMs on Insta!
Happy Travels!
EllaThought 