Came here last night for a deep tissue massage at 7pm. Still kind of emotional about what happened…read more I just want to warn people who came here before, maybe a few years ago, that Aurora has entirely changed. Possibly cemented by a very unrelaxing refurbishment. It's the least relaxing professional massage I've ever had.
Before, Aurora used to be lovely. Great ambiance - gentle warm lighting, neutral palettes, soft towels, warm blankets, cushy chairs for the nail bar. There used to be a double treatment room. I loved it, but stopped coming because I found a nice cheaper place very close to where I lived and because a therapist [possibly no longer there] sort of strong-armed me into trying bellabucci cups in the middle of a massage. Which was a little bit much for me.
Now, post-refurb, the reception area is very harshly lighted. The cushy nail bar chairs have been replaced by these frankly awful see through plastic things. Loud dance music was playing. Felt like I was supposed to be pre-drinking to go out clubbing. Alcohol probably would've helped. There was a selfie wall covered in the new logo, and golden framed pictures on the wall with offers and logos rather than well... pictures of something. Very black and white and gold. It felt impersonal, uncomfortable, stimulating. Definitely provoked my headache.
So I go through to the massage room. The double room has changed, I was in a single next to it, I've been the room before. It was bare - no fluffy blankets, the towels were coarser, and there were people in the double room area [or what was it] talking loudly and audibly throughout my massage, laughing, joking, and even while moving around... singing. Outside my door. No music in the room, just the distant thumping of Radio 1-esque dance music and people talking outside. Also the lighting was extremely harsh, even in the room. And it was very cold! i don't understand why it was so cold! She asks me to get ready with my face up toward the ceiling and then leaves me there for ages, so I'm sitting there, already with a headache with the lighting, covering my eyes with my arm so try and prevent the headache getting worse. No pillow either, which we got before and I get... pretty much everywhere else I've ever been.
The massage itself was fine. Cold. I was overloaded by sound and barely spoke, I was just trying to get through it for the sake of my muscles. I said my hamstrings were sore from exercise and she sort of adjusted, but not really, because I ended up yelping from the pressure and she adjusted after a chat. Later on I yelped from the back of my feet - older injury, and... she didn't even comment? I think she adjusted the pressure but. No comment. I felt really weird about it. Not even an acknowledgment that it had hurt me enough to yelp. Could have used some more pressure on my calves and my back, esp my neck/shoulder area. I tried to speak up once and she told me that she was warming up my muscles. But that didn't really seem to solve it generally.
I don't think this is a good place for massages anymore. Might be the correct vibe for other treatments like having your nails done, ears pierced, eyelashes treated, maybe for hyped up eighteen year olds wearing sunglasses or something... but not to relax.
