Crystal Rose Connections - Swedish Massage

Today I used my Eversave coupon for $26 for a 60 minute Swedish massage at Crystal Rose Connections in Fishers. I was able to easily schedule my massage over email, but there was no online scheduler on the website. The building that Crystal Rose Connections is located in is another rent-a-suite business building. It is a beautiful new building designed in a natural modern style with a big lobby, front desk (which no one was at), bathrooms, and a vending area.

 

 

  I easily found the Crystal Rose Connections suite, which was a single, simply decorated room. Maureen, the owner and sole massage therapist, was waiting for me. I filled out thorough medical history and and release forms. Maureen had some music playing, but she said I could pick out another CD if I wanted. She also told me that she had just moved to the building and wanted my input about if the hallway noise was too noisy (after the massage I told her I could hear people talking but it didn't bother me).

The massage Maureen gave me was average, nothing new or exciting. She used lotion to massage my back, arms, legs, sides of my rear end, scalp, and neck. Maureen also specializes in different holistic treatments, like sound therapy and crystal therapy (see her website to learn more about those), and she had lots of stones you could buy. Incorporating some other treatments might have been interesting, but unfortunately my coupon was only for a massage. Maureen's massage was a good, but not stand out. To her benefit, she is located in the nicest rent-a-suite building I have seen.


Service Quality Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5
Price: $$$ (¢ - price I actually paid)

Price Guide
¢= less than 50¢ per minute (fabulous deal!!)
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Customized Massage Therapy LLC - 90 Minute Customized Massage

 Oh, Eversave, how do I love thee? Eversave may be my favorite of the deal-a-day sites. They have about the same types of deals as Groupon or Living Social, but they give you free money much easier. You get $2 when you sign up, $2 every time you share a "save" on facebook or the like (most other places you only get money if someone buys the save through your link), and $10 if someone joins through your personalized link. They also run random other deals, like you get $10 free to use on a save within a week. Needless to say, I love this site and you should sign up, whether you want spa deals or otherwise (and, no, I don't work for Eversave, nor am I getting money off you if you join through my above link, I promise :).

Now, enough about Eversave, and on to the save I used today at Customized Massage Therapy in Zionsville. I bought a 90 minute massage for $36, which is a great deal. CMT is owned by Sarah Trueb, and I was able to easily book my service online on her very user friendly website. This was another suite massage on the lower level of a nice building. The suite was an older looking room with a curtain divider to separate the desk area from the massage table. Sarah was waiting for me when I came in. She had me fill out the most extensive medical history and release form I have ever seen for a massage.

The massage area was nicely decorated. The massage bed was heated and there was a small fountain and music playing. I have never had such a long massage before and I was interested to see if it would be too much. The only thing that I had too much of was the neck and scalp part of the massage. Sarah's technique was really good. She did some deep tissue work but it wasn't painful at all. She also did some stretching and holding of my legs and neck with some kind of sling, which was interesting. The only thing I didn't like so much was that Sarah chit chatted with me quite a bit during the massage, and I didn't have the heart to tell her to be quiet and let me relax.

The deal I got from Eversave for my massage today prompted me to add a new level to the price guide:

¢= less than 50¢ per minute (fabulous deal!!)

If you find one of these, you should snap it up. Sarah also gave me three gift certificates to give to friends for a free 30 minute massage.


Service Quality Rating:  4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating:  3 stars out of 5
Price: $$$ (¢ - price I actually paid)

Price Guide
¢= less than 50¢ per minute (fabulous deal!!)
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Massage Indy - Hand and Foot Massage

It's my last weekday before school starts. *Sniff.* So I decided to go get a massage. I bought a coupon for Massage Indy on Eversave.com. My coupon was $10 for a half hour hand and foot massage or Thai stretching, worth $25. I actually paid $7 because I got 3 free credits for signing up for Eversave. Massage Indy has an online scheduler, but it was not very user friendly so I just walked in.

Massage Indy is across from Glendale in a small strip mall. When I got there, I was the only customer there, and there were 3 people behind a sliding glass window. There was a nice-sized waiting room with a couple of children's toys. A massage therapist led me through a curtain into a big room with some recliner chairs and mats on the floor. There was low lighting and music playing. There were also some individual massage rooms off of the main room.

