The Rubdown

Freebie Alert! Aromatherapy Academy Open House

Please Note: Fans of this blog, please see our new site at www.therubdown.hk. Here you can see our reviews, and you'll be able to search for spas and massage parlors too! We welcome collaborators, suggestions, questions and comments. Email us at therubdownhk@gmail.com!  Now on with the show...

We all like to get something for nothing, especially if it involves massage! This weekend, Asia-Pacific Aromatherapy in North Point is having an open house. The lovely ladies at APA will be offering free Indian head massages and hand massages, and giving introductory lessons about essential oils and other topics. They'll also have a bevy of natural products on sale.

What is APA? It's a small school offering a variety of classes on massage, aromatherapy, traditional Chinese medicine and more. It was started back in the 1990s, then went on hiatus for about a year and has recently been reestablished. They offer short courses and workshops for the casual learner, or if you really want to get serious, a 369-hour regimen leading to a diploma. They teach in English and Cantonese.

Here's a sample of their upcoming offerings:

• Aromatherapy Introductory Course (5 hours over 2 days) $600
• Essential Oils and the Meridians (4 hours) $900
• Acupressure for Self-Care and Client Care (4 hours) $900
• Aromatics for Pets (4 hours) $900

Their spring diploma course kicks off in March, so if you're thinking about delving into a new line of work, the open house might be a good time to check out the offerings, talk to the teachers, and see if it's for you.

APA's Open House is this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30 and 31, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

APA, Java Commercial Centre, 10th Floor, Room 1001, 128 Java Road, North Point. Map. (If you are taking the MTR, use exit A1, turn right). 2882 2444. info@apagroup.com.hk

www.aromatherapyapa.com

Review: Darha Spa, Central

Please Note: Fans of this blog, please see our new site at www.therubdown.hk. Here you can see our reviews, and you'll be able to search for spas and massage parlors too! We welcome collaborators, suggestions, questions and comments. Email us at therubdownhk@gmail.com!  Now on with the show...

There's a new spa in town -- Darha Spa in Central -- so I popped over this weekend to check it out. Tucked away on the ninth floor of an office building on Queen's Road Central near H&M, it's a sister branch to the original Darha Spa in Khon Kaen in northeastern Thailand.

Since Darha Spa bills itself as a place that will "bring you the true Thai spa experience," I booked (what else?) a 60-minute Thai massage. When I arrived at 7 p.m. on Sunday, the place was empty, but the staff was exceptionally friendly without being obsequious. It's obvious that the proprietors put some effort into the decor, outfitting the reception area with dark-wood furniture, live orchids and Thai art. The receptionist offered me tea or water, and brought my drink on a rattan tray along with a cool towel to refresh my face. She requested that I fill out a short questionnaire inquiring about my health, allergies, and preferences during the massage (light, medium or hard pressure).

For my treatment I was led into a dimly lit private room decorated with Thai textiles and artwork; soothing music at low volume set a relaxing mood. After I changed into a set of loose pajamas, my masseuse guided my bare tootsies into a large dark wooden bowl of warm water, added flower petals, slices of lime and salt to the bath and gave my feet a quick cleaning. It was a nice touch. Then it was on to the massage.

Traditional Thai massage does not use oil, and rather than rubbing or long strokes, the technique is more about pressing and stretching. After a hard workout at the gym the day before, my muscles were quite sore, and the masseuse seemed to home in on my aching shins and quads. Methodically, she worked up and down my spine, paying particular attention to my shoulder blades, as I had noted on the questionnaire when I arrived. After 35 minutes, she flipped me over, and attended to the front of my legs, stretching them into various positions. Then back up to my arms, shoulders, neck and back, pressing deep into the tissue. Clambering over me to pull my limbs into various stretches, I think she got as much of a workout massaging me as I had gotten the day before at the gym!

What was booked as a 60-minute massage in fact lasted about 70 minutes, not including the footbath. Dressed and back in the reception area, I was greeted with a small goblet of fresh melon balls and a glass of water. The receptionist asked me to fill out a survey about the treatment and seemed sincerely concerned with my satisfaction.

Since Darha Spa is new, they're running a "grand opening" special -- 30% off all treatments. So my massage, priced on the menu at $450, was instead $315 -- a good value for a competent massage in a nice atmosphere with a friendly, English-speaking staff. The special is on at least through the end of the month, and in February they'll be offering a Valentine's Day deal: bring a friend/partner and get 50% off on two treatments.

The list of services at Darha is quite extensive: Besides Thai, they offer Swedish, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, hot stone, shiatsu, Ayuvedic, and sports massages, as well as manicures, pedicures, hairstyling and makeup application. Their more elaborate treatments include body scrubs, facials, a "four hands" massage with two therapists, and even a "virginity" massage that promises to "reinvigorate your sexual awareness" and "make you feel like a virgin again" (45 minutes, $550). Hmm. Maybe something to think about for the Valentine's Day special...

Darha's normal prices are by no means cheap, but the 30-50% discounts on offer seem to be a good deal. If you check them out, write in with your experience and we'll let others know what you think -- we're dying to hear how the virginity massage goes!

Darha Spa, Parker House, 9th Floor, 72 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong. Map. 2140 6311

www.darhaspa.com/Hk/

darhaspa@gmail.com

Welcome to The Rubdown Hong Kong

Please Note: Fans of this blog, please see our new site at www.therubdown.hk. Here you can see our reviews, and you'll be able to search for spas and massage parlors too! We welcome collaborators, suggestions, questions and comments. Email us at therubdownhk@gmail.com!  Now on with the show...

Welcome to The Rubdown Hong Kong!

We are Julie and Julie, your hostesses. Otherwise known as Chulie (Chinese Julie) and Whulie (White Julie). This blog is dedicated to uncovering the best spas, saunas and massage places in Hong Kong.

One of the most excellent things about our fair city is the multitude of massage offerings -- in fact, there are so many places, it can be hard to choose. Of course, if you're willing and able to shell out thousands of (Hong Kong) dollars, you can partake of the swankiest hotel spas on the planet, right here in our own back yard. But what if you're on a budget, and just want to pop down the street for a simple foot rub? Or maybe you're just dying to know what the heck a belly candle can do for you, but you haven't worked up the courage. The Rubdown is here to help.

We're on a mission to visit every spa, sauna and massage place in Hong Kong, uncovering the hidden gems and steering you clear of the scary spots. (It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it!) We'll give you our honest rundown on every establishment we visit. We pay our own way and don't pull punches. We'll also explain various treatments available in Hong Kong, so you can be a more informed spa consumer. Feel free to write with your questions, suggestions and comments. The more hands, the better The Rubdown.