Valentine's Day can be a lonely time for single guys. Though I enjoy my bachelor lifestyle, I thought it would be a nice change to invite a special girl along for my next day spa excursion. So I called my friend Celeste to see if she was up for a romantic couple's massage and pampering session at Spa Montage in Beverly Hills. I didn't have to twist her arm too much to convince her.
When I first pulled into the parking lot of Spa Montage, I was a bit intimidated. Lamborghinis and Ferraris sat glistening in the valet parking lot and my unwashed Honda Civic seemed out of place. I hopped out of my car and the valet attendant took my keys as if I were royalty. The Civic wasn't fooling anyone but at least worn a collared shirt for the occasion.
Amy, the spa manager for the day, met me at the front desk and gave me a warm introduction. A polite attendant led me to the men's locker room where I was invited to use a dazzling array of amenities. I started off with a Swiss shower. Followed up with a trip to the steam room then relaxed in the jacuzzi. I seemed to have the entire locker room to myself. I enjoyed the privacy until it was time to meet Celeste for our couple's massage.
On my last spa visit, I overcame my anxiety about stripping down in front of strangers. Now I had to bear it all in front of Celeste. At least she'll be partially naked too, I reasoned. With trepidation I pulled my towel up to hide my pot belly as best I could then met Celeste in the coed pool area.
Amanda and Raine, our specialist for the day, showed us to a posh room with twin massage tables. They gave us a set of disposable underwear and left the room so we could change. "Alright, don't look," I told Celeste as she started to giggle. At least she's laughing before I'm naked, I though. "You can't look either," she said. I promised not to as I sneaked a quick peek.
Amanda and Raine returned to the room and explained the Orchard-Inspired Therapies. Each treatment was designed to balance the body and incorporate antioxidant benefits using natural botanical ingredients, we were told. I had no idea what that meant but it sounded nice. "You'll be receiving the 'Annointing' energy treatment," Amanda said. I sat up, a bit perplexed and blurted out, "I thought this was a massage?" Amanda assured me it was similar to a light massage.
They began the treatment by rubbing natural oils into our skin in a rhythmic pattern designed to calm our spirits and restore our energy; two things Celeste and I desperately needed after a long week of work. As romantic ambient music set the mood, I looked over and saw Celeste smiling. I was certainly scoring points with the VIP treatment today.
After the light oil massage, they turned on vichy showers and ran hot and cool water over us to relax our bodies and bolster our immune systems. Celeste asked for all hot water but I figured, after being nude in a room with three attractive women, I could probably use a cold shower.
Celeste and I met in the lobby after the treatment. We both agreed we had a wonderful time. The energy treatment was perfect for our comfort level but I did wonder how spas could improve the couples experience. Offering a rose to give your date and serving champagne would be a nice touch. Having the massage tables face each other would also add to the intimacy of the experience. Overall I was extremely impressed by the couples treatment and I'm convinced that if you want to impress your date, the spa date is the way to go.
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