Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa — Attraction in East Marlborough Township

For my first time, my response to the therapist and receptionist after using one of my friend's sessions (since I was searching for an athletic massage therapist) was okay. It wasn’t good, great, or bad, just okay, though I was not impressed with the service.

Here's how it went: The storefront looked great, and the products were nicely set up using Dermalogica (not the best to offer, so why not try using advanced or medical-grade products that are actually worth selling? Dermalogica feels watered down). Anyway, off-topic— the front was nice, clean, and smelled good. The person at the front desk knew what she was doing, was polite, and dressed professionally. The paperwork or chart was normal, like any other place (but that becomes an issue later).

A few minutes later, I got called up for my service. I went to my room with the massage therapist, and here’s what caught my attention: She asked if I had any medical problems, which I had clearly written down, so I had to repeat myself. Another thing that stood out was when she asked what I wanted her to focus on; my left quad and traps, and I had written down "extra firm work" as requested by the paperwork. In my head, I was wondering if they even bothered to read the chart or repeat what I wrote down. Obviously, not. So, not a great start; she didn’t read the chart. She did mention that deep firm pressure would be an extra $15. Okay, no big deal. Moving on to the table: The setup was private, clean, and zen. The business structure seemed organized, so let’s move on to the hands-on work.

When she was touching my back, I could already tell she lacked an understanding of why I wanted my traps focused on. Sure, my rhomboids were tight, which she pressed firmly, but she didn’t actually analyze the issue. The hands are the first to feel what the body is going through, and every muscle should be considered for that reason. The traps pull tension behind the neck that can cause headaches (which I had noted on my chart), but other muscles can also create tension in the traps without realizing the cause of the headaches. When she did the full-body massage, it was disappointing. The only firm work I received was on my rhomboids and calves. Did I get my left quads worked on? No. It was a gentle massage on my kneecap—um, no, the quads are a large muscle group. They probably got 30 seconds of attention. Did she work my arms firmly? Nope. My triceps, biceps, forearms, hands, and shoulders were only given gentle strokes. She never bothered with any firm pressure. The same goes for the soles of my feet. The crazy part is that she massaged the top part of my feet, but the bottom of our feet are used every day, almost 12 hours a day. The arches and toes do the most work in the body.

Lastly, the neck massage. This is where I was utterly disappointed. Massaging the neck is essential, especially since the neck has three motion planes it moves in: rotation, flexion (side bending), and extension. She only rotated it and massaged the sides. That really blew my mind. Neck massage, including flexion and extension, helps release tension, and if there’s stiffness that needs care, it deserves attention. After that, the session ended, and I didn’t feel great, good, or bad. It was just time wasted, and the additional $15 was wasted too.

Now, this is a franchise, so the goal is quantity over profit, but quality is where they fall short—along with education. Being certified as a massage therapist means nothing. Being licensed shows you’re always eager to learn and that you know what you’re doing. This is about profit, not quality care. Remember that. It’s the same analogy as going to a fast-food chain restaurant vs. going to a local restaurant: quantity vs. quality. Since this was my first time trying out a therapist, I will continue my search. How do I know? Simple: I used to have a massage therapist who specialized in athletics back home, and he provided me with knowledge and tips, so I’m always...

This is a reputable spa with great reviews and exceptional therapists. How on earth did it get involved in a scam to attract additional therapists?

In January of this year I decided it was time to teach my technique of deep tissue massage. I was in the process of formulating my approach for a CEU course when I got a call from MPower education. An online massage therapy program looking for someone to instruct a class in Kennett Square, PA. They had teamed up with the Hand and Stone in Kennett Square to offer a certification class for future employees. Free tuition in exchange for a two year contract to work as a massage therapist. Candidates were recruited off of Indeed. Since the state of Pennsylvania does not allow online training, they had developed an in person curriculum.

I agreed to instruct the hands on portion of the curriculum and someone else would cover the lecture portion. The class was to be held in a space on the second level above the spa. It would be four nights a week starting in mid-February and ending in December. This was a considerable commitment, but provided more time to impart my knowledge on the students. I would be teaching Monday and Wednesday evenings.

The first problem we encountered was there was no second floor at the spa. We had to find another location. The school had us relocate to the Comfort Inn and Suites in Glenn Mills. Educational support was non existent from the beginning, internet access marginal and the school offered no supplies. We requested massage tables on several occasions and requests were ignored. We got by with four tables. Fortunately I had one, the other instructor brought in two and one was provided by a student.

I had till mid-June to prepare these students for their clinicals. An opportunity for them to provide bodywork to the public in order to develop their skills as future massage therapists. This was unusual. Most massage therapy curriculums put this at the end of the program as a culmination of knowledge and meaningful Segway to their professional career.

Our clinicals were a success with many of the volunteers rebooking. The reviews were great. People received good therapy and the students acquired good skills and confidence.

We were a few days away from completing our clinicals when an email arrived. Our program had lost its funding. The school was closed July 18th, 2024. Students were told they would be getting a transcript and be able to finish their coursework elsewhere. Since then it has become clear this is questionable. MPower was not an approved program by the states education department and any transcript with the MPower seal is...

Never got the massage. I went their to relax and anticipated great service. Instead, the person servicing me (MELISSA) refused to give me a massage. My simple request was she wear a mask while massaging only my face area (I'm a senior who has never had Covid. Covid is currently on the rise. I have no intention of being a statistic). She flat out refused. I traveled more than 20 miles to get to this place. A waste of gas and my time. While speaking with the service person at their desk, MELISSA comes to the front desk area and proceeds complaining to me about her refusal of the simple task. I asked her not to continue this conversation with me. I came to relax not be stressed by you. She was very unprofessional and rude. Manager Adrianna was contacted and complained she was in the middle of something . The time she spent on the phone with the front desk person complaining she had no time to give me, she could have spoken with me. First impressions are...