Sakura Massage & Spa — Attraction in Honolulu

My experience here was a train wreck from beginning to end that ultimately caused more stress than it relieved.

First, I was called 15 minutes before my appointment asking if I could take a time slot half an hour after my scheduled time. I was already nearly at the building due to the late notice so I declined, but it gave me the impression that I was inconveniencing them. Also, upon arriving at the parking structure, I was not given a parking card as the spa’s website said I would. This comes into play later.

Arriving at the 39th floor, I entered their “lobby” area where there was nobody to greet me. After a few minutes of waiting, a woman comes out, gives me a confused look, and asks if I have an appointment. After giving my name and phone number, she checks the list and double, then triple checks with me that I’m not half an hour early for my appointment. Seems that the phone call I got earlier wasn’t a request.

No matter, I was given some emergency accommodations. I was whisked away back down the elevators to another, dingier looking establishment on the first floor. It goes without saying that I did not get the 39th floor views that their website and confirmation text messages promised. Next, I was immediately confronted by the masseuse about where I parked. I was not given their parking card so I couldn’t show that, but I had parked in one of the guest stalls as the attendant told me too. However I was unable to get this point across as there was a large language barrier and neither my masseuse nor some of the other masseuses that she called in to help with this spoke English very well. Eventually, they took my word for it that my parking was taken care of.

Finally, we get to the actual massage, but it was far from relaxing. The massage was standard, if a bit mediocre…I’ve had better massages from other places within a few blocks of this building. I was wearing a mask as a precaution, which other places are fine with. However, a few minutes into my massage my masseuse said, “no mask, you can’t breath” and literally ripped the mask from my face. This was shocking, to say the least. Also, the door opened and closed at least 4 times over the course of the massage. I have no idea what was happening but it was very uncomfortable.

After that experience, it was time to pay. The masseuse held the card reader and said that they would input the tip amount rather than letting me do it myself. After naming the amount, the masseuse repeatedly “misheard” me and tried to get me to accept them punching in a tip far higher than what I said. Eventually they relented, but I later found out they charged tax on the tip amount which is not right.

Overall, this place gave me a miserable massage experience that I’m not keen on repeating. There’s no way that all of these high reviews are genuine and not fake or bought. Either that or these people have not had massages elsewhere and they think this is how it’s...

90 minute deep tissue massage. Bit long, but this is my experience. Some things to note about me: I'm in the military, I run long distance 4x a week, I'm heavy chested, and I'm socially anxious. Major back pain basically.

Confirmation/Parking: I received a text with directions on where to park/go (helpful because I'm a visual person). I also received a confirmation call, but it was hard to understand so I just said okay and that was that. The parking garage was a little difficult to navigate, but once you find the elevators it's very easy to find the suite from there. Parking does cost $3 and it's cash only. There is an ATM in the lobby if you forget. Make sure you bring the ticket with you up to suite, they'll need to stamp it.

Arrival: Once I made my way up to the suit, I was greeted by Ms. Vivian and Ms. Lisa who were both very nice. Ms. Vivian is the best person to speak to if you struggle with the language barrier. The place was clean and well organized with a calm atmosphere. I was pretty quickly taken to a room and provided with a basket to put my clothes/purse into.

The Massage: Ms. Lisa was my masseuse and she was very patient with me. The view is gorgeous and the room was small and clean. I laid down on the table and she brought me a chest pillow to use as well, which I thought was very nice. I forgot a hair tie so she put my hair up for me and then covered my body in a sheet. She asked the pressure I preferred and then got to work. I don't like being touched, so I enjoyed that she used a sheet to loosen up my body before using oil. If a part of my body wasn't being massaged, it was kept under the sheet. Whether she did it intentionally or not, I really appreciated the attention she paid to my neck, shoulders, and back because I carry a lot of tension there. During the more painful parts she could feel me tense up and would stop to ask if I was okay. I also appreciated that I was wiped down with a warm cloth to remove the excess oil.

Departure: When the Massage was done, I was left in the room to change/gather my things. Payment can be made using either cash or card. They do have a bathroom if you need and it was easy to make my way back to the car.

Critiques: The language barrier was difficult for me because of my social anxiety. I felt bad that I couldn't really understand the confirmation call or Ms. LIsa. I also didn't expect for my hair/scalp to be touched. I would've appreciated the option or having her hands washed before touching my hair, but it was still pleasant (make sure you bring a brush). Lastly, there was an odd smell that I didn't like, but I have a sensitive nose.

Overall, I would give this experience 4.5 stars. The location isn't terribly hard to find, the prices are actually great considering some other prices I've seen, the massage itself was effective, and the staff were very friendly. I definitely recommend...

tl;dr The massage was fantastic. Everything else was kind of sketch. Falls short of a luxury experience, but still an effective massage.

I saw all the 5 star reviews and booked a 120 minute deluxe couples massage using the Groupon discount on Sakura's website. They were very helpful with email and text messaging helping guide us to their office on the 39th floor of the Century Center. When we arrived, we were thrown off by the cramped and dingy nature of the waiting area and bathroom right outside the elevators. We were a little surprised by how small and cramped the waiting area was, but it wasn't a big deal. The staff had us take off our shoes to place in a cubby. They then brought out tiny warm water foot baths to soak our feet in. Mid-soak, their manager called my phone asking where I was and if I was still coming to my appointment. The front desk then called them on their phone to let them know I was in fact here. When the room was ready, the staff ushered us inside and asked if we were okay with male and female masseuses and we said we were. We were then instructed to undress and lay on the beds. The room itself was lovely with an aerial view of the city. When our masseuses entered, to our surprise, the man Kevin was assigned to me and the woman Tina to my husband. Ultimately, it didn't matter who got who. The massages and body scrub were amazing. The ambient music cut out partway through, but I didn't care. My muscles felt relaxed and my skin felt invigorated. After the session was done, we were swiftly ushered out wrapped in our sheets and told to shower in the bathroom in the waiting room. We were a bit shocked as it was dingy and there was only room for one at a time, but it was fitted with Dove body soap and small travel sized bottles of Tresseme shampoo. Afterwards, we were told to sit back in the waiting room where they asked for a cash tip and indicated the ATM. We then paid the remaining balance using a credit card and then they insisted I write a review right there using their QR code. I opened up the app and they told me their names and selected 5 stars for me. They tried to get me to stay so they could watch me enter my review, but I was so uncomfortable that we told them we had to go. The staff was short in their manner, but overall friendly. Like I mentioned, the massages were so good that it would be unjustified to leave a bad review though it is doubtful I would ever return. Overall, I give it 4 out of 5 stars because the massage was excellent and the staff (while pushy) friendly, but not 5 stars, because the environment and awkward staff interactions make it falls short of an actual luxury...