The NOW Massage South Lamar — Attraction in Austin

Edit:* The manager saw my review and contacted me. She offered a complimentary massage for the same day and time of my previous cancelation and I had a really good experience with Vine. He is divine and I am no longer in pain. Even tho the initial communication with the front desk wasn’t ideal, management made it right. Thanks. Book with Vine and save yourself a headache ;) —-

It used to be okay, but I wouldn’t recommend any longer. 2 days ago, I had the worst massage of my life! I tried to communicate multiple times with the therapist to adjust style, but after 25 min I told him we need to just stop. Keep in mind, I have been booking the “healer” since 2019 in multiple locations when traveling (LA, Santa Monica, Austin Miami etc), so I have a good understanding of how a massage should feel, specially this signature one. The massage was truly awful and I regret waiting 25 min to quit because The NOW asked me to pay $65 for my 25 min fail massage, which felt awful as I verbally told them this was the worst massage ever and tried to adjust with the therapist!

I tried giving another opportunity and rebooked for another day with a different massage therapist. First they texted me asking to change appt times, which I said ok, and today 2 hours before my appointment they texted me canceling. Waste of my time and money, specially as a mother who needs to book childcare and organize a whole schedule to be able to create those moments for myself. Book...

Yeah. No. Paid for a "stretch" massage which consisted of pushing my knees to my chest and while lying face down holding each of my arms above my head. That's it. That may sound like an embellishment but I kid you not. Also the masseus sat down in a little rolling stool (its fine if they're not but they met me in the lobby prior to the massage and were clearly able bodied) which had two negative consequences. 1. It's very difficult to generate pressure while sitting on a stool so even after asking them to apply more pressure, it just felt like they were pushing my skin around and 2. I could feel their breath on my face and head and neck each time they exhaled because again, they were sitting down on a little rolling stool so their face was basically parallel with mine. Bizarre technique. The entire place is, a well decorated front lobby with one big room in the back. They stuffed about 10 massage tables back there, separated only by a bed sheet which has the effect of making it sound like people are constantly entering and exiting your "room" which feels great and not creepy. There's gotta be a better place than this, especially at these price points.

Thanks for the reply. Aaliyah emailed me and I reinforced to her exactly what I wrote in my review above. Also lol @ "we take this seriously NOW and always " maybe don't use a pun on your name if you want me to take...

The pictures for this place are deceiving and I had a pretty horrible experience here. The front desk ladies should have been a tip off this was going to be a weird experience. I got there early. I had never been and they told me to come 15 minutes early. The ladies are just chatting with me but they asked very pointed questions to the point I was like golly you couldn’t ask that in an interview- When they take you back for your massage you are on a large central room where everyone is being massaged and there is just a system of curtains and sound machines so the “rooms” feel private. I have allergies and confessed to being allergic to sunflower seeds so even after they have me undress and lay on the table she comes back and tells me she can’t do the massage because all they have are sunflower oil products which is also kinda weird for crunchy south Austin. I cried. I had really decided this was a way I was going to spoil myself and then they tell me I am liability. Then when I left they didn’t try to rebook me and no one reached out after. Really...