Spa vs. Private Practice... Which Massage is the Best?

Spa vs. The Solo Massage Therapist

If you are planning to get a massage, but can't decide between the spa and the private massage therapist there are a few things to look out for.

EXPENSE DOES NOT ALWAYS EQUAL A QUALITY MASSAGE!

I have come to know the "not-so-pretty side" of the beauty and health industry, and generally, I prefer going to a massage therapist with a private practice. I feel the therapist with a private practice is more caring, listens better to what I am seeking in the massage, is more proficient in massage, is easier to deal with, the massage feels better and, quite frankly, the therapist is happier which means a better massage for me.

Here are some specific reasons why I prefer a massage from a therapist with a private practice...

The Therapist is Personally Invested in a Private Practice
Because a massage therapist is 100% of the business, they can't afford to make mistakes. I have found that massage therapists with their own practice will provide the highest quality massage, service and satisfaction because it is their business on the line, not a giant resort with tons of resources. Massage therapists at spas generally do not have anything invested with the company so there's no incentive to work too hard or to care about customer satisfaction.

Hired Therapists are Underpaid and Overworked
The average pay for a massage therapist to give an hour (or 50 minute) massage in a spa is $20, even if the client is charged 5 - 10 times that much. True, the therapist sometimes receives a 10 - 20% tip in addition to that, but most therapists cannot do more than 20 hours of massage without suffering pain or having a less effective massage. (That's where body mechanics become really important!)

Even with a $20 tip on top of the $20 hourly rate, a 20 massage work week comes out to only $800, and usually the therapist is in pain from working that much.

Personal Maintenance is NOT Emphasized/Encouraged at Spas
A massage therapist should receive 1 massage for every 7 they give.

Most spa therapists are lucky to receive 1 massage per month! And at 20 massages per week, it is absolutely necessary for the therapist to take care of his/herself or else the quality of the massage declines along with the health of the therapist.

Plus, the wages of a massage therapist, limit the financial ability to invest in his/her well-being by buying massage for his/herself.

(As a side note, the therapist that does not receive massage often becomes resentful of his/her clients because it is challenging to take care of others when one is not taking care of self.)

A happy massage therapist means a better massage for you!

Minimal Specialized Attention at Giant Massage Facilities
Because most spas are massage machines, clients coming in with specific requests or situations often are only catered to on a superficial way.

Private massage therapists have something called an "intake form" which allows the therapist to learn specifically why the client has come in, what is important to the client in terms of the massage experience, and what areas of the body that should be avoided due to injury or illness. The intake form alerts the therapists to health issues that massage may affect in a negative way. Hired therapists often do not have time to ask about these conditions or are informed of this information in a cursory manner. To people that have certain health conditions, a spa massage could possibly be dangerous or fatal.

Spa Massages are Shorter in Time
The typical spa massage is 50 minutes. Usually you can get a much longer massage from a private massage therapist the same amount of money. Plus it is usually higher quality.

You Pay for ALL the Extras in a Spa
Want deep tissue work during your massage? That will cost you more. So will aromatherapy, hot rocks, acupressure, sideline massage, energy work, or anything else the spa feels is added value.

Very often private massage therapists incorporate some or all of these extras into the massage as the need arises. Would the neck release better with a bit of acupressure? Then the private therapist will leave an extra 10 minutes to devote to using acupressure.

In a spa, not only is this discouraged, it is often not allowed. And if you ask for deep tissue during the massage, the spa will sometimes tack it on to the price afterward or the therapist will say "no" because it wasn't asked for before the massage.

Spas Hire Beginners
This isn't always the case, but the first place a new therapist goes to find work after massage school is usually a spa. Private practices are built over time because people come back when the massage quality is high. New therapists are usually not good enough to maintain clients when they first get out of massage school or well known enough as a therapists to pull in enough people and referrals to maintain a private practice, so they end up in the spas. This is a perfect place for new therapists to get better at massage while building their own practice, but by doing so, they are practicing on YOUR dime!

A great place to read about and find additional resources about spas is www.best-resorts-and-spas.com. The staff at this website have gained a great deal of knowledge of the best resorts around. Check it out!

BOTTOM LINE:
If your top priority is a massage that is of the highest quality, it is best to go with a therapist with a private practice.

The things that are offered at the big facilities, all the extra bells and whistles like eucalyptus steam room, sauna, waterfalls, showers/lockerrooms, etc... can be great, but who cares when the massage is lousy?

Before you chose either option, be sure to ask these questions:

How many massages does your average therapist do a day? A week?

Are your therapists required to receive massages on a consistent basis?

What is the minimum education requirement for your massage therapists?
(It should be over 500 training hours, in my opinion.)

What is the length of the average massage? What is the cost? Is tip included?