A true oasis in every way! I went last weekend for a dear friend’s bachelorette party, and this spot was magical. Spacious deck with gorgeous views, plenty of space to set out drinks and nibbles, do yoga stretches or lay out in the sun(not me), and shaded space to sit and relax under the table umbrella(me!). There is a comfy hot tub, a pool for water massage(not yet heated for the summer when we went, so we used it as a very mild ‘cold plunge’ during our spa circuit), and an infrared sauna. Gorgeous gardens that you can stroll through at leisure. Steve was our host for the day, and brought in a local masseuse to help with extra sessions since his wife wasn’t available. Steve was very kind and attentive, and knew exactly when to give us our girly space to be alone. I received my massage from Steve, and he is a truly talented therapist. I was a massage therapist for years, so I recognized that I was in the hands of a master — perfect blend of technique and presence/energy, and he did some great focused work on my shoulder. I’m looking forward to coming back and bringing new friends to this oasis :)
E S.
Concord, CA
We booked two massages at the same time. One with Steve and the other with Gail. We had the opportunity to sit in the jacuzzi a bit prior to the massages. The massage I received from Steve was great and he is a very intuitive masseuse. I walked out feeling very relaxed, and could feel noticeable adjustments in some of the areas I was experiencing the most tension. I understand his glowing reviews. Unfortunately, after the massage, we were turned off with the timing and tone of some of Gail’s comments regarding their front gate. This brought an unnecessary bad taste to our mouths and has led to the deduction of stars, because it definitely shifted us from an relaxed state after our massages to an unappreciated and annoyed state. It consumed our discussion over the ride home, rather than a discussion of how we felt rejuvenated. This is a bummer, as I believe they would never have wanted us to drive away feeling that way. Before I explain what happened, here is some background. Background: Upon entering the grounds, I struggled to open the gate. My partner then exited the car to help get it open. After driving through the gate, I then struggled to close the gate behind us. I felt if I tried harder I would hurt my hand(which was already hurting me from an earlier incident), so I was forced to give up. I lifted up on the gate, wiggled it, etc, and could not get the lock rod to fit in the incredibly tight hole it is so «imprecisely» matched with — I thought why don’t they just make the hole longer, as it seems unrealistic to think it should match up perfectly, and so that this isn’t such a pain in the butt… in the end I just closed it without securing the lock — as straining my hand hardly seemed like a good idea. There was no note in Gail’s email about the tricks and tips about using the gate — nor any mention of the apparent extreme importance of closing it. Fast forward to after the massages. My partner finished his massage before me and was taking a snooze outside and trying to enjoy the aftermath of his massage. Upon realizing the gate was open, and closing it herself — problem solved for the time being — Gail felt it so important to wake my partner up to complain that«the gate wasn’t closed» in a somewhat annoyed tone… mentioning something about deer and the garden. Then some time later, I asked if I could not rush him and let him snooze, while I got ready. She said«no problem», but the sincerity wasn’t there. I had yet to learn of what happened during his snooze time. But, then the gate came up again when I was providing cash payment and gratuity to her. «The gate was open.» Apologizing like a scolded child, I explained that I had tried and could not get it to close. «Well you need to lift it up.».this trick… that thing…“it happens so often that I have gotten in the habit of checking the gate after everyone who enters…” she said. Again, I apologized, but I felt like — hey, I am your costumer, I did my best, but if you want me to close it, make it an easier task or ask when I arrived if I had any trouble. And, if you are in such habit, then it’s clearly a problem for more than just me to get closed correctly. Make the lock work easier, provide more instruction — and problem solved. It’s a lot to think your customers are going to take the responsibility of closing this securely, especially if it is a pain in a*s, etc.(Frankly, opening it was also a pain in the a** too.) She had also complained earlier about water usage, etc — so I am sure running the business from their home may bring on some resource concerns… but, none of that is my responsibility as a client, and I prefer not to take that on, especially in place I wanted to feel blissful and worry-free. Again, I am sure her intent was not to leave a bad taste with us, but after enjoying a nice massage on nice grounds, it was just unnecessary to gripe. I hope this review is helpful, because I do think it is a very nice place.