Amar

Best deal in down for the price and the service. There’s lots of nearby parking at Ward, and street parking available as well. Yes, it may seem like a hole in the wall, but you cannot beat them for excellent service and experience. They have a great groupon right now as well and if you ask nicely they will let you use that deal without actually paying for the groupon.

While the location may not be glamorous, the massage itself was top notch. My masseuse was clearly very experienced and worked out all my problem areas and was attentive to my needs. I have chronic shoulder pain and I left feeling pain free and completely relaxed. I will definitely becoming back here.

The massage was fantastic. That’s the bottom line. The knots in my shoulders are gone!
There were a few hiccups:
– They had messed up the appointment timing, so I had to wait and the owner came down to give the massage (which maybe was lucky, since she was so good!).
– The room that I had the massage in was a shared room — a curtain separated us, but when I walked in I saw a totally naked woman lying there. I didn’t really care, but some might. And it also made me aware that my naked body might also be visible to anyone else who comes in the room. However, no one else came in the room except the massage therapists, so I didn’t feel uncomfortable.
– The massage therapist/​owner did answer the phone while she was massaging me, and set up another appointment. I actually perked up for a second because I thought she was talking to me before I realized she was on the phone. However, I think that might also be because there was this appointment timing mix up and maybe there was no one to cover the front desk at that time.
In any case, under normal circumstances I might have been upset by the above hiccups, but when a massage is so exceptionally good, it makes you not stress the small things. So that says a lot. I will definitely be going back!

Had a strained right shoulder and neck so I wanted to get in somewhere, quick. I saw they had a 60 minute groupon for $ 45. Saw the great reviews here so I booked myself for that evening. Making the appointment was pleasant and easy as the person (owner?) texted me immediately. Got to the spa about ten minutes early — a lot of places has you fill out forms and waivers so I didn’t want that to cut into my massage. (Note: nothing to fill out.) i rang and waited a minute then rang again (nervously). I must say it was a little scary looking next to a liquor store and the office was dim. But re reading Unilocal,it seemed that was to be expected. Then a therapist came to let me in; she took me to a room and said she needed a few minutes because the people before me had arrived late. I undressed and waited in the almost dark room. It was set to 66 degrees, so I got up and turned it up. I waited until 7:16 which is when the therapist, Mei or May, came in. (The couple that came late were tourists who also had a groupon-​i heard them talking.) I had started to notice the sheet felt greasy against my skin. I asked if the sheet was fresh and she said of course– and I had no reason not to believe. I later realized that oil probably seeped into the table below because of the copious amounts of oil used– and then came up thru the sheet… I made a mental note to use the shower another reviewer had talked about because I personally don’t like the feeling of heavy oils and moisturizers. The massage was very good– 4 stars at least– strong pressure, good attitude and cheerful demeanor by Mei and very nice attention to my trouble spots. Lots of oil as I mentioned but I guess it’s the style. They did try to wipe off at the end. One discordant note was her answering her phone about halfway in when it started ringing in the other room and a slight upsell-​tried to get me to buy a facial. Anyway the massage was concluded at 8:10, or a couple minutes short of 60. I docked a star because when I gave her a ($ 7, or roughly 10% on prediscounted) tip she asked for more, saying it was a table massage and usually she gets $ 10 or more. Uhhhmmmm! Well, I am not one of those groupon cheapskates who doesn’t rip or tips only on the discounted amount, where good service was received. But I was kind of annoyed at starting late. I don’t believe you should penalize clients who are on time by wasting theirs. Tourists or no. Take time out of the late client because they can’t reasonably complain. Everyone can understand if you’re late, you lose out. It’s a business and other clients are also waiting. And then she ended early. Left a little sour taste in my mouth… I responded by pointing out she was late. Now I would be almost half hour late to my dinner plan (I had to rinse the oil off). And I gave her another dollar :(. I ended up not going to get food from where I had planned to because they closed at 8:30. That 15 minutes made a difference!
UPDATE ²⁄₁
Just wanted to add, the owner wrote me a PM and apologized for the service errors and itemized the ways she is trying to resolve them in the future. She was very genuine and I do believe she is trying to run a top notch business. I appreciated the gesture!

