Nestled in the Jurong district, Joya Onsen Cafe is an onsen complex that sets out to bring a little piece of Japan’s onsen culture to Singapore. It was an interesting proposition when I first heard about it but plans to visit sat on the back burner for quite a while as I couldn’t justify paying the full prices they were quoting.
An opportunity came when I was tuning in to a Klook livestream and they dropped a promo code for $50 off activities and tours with a minimum spend off $100 using DBS cards. With this discount lowering the barrier to entry, my husband and I finally paid this place a visit!
- Inclusions:
- 90-minute access to private onsen
- Full-day access to public onsen
- Yukata rental
- Dessert set
- Spent: SGD$77.94 (for 2 pax)
We followed the instructions on our Klook voucher to make our own reservation by calling or texting the onsen’s hotline, a fairly straightforward process. On the day itself, we arrived about an hour earlier to use the public onsen, which we had access to for the full day (10.30am to 10.30pm).
Before receiving our wristband locker keys, we had to fill up a registration form as it was our first time here (repeat visitors need not do this again). The staff then asked us to remove our shoes before leading us to the back of the cafe area to collect our set of bath towels, modesty towels and yukatas (these seemed clean and hygienic). The whole time, this staff delivered her scripts robotically and then demonstrated how to wear the yukata sashes with blank eyes and a flat affect. An ice-cold welcome indeed.
Right outside the entrance to the public onsen is a dim relaxation area with a couple of lounge chairs. This space appeared makeshift and highly uninviting.
Inside the gender-segregated onsen area is one big hot bath (which basically felt like an old swimming pool) supposedly filled with tea (explaining the yellow-coloured waters), one smaller ice bath and a dry sauna. There is limited seating in the form of pool chairs and only 4 rinsing stations with a bottle of conditioner and a wall-mounted 2-in-1 shampoo and body soap dispenser each. To help keep customers hydrated, there is also a filtered water system with disposable cups provided. For details on what to wear (or not wear), check out their website FAQs here.
It’s certainly not easy to maintain an onsen facility in Singapore given the humidity levels, so I wasn’t too surprised to see patches of mould on the walls and ceilings, as well as dark stains in the tile grout at the bottom of the bath.
10 minutes prior to our time slot for the private onsen, we headed back out to the reception counter and donned some slippers as the entrance to the private onsen was located outside.
Upon entering the very compact room, my husband’s face had the look of utter disappointment (it’s actually quite hard to get such a reaction from him) and he remarked in all earnestness, “but I did this already” 😦 My sentiments exactly.
The private onsen looked pretty much the same and equally as dreary as the one in the public section, just a lot smaller. It also had a mini-sized dry sauna, a rinsing station, a filtered water system and a tiny dressing area. Without much tabletop space or any segregation whatsoever between the wet and dry areas, I was rather concerned about the ease with which our stuff could accidentally drop into the onsen. This layout really pales in comparison to our other private onsen experience at Sama Onsen.
About a minute after entering, we unanimously agreed that we wouldn’t be changing out and using the facility, but thought it strange to walk back out immediately. As such, we used our phones and lingered for about 20 minutes before returning our wristbands and signing out.
I was genuinely hoping the dessert set would be the redeeming factor after all the letdowns but unfortunately, it just added to the list of reasons why we’d never come again. Based on the misleading presentation of information on the Klook voucher, we were both supposed to get a dessert set each. However, it turned out that it was only one set for the both of us to share. The cafe staff was kind enough to add some extra items, but alas, none of it tasted good anyway.
My overall rating of the experience: 2 out of 5 stars. We wish it weren’t so, but we honestly felt that there was barely anything enticing about this place. The onsen areas had patches of mould and stains, plus its dated design resembled that of swimming pools from the ’80s. I found it difficult to relax not knowing what I was soaking or breathing in, and the yellowish hue of the waters wasn’t exactly helping. Also, many of the interior spaces felt makeshift and temporary, exuding a cheap vibe – partition walls looked flimsy and materials used appeared to be of low quality. We thought the private onsen would offer a slightly more premium experience but were sorely disappointed to learn that it was merely a private section carved out from the public onsen. There wasn’t even enough tabletop space or wall hooks to put our clothes or belongings on to ensure they wouldn’t get wet. Lastly, the dessert items were very lacklustre, tasting largely of nothing. The only positive was that the towels and yukatas, as well as the cafe area, were hygienic. In conclusion, this experience was simply not value for money, even at this discounted price. For us, a second visit is definitely out of the question unless a major refurbishment takes place (which, according to the photos on the website at the time of writing, seems to have happened).
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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