The Hot Stone Massage & Facial Spa — Local services in Alexandria

UPDATE to previous:

THIS PLACE IS SO AMAZING. Honestly would give more than 5 stars if I could.

I read some of the "bad" reviews and wanted to reply directly to them because I can't emphasize enough how this is the best massage of my life.

To give detail on my most recent experience: I've been stressed and haven't had a chance to get a massage. I also have an extremely high pain tolerance and expect a deep tissue to be deep and sometimes uncomfortable, but they made sure to frequently ask if they were applying too much pressure or hurting me. They saw how tight my back was and I explained the pain I've been experiencing and they recommended they incorporate parts of a medical massage into my 90 minute deep tissue massage. They went into descriptive detail on which parts of my back need the most help and where they were applying pressure to help me with my headaches, shoulder pains, and lower back issues - as in naming the bones and muscles they were focusing on. I'm in constant pain for my lower back, or I should say, WAS in constant pain before going here. I am going back soon because they recommended I have multiple sessions to work on my back - because it was in that terrible of condition and I 100% believe them because my pain went from a constant 6 or 7 in my lower back to not hurting at all. They absolutely know what they're doing.

The building they're in is old, so for the review that questioned cleanliness, I think they were surprised by the building versus a high-end spa location. I've visited four times now, and have NEVER felt cleanliness was a problem.

They recommend cash because there's a fee for credit cards - so when they keep recommending cash, they do that to SAVE you from the fee. It's not bizarre, many places charge a processing fee for credit cards. So to save (I think it was 3% or $3), bring cash instead.

Seriously, schedule ASAP. They know what they're doing, they're able to provide detail on your back, help you with your problem areas, and are very professional, kind, and caring. Hot Stone Massage is a hidden gem of Alexandria. Amazing. Can't emphasize that enough. Working from home and not using a good office chair has ruined my back. I filled out the form they provided and given my problem areas, they chose the best massage option for me, which I appreciated. In just an hour, I felt like a whole new person. When you choose the deep massage, prepare yourself that it's not always going to be the most enjoyable...but the few moments of discomfort was 500% worth it. I can't wait to go back. Also - they are totally affordable! The building is old, but they made their space nice and relaxing.

Business was extremely clean as well. I felt comfortable getting a massage there in the middle of a pandemic as it's clear they follow all protocols they can while maintaining...

CRITICAL:

Where do I even begin!!!!

The receptionist pressured me repeatedly to bring cash and reminded me 3 times to bring cash which was very odd to me. She didn’t even give me a chance to speak!! I’m not sure if they are not reporting their income to the IRS or using this tactic to avoid paying payroll taxes but I should be able to pay and tip with my credit card as I do everywhere else I shop. The receptionist never inquired about the type of massage or if I preferred a male or female therapist. So of course I get there and there are 5 men standing around in all black unable to communicate with me in English and staring at me like I didn’t belong there. I asked for a female therapist and was pressured to allow a male therapist instead to massage me, then was later told that a female therapist was in route. 35 minutes later the female therapist (who I believe is the admin or receptionist I spoke to) came in and she was clearly very frustrated and told me this was my mistake for not asking the receptionist to have a female masseuse provide my service. I explained to her that I was unable to get a word in as I felt rushed trying to make the appointment. This was an incredibly uncomfortable experience. She then SHOVED HER ELBOW IN MY NECK AND PROCEEDED TO PLACE HER FULL BODY WEIGHT ON MY BACK AND SHOULDERS. I explained to her that this was too much pressure and she responded saying (You said deep tissue and this is deep tissue) I was never asked if I wanted deep tissue and was so stunned I couldn’t even respond. I actually can’t believe I business like this is able to operate in Northern Virginia in 2022.

THIS WAS THE MOST NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE IVE I’VE EVER HAD IN MY Life!!!!

I paid and was immediately pressured to tip while the therapist explained that they really depend on tips because the owner either doesn’t pay them at all or under pays them. I hope the poor people who work there are able to find jobs that they can actually perform. Nothing against the staff personally, much like the rest of the working public they are just trying to make it, but these men and ONE woman clearly have had ZERO PROFESSIONAL TRAINING in this field.

I’m sure this review will be buried by fake reviews soon or disputed and possibly deleted. But I hope and pray I am able to save just one person from having to go through this.

PLEASE DO NOT BOOK ANYTHING AT THIS...

I went to this place for the first time this past weekend and it was a horrible experience. My husband knows I enjoy getting massages, especially the hot stone one and I’m usually so relaxed I fall asleep during the massage. So he booked us couple massages. Unfortunately this was my worst massage by far. We were not asked about the specific types of massages we wanted, problem areas or if we preferred a male or female masseuse. So a man and woman entered the room to begin the massages after we were on the table. The gentleman who later found out was named, Joe did my husband and the “wrestle mania” woman named, Jessica did me. They did not light any candles or use any oils that smelled eucalyptus oil or anything. Also my backside was exposed during portions of the massage and u wasn’t asked if I would be comfortable with that considering there was a male masseuse in the room. This woman was the worst! She was so rough that I had to tell her she was being too hard to which she replied: you want hard or medium” I said medium because this was not comfortable. She said ok. Then proceeded a little lighter but then again, within five minutes she was pressing her elbow into my shoulder blades with all of her body weight. Again I told her that was too much pressure, to which she replied “ too hard..? …ok”. Finally she moved on to some warm massage oil and stones which was better for a moment. Then on to my legs where her strong manly hands dug painfully into each leg. In total I had to tell her four times I was uncomfortable which is unacceptable. After the massage was over, my husband expressed how sorry he was about my experience. He paid and tipped while I looked for a manager to share my experience. Since she wasn’t around I made sure ask for both of their names before we left. Overall communication was poor, knowledgeable of massages and human anatomy wasn’t there along with any empathy or compassion for what the client’s comfort levels are. I would not recommend this place or ever return there due to my horrible...