I was kind of interested in experiencing the Thai stretching, where you lay down and the massage therapist stretches you out. But, I chickened out and got the hand and foot massage instead. I started out in a recliner chair with my feet on an ottoman, and she started out rubbing my feet and lower legs. Then she had me lay face down on a mat and did a bit more on my feet and also my hands. The pressure was pretty light, which was good for the bottoms of my feet which can be sensitive, but I would have liked a little more pressure for my hands. Overall the massage was nothing special, but good enough. I may go back at some point to try the Thai stretching.

Service Quality Rating: 3 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Price: $

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Optimal Wellness Center - Massage

I received a birthday massage coupon in the mail from Optimal Wellness Center. This is a place that I have gone to for yoga, and they have all different kinds of wellness treatments, including:

AROMATHERAPY, BACH FLOWER REMEDIES, CHIROPRACTIC, COLD LASER THERAPY, CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY, DECOMPRESSION, DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE, EAR CANDLING, GRASTON THERAPY, GUIDED IMAGERY, HEALING TOUCH, HOMEOPATHY, KINESIOTAPING, LYMPH DRAINAGE THERAPY, MEDITATION, PILATES, REFLEXOLOGY, REIKI, SHIATSU, TRIGGER POINT MYOTHERAPY, VISCERAL MANIPULATION, YOGA

So, I don't really know what half of that stuff is, but it's a cute place and I like the idea of it. They have a yoga studio and several treatments areas and rooms, and the place is nicely painted and decorated with lots of cute little spa touches like the rocks in the bathroom sink.

My coupon was good for a one-hour massage for $39, normally a $75 value. I easily booked my massage over the phone about 2 weeks in advance. I got an email confirmation a few days before. 

When I got to the place I was greeted by three girls at the desk and my massage therapist, Dane. I filled out a medical history and release form, and was led to the massage room. The room was huge for a massage room, and even had a sauna in the corner. Like the rest of the wellness center, the room was nicely decorated, and had soothing music that was piped throughout the whole place. Dane started on my back, and also massaged my legs, arms, and shoulders. He used good pressure and a very slippery lotion that still hasn't absorbed after four hours. Overall, it was a pretty good massage, nothing super special, but thorough and consistant.

Service Quality Rating: 4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Price: $$$ - regularly charged price ($ - price I actually paid)

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

P.S. I don't know what's up with the different fonts, but I can't figure out how to fix it. :)

The Alabaster Box Massage Studio - Deep Tissue/Swedish Massage

Today I went to The Alabaster Box Massage Studio in West Carmel. I bought a groupon for this place, which allowed me to get a 60 minute Swedish or Deep Tissue massage for $35. I scheduled my massage through the online scheduler on the website, which was very convenient. When I scheduled the massage, I added a note that I would like to try the deep tissue massage, but I was afraid of very strong pressure. Kelly, the owner/sole massage therapist at Alabaster Box emailed me back right away, saying that she would work with me on the pressure.

I had a little trouble finding the place because I was looking for a sign with the establishment's name on it. Instead, I found that it was in a building full of suites that individuals rent. I had never seen this type of set-up before, but it seems like a good idea if you are an independent massage therapist and don't want to go to people's houses or work out of your own house, and don't want or can't afford a full-size store front. The building was nice, but plain. The name Alabaster Box was very fitting, since it was literally just a massage room off of the hallway. When I rounded the hallway corner, I saw the correct suite number and the door was open. The room was nicely decorated, and has the customary low lighting and soothing music. I especially liked the four swags of glittery fabric that were attached to the corners of the ceiling and came together in the middle.

Kelly greeted me and had me fill out a medical history and release form. She then asked me about what I wanted from a deep tissue massage. I said I just wanted to try something different, but I did not want to it to be too hard a pressure. Kelly talked to me for a while about the way she does Swedish versus deep tissue massages, and how she didn't feel it was right for massage therapists to charge more for doing a Swedish massage (generally lighter pressure) with some deep pressure work. She suggested a combination of the two, which was fine with me. My groupon was the same price for either one. Her long talk was a little strange, but sweet, as she was just trying to do right by me I think.

The actual massage was very good. Kelly definitely used a deeper pressure on my back and shoulders, but it didn't hurt. She used a lighter pressure on my legs and arms. Kelly also used hot towels a couple of different times which was nice. When the massage was over, Kelly gave me a bottle of water with a little thank you note and bag of Hersey's kisses attached, which was very cute. She also offered me the same deal I got on groupon for my next massage. Before I left, she gave me a hug.

