Excelsior Spa

Introduction

Excelsior Spa is located all over the Metro, with branches in Tomas Morato, Shaw Blvd. and Robinsons Galleria, etc. Depending on the branch, the price is around 380-400 pesos for a 60 minute massage in a common room. The price includes 1 drink, which either iced tea or orange juice, use of their steam room and shower facilities. You are requested to take a shower or steam then shower before getting your massage. You’re going to be wearing shorts and a robe that they provide for your massage. We’ve tried the spa in Tomas Morato.

Ambience

To be honest, the inside does not really look like a spa, but rather a huge locker room that leads to a small common room. There are very few beds in the common room, only 8 beds I think. It’s a very small common room so the aircon is really cold, and the lights are very dim. Nature sounds are played in the background. Despite the overly cold air-conditioning and the locker room type feel (because you are still inside the locker room technically), it’s all very cozy. It also is quite relaxing after your body gets acclimatized or just sometimes it can be hell if you have a cold, then the ac just magnifies your cold exponentially.

Quality of Service

Excelsior Spa uses a combination of Shiatsu and Swedish massage techniques. They use a good amount of oil which is surprisingly is not too greasy on the skin, which is a good thing. The masseuses are quite good and the massage is very relaxing. It’s so easy to drift off to sleep because of the soothing massage, very dim lights and cold ac. Not the best by any stretch of the imagination, but good value for the price.

The Big Apple Spa

Introduction

There have been several Big Apple Spas that have been popping up all throughout the Metro. They offer cheap massages ranging from foot to back to full body. Pricing starts at 290 pesos for a full body massage which is very cheap. They employ various styles of massage all on cubicle type rooms. We tried out the branch in SM Hypermart Tiendesitas, there are several others I think in malls.

Ambiance

Massages are done in ‘private rooms’ which is a small cubicle where there is barely enough room for the client let alone for the masseuse. The floors looked nice enough with wood like finishing. The partitions for the little cubicles are painted in white and some have a small shelf with a candle which might be considered a fire hazard being so cramped and so near the bed. The music they played was hardly acceptable for relaxation, in fact I believe that they were listening to a local radio station. But me being the sleepyhead that I am, I still managed to doze off in the middle of the massage.

Quality of Service

They offer massages with and without oil. You get what you pay for here and that’s not a whole lot. The masseuse was always on top of the bed, I think sometimes she was even standing on the bed. The cramped space really affected the quality of the massage. The masseuse was having a hard time figuring out a way to move around the room to massage different parts of my body. The pressure was also not good enough for me. Overall, cheapness and I was not very satisfied with the service.

Danielli Spa

Introduction

Danielli Spa is located in Libis, Quezon City near Eastwood City. This is another Spa located on top of a building without any elevators which is a real drag since going up and down stairs isn’t a very relaxing activity. Price is a decent 400 pesos for a 60 minute massage. The price includes 1 drink, which either iced tea or orange juice, use of their steam room and shower facilities. You are requested to take a shower or steam then shower before getting your massage. You’re going to be wearing shorts and a robe that they provide for your massage.

Ambience

A typical common room with about 12 beds but spread far apart from each other, there are no dividers within the common room. Massage therapists cover your body with blankets and towels so the only part of your body that is exposed is the part which is being massaged. The aircon is a little bit too cool for my liking. Sometimes they play calming nature sounds or music but most of the time the aircon drowns it out.

Quality of Service

Danielli Spa uses a combination of shiatsu and Swedish massage techniques. They use a good amount of oil which is surprisingly is not too greasy on the skin, which is a good thing. The massage that they do is very typical but with a lot of stretching which can be a hindrance to those who like to sleep while getting a massage (like me). It’s a good massage but a little bit soft and somewhat lacking for me.

Spa 168

Introduction

Spa 168 is located in Tomas Morato, beside the McDonald’s on the third floor of a building that has no elevators which is kinda a bummer. They’re prices are very affordable at 350 pesos for a 60 minute massage, with a promo of only 280 pesos for afternoons (2-5pm) on weekdays. The price includes 1 drink, which either iced tea or orange juice, use of their steam room and shower facilities. You are requested to take a shower or steam then shower before getting your massage. You’re going to be wearing shorts and a robe that they provide for your massage.

Ambience

The common room holds about 12 beds with 2 columns and 6 rows. It’s all very plain with no dividers on common rooms VIP rooms are about the same but with only 1 bed. Massage therapists cover your body with blankets and towels so the only part of your body that is exposed is the part which is being massaged. The aircon is very cool but the blankets do keep you warm. They play very relaxing sounds of nature. They have very dim lights on the massage area, and with your eyes covered by a towel together with the calming music, it is so easy to drift off in relaxation.

Quality of Service

Spa 168 uses a combination of shiatsu and Swedish massage techniques. They use a good amount of oil for this which can be a bit of a drag but they do wipe off most of the oil with all the blankets and towels that surround you. The massage is nice and relaxing and I find that I always doze off at one point or another. After the massage I feel very relaxed but also very oily, which is just about bearable. But overall they do provide a very good relaxing massage, which leaves me lightheaded, intoxicated almost and I just can’t help but feel like I just want to sleep after a massage at Spa 168.

Ton-Ton Thai Massage

Introduction

Ton-Ton Thai Massage has many branches not only in Metro Manila but in some other key cities like Tagaytay, Subic Bay and Cebu City. I’m not completely sure where else, but they seem to be located all over the country. They have very decent pricing for a 60 minute massage at 250 pesos during afternoons 1-6pm and 300 pesos on all other times, they are open till 2 am which is also very convenient. Upon paying you are given a pajama, slippers and assign you a locker. Ton-Ton Thai Massage is one of our favorite Massage places because of accessibility, a good price and of course a very relaxing massage. And they don’t use any oil which is ideal for those on the go and want a quick relaxing massage without the sticky and slimy feeling afterwards.

Ambience

This is really not the strong suit of this spa, in this respect you really get what you pay for, which is not a lot. The rooms are divided by curtains and you get your massage on a thin mattress on the floor. You are required to wear a pajama that they provide but sometimes it can be too cold inside the massage area. They do try though; they play some very soothing music which feebly drowns out the sound of the air conditioning. They don’t use any oils or lotion so you are not required to take a shower and neither do they have a sauna or a steam room. The design inside is very minimalistic but strangely does not look cheap and somehow they manage to create a mood of relaxation, or maybe I’m just easy to please.

Quality of Service

Ton-Ton Thai Massage employs a Thai massage technique (what a surprise) that stimulates pressure points and stretching a lot like shiatsu. You’ll be wearing you pajama for the entire massage. No oils are used so there’s no sticky or slimy feeling afterwards. I always feel revitalized after a massage at Ton-Ton, my personal favorite is the back massage, which sort of misleading because while it does concentrate on your back, they also find time to massage some other body parts. For me, getting a good massage for my back is so important because it’s the only part of my body that I personally can’t massage for myself. Also Ton-Ton’s foot massage is very good as well, it really is very relaxing. In fact, I want to go there right now, the more I think about it. So stop reading and go out and try Ton-Ton Thai Massage for yourself.