I received a Valpak coupon for this place which advertised "One hour full body massage for $25". Too good to be true, right? Well, it was definitely worth a try, especially since it was about 2 miles from my house, in a very easy to get to, central location. And hello? It's $25 for an hour.
First off, you will be tempted to judge this book by its cover, as the front of the building looks kinda seedy, and you have to ring a doorbell to get let in. But once inside, the decor and ambiance is that of any average massage place. Asian fusion decor, the traditional relaxation soundtrack in the background. This place is very non-conventional, however. The front lobby is separated from the massage room by a few screens, and from what I can tell there arent any private rooms (though I could be wrong about this).
Now, the massage room: not what you would expect. But that's not a bad thing. There are about 8 plush reclining massage chairs, all in the same room. You do not disrobe at all, so I would suggest wearing a tank top and shorts, anything to expose as much skin as possible (although they will roll up your sleeves and/or pant legs). You start off laying on your back, covered with a towel, with your bare feet soaking in warm water. What commenced was an invigorating face/head/shoulder massage followed by arms and legs rub down. I figured this would be the extent of it, and for $25/hour, I was perfectly content with that. But lo and behold, that plushy massage chair was also a massage table, complete with the face cradle and everything. After being asked to flip over, the massage continued: neck, head, back, legs, feet, everything. It was all good.
Here's where they lose one star - I'm not sure what licensing the massage therapist are required to have (if any), as sometimes I questioned some of his "techniques", but that doesnt mean I'm complaining...just sometimes it was odd. I couldnt tell if he was inexperience, or lazy/bored, but again, it didnt amount to a bad experience, just a "hmm?" moment.
The entire massage was on par, if not better, than a REALLY good "boyfriend massage". You know, the one where he screws up so royally that the only way you'll forgive him is if he gives you a full body, no strings attached, rub-like-your-life-depends-on-it massage.
All in all, this place is a must-try. I'm not sure if this $25/hour full body massage is just a promotional thing, but take advantage of it while you can. It's more than worth it. I mean, $25?! I spent more on dinner afterwards. Oh, and they send you off with a cold bottle of water! A lot of the trendy upscale salons I've been to have only offered a complimentary plastic cup from their water cooler. read more