LaVida Massage

Called in for a desperately needed massage. The person on the phone was very nice and told me time slots and therapists available the next day. Yes I was pleased had Jing and he was super knowledgeable and I will say I walked away in less pain and more mobility. THANK you again and I will be back.

I had a membership at LaVida for several months and I always opted for the 90 minute massage. My therapist was Karle and I only scheduled appointments with her, no others. I have enjoyed the benefits of massage for many years and in several countries around the world where I’ve worked and lived. Karle is one of the best therapist I’ve ever had and that’s saying a lot coming from me. She has a college degree in her chosen profession and she understands the science associated with the human muscle skelton system. It only stands to reason that she is better than the average therapist, she is very good at her work.
But I resigned my membership after the second really bad experience I had with the the front desk staff. I also demanded my money back that I had accumlated on their books. I called to schedule an appointment becasue I was experiencing pain with an old orthopedic surgery that I believe was stemming from over exertion. I was put on hold and when she finally returned to the call, she had little to no empathy hearing that I was in pain. She did not make the least bit of effort to get me in any sooner than a routine scheduled appointment.
I had a good working rapport with my therapist and she was willing to be flexible in her schedule in order to accommodate my schedule, if she could. Likewise I had agreed to schedule changes in the pass in order to accommodate her schedule. I asked to let my therapist know that I was in pain and had a presssing need for a massage session. She just kept repeating she is booked blah-​blah-​blah and she can see you on such and such day. But she did not acknowledge that she would relay my message to my therapist as I was requesting and basically hung up on me after repeating the same thing.
I decided to go by LaVida to see if the business owner was around, so I could talk to him. The first that that struck was that there were two people at the desk and they both looked liked they didn’t have a care in the world. The phones weren’t ringing at all and there weren’t any clients there. I thought «why did she put me on hold for so long?» I asked if I could speak to the owner and she barked back at me that he wasn’t there and that she was the manager. I did not appreciate her tone nor her body language so I gave back to here the same thing she gave to me and it went down hill from there.
One of the owners actually left me a voice mail saying I should apologize to his front desk staff without even hearing my side of the story. It was lucky for him that on the day I went to terminate my membership, I had not heard his voice mail recommending that I apologize to his staff or I would have told him that he and his stafff must be confused if they expected an appology from me. It was the tone his staff used that prompted me to stand up to her, especially considering I was the customer. I’m sure she didn’t tell the owners that she tried to intimidate me by telling me «I could cancel my membership» right then and there, if I didn’t like what she was putting down while she was exercising her mangerial authority. This really pissed me off, since I was well aware of what my options were. There is no way and no how I would ever apologize to her, if anything she owed me an apology, I was the customer not her. I don’t know, maybe they do things differently in some other countries, and the customer apologizes to the rude and uncaring staff of the business they are supporting.

I have been a member for quite a while at Lavida. However I dont go every month and I have a bunch of massages that I havent used yet but already paid for. I am writing this review after going to this place for 3 – 4 years. Why? because I am particularly dissatisfied with front desk’s attitude but thought it wouldnt be fair if I dont call out good things and only write this one incident.
pros:
1. They have some very good masseuses. Empathetic, skilled and friendly.
2. Front desk is usually friendly, warm and helpful.
3. Ambience is good.
4. Courteous to remind appointments.
5. Appointments run till 9 PM, good for working folks.
Cons:
1. We dont see most of the masseuses again and again. When I call them for an appointment in 2 months and ask for specific person, she is gone ! This happened to me quite a few times.
2. Not easy to get appointments. I dont see a lot of foot traffic when I go, so really not sure how many masseuses are there or how many appointments they handle in a day. It would be good if they reserve some slots for members.
3. In my recent appointment, the front desk lasy asks me how I want to leave my gratuity. Usually they start with «do you want to leave gratuity». I found it odd but ok, decided to not make a fuss about it. Then I ask her to charge on my card «$ X». She says «$X ???». Her tone and body language were so offensive. Usually they ask me how I want the receipt, to be given now and sent in email. She didnt even bother saying anything. I asked her if she was going to send the receipt to my email and she says «uh-​huh» without even looking at me. It took 10 minutes for me to stop thinking about it. Maybe I am a good tipper, may be I am not; May be I am about to stop my membership and want to use up all my appointments, may be thats all I can afford, may be I am not generous, or not in a good mood or I wasnt thinking, and most importantly may be I was not satisfied with the massage. I have only one question to the owner who employed her, why is she judging me and worst of all letting me know that she is judging me? The X is not pennies, it is not great but not so bad either by any standards, especially considering the percentage of member price. Regardless of that, that tip doesnt even go to her, she has no business getting personal over it. She has no business even knowing what that amount is (we can also leave it in an envelope). Most important aspect of customer facing jobs is to remain neutral in emotions. I can accept the fact that they will talk ill behind my back but showing that kind of attitude to a customer is unacceptable. The place is Spa not an emergency room to put up with that kind of attitude. Honestly the girl sitting next to her in front desk also was stunned. I controlled the urge to go back inside and confront, thankfully I knew better. But it did affect me and I left with such a bitter taste that I am writing this review after 4 hours.

