Soakology

Soakology is unlike other massage businesses offering something unique and wonderful. The first location I experienced was at this cute shop near Longfellow Books and Monument Square. It was cozy with the upstairs being the tea/​boutique area and the downstairs being where the relaxed massage chairs and couches were.
As a runner my feet take on a lot of stress, this prompted my wanting to check out the foot soaking they offered. On entering I ordered while I waited, the petite baguette with dipping oil, a piece of chocolate, and a red chai. The tea was delicious and really sets the mood for a massage and soak. My package for the day consisted of the healing rose and lavender
bath and then 40 minutes of lower leg and feet. It was wonderful. You walk in with exhausted feet and walk out feeling like you’re walking on clouds.
Their new location on Congress is also lovely. Lot of open space and very inviting. The price is a little high compared to other places but as a treat it is not bad.

Had a great time at Soakology for my friend’s bachelorette weekend in Portland. Jake did my head, neck and shoulder massage, and it was fantastic. He was very nice and personable as well! Only complaint was bat the teas and snacks took too long to come out. Foot soak was nice and relaxing! Would love to come back and get a 40 minute massage!

WE came back, just for tea and snacks. Relaxing. We had Black Almond Teas. Hubby had Russian tea Cakes I had, get ready, 4 feet of Chocolate. Now, I know what you are thinking. that is a lot of chocolate. It is actually, crostini with olive oil and melted salted dark chocolate on it. The chocolate isn’t totally melted but soft and hot and shaped like little feet. So cute. So decadent. Loved it. Next time, I will eat that AND soak my feet. AHHH

Soooo relaxing and the tea and snacks were delicious! Will definitely go back. The employees were very nice too.

I loved my first experience at Soakology in the prior location, but had a less enjoyable experience in the new space as a solo customer.
The soaking space is one large room sectioned off into smaller spaces by thin, gauzy curtains hanging from cords that create a grid. This allows them to open the curtains to accommodate groups or close them for singles/​couples. However, there is no sound barrier between the spaces. I was initially seated where I could clearly hear every word of another customer complaining loudly to her friends about her legal troubles. I asked to move and was accommodated, but I imagine that wouldn’t always be possible during busy times. Even still, I could hear other customers’ (more discrete) chatter — and this was in the middle of the day on a weekday; I can only imagine weekends with bachelorette parties and the like! Also, the grid-​like arrangement of the soaking spaces (rather than rooms off a «hallway») requires customers to walk through other customers’ sections, in particular those seated near the entrance. As a solo customer, I came for a tranquil experience; I would have minded the setting less if I had come with friends (as during my first visit).
The soak itself was pretty good. The chairs are large and comfortable; feet soak in large copper bowls on a wheeled base. However, the height of the copper bowl was not right (and not adjustable) so I either had to rest my calves uncomfortably against the lip of the bowl or extend my legs so that the lip of the bowl came up behind my knees in which case my feet weren’t fully in the water. Employees come around periodically with pitchers of hot water to re-​warm the water in the tub, but it cools down quickly and after a couple of refills the amount of added hot water compared to the amount of water in the tub isn’t enough to make much difference. Soaks last about an hour, which includes set-​up and a warm towel at the end.
Overall, Soakology offers an enjoyable and unique concept at a lower price than a full service spa, if all you want is a basic soak (massage, etc being the price up considerably). Just note that it isn’t a typical spa environment.

