REVIEW · HANOI
Hanoi Spa Old Quarter : Herbal Shampoo &Head Massage 90′
Book on GetYourGuide →Operated by Hộ Kinh Doanh Bùi Huyền Trang/ Lá Spa · Bookable on GetYourGuide
A 90-minute reset starts at your scalp. This Hanoi Old Quarter spa experience centers on Dao Duoc, a traditional, drug-free head and hair care method that pairs acupressure with herbal shampoo and steam hair. The goal is simple: help you feel looser around the head, neck, and shoulders, not just clean your hair.
I especially like the way the treatment uses Thong Kinh Lac physical therapy, which is designed to help circulate blood and prevent or treat neck and shoulder muscle pain. One possible drawback to plan for: tips aren’t included, and at least one recent review flagged that staff asked for a tip afterward, which might feel uncomfortable if you hate that kind of moment.
In This Review
- Key Points You’ll Actually Care About
- Why a Head-and-Shoulder Treatment Makes Sense in Hanoi
- Getting Set Up at La Spa: Welcome Drink and a Short Foot Herbal Bath
- Dao Duoc Herbal Shampoo and Steam Hair: What the Treatment Is Aiming For
- Thong Kinh Lac: The Neck and Shoulder Physical Therapy Portion
- What the 90 Minutes Feels Like (A Rough, Real-World Flow)
- Price and Value: Is $26 a Good Deal?
- Where You Can Use Your Voucher in Hanoi (Three Convenient La Spa Options)
- What I’d Watch For Before You Book
- Who This Works Best For
- Booking Timing: When You Can Go
- Should You Book This Hanoi Spa Session?
- FAQ
- How long is the Hanoi Spa Old Quarter herbal shampoo and head massage?
- What’s included in the 90-minute treatment?
- Is there a foot herbal bath included?
- Do I need to tip?
- Is this treatment drug-free?
- What does steam hair do in this treatment?
- Where can I use the voucher?
- Is pickup included, and what are the hours?
- Is smoking allowed in the spa?
- Can I cancel for a refund?
Key Points You’ll Actually Care About

- Drug-free Dao Duoc herbal head care: Traditional approach, no medicinal drugs.
- Steam hair as part of the treatment: Used to help remove cold air (a core idea of this method).
- Acupressure massage focused on head-to-shoulders: It’s not just a quick scalp rub.
- Thong Kinh Lac physical therapy included: Aimed at neck and shoulder muscle tension.
- Comfort extras before the hair treatment: A welcome drink plus a short foot herbal bath.
Why a Head-and-Shoulder Treatment Makes Sense in Hanoi

Hanoi has a way of putting tension into your day. You walk a lot, look down at phones, ride scooters, and lean forward over meals and maps. By the time evening rolls around, the usual trouble spots show up: scalp tightness, stiff neck muscles, and shoulders that feel like they’re holding up the whole city.
This treatment targets that exact area. Instead of treating hair as a separate chore, the spa frames hair care as head health care. The mix of herbal shampoo, acupressure, and steam hair is designed to feel relaxing right away, while the included physical therapy is meant to address the muscle side of the problem.
The best part is how “practical traditional” it feels. You’re not just paying for relaxation theater. You get a structured routine meant to work on both comfort and circulation—especially in the neck and shoulder zone.
You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in Hanoi
Getting Set Up at La Spa: Welcome Drink and a Short Foot Herbal Bath

Before the head and hair work begins, the experience starts with small comfort touches. You’ll get a complimentary welcome drink, then a complimentary foot herbal bath that lasts about 10–15 minutes.
That foot bath matters more than it sounds like. When your feet feel warm and settled, your whole body tends to drop into a calmer rhythm. In a city where a lot of your energy goes into moving and navigating, that short reset is a smart lead-in to something hands-on like acupressure.
You should also plan your expectations. This is a spa session that includes washing and steam. That means you’ll leave feeling better, but you may not want to immediately go meet someone for a long day out unless you’re comfortable with hair still being damp for a short time afterward.
And yes, there’s one rule to respect: smoking isn’t allowed.
Dao Duoc Herbal Shampoo and Steam Hair: What the Treatment Is Aiming For