Overall, I had a very good experience. Kelly definitely seemed very caring and interested in really personalizing the experience for me. She also did a very good job with the actual massage.  The combo Swedish/Deep Tissue massage that I ended up getting was a regular value of $72.50 (the average of the two types), but I only paid $35 (plus tip) since I got the groupon. These are the types of places that really benefit from groupon because I would never have known of it otherwise. I would definitely go back to this place and get a Swedish massage for the regular price of $65, although that will have to be my third visit since my second visit will be $35 again. :)

Service Quality Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Price: $$$ - regularly charged price ($ - price I actually paid)

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

ProWellness Chiropractic - Hot Stone Massage

Happy Spring Break! I have decided to kick off my Spring Break with a massage! I found another great deal for a hot stone massage on livingsocial.com at ProWellness Chiropractic in Fishers. This was a bit of a drive for me, but well worth it.

ProWellness is in a nice new-looking strip mall. The inside is designed in kind of a modern natural way, with a stone desk and a large waiting area. Since it is also a chiropractor's office, the look combined medical with spa. I was the only person there and was greeted by two ladies at the front desk. I was asked to fill out some paperwork with medical questions and given my privacy rights. My massage therapist Heather came to get me right away, and took me back through the chiropractic area to a massage room. The room was simply decorated, but had the essential components: some candles, a chair, hooks, and a mirror. Heather explained to me that they usually do 90 minute hot stone massages, and that livingsocial made a mistake and was not supposed to offer that massage at the 60 minute price (lucky me!). She said that it takes some time to lay the stones on all the different parts of your body, which is why it is normally 90 minutes, but she was going to do mainly just the massaging part and less laying to fit it into the 60 minutes that I bought, which was fine with me.

Heather left me to get undressed and I was happy to discover that the massage table was heated. When she came back in she started some soothing music, and even turned on a white noise machine to drown out the light rock station playing in the lobby. I started face up, and she massaged my face, chest, neck, arms, feet, and legs. If you haven't read my other hot stone review, a hot stone massage is where the massage therapist uses heated smooth stones to massage you, and also lays heated stones on you. She even put little stones between my toes, which I had never experienced before. I then turned over, and she laid stones on my back, and then massaged my legs, feet, and back. The massage was very good, with a nice medium pressure, and the stones were a good temperature. Heather checked in with me to make sure they weren't too hot.

I bought this massage for $49 on livingsocial.com. Thanks to their mistake, I was able to get a hot stone massage, which as I have mentioned before, is usually 1.5 times more than a regular "hands only" massage.  The usual price for the 90 minute hot stone massage is not listed on the website, but their regular massage is $70 per hour. I am estimating a 60 minute hot stone massage to be worth at least $90, so I saved $40. Yay!

Service Quality Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Price: $$$$ - approximated regularly charged price ($ - price I actually paid :)

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Foot Fitness - Foot Massage

Today I went back to a place that I reviewed on 11/7/10: Foot Fitness on 86th and Michigan. This time I got the foot massage. This place is almost identical to one of my favorite places, Foot Finesse. They have about 15 recliner chairs with ottomans set up in one room, and you keep all your clothes on for this massage. The room is dim with soothing music. The only thing I didn't like about the atmosphere was that the waiting area had a couch with several lap top computers left on the table in front of it. This is clearly the area where the massage therapists hang out when there are no customers.


When I got to Foot Fitness today, I had a 20 minute wait, which is unusual for this place. They must be gaining in popularity. Also, although Foot Fitness has a lot of chairs, there seems to be only 4 or 5 massage therapists. The receptionist gave me a bottle of water while I waited. After 20 minutes I was led back to a recliner chair which was set upright, and my feet where placed in a tub of hot water. The massage therapist started with my hands while I sat up in the chair. Then the chair was lowered back, and he massaged my head, face, and feet and legs. Finally, I turned over and he massaged my back. The quality of the massage was good, the pressure was just right. He did spend more time on my feet and legs rather than my back, which was a nice change from other massages.

This massage was a great deal at $25 for an hour, plus tip. Like I said, Foot Fitness is comparable to Foot Finesse in price and service, and I would rate them fairly equally.


Service Quality Rating: 4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Price: $

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Comfort Zone - Chair Massage

Yesterday I was out at Castleton Mall and decided to ease the stress of shopping by getting a massage! I stopped at Comfort Zone, the kiosk set up in the middle of the mall, for a chair massage. The appeal of this place is the ability to drop right in without plans and have a massage to ease your muscles after carrying around all your bags.

