The Higher Calling Behind Balboa Oasis Spa

Balboa Oasis Spa Founder/Owner Mary Le-Maldonado shares how she is fulfilling a lifelong dream of serving the greater community through self-care and massage at her spa in San Diego.

Mary Le-Maldonado and Trey Maldonado, a husband and wife team, have recently opened Balboa Oasis Spa in Bankers Hill, fulfilling a lifelong dream of providing massage and esthetician services to the greater community.

Mary shared why she started the spa, how their diverse team of therapists is central to their mission, plus the benefits of infrared saunas.

What was the inspiration behind opening Balboa Oasis Spa, especially during these changing times?

2020 was a stressful year for obvious reasons, but also because we moved [to San Diego] from Washington on my husband Trey's Navy orders as an active-duty Navy submariner.

Opening up a spa was something we always talked about, and once the opportunity to purchase the location of Balboa Oasis arose, we decided to take the risk and go for it. I've always had a passion for self-care and massage, but my career path was previously in the extremely stressful technology sector. My true calling was bringing happiness and relaxation to others, and decided to pursue that dream.

We wanted to create a place where people can feel normal again for at least a few hours, somewhere they can leave all the worries of modern times outside and just feel happy again.

What makes Balboa Oasis Spa different from other spas?

Our team includes people from the blind, LGBTQ, Iraq war veteran, law enforcement, and active duty military communities. The heart of our business is our employees - taking care of our employees is our number one priority.

We constantly work together to find ways to improve the experience here, such as trying new products and experimenting with new services, such as the Four Hands Massage (two therapists working on one client) and the addition of hot/cold stones for therapeutic massages.

What are Balboa Oasis Spa's signature services?

Every client, no matter the service, gets my special freshly squeezed grapefruit water to revitalize their energy and prepare them for the rest of their day. My mother, Amy, also makes homemade mango pudding (a huge hit!) and other treats for our special guests, such as those who book an Oasis Ritual, to enjoy.

Our infrared sauna has been a hit with our clients! While it has its own host of health benefits, it's also possible to add more elements of treatment to it. We infuse the towels our clients sit on inside with essential oils, provide chromatherapy options, and they're able to choose their own relaxing music. The ability to tailor the experience to the customer makes our infrared sauna vastly superior to traditional saunas.

Plus, our membership is unbeatable! For only $25 a month ($15 for the first month) clients get unlimited use of our cutting-edge Infrared Sauna, a 10% discount on all services, and use of a redeemable points system. A single session in an infrared sauna anywhere else costs more than our membership!

How does Balboa Oasis Spa give back to the greater San Diego community?

The biggest thing that sets us apart from other spas is our desire to become a part of, and impact, our community. We offer special discounts for our neighbors and regularly attend the East Village Night Market.

Recently, we officially sponsored a San Diego local and motorcycle racing champion, Jack Bakken, with hopes of helping him ascend to racing on a national level. The hope is to implant Balboa Oasis Spa into all of San Diego's communities and become a place anyone, from any walk of life, can feel comfortable.

Balboa Oasis Spa, 2121 5th Ave Suite #110, San Diego, CA 92101

Open Tuesdays-Sundays 9am-6pm

Looking for More Ways to Relax?

Explore our Events Calendar for upcoming yoga events, meditation classes and wellness workshops around San Diego. Or browse all of our Wellbeing articles for the latest wellness news and trends!