The core of this experience is the Dao Duoc Hair Shampoo treatment. It’s presented as a drug-free method of head health care in Vietnam, combining three elements:
- acupressure massage
- herbal shampoo
- steam hair
Why that combination? The spa uses a traditional concept that life pressure can translate into physical tightness, especially in the head, neck, and shoulder region. Steam hair is used as part of that approach to help remove cold air. It’s not “just for smell” or “just for vibes.” In this method, steam is a functional step.
The acupressure portion is where you’ll feel most of the immediate change. Acupressure typically means the therapist works pressure points along the head and surrounding areas. Even if you don’t know the point locations, your body usually does. Expect a mix of steady pressure and targeted focus that aims to ease tightness and help you feel more flexible through the upper body.
Then comes the herbal shampoo. You’re washing hair, but it’s framed as nourishing head and hair care rather than a quick rinse. If you like treatments that feel intentional and not rushed, this approach tends to land well.
Thong Kinh Lac: The Neck and Shoulder Physical Therapy Portion

This is the part that separates a “nice massage” from something more targeted. Along with the scalp and hair steps, the treatment includes traditional physical therapy called Thong Kinh Lac.
The method is described as helping circulate blood. It’s also used for preventing and treating neck and shoulder muscle pain. In other words, the therapists aren’t only working on surface relaxation. They’re aiming at the muscle tension that tends to cause the whole chain reaction: tight shoulders → stiff neck → headache-y scalp feeling.
If you’re in Hanoi with desk-neck habits, travel stiffness, or you’ve been riding a lot of scooters, you’re probably going to like this emphasis. It gives the session a “body-care” feel, not just a “spa-clean” feel.
One thing to keep in mind: this kind of physical therapy can feel more direct than a purely gentle massage. The goal is pain prevention and circulation support, so expect the therapist to work with intention, not only soft touch.
What the 90 Minutes Feels Like (A Rough, Real-World Flow)

The duration is 90 minutes for the full experience. While the exact pacing can vary by time slot, the structure is clear because the included steps are clearly listed.
Here’s the kind of sequence you can expect:
First, you settle in and start with the quick comforts: welcome drink, then the 10–15 minute foot herbal bath. This is your on-ramp.
Next, the main hair and head routine takes over. The acupressure massage happens alongside the Dao Duoc method. Then you move into herbal shampoo, followed by steam hair. In a lot of spa routines, shampoo comes first and steam is a later “add-on.” Here, steam is an actual part of the method for removing cold air, so it’s not just a finishing touch.
Finally, you’ll include the Thong Kinh Lac physical therapy work. This tends to feel most relevant if you’ve got neck and shoulder stiffness. If your upper body is already tight, you’ll likely notice the focus areas during this section.
A helpful tip from how the treatment is described: go in expecting a full hair-care process, not a quick head rub. It’s meant to feel like a treatment, not a service that you can squeeze in between two meetings.
Price and Value: Is $26 a Good Deal?

At $26 per person for a 90-minute session, this is priced in a way that feels aimed at real value. You’re not only getting massage time. You’re getting multiple components that usually cost more when separated:
- acupressure massage
- herbal shampoo
- steam hair
- traditional physical therapy (Thong Kinh Lac)
- a welcome drink
- a foot herbal bath (10–15 minutes)
So the value question becomes: do you want a treatment that’s built around a specific traditional method? If yes, the price looks fair because you’re getting a lot of “named steps” for one session.
If you only want light relaxation and don’t care about the neck/shoulder therapy focus, you might find the session more structured than you need. But the whole pitch here is head-to-shoulder care.
Also, keep this in mind: tip isn’t included. And at least one recent review mentioned tip pressure afterward. If tipping is not your style, you’ll want to decide in advance what you’re comfortable with, so you don’t get stuck in an awkward decision moment.
Where You Can Use Your Voucher in Hanoi (Three Convenient La Spa Options)