The place is very relaxing with a good atmosphere. Therapists are very attentive, give an awesome massage and will focus on your problem areas. You can easily make an appointment via their app and they call the day prior to confirm your appointment. Overall a great experience!

I moved here because I had an extraordinary massage with one of the therapists. I’m a massage fiend and I get a massage every month (sometimes even twice a month). It’s a nice luxury that I’ve allotted myself and I don’t regret any minute of it. Anyways, I’m only giving them 3 stars because they have great therapists and they have really poor ones. My only recommendation is to state your requirements when you’re making an appointment. Be specific. Such as you like trigger point, deep pressure, .etc.
I can tell you that a great massage here is definitely worth it. But I took a chance and tried a random person that I was recommended and hated it. The massage was so poor I became more tense. But if your massage is poor — say something! They scheduled me another massage and said that if I didn’t like it, I’ll get my $$ money back. Lucky for me, that therapist is 1 of 2 therapists that I go to at La Vida Massage.
I’d like to see them have a booklet with a biography of all the therapists. their skill sets, and the length of their experience. Additionally, it would be great to see testimonials of their therapists. In that way, you won’t get any surprises.

I was a long time member of this La Vida massage location, but several issues with account inacurracies (e.g. another client’s tip being charged to my credit card, being billed for a session I had rescheduled only to find I was never rebooked, not being told my long-​time massage therapist had left only to be randomly reassigned to another therapist, etc.) have occurred within the past six months or so that finally caused me to sadly cancel my membership. The bad part is, all of the above issues were cause by the co-​owner who I will call Mr. G. I spoke with him at length on the phone AND in person to get reimbursed for the incorrectly charged services, it still has not happened and it has been one month. Now I am forced to dispute it with the credit card company which is the reason I am writing this review. This USED to be a reliable place to commit to a membership unlike some of the competitors in the area, maybe it still is, but don’t let Mr. G handle anything on your account or you will be paying for services you never received.

Went in for a basic sports massage. Friendly front desk staff, cucumber water, quiet dim waiting area. Place was spic and span. Therapist was very friendly, really worked my sore muscles, was attentive to pressure amounts if I flinched a bit. As I checked out, the gentleman explained the membership program they offer, but it was decidedly no pressure, which I appreciated. I will definitely be back.

Shannon was amazing, the massage was very relaxing and she knows what she’s doing, it’s probably the best I’ve had! I also really enjoyed the facial with Shazia, would definitely go back.

Oh yeahhhhhh… very relaxing and professional. Will be scheduling another appointment in the future.

Great Massages in A Very Relaxing Atmosphere.
I have been visiting LaVida in Ashburn for over 2 years. Over the past 10 years I have visited many spas and this one has everything that I am looking for. The staff are very professional and friendly, and the place has a welcoming appeal. There is a nice dark relaxation room to wind down in if you arrive early. The therapists always check first to see what your needs are, whether you need work on a particular area (neck and shoulders for me) or if you just want to relax. There is a very peaceful ambience about the place and I always leave feeling extremely rested and relaxed.
The facials are also very good. Highly recommended!

Great massages. Relaxing atmosphere.
I’ve been to la vida massage a couple of times now and left relaxed each time. Their massages are amazing. They give you enough time before and after the massage to be able to talk to your masseuse about problem areas and also to make sure you get your full 60 hour massage. After the massage, the masseuse greets you back out by the reception area with cucumber water.
The only reason why I took down 1 star was because of 1 massage experience. Everything started out normal… She massaged my back, arms, legs and then feet. Then she asked me to turn face up. She then massaged… My face. I don’t mind my face being massaged, but not after she just rubbed my feet. Yikes. I mean… My feet are clean and everything but it just didn’t feel right to rub my face right after she touched my feet. I won’t even touch my own face after I rub my own feet.
Besides that 1 experience, I still keep coming back :) I just know not to pick the same masseuse as that 1 bad experience.

Ehhh…
I have been here several times. First, this place is clean and attractive looking. I would NEVER get a massage in a place that looked like a dump. I am not sure what the other reviews are referencing in that respect.
My three issues with it are as follows:
The person who stated that the quality of massages varies greatly is correct. I had one of the best massages of my life here and one of the worst. If you find a good person, my advice is only ask for them. Usually I did that but once over Thanksgiving, I got a real doozy.
The second issue is that they really push this lifetime member deal. It basically means paying a monthly rate (automatic debit) and getting reduced rated services. First they constantly ask you about it which is annoying. I hate when places where you just spent money push other services in an aggressive way. For most people massages are a treat, they are not getting them monthly or want to be tied to a monthly commitment. If you do want to be tied down, the rates are significantly lowered. I wish they would just lower their rates for customers who get more than one massage a month and just dump the monthly debit feature.
The third is they are always pushing for you to make another appointment right after your massage. I hate this even when hair places do it. I am busy, I will call when I want another appointment.
Other than that, they are fine. I will state this for the everyday non-​member rate, you could be going to a more upscale place at comparable pricing.

