Ancient City Massage

Recent Google reviews

• Wild&Free 1 · 5 months ago

  Cute space, kind therapist, but too many obstacles to return ~Update: woke up today with my skin painful to the touch on my back, feels like bruising. The location is charming , a clean, cozy house and the therapist herself is genuinely warm and friendly. Unfortunately, a number of issues made this a frustrating visit. When I called ahead, she wouldn't confirm whether walk-ins were welcome, so I booked an appointment for an hour later. Minor, but an odd first impression. I came in specifically needing foot and calf relief after 8 hours of driving. When I explained this, the therapist kept insisting only my right leg was the issue. I shouldn't have to convince my massage therapist where my own body hurts. The bigger problem was the linens and face cradle were heavily scented with laundry detergent and fabric softener. Hours later, my hair, skin, and clothes all still smell of it. With 1,000+ massages under my belt, I've never encountered a therapist who didn't know to keep scented products away from the face cradle. For anyone with chemical sensitivities, this is a dealbreaker and unfortunately means I can't return. The technique itself was also difficult. She dove in immediately with hard, poking pressure, no gradual warm up to prep the muscles. A skilled deep-tissue therapist builds into depth; this felt more like being jabbed. I told her multiple times it was too much and too fast. Each time, she pushed back: "This is Chinese massage, no pain, no hope!" I love deep work, but there's a real difference between therapeutic pressure and painful poking. I eventually gave up asking. She also had to stop mid-session to assist a walk-in, which for $80+ I didn't expect. To her credit, the shiatsu on my feet was quite good. I just wish more of the session had focused there, since that was my primary need. She's a kind person working hard at a physical job, and I tipped 20% reflecting that. But between the scented linens, the ongoing debate over technique, and not feeling heard, I left more frustrated than relaxed, even if my body did feel somewhat better overall.