I have visited Soakology many times over the years — long before I was a «yelper». I have always considered this a 5 star place and have brought many friends and family to enjoy it as well. My most recent trip was the first time I had visited since they had moved to a bigger location. Overall, the experience is very much like it was before — with a few exceptions that lost this place a star. But, first, let’s start with the good.
When you arrive at Soakology, you enter a lovely, relaxing space with a unique little gift shop that specializes in lotions, bath salts, scrubs and tea. There is also a tea bar where one can order a lovely pot of fresh brewed loose leaf tea. Note — very wise to make a reservation especially if you want to visit on a weekend.
Once you have checked with the staff, you fill out a short medical questionnaire/​waiver and then begin selecting your soak. They offer a wide variety from relaxing to moisturizing to uplifting. You can also peruse the café menu and choose from a variety of teas and snacks.
Next, you are guided toward the spa area, stopping to remove your footwear and put on slippers. In the spa room, you climb into an oversized chair and begin to relax. How can you not? It’s a cool, darkened room and you are in a comfy chair and they give you pillows and a heated rice pack for your shoulders. Then — the main event. They roll out a large copper tub filled with hot water, stones, and your chosen soak blend. You dip your feet in and it begins. This amazing feeling of pure bliss and relaxation. They bring you your snacks and drink. You indulge. They ask if you want a reheat. They add more hot water. This goes on for just about an hour. It’s amazing. How can something so simple be so amazing? They also offer additional services while you are soaking such as neck or foot massages or pumice scrubs.
So, this all sounds amazing, right? How could I have any complaints? Well… they’ve put a few new policies into place recently that didn’t go over so well when my friends and I visited. Disclaimer — these issues will only apply if you arrive in a party of 5 or more. So — limit your friend count and it won’t be a problem. They no longer offer individual checks, limit the group to more than 3 forms of payment, and automatically add a 20% gratuity. This was a pretty big inconvenience. Six women paying one check that we had to figure out who owed what and then only use 3 forms of payment. Not a great way to end an otherwise great afternoon.

This place is super adorable. Lovely way to spend the afternoon.
The spa portion was pretty booked, so friends and I just sat and had some tea and light bites. Wonderful.
I had a delicious lavender London fog.
Service was a little slow, but that’s to be expected as the staff was doing double duty. Definitely recommend for a rainy day in Portland.

My advice: If you’re a single soaker (not part of a group of women) — ask about accommodations before hand. Clearly, from my perspective, they place more value on the group soaker experience than on the single soaker experience.
My boyfriend surprised me with an appointment on an impromptu weekend away to Portland. The front part of the shop was very nice, interesting seating. There were larger groups of women waiting for their soak. They book treatments in groups, my guess is the rationale is that the areas are broken out by curtains to ease the movement of the soaking tubs.
I had a 12:15 appointment, sat and waited until 12:30 before they started to take in the 12:15 appointment groups. I think the earlier appointments were running late. I met Keely, who would be performing my service. She took me back into where I’d be receiving my treatment, I placed my purse down on a chair and went to use the bathroom before the soaking commenced.
When I came back, my purse had been placed on the floor by another service provider and a privacy screen had been put up to section off my chair from another group (versus the privacy curtains). Not very private since I could see the other patrons in the ‘pod’ i was in (I wonder if they felt the same). I just rolled with it, asked the gentleman worker what was going on and why he placed my purse on the floor– he had said «don’t worry they aren’t getting massaged» — not quite sure why I would care about another customer’s experience since I’m there for my own treatment– but OK? Keely came back, had given me a wrap since my skinny jeans didn’t rise about my calves, and then hopped up onto the super comfy chair. She was FANTASTIC.
As we started the service — which was a soak and a massage — my technician needed to maneuver around the privacy screen having to readjust it a few times so she could do the service. Overall, the concept and the service performed by Keely was fantastic. They filled the tub with hot water several times throughout the service and had provided a heat wrap for my neck. We had nice conversation about Maine and why we were visiting. It’s a nice area.
I brought up how my single person appointment was handled and asked the front desk if it was typical for them to put up a privacy screen to carve out a single space in a larger pod. She had said it wasn’t typical and seemed ‘surprised’ by this treatment, however, she then proceeded to tell me I was ‘lucky’ because the only other option would have been to be placed with a group of 7 women. Either way, I would have been cordoned off into a very small section.
Working in a client services role myself, I’d strongly recommend a reevaluation of your procedures when an experience is going to be compromised because you overbooked. What we paid for a foot soak and partial massage, I would expect a higher level of customer service from your front desk staff. Great concept, not so great execution if you’re alone (not part of a large group).

Would’ve been a five star review but for Katelyn, the receptionist. She acted and looked miserable and frustrated at every interaction we had with her. Everyone else there was amazing as was the soak and massages. Jake, Cole and Emily were fabulous!

