Sacred Paradise Spa Philly — Attraction in Philadelphia

6/2/24- Update - We received a call from the owner the next day after my review was posted. She apologized for the staff not adhering to the massage requests; explained challenges and efforts to streamline intake processes; and explained the male masseuse does have asthma. ———

Booked a power couple massage (Mon, May 27th, 2024) for my boyfriend’s birthday. Room was cute and ambiance was nice.

Concerns for consideration: Upon arriving to the spa, I had additional paperwork to complete along with my boyfriend (not an issue). HOWEVER, I specifically circled “no” to having my glutes massaged. Prior to my appointment, I also completed my intake online and specified the areas to be worked (glutes was not included for me). During the massage, my male masseuse worked on my glutes!!!

My boyfriend was verbally asked if he wanted his glutes worked on; he said yes. He reported to me that his female masseuse didn’t work on his glutes at all.

Mistakes happen; but the fact that the information was literally communicated in multiple forms, and yet not followed, is an issue.

What was far more bothersome for both of us (and questionable) was the heavy breathing/panting that was occurring from the male masseuse while doing my massage. It was relatively distracting as I found myself questioning if he was aroused?! At some point, my boyfriend shared he even looked over to see what was happening because it was a bit disconcerting.

Again, sorry to him if he has asthma or any other breathing impediment; but, something for consideration.

All in all, the massages were great. Boyfriend tipped each masseuse $5 before we debriefed our experiences; ultimately, we decided to lean on the side of the benefit of a doubt. Please, please, make said adjustments. Not doing so is super problematic (and fortunately for me, did not result in a...

Let me start off by saying that this review is nothing personal and that the owner is a very kind person who made us feel welcomed both times we came here. Only sharing the experience that my girlfriend received after coming here twice for what we thought would be a good experience but turned out to be less then satisfactory on both occasions. The first time coming here I booked an online appointment for a full body massage for my girlfriend. I originally booked with Blanca who I only found out was unavailable after the massage started. Since Blanca was unavailable, Bill was given the task to perform the service. My girlfriend specifically wanted a female massage therapist as I had mentioned to the owner that my girlfriend was not comfortable getting a massage by a man. Although Bill was communicative and attentive the massage was not worth the $95 that I had paid. My girlfriend explained that the treatment felt more like a breathing exercise and it wasn’t a full body massage. After leaving, I contacted the owner and explained to her what my girlfriends experience was and asked what could be done. I was told to come back the following week and she would get another massage done by either herself (the owner) or by Blanca. We came back and once again neither the owner nor Blanca did the massage and again the massage did not meet expectations. I would’ve preferred a refund and to not have felt like my money and our...

Disappointed with My First Prenatal Massage

I appreciated being able to book a same-day appointment and that the staff still accommodated me despite arriving 15 minutes late due to road closures from the storm.

However, the experience itself was disappointing. At check-in, I was informed that prenatal massages don’t include hands or feet due to “sensitivity”—something that was never mentioned online or in any of my confirmation emails. Though frustrated, I decided to proceed.

In the treatment room, there were no prenatal-specific accommodations—no wedge, stomach cutout, or elevated setup. I was asked to lie flat on my back with only a small bolster under my legs, which quickly became uncomfortable. After about 7 minutes, I asked to adjust. The therapist added towels to prop me up, but it only made things worse. We eventually switched to a side-lying position, which finally brought some relief.

I typically fall asleep five minutes into a massage, but it took nearly half the session before I could fully relax. For what was meant to be a restorative prenatal experience, it ultimately didn’t feel worth the cost.

That said, I shared my concerns with the staff, and they were receptive to the feedback—especially about being more transparent upfront about the limitations. For many pregnant clients with tired feet and sore hands, that information could be a...