My experience was great. I found them through Google and was very careful to check over reviews of different places to get what I was looking for. I'm an experienced massage receiver. I have been getting them semi-regularly for about 15 years, from when I only had a few knots to having a lot of tightness and knots from long hours sitting at a computer. The regular Swedish massage really doesn't do much for me anymore so I like a good deep massage, sports massage, or an experienced Thai massage. People will 'claim' they can do deep massage but a lot of people can't or are not good at it. When you do deep massage you want someone that understands the muscles, understands about healing pain, knows how to warm you up first, and applies good pressure with elbows, arms, thumbs and fingers. This is not a spa relaxing massage, it is meant to heal the body. Sometimes that means it hurts, but that's because your muscles are tight and really need it. I was dating a deep tissue massage therapist who was second in line to massage the president so I know what a good deep tissue therapist should know and do. I was actually surprised at how good my therapist was at AustinDeep because it is much easier to find a bad or mediocre therapist than to find a good one, unfortunately. She was also very personable and nice, which I noticed there was an option to check if you wanted there to be no talking, and I left it open. After dating a massage therapist I know how boring it can be for them to have to work on someone for an hour or more, and I want them to be as comfortable as I am, so I get the best massage out of the deal, and everyone leaves the experience happy. It is hard to find a good therapist and if you're difficult or a bad tipper you run the risk of losing a good therapist. They're not your paid, personal slave. You're their client, and they work hard and put a lot of wear-and-tear on their body, so you really need to see it as a mutually beneficial exchange, otherwise, just go to some cheapie, $39 an hour massage and you'll get what you pay for.
On an aside, I've noticed Austonians are not great tippers. 15% seems to be a fairly standard tip here, for everything, though, surprisingly, some tip less. 20% is about the average for Los Angeles, maybe because so many people work in entertainment and started out in the service industry or have friends in the service industry, they understand how hard they actually work, and how much work they do even before or after you're gone, and the wear-and-tear on their body. If you can't afford the tip than you can't afford the experience. For more expensive things like a haircut or a massage, I can understand leaving a 15% tip, which is acceptable. But wouldn't you rather be one of their favorite clients or someone they look forward to working on? I know some great therapists who get tipped as much as $50 or a $100, sometimes. If a therapist doesn't like you they can not book you or opt out of your appointment and give you to someone else. They're not working for the paycheck, they're working for tips and appreciation. Some spas charge a lot and pay their therapists only 20% of the fee, so, your tip makes a difference. So, keep that in mind when you expect a lot of out them and the experience.
On another aside, I don't think it's fair of the reviewers who gave 1 star on something that was mutually their fault. Don't book a deep tissue massage if you're more into Swedish massage. The AustinDeep website was thorough in explaining what they do and the reviews also give more indication of their style. I did my research which is why I chose them out of all the other places, some that also had good reviews. And to the other review, if the website says they're booked...they probably are. Seems common sense. Obviously, the girl at the front desk made a mistake, which happens. But trying to force an opening when there is none, seems more like setting yourself up for disappointment. I looked at the website for openings but booked by phone. The girl was quick to get back to me and was very friendly and personable when I came to the spa.
Overall, after going to AustinDeep and getting what I paid for and was promised, I would be hesitant to put my care into another Austin spa.
Oh, on another aside, all the girls there were hip and cute. Not that that matters when you're getting a massage or going to a spa but I found it much more relatable than having a 200 lb woman named Olga who doesn't speak much English. If you're going to spend 60-90 minutes with someone it just makes it a more pleasant experience to be able to chat and for them to have a pleasant face and smile. read more