I really would have liked to have given Soakology 4 or 5 stars. The soak experience and massage were fantastic. However, it took 3 different visits to Portland, and 8 calls and 3 emails just to get an appointment. My calls went unanswered, and voicemails were never returned, even after repeated attempts to book. In an email I was told I could book by responding; but when I did I was then told I had to call; only to have the call go unanswered. I finally did get an appointment, and was surprised when I arrived to find that they had no customers at all: as I had to call 4 times to confirm my appointment time before someone answered. The soak is fantastic, and Brie have an amazing massage. If you can get through to book, and don’t get snotty attitude from the receptionist, it’s a great experience.

I received this as a gift for Mother’s Day and let me tell you it was the most relaxing wonderful thing I’ve done in a long time! I do not remember the girl that gave my soak and massage, but she was so professional and delightful… She made me feel comfortable and was an amazing masseuse. The tea was tasty and the atmosphere was so relaxing that I could have stayed forever! A little slice of heaven in Portland! I know the pricing can be intimidating, but remember– you get what you pay for! Worth the $$$!

For a relaxing time, make it Suntory time… or rather make it Soakology time.
My wife suggested I should go in for a foot soak and I am happy to report it was very relaxing. I sipped an excellent match tea while getting a hot soak and foot massage. Bonus, my masseuse and I chatted about craft beer in Portland.
If you spend a lot of time on your feet this is just the ticket.

I’ve been before and had a WONDERFUL experience, so when I had several female family members all coming from different out of state locations, I was very excited to bring them here. I booked an appointment for four people in person on a Sunday, and was flexible as far of day of the coming week being as there was four of us. The young guy booking my appointment said he could accomodate us all for soaks and 20 minute massages on a Thursday. When we arrived for our appointment the same guy said he had no record of our reservation, then said he accidently booked us for a different week. We were disappointed but as we were already there and didn’t have dinner plans for an hour, we stayed for soaks only, no massages. They then asked me and my sister (both repeat customers) to re-​fill out our health paperwork because they lost our previous files, to which the therapist commented that they’ve been losing a lot of files from their computer lately since they were so busy over the holiday (?).
I was by no means looking to get a freebie and I completely understand mistakes happen, but the way this was handled by the staff was a bit disappointing. No one except the receptionist looked bothered by the mix up, and no one ever approached us to acknowledge or apoplogize for the missed booking. We had commented when we made the booking that this was kind of a special event since everyone travelled and we only get together once every year or so. We were charged full price for soaks and tea, and of course reminded on checking out to leave a gratuity.
Foot soak alone was ok, it’s 1000% better with a massage. Admittedly we were pretty bummed out about the lost reservation (escpecially since I’d been hyping it up all week) so we weren’t in the best frame of mind. I will go back to Soakology myself for some R&R as the soak/​massage combo is really wonderful and the therapists do a great job, but I remain disappointed in their lack of customer care at the front desk and would not recommend them for a group get together, as their appointment/​filing system is a bit scattered and they didn’tt really seem to care much that they messed up our evening.

Visited Soakology with three girlfriends after work one day and from the moment we walked in we were treated very well and given all of our choices for food, tea, foot soaks, massages etc. After we made out foot soak selections, we went out back to their cozy back room and sat on very plush chairs. We were there for about an hour with a couple of «warm-​ups» to our soaks. I had a delicious frothed tea and it was a perfect rainy relaxed evening.
I will definitely be back! The price is a little high for a monthly outing, but maybe one every three months or so.

At the end of a Christmas trip spent with family, six of us came here, and it was the best.
Walking in, you fill out some paperwork in their airy lobby, with giant windows and super comfortable seating, as you also mull over the services you want. Be sure to take advantage of the samples in the shop, so you can make an informed decision about the scents you ultimately pick.
Every city should be required to have a foot soak place like this. I cannot describe how relaxing it is, with essential oils, pebbles, and warm water (they keep adding warm water, too). I had the super hydrating soak and it left my feet feeling absolutely fantastic for a few days after. I recommend adding the pumice stone, too.
Each foot soak comes with a warm wrap for your neck and shoulders, but I added a head, neck, and shoulder massage (as did the rest of my party). Kylee (sp?) did a GREAT job despite how tight my back was. As requested, she spared my head — no oil in my hair, please! Because we were a party of six that had made a reservation, they had a different staff member for each of us.
We also had some of the cheese plates, though my favorite was the green apple with chocolate hazelnut ganache. There is a good tea selection here as well, and a cute little gift shop.
My one complaint is about the bathroom, which was kind of gross and oddly enough was locked from the main door, despite containing multiple stalls.

