Soothe On Demand Massage
Thanks to parents who were world travelers even before I was born, by the time I was 12 years old, I was well acquainted with hotels and spas. One of the best aspects of all the traveling was getting to indulge in massages at the hotel spas.
Massages used to be a service reserved for the wealthy, despite its myriad of proven health benefits. Thankfully, through the decades, it is a service that has grown far more ubiquitous, no longer reserved for high end hotel spas. From stand alone spas to massage parlors to freelance therapists, today, massage is a normal part of many people’s lives.
Whether you’re a hardcore athlete, an avid gym patron, a dancer, an expectant mother, dealing with extreme stress, an elder with aches and pains, massage can offer a huge range of relief. The traditional Swedish massage is fantastic for relieving stress, tension headaches and soreness from regular workouts.
Deep tissue massage on the other hand, works out (as its name suggests) deeper knots and issues. It can even have “releasing” effects that cause flu-like symptoms the next couple of days post massage, which in essence is simply your body ridding itself of toxins thanks to the massage.
Whatever your ailment is, there’s a massage that can make it better.
The question for me over recent years has been who, where and how much. Sometimes we can’t or don’t want to spend upwards of US $200 to get a 1 hour massage at a reputable hotel. Alternatives to that? The aforementioned standalone spas or massage parlors, neither of which are great choices. The great standalone spas charge fairly comparable prices to the hotel spas whereas massage “parlors” always seemed to be some sleazy front to a brothel in hiding.
The final choice used to be looking online (or way back in the day before internet existed, in the yellow pages!!) for a freelance therapist. Whether it’s Craigslist or AngiesList, I was always deeply uncomfortable picking out some random massage therapist. How could we know the person was truly a certified and qualified masseuse who wouldn’t end up mangling my body? How could we know it wasn’t some deranged murderer or robber looking for victims? There were always too many red flags to consider a freelancer a viable option. I’m sure there are great freelancers out there but I just don’t feel comfortable taking that risk.
Enter Soothe. In 2013, Soothe came into existence, solving all the above aforementioned problems for vetting a professional massage therapist, on top of providing a slew of other highly valuable offerings. Like many other on-demand companies, Soothe allows customers to book via an easy to use app. You can book a therapist to come to wherever you are– home, office, hotel, within as little as 1 hour. Therapists are available from 8 a.m. to midnight every day. Currently Soothe is in 45 cities across the US, Canada, Australia and the U.K. with new cities being added routinely.
Here are a few key facts about what makes Soothe the best choice for massage:
- All therapists are interviewed by Soothe in person.
- All therapists are fully licensed and insured in each state they practice in.
- All therapists pass a government background check.
- You get to choose the gender of your therapist.
- If you’ve had a massage with a therapist you really like, you can continue to book him/her in future appointments (providing they are available at the time you desire).
- Therapists bring their own sturdy portable massage tables to you, including all clean sheets and any other necessary equipment. If you prefer using your own sheets, you can hand it to your therapist to use during your session.
- You can cancel your appointment up to 1 hour prior with zero penalty.
- The pricing model already includes tipping so NO WORRYING about cash on hand for tips or calculating how much to tip. It’s all in one done.
- Speaking of pricing, it’s a lot more affordable than Hotel Spas (which I’m still a fan of for special occasions). US $99 for 1 hour, $139 for 1.5 hours and $169 for 2 hours. That’s at least 50% less than high end spas.
- Did I mention- they come to you?! No hassle of driving to anywhere and finding parking. In the comfort of your own location choice.
- Couples massage is also available, or switch it up to a friends massage for best friends day or bachelor/bachelorette parties. Maybe even mother daughter or father son pampering day. Lots of possibilities here and so much more convenient!
The therapists are incredibly professional and considerate of what you need and want. I’m not much into talking during massage as it’s my time to zone out and relax. My therapist understood that clearly and only spoke to make sure the pressure was as I wanted it. I’m sure for those of you who enjoy a good yakking session during treatment, your therapist will be glad to engage in friendly conversation.
With how convenient, professional and more affordable Soothe has made getting a massage, we no longer have to live with lingering aches and tense shoulders for longer than it takes to book a massage and have that therapist come to your door.