I like trying different massage places to find someone who can really relieve my tension, but Bo Jin Massage was by far the most bizarre and uncomfortable experience I've ever had.
I found this place through social media and decided to try it. My boyfriend and I arrived on time but still had to wait. While choosing our services, I asked for a deep massage for my neck and shoulders, and my boyfriend asked for a soft, relaxing massage. The receptionist ignored our preferences and kept insisting we change, even telling my boyfriend "guys should get deep." He eventually agreed but planned to ask for lighter pressure if needed.
The room felt uncomfortable and honestly a bit creepy--like a jail cell, but we tried to keep an open mind. We were told to wait again, and our 7:00 PM appointment didn't start until around 7:30.
The massage itself for me was not bad--my masseuse did focus on the areas I requested. However, the environment completely ruined the experience. Throughout the entire session, people were constantly coming in and out of the room, speaking loudly with the male masseuse who was working on my boyfriend. There was no whispering, no relaxing music--nothing like the calm environment you'd expect at a massage place.
We were both undressed under sheets, and during the massage, the sheets were moved to expose the areas being worked on. As I was face down, I had no idea who was coming in and out of the room, but I could see bright light from the hallway, hear multiple footsteps, and hear both male and female voices talking loudly. It felt like we had absolutely no privacy.
During the massage, I also heard my boyfriend repeatedly ask his masseuse to go softer. After the session, he told me he was actually in more pain than before. He said he asked at least three times for less pressure, but the masseuse did not adjust. He also asked the therapist to focus more on his back, but most of the time was spent on his head and neck. At one point, the masseuse pulled his hair so hard that his scalp hurt. He also mentioned that his masseuse changed mid-session without any explanation.
The most shocking part of the experience happened during checkout. My boyfriend's masseuse handled our payment. Due to his poor experience, we planned to tip $10 for him and $20 for my masseuse. When we tried to pay by card, the staff kept asking how much we were going to tip, which felt very uncomfortable. While tipping is appreciated, it should be optional and based on the customer's experience.
We told them the tip amounts, but then they said their card machine wasn't working. We were told to pay via Zelle instead. We sent the full payment and showed proof to the receptionist. She then frowned and asked, "What about tip?" I asked if we could tip the masseuses individually, but she said no and told us to send everything through Zelle. We did so, although it was unclear whether the tips would actually go to the correct people.
The entire time, the receptionist was also on the phone speaking in Chinese while trying to assist us in English, which made the environment feel chaotic and unorganized.
After we finally finished paying, we went to our car. As soon as we sat down, the receptionist ran after us and said they hadn't received the Zelle payment. She appeared to be on the phone with someone verifying the payment. I showed her proof from my bank account and even allowed her to take a photo of the transaction, which included the reference number.
Despite this, she continued to stand in front of the open passenger door, preventing us from leaving. Both she and the person on the phone insisted they had not received the payment. I explained that they had my phone number, my name, and proof of the transaction, and that sometimes payments take time to process. I also told them we were already late for our dinner reservation and politely asked if we could leave.
They ignored me and continued speaking in Chinese while still blocking the door. My boyfriend also asked politely for us to leave. They then asked us to provide our ID, which made me very uncomfortable.
At that point, I firmly told them that we had already sent the payment, provided proof, and even attempted to pay by card before being told the machine wasn't working. I explained that we were late and did not feel comfortable providing ID, and asked them to let us leave or we would call the police. Only then did they finally move, and we were able to leave.
We ended up missing our dinner reservation entirely and just went home.
Overall, this was the worst massage experience I've ever had. The environment was chaotic, unprofessional, and lacked basic privacy. I will not be returning. read more