My husband gifted me a 50 minute Swedish massage at the Spa. While the masseur, Damien, had great massage technique that's where his qualities ended.
During the massage, if he needed anything that was in his storage cabinet, he would be so loud with opening/closing the doors it was jarring; as though he was desperately looking for something in the kitchen.
I also found it strange that at no point during the session did he ask how the pressure was or inquire about my comfort. Which I thought was common practice.
Furthermore, prior to the start of the massage I stated which areas needed attention and which to leave alone, specifically my sciatic which hurts to the touch. Unfortunately for whatever reason, he massaged my sciatic with such deep pressure that it still hurts.
Perhaps worse than the above mentioned issues, the massage therapist's breath was terrible. While laying on my back I tried to either not breath or breath through my mouth. Nothing like bad morning breath to disturb your zen!
And due to the fact that Sanctuary's policy dictates that the mandatory 20% tip is collected the moment you step through the spa door, I could not leave a tip that truly reflected the level of service rendered.
Prior to the massage, I took the time to enjoy the amenities but noticed very quickly that though there were many spa attendants, the cleanliness was something to be questioned. Old wet towels left on the shower bench, someone's discarded slippers...
With so many spas in The Valley, and given The Sanctuary's past reputation, I'm left not sure what to make of my experience.