Now I understand why this place has 4.5 out of 5 stars! Thee best massage I’ve had in a long time. I already made my next appointment. The owner is super sweet and my masseuse, Jennifer, was amazing. I highly recommend this place.

Probably one of the best massages I’ve had in a very long time! She knows what she’s doing. They say the hole in the walls are the best and I can honestly say her hole in the wall massage parlor is one of the best I’ve been to. If you can look past the small waiting room and building and appreciate the quiet atmosphere and skillfull hands that will relax and remove your knots. then you’re at the right place. Went in with a throbbing headache and came out without one. in my book it’s a huge plus! Ill definitely be back.

Denise is such a great therapist! My body feels so refreshed! Highly recommend her to anyone for any type of massage!

Stay away! Got a Groupon and asked for a couples massage. I requested 2 females. As soon as we walked into the cramped «waiting» area we were rushed into the room and told «take off». A man and woman came in and I said I asked for 2 females. No response. My husband bravely took the male. We weren’t asked what kind of pressure or any specific areas. They clearly don’t understand English. The worst part was that my husband felt private parts brush against him several times but was to polite to say anything. Eww!

This is truly a hole in the wall. There is no waiting room, just a few chairs right when you open the door. The massage room and bathroom were both cramped and cluttered. Calling this a“spa” is highly imaginative.
The massage therapist was inexperienced and it was clear she wasn’t quite sure what to do.
I do not recommend this place.

Okay, I was on the fence about giving a 3 or 4 star rating. I opted for the 3 since I think catering to your client is important.
I bought a Groupon for a 70 min Hot Stone massage after reading all the good reviews.
Making an appointment was easy even tough the lady that answered the phone was ESL (English as a Second Language). So I made an appointment for the next morning.
This is a small little SPA that’s kinda hidden, I frequent the area a lot and didn’t even know there was a SPA there. It’s right next door to Harry’s Café.
This place was a minus 1 star because there was no real communication once I arrived. I was greeted by a lady and she asked if I had an appointment. I said yes then she said to follow her (so I think she did since it was a little hard to understand). She tells me to go into the room and a guy comes in and tells me to put my belongings into a basket and I can get on the table. The guy ends up being my masseuse which I was not aware of since the lady didn’t say anything.
He doesn’t introduce himself nor does he ask if I have any problem areas. He just starts massaging. He asked me one time if pressure was okay and that was it. The massage ends up being not bad.
So I bought a 70 min massage but when I looked at my watch it was just under 60 mins. I would of given this place more stars but by not catering to the client I think that’s a big thing.

It may be small, but don’t judge a book by its cover! I came the day after finishing my triathlon and I feel amazing/​refreshed. Tom did a great job!

As an experienced massage client, I tend to have very high standards. Wanju is wonderful — one of the best massages ever. She provides both a therapeutic and relaxing massage. Outstanding massage not to be missed in Hawaii.

I went to have a 90 minute massage with the owner Michelle. I didn’t expect much because the coupon I bought was very inexpensive. The exterior seemed like a mediocre place, therefore I did not have high expectations. To my surprise, the massage I received was the best in 10 years of my getting massages regularly! Michelle was very knowledgeable and her techniques and mannerisms reminded me of massages I had gotten at high end hotels. On top of that, she is extremely strong in thoroughly doing a ‘deep tissue massage’. Most therapists I have gone to do not have the strength and durability to handle my knots in my shoulders. They usually last only 10 – 15 minutes and die off. However, Michelle is the best of all worlds. She has the strength to persist the whole 90 minutes, is knowledgeable in knowing the areas and pressure points to focus on AND at the same time, follows all the steps that high end hotel spas follow. I usually only get massages that are ‘good deals’. However, I am definitely going back and willing to pay the regular price. She is worth it! I asked her to put together ‘package deals’ i.e. 4 90 minute massages. She is working on that for me yay!

