I don't know why this place has no reviews. This is definitely a hidden gem.
They give discounts for weekend visits or locals, so indicate if you live nearby. I have been enjoying Thai massage lately but I wanted to give this a try. At a lower price point, even after a very generous tip (unusual in this area), a massage may be something I can treat myself to having more regularly.
I got an hour-long session with Nina (only there weekends) and it was great! I should have sprung for the two hour, I think, because it went so quickly and it was so affordable. I considered adding an hour but it would have put me past their closing time and I didn't want to be rude.
After I entered, Nina gave me a paper that had a figure of a person so I could write in any spots to take care of. I had been having trouble with my neck for a while so I pointed that out. I was taken to a room and I took everything off except my undies, though in retrospect I probably could have taken those off as well. I think it's up to your personal comfort. Nina did a bit of massaging over the sheet and sometimes removed the sheet, depending on what she was doing. She used oil sometimes, but sparingly and I really appreciate that. Sometimes I get a massage and I have to worry about the clothes I am wearing so I can get the oil out later, or time it so I can take a shower right after. I didn't feel like I needed a shower after this.
Nina took care of my body from feet to neck, but paid particular attention to my neck and upper shoulders. Her hands are very strong, and I'm not sure how to describe this, but I guess detail-oriented? Like, she was able to identify and attend to small muscle groups that usually only get treated as large areas by other masseuses. There were times when the massage went from feeling good to feeling exquisite and delicious, which was new for me! There were times when it was bracing and heartening pain, too, which I like. I like a rowdy massage, personally, and I don't like the same kind of motion for the whole time; variety works for me. I have a hard time relaxing so I have to focus on what's being done to me and try to picture what the masseuse is doing with their hands, otherwise I will start making grocery lists or run errands in my mind. If the massage is too gentle, soft, or repetitive, I will get distracted by my own thoughts and I won't really be relaxed.
The only part I will ask to avoid next time is the hot towel, which was a little too hot for me.
The space is bigger than it looks on the outside. It's all very clean and spare and not overly scented or decorated. I thought it might be like this place I used to go to in Chinatown called Angel Feet Reflexology, or like Malai Thai, where the room is divided by curtains and you could be right next to someone (this doesn't bother me but apparently some people don't care for it). There are individual rooms here with massage tables. You can kind of hear stuff going on outside the walls but I always pop in some earphones and listen to my own music so it wasn't a big deal.
Nina's English isn't great but she is skilled and fast with Google Translate on the phone, which impressed me. We didn't talk during the session, only before and after. I got exactly an hour; some places subtract the time you spend filling out the paper at the beginning or talking and Nina didn't do that here. They take credit and cash, and I usually pay with card and tip in cash. This time I had enough cash on me so I paid for everything with cash.
I also have this weird thing where I have always wanted to have a massage later in the evening so I can just go home and go to bed. It feels anticlimactic to get a massage and then have to go about one's errands. They are open late enough that I was able to do this! I went right home and slept like a baby. read more