Seeking to make the most of our weekend vacation to Portland, my husband and I booked an appointment for a soak and leg massage here. We were welcomed as we walked in the door and offered to order tea ahead of time. We both got a personal pot to enjoy and they brought it back into the soak room for us.
We both got a soak and 20-​minut foot/​lower leg massage. My husband chose the «Pain Relief» soak and I chose the «Rosemary, Tea Tree, and Seaweed» soak. The whole experience was calming and you definitely didn’t feel like you were in the city once you got back into the soak room. Our massage therapist was friendly and very talented — my legs haven’t felt this great in many years!

My husband and I came here for the first time during our night away for my birthday. Our experience was amazing. As being our first time, we are unable to compare to the «old» location. I noticed the only negative reviews on Unilocal come from those who are comparing their experience to the prior location. I think those hipsters need to get over themselves and deal with the fact that the business was obviously thriving and needed to expand. If they are liking for privacy they should fill up their bathtub and soak their own feet. I had a sudsy soak and foot massage and was so relaxed I fellas keep. My husband selected a woodsy soak with a neck message. We can’t wait to go back on our next trip to Portland.

Beetle gate update. Beetle larva in Moringa tea after storage in plastic freezer quality ziplock. Pretty gross, Soakology.

Hmmm… I’ve been a Soakology fan for years. In addition to a Thanksgiving weekend tradition, I usually go several times during the year, especially in the winter when it is FREEZING and the opportunity to soak my feet in a giant bowl of steaming hot herbal water really speaks to me. When Soakology moved to their new location, I was happy, figuring it would give them some much needed growing room.
I had stopped in their new entrance/​teahouse a couple of times, and thought the new space seemed great, roomier with high ceilings, MUCH more comfortable spaces for tea customers and a lovely selection of body and herbal products. In addition, I had the most incredible red rooibis chai tea latte I have ever had in my life there, perfectly crafted with a honey and sugar rim.
Sadly, that is where my positivity ends. My first big uh-​oh in the new space was some of the staff. There was a woman who seemed to be managing, who was curt and quick in her responses to customers. She was not smiling and almost gave off an energy indicating customers were not to be trusted!!! Her vibe was not good and this business is based on relaxation! To be fair, I recognized many old faces who were trying their damndest to maintain a therapeutic atmosphere.
The new foot soaking space is larger, but not well planned. There is very little opportunity for any real privacy between different groups and there is NO sound absorption. Any conversations going on in the space are broadcast into everyone’s personal space. On the other hand, shouldn’t customers expect some allowable conversation without it becoming an irritation to others? Our group was asked to quiet down, we were told there was a complaint from another customer. I actually didn’t really mind as I understood how sound proof this space was NOT, but ultimately can Soakology expect that all customers are going to interact in whispers or sign language? Heck i’ve seen bachelorette parties come in and have a great time here, as they should! Something is not right if one group so severely impacts the experience of the rest of their customers. We were also seated as a party of four, in one long row, making it harder to communicate and not at all cozy.
I have a most sincere hope for Soakology to figure things out. They were one of the places in Portland that friends from out of state would make sure to include when visiting. This weekend four previously devoted fans from Boston went home sincerely disappointed.