Comfort Zone has four massage chairs set up literally right in the middle of the mall hallway. You have a choice of 12 minutes for $12, 22 minutes for $20, or 35 minutes for $30. I chose the 22 minutes for $20. I really enjoy chair massages and don't get them very often. My massage at Comfort Zone was very good. My massage therapist massaged my head, neck, back, arms, and a little bit of my legs. The massage is Chinese acupressure, so the pressure can be pretty strong. My massage yesterday was just right. The downside of this place is of course that you are in the middle of the mall in full sight of anyone walking by, and you can hear all the mall noise. I don't mind this but some people do. They also take care to make sure your purse and bags are on or under the massage chair so you don't have to worry about anyone stealing them.

Comfort Zone is kind of fun to go to for a break when you are in the midst of a shopping trip. It is pretty economical, however now that places like Foot Finesse have started popping up, you can get a better deal there. They do have a punch card where after ten 12-minute sessions you get a free one. The massage is definitely high quality, but you are sacrificing all of the "spa experience" factor.

Service Quality Rating: 4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 0 stars out of 5
Price: $ to $$ depending on the amount of time you get

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

LaDolce Salon & Spa - Deep Conditioning Treatment & Dolce Pedicure

Happy MLK Weekend! For this long weekend I of course booked myself some spa services. I still had the rest of my LaDolce gift card to use by the end of January, so I set up my last two appointments. The services I had left were the deep conditioning treatment and the mini-mani, which I upgraded to the Dolce pedicure. I reviewed this salon and spa on September 18th, 2010, when I used my massage and facial appointments, so you can refer to that post for more details.

My first service was the deep conditioning treatment. I wouldn't normally consider this a spa treatment, but it did involve a scalp massage, so I will include it. My stylist first asked me some questions about how I wear my hair and what products I use, and then took me over to the sink. She shampooed my hair and massaged my scalp. The massage was good, but over all to soon. She then put in the deep conditioner plus an extra product for my ends. Then I sat under the dryer for 15 minutes while I read a magazine. She rinsed out the conditioner, then asked me how she should style me hair. Just for fun, I had her straighten it. If you know me, you know that I never wear my hair straight, but I decided to make the stylist work for her tip :). The blow out was mediocre, although I do have rediculously thick hair that makes it harder and more time consuming to straighten.

My second treatment was the Dolce pedicure. The "Dolce" part of the pedicure, I was told by the nail technician, was that it involved a scrub, foot mask, and anti-fungal product. The pedicure chairs were in a separate little area through a door, which made the experience more relaxing a peaceful. There was also more soothing music piped in than the music that was playing in the salon area. The pedicure chair was disappointing since it only vibrated rather than had rolling massagers. I was given a heated neck wrap that smelled pleasantly like roasted nuts and left to soak for 10 minutes. The nail tech then worked on my cuticles and heels, and used a scrub on both my feet, which she massaged in. She then massaged in a foot mask, put hot towels on my legs, and let that sit for 5 minutes. After she wiped the mask off, she massaged in lotion. If you weren't counting, that was three massages, and all very good. She then painted my toes. I thought the way the polish was presented was kind of classy. Instead of choosing from polish bottles, they had each color on a display nail. I chose a Spring-y peachy pink.

Overall, my experience was good. I especially liked the pedicure, although I don't know that I would pay the regular price to get it again. As I said, these services were two of four prescribed services that were included on a $50 gift certificate, which was a gift (see my post from 9/18/10 for the review of the other two services). The value of the deep conditioning treatment was $20 and the blowout was $30. The Dolce pedicure was a $60 value, and I had to pay a $48 upgrade for this service. So ultimately I paid $48 plus tip for $110 worth of services. Not a bad deal.

Hair Service
Service Quality Rating: 3 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Price: $$$ - normally charged price (free - what I actually paid)

Pedicure
Service Quality Rating: 4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Price: $$ - normally charged price ($ - what I actually paid)

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

A Natural Way to Recovery - Hot Stone Massage

Merry Christmas! Sorry I have not posted in a while, I have been going to my regular places and nowhere new. However, today I took advantage of a great deal that was featured on Groupon.com. A choice of one of three 60 minute massages was offered at A Natual Way to Recovery for $35. I had a choice of Swedish massage, Sports massage, or Hot Stone massage. The best deal here is the hot stone massage, because this type of massage is usually 1.5x as much cost as other types of massages. I have had one hot stone massage before, and it was amazing, so I have been waiting for a deal like this to come along.