I have have received several wonderful massages from Michelle, the owner of the spa, and can highly recommend her. Anyone who gets massages regularly knows that it is difficult to find a great massage therapist, Amar is the place!

I’ve gone here over 5 times and each time the massage was excellent. I received massages from khisghee (original owner) and michelle (new owner). Both knew how to find the knots and tightness in my muscles. They usually ask if there are certain areas I needed work on and attended to those areas a little more. The interior is clean and relaxing (music). Shower and towels is available. They have a parking stall beside the building but it’s really tight. Normally I’ll park on the street or at target and walk over. I couldn’t be more happier with the quality and price.

Mongolian massage is amazing! I have been there 3 times and love the simplicity and quality of the massages. Amar may be small but it is very tidy and clean. On top of that there is a shower if you want to rinse off before/​after a massage. Khishgee is able to really massage out my muscle tension. Unlike other massages I have had in the past, the massages I receive from Khishgee are more medicinal in nature. I used to get massages once every 1 – 2 weeks. Now I feel great for about a month before my tension starts to creep back. For the price it is an absolute bargain.

We live nearby and were looking for a place we could get a massage periodically. The building isn’t a fancy spa, but Dia’s massage was one of the best I’ve ever had. Reasonably priced too.

Best massage I’ve ever had! Khishgee was awesome! She was very attentive to my needs. Very professional staff. Relaxing environment. I feel like I’m in heaven now! Will definitely come again and recommend to anyone who wants a quality massage! Thank you Khishgee :)

I’ve been to Amar twice already within short period of time for their massage service. The location is very convenient, located near Ward center in Honolulu. The atmosphere is relaxing and the treatment rooms are nice. Very friendly and efficient staff who make you feel welcomed and relaxed.
I got massages from Khishigee and Alice. They were both amazing. Both times my body felt so relaxed and light after getting massage treatment. The pressure was perfection and it was just what I needed. I will certainly return to get massage treatment again at Amar. Big Big Thank You!

Just got back from a wonderful massage from Khishgee. She combined all types of massage techniques to hunt down my knots! And I have a lot of them! She’s located next door to my apartment building, so very convenient. For others that need to drive to this location, there’s street parking nearby, as well as free parking around the corner at the Office Depot.
Amar is a small place, nothing fancy like a high end spa, but I personally don’t need or like the fuss from the high end salons, so this place is perfect! Very clean inside. There are 2 tables, so a couples massage is possible. There’s a shower in the building as well, so if you need to shower off, you can (Khishgee asked if I wanted to before starting my massage, but I didn’t need to). Kshishgee led me into a separate room, with music, candles, and a really calming vibe.
The table had a thin sheet, and I was worried I would be cold, but the temperature was great for me (and she uses hot oil, so it’s nice and warm). She had asked if I had any pain, and I told her that I had tightness in my legs and back. Started off on my back, and she got right into the knots (she also asked about pressure… I told her medium and it was good for me). She applied more pressure at the knots to try to work them out (sometimes it hurt, but I’m used to it since I have a lot of knots and tightness). She used a combination of pressure points, massaging methods, stretching (on my legs!) to try and get some of the knots out. I love this kind of massage! I’m not into the relaxing ones, I like masseuses that get into it! Khsihgee isn’t afraid to get into it!
Since I live next door, there’s a neighborhood special of $ 50 for an hour (which isn’t enough to really work things out). A great deal and I plan to come here again next month to continue working my tightness out! Couple massages are $ 110 ($ 100 for neighbors!) Don’t be intimidated by the closed door and small curtained window. The women masseuses (Khsihgee and someone else that I didn’t get the name of) are really nice and welcoming!
I’m so excited that there’s a masseuse right next door!!! :)