I’ve been a patron since it opened in the original location as «Soak» and then changed hands and became Soakology. The space was small and intimate. The downstairs was so serene and cozy.
I loved the water feature that helped drown out chatter. However, as they grew in popularity it was tough to get an appointment. The space to take off your shoes/​bathroom/​put on your shoes at the bottom of the stairs was tight and awkward. The shop upstairs grew with retail and became cramped and no longer a nice spot to relax and enjoy your tea.
Now, the new space… Located across from Port City Music Hall has high ceilings and a large retail space. The shop has a bar feeling to it with many seating options. You can even microwave a neck/​shoulder wrap and sit with it on while you wait. There is a ton of space for retail now and it is stocked full of all sorts of stuff. You need to check each nook and cranny. They have done a nice job decorating the space to make it seem more intimate.
The area to take off your shoes and jackets has more space and you don’t feel «in the way». Once you go in to the spa room through the barn door … If you experienced the original space you can’t help but feel a slight pang of disappointment, but with that said, they have done a nice job of sectioning off space and making it as cozy as they can. We were seated in the first space and no one else came in while we were there, but I can get a feel for how distracting it would be if people kept coming through.
The service, as always, is well done. The tea/​food order taken efficiently and the therapists friendly and doing a great job.
The draw back for me was when we finished and went back out to pay. The display for retail is close enough to the register that we were paying while someone was going in to the spa and there was not room for them to pass without us moving. I would like to see the register moved more center of the area or the display moved back.
I am glad that they are doing well enough to need new space and think they have done a great job turning it in to as cozy a spot as they can.

I really love Unilocal.I got online to review recent reviews before my second-​ever trip to Soakology this summer, and learned here that Soakology had changed locations. Maybe being armed with this information, as well as other reviewers’ input about how different the location is now and how the experience has changed, made it easier for me to accept the new location and vibe.
I still loved it! I loved it at their old place, which felt like sort of an intimate, romantic dungeon, but I TOTALLY understand why they needed more space! They now have a larger and more expansive area dedicated to retail, they have an inviting and more spacious arrival area where you can sit and fill out forms, make your selections, and meet your provider, and (you guessed it) a larger kitchen/​tea area.
Once you’ve made your selections, you are taken to the back area of their facility where lights are kept dim and they still have the big cozy chairs and relaxing ambience you remember from their prior location. True, it isn’t rustic and doesn’t have that natural character, but it’s still very comfortable. Room dividers and curtains provide privacy for your party. My one complaint, which did not cause me to knock them down a star, is that we were situated very near the entrance to the back area, and so were passed by new arrivals a few times during our ~hour-​long treatment.
The light fare menu and tea and smoothie offerings were very tempting and I thoroughly enjoyed my fruit smoothie.
So if you can get over your disappointment at their having relocated, you’ll probably still really enjoy this lovely, luxurious hotspot in Portland.

I’m not usually one for this sort of sit and relax type endeavor, but my wife is pregnant and her feet are sore, so I figured «why not»? I’m glad I did! We came here on a friend’s recommendation of things to do while in Portland and she did not disappoint. The soak was wonderful, and we got drinks and a Mediterranean snack plate. $ 20 for some olives, hummus and pita is a bit high, but i guess it’s all part of the experience. Not a thing I’d do regularly, but definitely nice for a treat. Staff were all very warm and welcoming.

So the new place has a different vibe from the old place. The old place made you feel warm and cozy in the basement. This is a lot more open so I don’t feel as warm and snuggly. I think a lot of this can be fixed though. I have 3 issues that could bump this to a 5 star (keep in mind, I gave it 4 and I am a picky SOB, so these are in no way deal breakers and I will keep going back regardless, I’d just go more often if these were done). #1. dim the lighting. I know there isn’t much in there, but what is there is intense #2. quiet the music, I don’t know if its to discourage or carry over talking, but its very loud #3. when you first walk in the two chairs to the left need a curtain. Its tough to relax when people are walking in and out of the door right in front of you. And so far out of the handful of techs I have had the pleasure of working on me, Kaya was by far the best.

Make a reservation, know what kind of soak and or treatment that you want ahead of time. The foot massage was ok. FYI, Pick a tea fast if you are going to want one. FYI, you only have 1 hour to soak before they boot you out. I wish I would have known this beforehand.