A Natural Way to Recovery is located inside Brickhouse Fitness on W. 56th St. near Georgetown Rd. It is basically one massage room in the back of the fitness studio. When I arrived at Brickhouse, the actual fitness studio was closed, but Lori, the massage therapist came to the door. I filled out a client intake form and was taken to the back. The massage room is located through the back room that housed extra fitness equipment and cleaning supplies. This was clearly not designed to be seen by clients, and definitely detracts from the "spa experience" factor. However, the massage room itself was very nice. It was small, but nicely decorated, lit with candles, and very warm.

My massage was great, and the hot stones added the extra element to make it excellent. A hot stone massage is basically a Swedish massage, but about half the time the massage therapist has heated stones in her palms while massaging. You don't really feel the stone, but you feel heat. It is really good for relaxing the muscles. Today, Lori started with me face-up working on my arms, legs, and chest. Then I turned face-down, and she laid hot rocks over a towel along my spine and massaged my legs and back. The stones laying on your spine doesn't sound that great, but the weight and the heat were really soothing.

My massage was a $90 value ($80 massage + $10 new client intake), but I got it for $35 on Groupon.com. I think that hot stone massages are worth the extra price, however I can't really afford to pay for it, so this deal was a great option.

Service Quality Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 2 stars out of 5
Price: $$$$ - regularly charged price ($ - price I actually paid - a Christmas miracle :)

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Foot Fitness - Full Body Massage

Thanks for the extra hour, Daylight Savings Time! I used my extra hour for a massage, of course. Today I went to Foot Fitness (not to be confused with Foot Finesse) on 86th and Michigan Rd. I have been here before and gotten the 1 hour foot massage (which includes more than just a foot rub), but today I decided to try the 1 hour full body massage. This place is almost always empty, and today was no different. Foot Fitness has lots of recliner chairs with ottomans all in one room. I assumed my full body massage would be conducted on one of these chairs much like the foot massage, but I was wrong.

I was led back to a little partitioned-off area with a curtain that had a regular massage table. For the full body massage I was to take off my clothes down to underwear, like at higher end massage places. I was expecting to be in the open room with clothes on, but this was ok. The room had dim lighting and piped in muzak. The massage table was too short for me, as was the blanket covering me, and my feet hung off the end uncovered (probably not a problem for most normal-height people). There was a space heater in the room which was good because it would have been cold otherwise.

My massage therapist gave me a good massage. He started out with my back and the backs of my legs, then I turned over and he did my head, face, arms, feet, and legs. The pressure was pretty strong, but he kept checking with me to make sure it was not hurting me. My massage therapist used massage oil and also used a hot towel to wipe the oil off at the end. The towel started out hot, but was cold by the time he was finished, so getting another towel in the middle would have been nice.

The full body massage cost $55 (which is $10 more than what was listed on their website, but $55 was posted at the front desk). I had a $5 coupon which I had gotten at a previous visit, so the massage cost me $50 plus tip. My massage today was good, however it was about the same caliber as the 1 hour foot massage, but double the price. Even though the foot massage is done clothed and in a chair, I like it just as much, so next time I will probably just get the foot massage.

Service Quality Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Price: $

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

Foot Finesse - Chinese Foot Massage

Hello friends! I just went to one of my regular places, Foot Finesse on 86th St across from North Central High School. I love this place because it is very well priced for a great massage. Contrary to it's name, at Foot Finesse you get a full body massage, not just a foot massage. Foot Finesse cuts out all the frills and just gives you a quality massage.

Foot Finesse is a walk-in place, but to avoid any wait, just call the day before or even a few hours before you want your appointment. Foot Finesse has three large rooms with several massage tables in each room. The tables are actually like big recliner chairs that they lay all the way down, and put an ottoman at the end. When they lead you to your chair, you take off your shoes and roll up your pant legs, and lay face up on the chair. For the first part of the massage, your feet will be soaking in water while they massage your face, head and arms. Then, your feet are removed from the water and you get a foot and leg massage. Finally, you turn over and they massage your back, neck, and backs of your legs. The massage style is a classic Chinese reflexology massage, and can be quite strong pressure. If the pressure is too strong you can tell them to go easier. My massage today was just the right pressure.