This experience can be used at three La Spa addresses in Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, which is ideal because you’re not hunting across the whole city after you’ve had a long travel day.
- Ly Quoc Su Branch: 16 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi (near Hanoi Cathedral, also known as the Big Church)
- Hang Hom Branch: 38 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi (near Hoan Kiem Lake)
- Hang Cot Branch: 65 Hang Cot, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi (in/near the Old Quarter)
If you’re staying anywhere around Hoan Kiem or you want to finish the day without traveling far, this location setup is a practical win. One choice is near the big landmarks; another is lake-close; the third keeps you in the Old Quarter zone.
What I’d Watch For Before You Book

Based on the experience description and the few review signals available, here are the main “watch-outs” to keep things smooth:
- Tip expectations: tips are not included, and one review specifically called out that the request for tip after the massage was annoying. If you dislike that, go in mentally prepared.
- This is a treatment, not just lounging: you’ll do shampoo and steam. If you hate damp hair situations, plan your timing.
- Smoking is not allowed: if you’re coming from a cigarette break, reset before you walk in.
On the positive side, staff attitude seems to land well. One verified review noted the personnel were very kind and attentive. That matters because acupressure and physical therapy are more comfortable when you feel cared for and listened to.
Who This Works Best For

This is a great fit if you:
- want neck and shoulder help, not only scalp comfort
- like traditional methods that explain their logic (drug-free Dao Duoc, steam for cold air concept, and Thong Kinh Lac for circulation)
- feel travel tension building up in your upper body
It may be less ideal if you:
- only want a very gentle, purely relaxing experience with no physical-therapy angle
- dislike the idea that hair will be shampooed and steamed as part of the main event
If you’re the type who gets headaches or stiffness from travel posture, this kind of head-to-shoulder focus is a smart way to rebalance.
Booking Timing: When You Can Go
Pickup is included, and the operating window is listed from 9:30 am to 11:00 pm. The idea is that you go directly to your nearest destinations. Since it’s a 90-minute experience, you’ll want to choose a time when you’re done with your main sightseeing block, so you can actually enjoy the afterward feeling.
Should You Book This Hanoi Spa Session?
Yes, I think you should book it if you want an actual treatment that targets head tightness plus neck and shoulder muscle tension. The Dao Duoc drug-free herbal shampoo, plus steam hair and acupressure, gives you a structured traditional routine. And the inclusion of Thong Kinh Lac physical therapy is the reason this isn’t just a “nice massage.”
Hold off if you strongly dislike tip conversations after services, since tips aren’t included and one review flagged a tip request as awkward. If that’s a concern, set your comfort level first.
Bottom line: for a price of $26 and a full 90 minutes, this is strong value when you want hands-on, head-and-shoulder care rather than a quick, generic spa stop.
FAQ
How long is the Hanoi Spa Old Quarter herbal shampoo and head massage?
The experience lasts 90 minutes.
What’s included in the 90-minute treatment?
It includes acupressure massage, herbal shampoo, steam hair, and traditional physical therapy (Thong Kinh Lac).
Is there a foot herbal bath included?
Yes. You get a complimentary foot herbal bath for about 10–15 minutes.
Do I need to tip?
Tips are not included.
Is this treatment drug-free?
The Dao Duoc hair shampoo treatment is described as drug-free.
What does steam hair do in this treatment?
Steam hair is used to help remove cold air as part of the Dao Duoc method.
Where can I use the voucher?
You can use it at three La Spa locations in Hoan Kiem: Ly Quoc Su (near Hanoi Cathedral), Hang Hom (near Hoan Kiem Lake), and Hang Cot (in/near the Old Quarter).
Is pickup included, and what are the hours?
Pickup is included. The listed operating time is 9:30 am to 11:00 pm.
Is smoking allowed in the spa?
No. Smoking isn’t allowed.
Can I cancel for a refund?
Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.































