Morning price! Sunset price!
Anyone who has visited Bali knows that every person on the island can ether give you a massage or has an immediate family member who can. Just ask! Special price!
I was interested in a massage but decided to go the more traditional route, booking through a spa. I read several reviews and Bali Botanica won out in terms of price for value. With two treatments booked, they sent a car for us a half hour before the start of our appointment. For some reason, drivers don’t tell the front desk when they arrive to get people so when we didn’t hear anything by 9:10 we came down to find the driver had been waiting. Not sure if this is a thing in Ubud or Bali in general, since drivers were often late, but it could be a bit frustrating.
The ride over was pleasant, and we arrived on time. The spa is located at the end of a small, winding pedestrian passageway (along with one or two other places). At the entryway was a nice display of flowers and a rack for shoes.
We were greeted and offered cold water; after a short wait were shown to our room and introduced to the massage therapists, Rosi and Linda. Overall, the setting was very nice and peaceful, with soft music playing and running water from a stream outside the open window.
For the first half of the massage, you had your head in a padded hole cut out of the table but there was plumeria and oil wafting up at least. The massage itself felt good but Eric had trouble getting over the greasy feeling of the scented coconut oil (Eric’s note- yes he did). Afterwards, we were told to relax a few minutes and they provided shampoo and shower gel in the two open showers so we could clean up.
We were given a choice of tea or (hot!) water and then driven back to the hotel. All told, about two hours for $30 including tip.
Later that night we were both a little tender in the shoulder area so the massage definitely had an effect! I’m not sure I’ll convince Eric to join me for another massage unless it does not involve oil, but I’ll visit again… and possibly try a few other spa services.
[…] for you upon asking. We choose a spot on the left side under a tree which seemed a bit quieter. Lots of massage offers on the beach that were annoying after a while, especially since you paid to get in and for a chair. […]