My daughter attended a summer learning session at a college near Soakology’s old location, last summer, and I kept walking by the store and thinking it would be a fun place to go. For some reason, I despise pedicures but I love Love LOVE a good massage.
So, our last day there, I popped in to see if we could partake. Sadly, they only had one slot left that afternoon — I pulled rank and my daughter was stuck upstairs eating macarons while I went downstairs and enjoyed the soak and massage. TREMENDOUSLY relaxing.
While I knew they were happy to take male clients, it felt like a very female place. There was at least one group of women there for a bridesmaids pre-​wedding get-​together.
We visited them at their new digs this summer. This time I’d planned ahead and made appointments (though I should have called sooner; even with more space and larger capacity we couldn’t be seen until later afternoon). I tried to persuade my husband to join us but he decided he’d rather walk around town. Foolish man. There were actually male clients that day.
The food is a bit overpriced but enjoyable. I don’t know if there’s a minimum required — I’ve gotten iced tea and some kind of snack-​y things each time.
The big bowls you soak in are actually an annoyance. I don’t know if it’s my big feet, or the angle, or what, but when I try to let my legs relax, the edge of the bowl tends to dig into my calves. A different shape (more oblong, with a more gentle slope on the leg side) would be more comfy. That’s actually the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
It’s probably best that we live a long way away, or I’d be spending all my disposable income there. I sure wish there were such a place in the Washington DC area!!!

So it’s appropriate that the box text that appears when you highlight two stars on a Unilocal review is «Meh. I’ve experienced better.» You know what a better experience was than Soakology at its new 511 Congress Street location? Soakology at its OLD location!!!
Having visited the latter location countless times over the years, I was both saddened to learn of its move to new digs, yet also hopeful that the space on Congress would be just as intimate, relaxing, and comforting as the warm, cozy, two-​level retreat that had existed at 30 City Center since its origins. Alas, NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.
Gone are the warm woods and amber lighting and brick walls and beam ceilings that were the signature of the subterranean area of the original. Gone is the cash area built into a wraparound wall of products that felt like a magical apothecary you’d find in Lord of the Rings. Gone, in fact, is everything that made an experience at Soakology an *experience* — something the owners, I would submit, either overlooked or ignored when moving into a larger space. To me, Soakology had always been more than just products and services. Now, it’s simply that, a place with no soul.
The new Soakology on Congress is located in a drab complex where the sprawling reception area and retail space feels more like a Teavana from your local mall but with bad neon lighting (pro marketing tip for the owners: whereas clients used to be surrounded by products by the cash and tempted by countless impulse buys, the fact your displays are spread out all over the place now suggests you’ll see a significant drop in your per-​square-​foot ROI). Once you select your service (head/​neck massage, foot soak and massage, etc.), you’ll be ushered into a cavernous back room with a soaring ceiling and plasterboard walls, all painted in a dark grey/​blue, where small groups of massage chairs are divided by curtains on suspended rods. Lighting is low-​level white LEDs mounted on the wall — no amber or yellow light for you! Soft music plays as you get your treatment, but due to the fact the entire room is essentially now a giant echo chamber with horrendous acoustics, you will hear absolutely everything going on around you — chatter among small groups, or more nauseatingly, the treatment like rough skin of someone’s foot being pumiced off nearby… talk about a mood-​killer.
When your massage/​treatment is over (and sadly, perhaps everything for me was tainted by the new venue, but even the massage seemed very amateur, with just general «rubbing» of my legs and feet with no skilled attention paid to tense areas), you’re ushered out of the area through a sliding «barn door» that pops you right out behind the cash at the reception, facing the giant windows onto Congress overlooking city buses and traffic shuttling along. Lovely.
As I write this there are only two other reviews of the new location, both of them five stars from first-​time visitors to the place. I can appreciate that indeed, for first-​time visitors, the «new» Soakology may be unique enough to garner high praise… but for those of us who have fond recollections of the original, gloriously-​designed gem, this pale imitation simply doesn’t come close.

My first foot massage was an experience I’ll never forget. In a good way. Easily located in an open plaza, we walked there from our waterfront hotel.
It was a relaxing oasis where I forgot about the worries of the day and felt indulged. You are asked to choose your treatment from a menu of options including various massages.
The super-​hot water was poured into a large container and various additives were added. I soaked my feet after a slow entry and then underwent a relaxing massage. The employees were very nice, knowledgeable and friendly. And they certainly knew their way around a foot!
Felt like a brand-​new man when I was done! Well worth a visit!

Stumbled on this as we strolled around Portland and couldn’t resist the idea of a foot bath and herbal tea before our long flight back home. Such a neat business concept. I got a peppermint soak and my husband got the relaxing soak. It was very pleasant!