My intention is to give this business feedback so they can improve and not normalize my experience…read more I read reviews beforehand and still wanted to give this place a shot because I don't see a scrub service often.
I made an appointment the day before, came early afternoon on a weekday a few minutes beforehand. There wasn't anyone at the front desk, but a bell on the door alerted staff to come forward. Otherwise there's also a bell on the desk you can ring to get their attention.
I booked the 60 min combo massage with scrub (This might have been the mistake). From the earliest photo of the services menu from 2023, it would be $65 + $45, but it seems prices went up and the website differs as well, so it's $70 + $50, or $120 up front. The photo menu says 20-30 minutes for the scrub, and the website doesn't give any duration, just price.
After paying, I was offered to use the restroom before finally getting to my room. I wasn't given any instructions except to start face down. So I asked, "Do I take off everything? Keep underwear on?" And they said, "Whatever you're comfortable with." I proceeded to remove everything. There was a small cabinet, but not really any counter space to put your pocket items. There was a big chair, so I put all my clothes and belongings on that. The blanket to cover yourself is thin and translucent, so you can kinda see through it.
The beginning was a dry massage with the blanket draped on your whole body. They asked what kind of pressure I like, and I told them medium. It felt mostly like elbow/forearm assessing the body for muscle tightness/knots, and that was 10 minutes or so. It was honestly just putting/holding pressure on different spots for 5 seconds each. My expectation was that after they felt around, they would do their routine and zone in on where the problem areas were. I assumed the staff knows the typical problem areas are upper back and scapula region, and that they would work to knead out knots and improve circulation again.
So after this first dry massage portion, they brought down the blanket below my buttocks and began the oil massage. I can only describe this part as unremarkable. They started at the neck with a horizontal motion from the spine outward to the sides, and worked down toward the hips, ending with a pull back motion from the hip toward the spine. I've never had a masseuse go this way because it's actually ticklish, but that's just me (nothing wrong with it, just different).
The rest was okay, but again I expected there to be more focus on those typical problem areas. I wanted them to drive those thumbs/knuckles around the scapula and upper back, but really it was just a full body rub with oil and then hot stones. Just to reinforce another review I saw, there was a time where the bell at the front rung, and it seemed like nobody was up front, so the staff working on me was finishing up her part of the routine, but ALMOST walked away to help the front desk. Luckily someone came out, but it definitely ruins the immersion and relaxation.
When I turned over, they draped a towel over my eyes and did a décolleté massage. Absolutely no scalp/facial massage, which is my favorite part T.T (Maybe it's a 90 min full body perk only? Please give more info) I was really hoping they'd go into the temples, forehead, masseter muscles, and a head scratch, but again just a body rub all on the top. I was also surprised they didn't really do the hand/finger massage, but just pulled your arms backward for a stretch. They ended with a lower back stretch (that twisting stretch).
After the massage was done, then she prepared the scrub room. She left briefly while I was still laying there, came back a couple minutes later and instructed me to use the sheet to cover myself while we walked to the back towards the scrub room. HOWEVER, there was a guest at the front at this time talking with the front desk, AND like I mentioned before, this sheet is translucent. At the very least, the staff said to wait until it was clear, but I got quite self-conscious and embarrassed. PLEASE offer a robe for this part. I shouldn't have to ask for it, and I shouldn't have to do a walk of shame where people could partially see me naked.
The scrub felt like a low effort body rub for me as well. I started face down as before. They rinse you down, and then they rub you down with that gritty product that feels like it has those beads inside. TMI, I should also share that they did indeed go into my crevices and armpits. The scrub/rinse couldn't have been longer than 15 minutes. It was probably like 30 seconds of scrubbing on each corner of the body, and a minute on each side of the torso. Then I did walk of shame again. I looked at the clock, it had been 80 minutes. I reluctantly tipped really bad. No stamp card to entice me to come back either. It might have just been better to get the 90 min full body looking back, but everything else should be noted.
