Pine Tree Health Improvement

Took me a little to find the place but they have a nice neon sign outside the door. At first I was a little worried about the room they led me into. It was a double bed room with a curtain that can be drawn down the middle to separate the area. Luckily I was the only occupant in the room. I had a Groupon (btw can only be used during the week) so I had to make my appt for Friday night.
I was grateful to have Jack as my masseuse, he was excellent! Didn’t hurt me at all. Made sure I was comfortable. The normal prices are pretty inexpensive, so I will go back again and ask for him. They have a reward card as well.

The massage started pretty good but things went south after the 3^rd phone call the lady took while giving me the massage. At that point i just stood up and left. Very disapointing

Now called Gong Fu Massage.

Ummmm… where do I begin? Ok, so First, I read the Unilocal reviews and then I bought a Groupon. This place was like sex with a guy you think is packing only to find out it’s pinky sized! I mean my expectations far exceeded what I actually got.
When I arrived the lady in font was very, very, nice and she told me to go into one of the rooms which were small, decent, but VERY HOT!!! OMG! It was so hot in the rooms. They had air coming through a ceiling vent but it was still hot! Not only that, they had a blanket on the massage table that was very thick and reminded me of a Mexican serape (see photo). So, I’m thinking… wait, I’m supposed to put that hot thing over me??? Welp, there weren’t any other options unless I laid there nude so I undressed and put that hot blanket on and waited for the massage tech. She comes in and calls me, Lady… doesn’t ask my name but in a high baritone voice refers to me as lady the entire 90 mins.
She begins to massage me over the blanket and after about 5 mins I tell her that I can’t do this with this blanket and I’m too hot! So, she removed the blanket opens the door and goes and gets a fan, meanwhile, I’m still on the table nude from the waist up with the door open!!! I was very uncomfortable.
When she begins again the massage is very dry and I’m thinking, ‘is she going to use any oil??’ I mean when I get a massage I like to feel like a seal on a slip and slide and I don’t like being rubbed with dry hands! Aghhhhh! She finally puts on a small amount of oil and begins to knead and dig into my back with her knuckles! It felt like she had on NBA championship rings wrapped in tape on each knuckle and I couldn’t take it anymore! Sidenote– I do suffer from chronic back pain and I have a disc that shifts so that could be a contributing factor but it was awful!!! I yelled out, ‘softer!!!’ «SOFTER!» It got a little better but not much.
Near the end of the massage she gruffly whispered, «Lady, turn over!» And then she proceeded to massage my eyes… yup…my eyes and she stuck both index fingers inside my ears which threw me completely off guard! She smacked my legs a couple of times and then said, «Lady, you finished!!»
It wasn’t the worst massage I’ve ever had but it wasn’t relaxing or comfortable and I wouldn’t return.

My boyfriend and I went here this past Sunday for an hour of relaxation and it was the complete opposite. I must admit, it wasn’t the greatest spa I’ve visited, but for what it was, it was clean and the back rooms had a nice ambiance. Affordable, conveniently located, cute bathroom and placid music.
Now, for the massage itself… God-​awful! We made reservations, requesting for 2 female masseuses — which didn’t happen. The lady came in and asked which one of wanted the guy and which wanted the lady; obviously, we agreed to take the opposite sex. My masseuse literally punched the living hell out of my poor back, which was already in a lot of pain. I asked him to be gentler and I feel like my request was completely disregarded. Every time I closed my eyes hoping to find some serenity, I was flinching from the jabs. My poor boyfriend did not enjoy it either. He too said that his masseuse was too rough. The leg rub was pretty good. They did a facial massage, which we did not enjoy the slightest bit, considering 2 things: 1. We’re not comfortable with people touching our faces 2. They didn’t even wash or wipe the oils off of their hands.
Finally, the beat down ended and we were rushed to get dressed and pay. After my boyfriend paid, I ran to the restroom and as I walked out, I saw the female masseuse in his face with her hand out. Instantly, I got defensive and asked him what was going on. He said she was demanding a $ 20 tip. Normally, I have NO problem tipping for good service, but saying we are REQUIRED to give you a certain amount? Excuse me, I’m not required to tip at all. She said if we didn’t give cash, they’d take it off the card (totally illegal without our authorization, of course). She then toned it down and tried to negotiate, asking for $ 20 to split between herself and the male masseuse. At that point, I had to quickly consider how bad I look in orange and how distasteful I’d look with handcuffs & cornrows. I just handed her $ 15, told her to figure it out, kindly informed them how unprofessional it is to BEG for a tip and we were on our way.
I’d never return. I’d never recommend this place. JUST DON’T GO!

