Island Therapy — Local services in Honolulu

A Disappointing and Unstructured Massage

I recently booked a 2-hour massage for $140, expecting a relaxing and rejuvenating experience based on their impressive 4.8-star rating. Unfortunately, my session with therapist Nicole was the most uncomfortable and disjointed massage I’ve ever received.

From the start, the massage lacked any sense of structure or consistency. Nicole's technique was all over the place: she would massage my head for 10 seconds, then abruptly switch to my shoulder for another 10 seconds, before moving to my glutes for a prolonged 10 minutes. This erratic pattern continued throughout the session. At one point, she lightly massaged my right foot, walked away, touched my back for a brief moment, and then pushed down on my calf for just 5 seconds. It felt like there was no rhythm or flow, making it impossible to relax.

To make matters worse, Nicole's hands were often off me for extended periods, sometimes up to a minute. This left me wondering what she was doing and feeling increasingly anxious and uncomfortable. She seemed distracted and unattentive, and her frequent handling of the sheet—constantly flapping it for no apparent reason— and walk around the bed added to the overall awkwardness.

I was drawn to Island Therapy by their glowing reviews, but this experience left me puzzled and dissatisfied. It appears that other clients might have been luckier with their therapists. Unfortunately, my session with Nicole was far from the calming and therapeutic experience I was hoping for.

If you're considering a massage here, I strongly recommend ensuring you get a more structured and focused therapist. My experience was far from what I expected, and I left feeling more stressed than when I arrived. 2 stars is for parking and friendly...

My husband and I just moved to the area. We like having regular massages so I looked on YELP and found Island Therapy close by with many 5 stars reviews. Their prices were very reasonable. We booked a couple's massage. Derilyn was my husband's massage therapist and Debbie was my therapist. All the therapists including the owner, Maria, were very welcoming and friendly. The room was small for two massage tables, but comfortable for us. I was disappointed that the tables did not have a heat option though. My husband really enjoyed his massage with Derilyn. He told me his massage was very relaxing and that Derilyn did a wonderful job on his neck. He would like to go back. My massage with Debbie was not as relaxing as my husband's. Debbie felt I needed deeper pressure to release the tightness in my back and shoulders. I had asked for 3 out of 5 pressure level, but she said my back was so tight. She asked if she can apply more pressure. I said yes, but next time I go, I will stick with a level 3 pressure. Her handling of my body when positioning me was rougher than I'm used. The massage was painful overall. I didn't stop her because I figured maybe the deep pressure is what I needed like she said. I could tell her genuine intention was to help open up my back muscles. I don't think a deep massage is for me. Two days later and my back is still a little sore from the massage, so I honestly can't say if my back muscles loosened up. Debbie has strong hands, so if you like a really deep massage, she will get the job done. I would go back to Island Therapy because the therapists are nice and my husband enjoyed his massage, but next time, I would stick with a level 3 out...

The actual massage was great (deserves 5 stars), but the lady who gave the massage said some really hurtful things. This was my first massage and I was already nervous about it because of some side effects of a disease I have. I am really self conscious about my body because of it. But I was in a lot of pain and I convinced myself it wouldn't be an issue, that she was a professional. It was an issue. She thought she was being helpful when she told me that unless I get the problem fixed, I would never get married. That no man would want me the way I am. I did everything in my power to minimize the issue before my appointment and it still wasn't enough. Instead of being a relaxing experience I spent about 30 minutes trying not to cry as she went on and on about it. I've spent years trying to convince myself that I am worth something despite the issues I have and this experience pretty much ruined all that work. She was brutally honest. Needless to say, after this experience, I won't ever be getting a massage again.

Update: Maria called me and apologized for her employee's words. She also offered to personally give me a free massage, which I declined because I am not comfortable being that exposed again. But I wanted to update my review to let people know that I still think this would be a great place for people to get a massage. My message therapist was not trying to be rude. It was kind of like when your grandma gives you unwanted advice or is a little too blunt. I don't want them losing any business because of my situation. My experience doesn't represent the normal one at...