The atmosphere at Foot Finesse is quiet and calming, with dimmed lights and candles. There is calming music playing, however every time I have gone there it has been one of the two same CDs every time. That probably just means I go there too much :) Because there are multiple people in one room, you do hear people moving around and talking a bit, but everyone makes sure to be quiet so it is not too distracting. Because you don't have your own room, the price can be lower.

Speaking of price . . . at Foot Finesse there is only one main service offered, the Chinese reflexology foot massage for $25 for one hour (their menu offers a chair massage for $25 per half hour, but I have never seen anyone getting one of these). As you can see by my price chart below, this is a very good price per minute rate. The price is low because you are not paying for a private room or all those little spa extras. Also, the massage is done with your clothes on, which some people may not like as well, but I think it is just as good. I highly recommend this place for an inexpensive but quality massage.

Service Quality Rating: 4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Price: $

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)

LaDolce Salon & Spa - Swedish Massage & Express Facial

Welcome to my first post! I got the idea for starting this blog as I was enjoying a Swedish massage at LaDolce Salon & Spa in Carmel. My very good friend and spa-buddy Natasha gave my a Sunshine Spa Promotions gift card that she had purchased for me (and herself) through her work, I think. This gift card entitled me to 4 spa services at LaDolce: an express facial, mini-mani, 30 minute massage, and hair conditioning and design, with optional upgrades. Today I chose to partake in the express facial and the massage upgraded to a 1-hour Swedish massage.

Scheduling this visit on a Saturday required about a week in advance, which is reasonable for a medium-scale spa, which I judged LaDolce to be based on the prices listed on my gift card. I arrived at the spa today at 10:30 (my original appointment was at 10:00, but they called to reschedule it, which was ok). The salon/spa is not so special looking from the outside, but was very nice inside. There was a salon up front in addition to some jewelry and other sale items, and the massage rooms and pedicure stations were in the back through a closed door. The feel of the place was trendy. I was helped within a minute, and waited for my massage therapist for about 5 minutes. I was surprised that I wasn't asked to fill out a health release form which I am normally asked to do at this type of spa.

Michelle, my massage therapist, led me back to a pretty spacious massage room. The room had all the right components: candles, piped-in calming music (although a bit too muzak for my taste), and even a shower. The massage itself was great. Michelle used hot towels before and after massaging each area, and did some over-the-sheets massaging as well, which I like because it changes up the texture on your skin. She did a good job of maneuvering the sheets and towels so that no part of me was uncovered unnecessarily, which I appreciate for temperature's sake more than for modesty. And speaking of temperature, the massage table was heated, which was nice. Michelle also did quite a bit of manual stretching of my limbs. Because it was a Swedish massage, I knew it would be a lighter touch, but it wasn't too light. A definite plus for my taste was that there was a minimum of chit-chat. I really don't like to talk during spa services because that is not calming for me.

After the massage, Michelle went right into my express facial. The facial was standard, although Michelle did use an extra scrub product even thought it was not normally part of an express facial. There was only a little consultation as far as the condition of my skin, recommended products, etc., which was fine for me. After the massage and facial, Michelle left me to get dressed. The one thing the room lacked was a mirror. If you have ever had a massage or facial before, you know that you can look an absolute mess afterwards. However, Michelle met me right as I came out and pointed me to the restroom. She also gave me a cup of water which had been spiked with fruit (a classic spa touch).

All in all, this was an excellent spa experience. But what was the damage? Well, for me this was a gift, so all I had to pay for was my massage upgrade price ($39) plus tip. But without a gift card, it would have cost $75 for the massage. The express facial isn't on their menu, but I estimate to be about a $35-40 value, as their signature facial is $75. The prices are average for this type of spa, as part of what you are paying for is the "spa experience." I do enjoy the spa experience, however I often don't like to pay for it. But, I also judge the quality of the services to be above average compared to other spas of this level I have been to. I will be back to this spa for the other services on my gift card, but other than that, I would consider this location to be a once in a while splurge (for my budget).

Service Quality Rating: 4 stars out of 5
"Spa Experience" Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Price: $$$ - normally charged price ($ - what I actually paid)

Price Guide
$ = less than $1 per minute (very budget friendly!)
$$ = about $1 per minute (reasonable)
$$$ = more than $1 per minute (an occasional treat)
$$$$ = about $1.50 per minute (only if I get a gift certificate or great coupon)
$$$$$ = more than $1.50 per minute (I'll be surprised if I ever get to go to one of these)