Oasis Day Spa, New York City
copyright Oasis Day Spa
We regularly post info about babymoons, couples packages offered by hotels that usually include an on-site massage. But what if you already have a favorite hotel you want to stay in? Or what if, as happens in our case, you're already toting a toddler along and don't necessarily "qualify" for the babymoon thing?
If you're staying in NYC - or if you live in NYC - we can highly recommend the Mom-To-Be package at the Oasis Day Spa on 33rd & Park Ave South. We had a prenatal massage here for the first pregnancy and it was so wonderful we decided to go for the full package this time around, and we were not disappointed.
Our package started off with a 30-minute Lavender Salt Scrub. We didn't think it was possible for anything to be better than the massage but this might be it. Hala, our "scrubber", was very attentive due to our girth. She helped us up on the table and although the normal policy is to leave the room to allow clients to disrobe, Hala stays for preggos to make sure we don't slip on the wet floor. Nestled in towels, we proceeded to get scrubbed with Dead Sea salts scented with lavender. Because of the pregnancy, the treatment was performed first on one side and then the other as opposed to back then front. Hala's pressure was forceful without being too abrasive - we reveled in the thought that our back and legs were finally getting some much-needed exfoliation. Hala then turned on the 6-head Vichy shower, at which point, feeling as though we were lying blissfully under a warm blanket, we almost fell asleep. When Hala helped us up out of our stupor she toweled us off with warm towels that we were loathe to let go off.
Our prenatal massage with Vicky lasted for 60 minutes. What we love about this spa is their special maternity tables, which have the tummy cutout. The sheets are draped over the hole so your stomach isn't just hanging in space uncomfortably. (Just so you know, we recently read that some doctors don't recommend these tables due to the pressure they may put on the uterus, so you may want to check with your doctor before scheduling, or ask your therapist to leave the cutout in and use pillows for support.) The massage was excellent - Vicky paid attention to all the spots we pointed out to her: the lower back and left side were duly kneaded and we could feel the knots in our shoulders resisting her determined efforts. As we feel about practically all massages, it ended too soon.
We ended up with a 30-minute mini-facial from Rachel. Rachel was impressed with our skin and didn't feel the need to do too much, noting that our skin was very clear and hydrated. We liked that she didn't bombard our face with unnecessary treatments, but stuck to basic steam treatment, a mild exfoliant and a moisturizing gel that would keep our skin's dewy state. Nor did she embark upon the hard sell of products afterwards: her only soft push was the exfoliant since we noted that we don't do too much of that at home.
Although the package is for 2 hours, we ended up being there closer to 3 - there was no rushing from one treatment to the next. It gave us ample time to dip back into the lounge to snack on the dried fruit laid out and continually hydrate with water that was flavored with your pick of lemon or orange peel. Of course, we couldn't visit the sauna once our treatments were done, but we did settle for a leisurely shower. The only bummer? Hefting our weight back up the long flight of stairs when it was all said and done - the spa is on the basement level of the building and the only means of access is the stairs, which of course are not so bad going down but not so great coming up... However, that didn't stop us from scheduling two more packages over the next two months. We'll just be going v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y up those stairs.