I went here off of a Groupon and made an appointment for 11am on a Saturday morning, little did I know that they opened at 11 and I was stuck outside until 10:55am When someone came to open up I followed them upstairs and the first thing we BOTH saw when he opened the door was a dead roach legs up right in the doorway. He attempted to ignore it, but I could not. When he lead me to the back room, it was freezing since the heat had been off all night, which made it hard to totally relax initially, and there were just 5 foot curtains separating about 8 beds in a large studio type room. The massage was fine, but the environment and the table were worn and uncomfortable. $ 41 for 90 minutes though, so I can’t complain too much.

I bought a Living Social deal for a massage from here. Called and left messages. Noone returned my calls.

Place is kinda sketchy, but okay.
Massage was amazing.
I wanted to tip the lady $ 15, I only had a $ 20 so I asked for change. She wouldn’t break it and proceeded to tell me that get boss doesn’t pay them well, that all they rely on is tips. Also that everyone else pays $ 15 – 20 for tip.
First off, I’m not everyone else. Second, I wanted to pay $ 15. Third, not my problem. She should have just broken the bill like I ASKED for & not given me a sob story.
I gave her the $ 20, but I came for a service and should tip what I feel is appropriate and not have someone tell me what I should pay. It’s places like these that make other massage places like these look bad.
I’m so tired of people being tip hungry.
Minus 4 stars for that interaction. I won’t be going here again.

THIS IS THE WORST BUSINESS I’VE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN MY LIFE! THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL ESTABLISHMENT! DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THEM. I called to make an appointment for an acupuncture treatment. Not only is this service advertised on their website, but i also bought a groupon for it. When i called, a man angrily cut me off when i was asking him for availability and said just come in. Then I asked about the acupuncture service and he said I would have to ask weeks in advance for such service because the specialist comes on certain days (which is fair). So I ask which days of the week are best for the specialist. And at this point, I have no idea why but he is screaming at me. After a few probing questions, he finally admits that they no longer the service anymore. okay – all i want to know is why you would advertise something you cant offer. Hes SCREAMING at me. I never knew it was okay for a professional to scream at a potential client… and tells me «he doesnt need my service» then hangs up. I do not understand how this establishment was open for so long with such a hostile reception. I was honestly looking for a relaxing gift, and this turned out to be the most frustrating.

I went today for a massage, my wife kindly bought it for me, it was a voucher for a 90 minute massage which was fine but nothing extraordinary. I was pretty content from my experience until I got dressed, was heading out and gave the therapist a tip which was more than 20% of the value which is above the average, and guess what ?! She was not happy about it and got aggressive saying that she deserved more. Incredible, for your information, we DONT have to tip you. My whole experience went from ok to the point I got irritated and don’t want to come back or recommend this place.

I bought a Living Social deal to Pine Tree for two 90min massages. My boyfriend and I went on a Friday night after work and even though the double room wasn’t open when we arrived, we were more than happy with the single rooms. The rooms are actually stalls divided by screens, which didn’t bother us at all. Everything about the massages were amazing for both of us. Our masseuses were skilled, and I left feeling incredible.
The normal prices without a Living Social deal are also very reasonable. They also offer a free massage after you buy 10. We will definitely be back.

What other reviews said about the partition is true. You can hear your neighbors so well that it sounds like they might be right next to you without a partition when you are laying face down on the massage table. The visual privacy was satisfactory for me, however.
The massage itself was mediocre. Instead of picking a body worker by your preferred gender, you may wish to pick by their speaking skill instead so that they could accommodate you better.
I would not recommend the sauna. It’s a closet that looks big enough to squeeze up to four people. The sauna door has a bit of a draft that makes your feet cold in the winter, so you need to place your legs upon the bench to feel warm, but you won’t break a sweat sitting in there.

I saw a deal on livingsocial so I called to book an appointment. The first thing the guy says to me is «We dont do deals on weekdays» so I said thank you and hung up. I looked up the prices online and saw they were fair and called back. I told the guy I wanted to book a massage he yells «I JUST TOLD YOU WE DONT DO DEALS ON WEEKDAYS!» I then let him know I didn’t need a deal, I needed a massage. Only then was I able to book my massage.
Upon arrival I was extended a warm greeting. I got a 90 minuet massage that was nice. Not mind blowing but nice. The place felt like a fast food version of a massage parlor. The rooms are all separated by small walls and curtains. Just not the experience I seek. It was certainly not expensive but you get what you pay for.

