Courtesy Soothe
Who Tried It: Alex Apatoff, Senior Style Editor
What It Is: Soothe, a massage on demand app
Why I Did It: I’m already a convert to those beauty on-demand apps — could a massage app be just as game-changing?
Level of Difficulty: 2 — I had to actually call the helpline to register for an appointment because the app wouldn’t cooperate (which kind of defeated the purpose of using an app, rather than calling a spa) but once that got straightened out, it was seamless
I was going to be in L.A. and desperately needed a massage, but my husband had to take the car. I’d heard about Soothe, and since they’re only available on the west coast, it seemed like a great chance to try them. But I was a little worried about the weird factor of a massage therapist visiting my hotel room. Would the front desk people think I was a creep? Would I have to wear a robe and greet them at the door? But it ended up being totally easy — not weird at all.
Crystal showed up right on time carrying a massage table, clean sheets and a portable speaker to play “spa music.” After setting up and answering all my questions about the app, she stepped into the hotel bathroom to wash her hands and let me get ready. From that point, it was no different than any other massage: Crystal was super-skilled and very professional, and before too long I’d essentially passed out and forgotten about all my concerns. It truly felt like a high-end spa experience but cost $99 (compared to N.Y.C. prices, that’s beyond “bargain.”)
Verdict: I’d say it’s even better than a traditional in-spa massage, because at the end she packed up and left and I got to wear a robe and drink wine by the fire at the truly awesome Petite Ermitage hotel (rather than getting dressed and getting on the subway home). I’m just sorry it’s not in N.Y.C. yet!
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Courtesy Zeel
Who Tried It: Lena Finkel, Editorial Assistant
What It Is: Zeel, an on-demand massage app
Why I Did It: After a long awards season, the entire office was ready for some relaxation. But of course, the entire office couldn’t play hooky and go get a massage. So when someone had the bright idea to order a massage to the office, we all got on the bandwagon.
Level of Difficulty: 0
I was apprehensive about downloading an app to book a massage, but it was so easy — it took me less than 30 seconds to book an appointment. I just had to enter my name and preferred time and I was all set. And the next day (yep, we only booked massages for a whole office a day in advance) the massage therapists arrived promptly and ready to go with massage chairs on wheels (set up in each corner of the conference room) and soothing music. Within minutes, I was in heaven: The therapist could sense all my stress knots in mere seconds and even went in for a soothing head rub for the finale. Once everyone had gotten their 20-minute massage, there was noticeably less Nerf Gun shooting and general stress. A girl could get used to this!
Verdict: For a quick, easy stress reliever (as long as you don’t care about ambiance!) this app is key. I’m never deleting it from my phone!
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