September 30, 2016 | Style & Beauty
Anytime is the right time to check in to one of the city’s many foot massage places.
No one loves a full-on, strip-down massage experience in Las Vegas’s many fabulous resort spas more than I do. But I don’t often have hours to allocate to them. The foot reflexology shops tucked all over Spring Mountain Road and beyond are utilitarian, but effective. I became a convert after a friend insisted on booking me a foot massage after a decadent dinner in Hong Kong at a hidden massage shop called “Foot.” I’ve been trying to replicate that level of pain-meets-ultimate relaxation ever since in Las Vegas. Advantages in Las Vegas: Walk-ins are almost always welcome; they’re a great, quick escape during a stressful day or as a post-date nightcap alternative (most are open until midnight or later); and they’re super-cheap!
Two important recommendations: A standard, hour-long foot massage in Hong Kong hovers around $40, with no tip. Most Spring Mountain Road-area reflexology places advertise $20 for the hour. Don’t cheap out: Give at least a $10 tip, if not double the price on a $20 service. I mean, you just got a full hour for a fraction of spa prices, so don’t complain on Yelp that your therapist looked disappointed with your $5 tip. Also, expect a bit of pain for your money. It’s not their job to play Enya and sprinkle you with pixie dust; they’re there to work out your muscle kinks. Here are some of my favorites.
There are only four options at Rose Foot Spa: a $20, hour-long foot massage; $35 for a combo of shoulders, back and feet; $50 for 90 minutes, and $65 for 120 minutes. My go-to is the $35 hour-long (with therapist Jeff). Start with your feet in a bucket of hot water and get a thorough neck and scalp massage—expect his effective search-and-destroy mission on your upper-back knots—then onto a serious kneading of feet and calves. Finally, you’ll flip over, de-shirt, and get a fantastic back massage, finishing with hot stones.
Tip: Don’t expect lots of privacy, since most rooms have at least two beds. However, it’s rarely crowded. Christmas lights in a heart pattern on the wall and the stylings of Kenny G. over the speakers may be off-putting for some (see also Enya/pixie dust, above). You’ll emerge a whole new person. Book the $35 special and get a punch card: After ten punches, your next service is free.
Open 7 days, 10 a.m. to midnight. 5755 Spring Mountain Road, Ste. 4, 702-222-0088
Among the many reasons I love El Cortez: You can pull up to the valet, walk 20 feet to the balustraded staircase, and land in the Hong Kong-style reflexology room that now occupies their former Founders Room. Parallel universe! Happy Feet opened in February and closed temporarily for the summer, just reopening in September. The big, wide-open space (I counted seven beds in one room) is where you’ll want to take your posse if you danced all night before in your 7-inch heels. The price is right: $20 for feet, $38 for a combo (20 minutes each of head and arms, legs and feet, back and shoulders).
Tip: I was reduced to a mass of quivering Jell-o by my therapist, Jerry, who squeezed out every knot in my body and possibly relocated several internal organs. The man is not messing around—and I had no idea that several of my limbs could actually bend in the directions he sent them. I was actually shaking in my car as I drove away—in a good way! If you have serious tension, this is where to work it out. Unlike other foot spas, you’ll want to call in advance.
Open 7 days, 10 a.m. to midnight. El Cortez Hotel & Casino, 600 E. Fremont St., 702-885-6612
My recipe for the ultimate in late night indulgences isn’t crazy expensive. It either starts or ends with the ridiculously decadent honey toast at Japanese Izakaya restaurant Ichiza on the second floor of a strip mall on Spring Mountain (open until 2:30 a.m.), and involves an hour-long foot massage with Bo at next-door’s Master Spa. His $38 hour-long, gentle reflexology session focuses on manipulating the pressure points on ears, hands, and feet and is guaranteed to put me to sleep. So, if you’re not above paying for a nap (I’m not!) this is a great place to make that happen.
Tip: You can also get an hour-long head shampoo and scalp massage for $48 (also a virtually guaranteed sleep-inducer), plus hand and feet salt scrubs, hot stone massages, and more. An off-the-menu item is a $50 hour-long custom massage. The place is pitch black, so don’t freak out; you’ll just need to read the menu from the light of your mobile phone.
Open 7 days, from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. 4355 W. Spring Mountain Road, Ste. 206, 702-875-3998
How do you keep pace with a party-packed Vegas lifestyle without burning out? Vegas Editor-in-Chief Andrea Bennett seeks out the healthy indulgences, insider finds, and desert beauty tricks that help you balance Vegas’s unique climate, nightlife culture, and fabulous temptations. (Hint: It’s not all yoga and kombucha here.)
Got some local favorites you'd like us to know about? Write to thevegasedit@greengale.com, tweet us @vegasmagazine and @andreabennett1 and Instagram @AndreaBennettInk #TheVegasEdit, and see previous stories here.
Photography by Anthony Mair