The entrance is easy to miss if you’re not careful – just a small door leading directly to stairs with a small neon sign. Inside and up the stairs, though, it’s actually quite spacious feeling. Very clean and quiet.
I came here for a 90-​minute massage with my partner, and neither of us were disappointed. The massages were just fine. Nothing to complain about there. The masseurs were very professional! Just on nitpick – there’s that thing they do in a massage where they strike the bottom of your foot… and my masseur totally missed the spot! (Wasn’t painful though). They can’t accommodate couple’s massages, with the way the rooms (or stalls, more like) are set up, but my partner and I could easily communicate what we needed to through the screens separating our spaces.
If you get a deal for this place (and you probably can, like Unilocal itself has a deal for this place), I totally recommend it. Nothing mindblowing, but it’s a solid massage for a great value.

I had a groupon for a 90 minute massage. Overall an amazing experience! Making an appointment was easy. I arrived early and a man greeted me on the stairs and asked if I had an appointment. I said yes, he redeemed my voucher quickly and bluntly told me that a tip was not included and to tip generously. It didn’t bother me too much but it was very blunt. The rooms are separated by curtains and there seem to be a lot of rooms! Very clean as far as I could tell. The massage itself was awesome– she really worked on all my knots and spent time on every area. She asked a few times if the pressure was ok which was nice. I feel like she really knew what she was doing. Everything from my scalp to toes was massaged and I left feeling like a new person. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a no frills, reasonably priced place in a convenient location.

Was recommended this place by a friend.
Kuma has a real knowledge and instinct, and he seemed to easily identify all of the points of tension in my body.
For the price, it is extremely worth it!

I used to love this place and went every month for a couple of years, even had a couple of free massages from my frequent buyer card. I no longer go here, because the quality has gone downhill. I’ve several times had a masseur fall asleep in the middle of the foot massage. I gave them second and third chances to step up. One guy even chewed me out for not tipping 20% after he fell asleep on me.

This is my new go to cheap but real massage place! Previously I would shlep all the way down to Chinatown to go to Health Trail, but this is a nicer (and closer) equivalent.
I walked in on a weekday and was seen right away, the place was clean, spacious and quiet. No, there are no private rooms, but rather dividers and soothing music playing in the background. Occasionally I could hear one other who was getting a massage, but nothing disturbing.
I left knot-​free and relaxed, definitely going back.
–10% discount before 2pm (so save $ 5 on a $ 50 1hr massage)
–Note that there is a small fee (a few dollars) when you use your credit card vs paying cash
–You can put tips on your card!

I am a frequent user of massage services, so I tried out this place for a change. Oh my, was this a disappointment!
I had asked for a 30 minute foot-​rub, as I was in a rush. The woman at the desk said that it is $ 30 for half hour. When I offered to pay beforehand, she said I should pay afterwards (see below why).
I went into a large room that is partitioned with foldable dividers that are about 4 feet tall (meaning: ANYONE who is standing in the other cubicles can see you if you are standing). You could also hear every grunt or hiccup from all across the room.
The foot rub itself was without any pattern or technique. There were areas that she did over-​and-​over, while others were not touched at all. It was the sloppiest foot-​rub I could remember having, ever!
Now, when I came out and offered to pay, she said it’s $ 40 for the half hour. When I said «what about the $ 30 you said in the beginning?» She responded that the $ 30 is for back-​rub, not foot rub.
Well, I don’t plan to go back to that place anytime soon!

I went to Pine Tree. As a result, I will never go to a fancy massage place again which employ mediocre skilled workers, have poor noise control, are filled with pretentious people, and are outrageously priced. Again for emphasis, outrageously priced.
The pluses and how to manage the minuses of Pine Tree. The prices are amazing, the body work is fantastic, the place is clean, the staff is nice, they offer a card which once it’s punched 10 X’s, you get a free massage, they offer filtered water. They have discounts depending on the time you come but do your own homework.
This place is NO FRILLS. Though the rooms are divided by those Japanese room dividers, the space feels spacious, it is does not feel cramped. You can hear every single noise despite their genuine effort to play relaxing music and be it culture or whatever, they seem not to advise people to be silent. My thinking is that the suave ‘no frill’ massage users (of which I am now proudly included) are aware to be quiet which minimizes the amount of idiots that come in talking loudly. Yes, I admit that I was an idiot. The place isn’t that easy to find, the staircase makes you understandably weary, and I don’t remember seeing «Health Improvement» anywhere.
Girls, bring your own scrungee or they’ll put your hair in rubber bands that you didn’t think existed. Everyone; put on your IPOD to the same type of music that they have and crank it (or anything new age, my new obsession is Brian Crain). Completely undress; they’ve seen better and worse than you and your chastity (real or imagined) isn’t worth compromising the comfort of a full massage without material in the way. I’m not talking anything kinky, just being able to massage your sides, etc.
Remember, hair scrungee, IPOD, undress, and be quiet!
I had Kelly but I’m sure they are all fantastic.
Enjoy!