Not worth it. We had scheduled a couples massage and the day off the appointment 2 hours before the place calls and tells us that the therapist is sick so they can’t do the massage. They were not apologetic or anything, infact just said. oh well people get sick nothing we can do… FOR GODS SAKE YOU ARE RUNNING a business… atleast try to operate it professionally…
These cheap places like La Vida and Massage Envy are not worth it. you get what you pay for… a lot of last minute cancellations. We had scheduled a baby sitter so we were out of that money as well.

I was looking for a place that offered couple’s massages and this was the best fit.
The reservation call was very polite and thorough. When we got there the front desk staff was very courteous and polite and even offered us some cucumber water.
Once inside out masseuses explained the whole process and were very nice and welcoming.
The price was great too! Because we both had never been there before, they offered us the introductory rate at $ 49 and hour each!
The only reason I gave this place a 4 is because, my masseuse’s stomach was growling very loudly the entire hour and it was a little uncomfortable.

First, the good: LaVida has an incredibly relaxing atmosphere, the staff are friendly and the entire area is calm, relax and sets a good mood. Exactly what you want when you go in for a massage. It’s easy to book an appointment, and the staff never really push unnecessary services on your, but are more than knowledgeable in all their offerings.
My main issue is the quality of the massages. They very from truly fantastic to just kind of average. Quality varies from average to really good far, far too much between masseuses. They do a good job, but they have such varying techniques from person to person that it’s really impossible to know who or what you’re going to get.
I’m satisfied overall, and my wife and I go to LaVida from time to time (she has their monthly massage plan). The prices are reasonable, and the service has been good.

I received a «spa and wellness» gift card from my husband– in order to use it, you have to go online and look at all the different spas that accept the gift card. Luckily I found La Vida.
The receptionist was delightful– didn’t try to pressure me into any add-​ons or monthly packages. The waiting area was relaxing and again… pleasant.
Monica was my massage therapist. She was wonderful! Young and sociable– great conversation that was not at all awkward or uncomfortable. She let me know that I could let her know whether I needed more pressure, less pressure, etc., and was overall very accommodating.
After the massage (and I’m pretty sure Monica even gave me a few extra minutes), she was waiting at the front desk for me with cucumber water… Sure, why not!!?
I will definitely return. And will probably end up enrolling in the monthly program, which says a lot about how much I liked them!

I decided to try getting waxed here since it was closer to my boyfriend’s house. He would get to see the waxing at it’s freshest. The front desk gal was a dream come true. Amanda is professional and down right charming. But, the wax lady… was brutal. I hear she doesn’t work there anymore, thank goodness for all other crotches in the Ashburn area. She didn’t wear gloves and made me hold myself so she wouldn’t have to touch me. I was basically in Downward Facing Dog at one point. My pride took a hammering (or a waxing). I had a bruise which she claimed was «normal» from the skin «lifting». I was bleeding in spots and there was still hair in odd patches. She then slopped «aloe» (it was after sun aloe by Banana Boat) on me and told me to rub it in.
Ah, well. Back to Bare Skin waxing and Kassi the magician.

Awful! I was not at all impressed with the quality of facial and can tell the place is not run well at all. I received a facial/​massage mothers day gift certificate and when I went to schedule it they would not let me schedule the massage for one day and facial for another — I had to have the services consecutively. When questioned why this is no one could give me an answer. So, I did as instructed. Shortly after I arrived a lady came out to get me and brought me back to the facial room. I was told to remove everything from the waste up and lay down on the table and use the blanket to cover up. I waited for about 15 minutes then the same lady came back and started my facial. Zero conversation with me. I did not know her name — nothing. She did not ask me if I had any skin care concerns, tell me what was going to be done during the procedure – nothing. When she was done she just smiled and said thank you and walked out of the room. When I dressed I went back to the front and told them I was scheduled for a massage too. The girl at the front said it would be about 20 more minutes and if I wanted to go to lunch and come back this was fine. That irritated me because they insisted I schedule my services on the same day but clearly there was no coordination whatsoever. The massage was too harsh for a «relaxation» massage. It was more like a deep tissue massage. While the massage therapist was polite and professional, overall a very amateurish facility and service. Very unimpressive.

Had a great massage here but the owner of this location was extremely rude and kept blaming his customer service skills on his corporate office. I would rather support another real local small business that is not tied to a chain. .. they will care more about the person paying the bill rather than how much they can charge on the bill.

I am reading the reviews and I am shocked. The place is a dump! Not only it’s a dump, they have professionalized techniques to rip customers off.
During a recent incident when the appointment was clearly cancelled more than 2 days before the scheduled time, they still charged the full amount and never acknowledged the phone call that was made — stupidity of reception staff or a professional way of stealing? Your answer. But a strong suggestion NOT to visit this place anytime soon. I will not step into this place again.