Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa — Local services in Susquehanna Township

The TL;DR version is that the staff who handle the scheduling and the checking in/out are an absolute delight, treating me as an old acquaintance from the start (something this super awkward socially anxious person very much appreciates). The four masseuses I've seen over the last 15 months or so are excellent, each with their own unique skill and technique.

Lazarus is the masseuse I've seen the longest, and he has a knack for finding knots I wasn't aware of. Like, I get hung up on the ones on the surface layers of the muscle, but then he finds the ones buried deep in my trap muscles and I wonder how I've been able to function all my life. He is also very good at adjusting pressure to the nth degree and remembering it if/when he returns to the same region later in the massage. He is funny and if you want to talk sci-fi or fantasy novels, I'm not sure there's an author Lazarus hasn't read.

Rebecca is a goddess of her craft. Her technique, to me, feels like she is trying to create a separation, or space, in joints that are being compressed or pulled slightly out of place by the overly tight muscles. My lungs are always very greatful after a massage with Rebecca because I always feel like she's put my ribs back in their proper places.

George is excellent at deep tissue (so are Lazarus and Rebecca), but George uses a method to warm up the muscles that I've literally never experienced with any other masseuse anywhere. I think he called it "skin rolling," and he said that people either love it or hate it. I could imagine how some might feel it as a pinch, but for my back muscles and the trap muscles, it feels like a gentle pull and then a release. I do some meditation during this and imagine that he's pulling the stress away from me body and when he releases it, I let it go too. It's very calming to me, and I appreciate the unique method very much.

Faith ...Normally, I would not see a masseuse with Faith's skill set, but my schedule got changed last minute and she was available. Faith is a light to medium touch specialist, and I would never ask someone with a gentle touch to wear themselves out on my rock hard knots. But I was genuinely surprised, almost to tears, at how much the gentle touch was exactly what I needed. Because I usually ask for the masseuses to target the deep tissue, the thin layer of myofacial tissue that covers ALL the muscles gets overlooked. But Faith has the kindest touch of any masseuse I've ever had, and she reminded me that I need to treat the less obvious hurts as much as the ones screaming loudly in my brain.

The most important thing about massages is talking to your massuese before and during the massage. Before the massage, tell them what you need (stress relief, specific problem areas, anything super sensitive, is there a technique you like/dislike). Then during the massage, give them feedback! Tell them if the pressure is too much or not enough, and let them know if there's a spot that could use a little more attention. The worst thing for a masseuse is to have a client leave feeling the same or worse than before...

I received a 3-month pass to Hand and Stone Massage as a Valentine’s Day gift, and my experience has been nothing short of frustrating and disappointing. It’s been a series of issues from the start, and I can confidently say I will never return.

First, when I tried to schedule my first massage, the soonest appointment I could get was nearly a month out. I finally secured one for March 11th, only to have it cancelled last minute because the employee assigned to me had to leave early that day. After waiting almost a month for this, I still didn't get the service. The next available appointment was days later, but unfortunately, I was working and couldn’t take it. This wasn’t the first time I’ve encountered issues either—back in October, I received a birthday gift card, scheduled and confirmed my appointment via email and text, and when I arrived, they had no record of it. I had to show the front desk my confirmation just to prove it.

As a registered nurse who spends most of her day on her feet, bending, lifting, and walking, I look forward to these moments to take care of my body. But Hand and Stone has made it impossible to do so. I’ve called multiple times requesting a refund, as I no longer want the pass or any services. I contacted the manager a week ago, but when she returned my call, I was working. I tried to call her back, left a message, and even sent an email—and have received no response. Today, I thought maybe I could finally schedule something and get this over with, but the first available appointment was April 24th. The employee even suggested I drive 45 minutes to their Lancaster location, which is utterly ridiculous. When I asked to speak to the manager again, I was told she was in a meeting and it would be 1-2 days before I heard back.

This company has been incredibly inconvenient and unprofessional. I’ve been to other massage spas in the area, like Elements, Riah Spa, and Inertia, and none of them require booking a month in advance, nor have I ever experienced such poor customer service. At this point, I just want a refund and will never waste my time with Hand and Stone again.

Do yourself a favor and...

Overall, I had a very nice time here! My best friend was getting married and I booked her and I two introductory massages about a month in advance as part of our bachelorette party! I had gotten a call from one of the workers a little over two weeks later, saying that one of the masseuses had terminated their employment and that they were switching my masseuse, but my bride’s masseuse was still the same. I didn’t think too much of it and, time come the appointment, both of us head inside and let them know we both have appointments. One woman proceeded to tell me that they left me a voicemail saying that my appointment was canceled and that they never heard back from me, yet the only phone call I ever received was the one that I just mentioned, but no voicemail was left because I answered the call and spoke directly to one of their associates. I did not hear a word about my appointment being canceled or having to be rescheduled. The employees were very nice and let me know that my bride’s appointment was still good, but since mine was canceled, they said they had an opening for a facial. I did end up expressing my worries of the facial because I had just gotten a spray tan the day prior and the exfoliators would most likely strip it right off. I was pretty bummed and figured I would just hang out while my friend got the massage. Another employee then kindly said that they would try to move things around and luckily they were able to, so that we were both able to get our massages! The scheduling was a little bit of a negative, but in the end, they really tried their best to fix the situation which I appreciate a lot, being in customer service. The masseuse, I believe her name was Amanda, was wonderful, and my friend had a great time as well! I do take partial responsibility as well for the mishap, because I did not confirm our appointments a few days before, so learn from my mistake! Overall, very wonderful experience and I thank the team a lot for helping to make my bride and I’s...