Sanctuary On 2nd — Local services in Philadelphia

The Sanctuary on 2nd is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Walking into it for the first time, I felt more like I was in a Victorian curiosities shoppe than a spa, which honestly put me completely at ease because of who I am. The entire time I was there, I felt safe, supported, and treated with care and respect. Meghan (who I will review individually) is a true healer and elevated my experience beyond a normal massage day. My girlfriend was there that day and I believe had Doireann, who was just as fantastic.

There are some really special pieces to this parlor, and I don't want to share them all because some of it is a great surprise. Overall, though, I felt that consent, health, comfort, and holistic wellness were highly valued and respected.

I recommend Sanctuary on 2nd for anyone who has had bad previous experiences with massage and wants to try again in a safer space where they will be respected, LGBTQ+ clients, and anyone who wants to have a spa experience in an alternative setting that actually does somehow manage to pull together vintage goth and day spa into a cohesive environment. I am not local to Philly, but I am going to make it a point to try and schedule time here whenever I visit.

Tips for when you go: Have a vague idea of the type of work you would like done: relaxation, muscle/injury work, energy healing, etc. Engage in the pre-session conversation, and don't be afraid to make requests or suggestions to make your experience what you want it to be. Take your time at the end getting up and let yourself relax. Think about some of your favorite fragrances (no reason

I had such an amazing massage experience here at Sanctuary On 2nd with Daniel F. Booking and scheduling the session was really easy and I appreciated having Samantha reach out to confirm the appointment, as well. I feel like a new person after the massage session with Daniel and I really appreciated not only his work, but his welcoming and calming personality. In conversation, I learned that Daniel worked in hospitality prior to his massage therapy career, and it clearly shows. Daniel made the session comfortable, relaxing, and easily answered any and all questions I had about knots, tension, massage in general, etc, and it was easy to communicate with him when I needed less or more pressure.

Thank you so much, Daniel F. and the Sanctuary On 2nd team! I’m going to rebook my next session as soon as I submit this review. I would definitely recommend anyone...

Terrific experience at Sanctuary on 2nd, which is a welcoming, friendly, and soothing environment in an old Philadelphia row home. Came for a couple's massage and were welcomed by our massage therapists, Meghan and Danielle, who chatted with us each individually to assess problem area(s) and set a roadmap for how they would be addressed in this session and gave us time to settle. Periodically throughout the massage, they checked in to make sure we were comfortable (e.g., temperature, lighting, and sound) and that the pressure was enough/not too much. As others have noted, we appreciated that the appointment clock starts when the massage begins, which allows you to chat before/after without feeling rushed.

Second session was an individual massage with Wren: all massage therapists have been terrific to work with!

Already have my next few...