étant, A Spa for Well Being

I have been to étant 3 times now and each session is an absolute delight. I was initially gifted a Swedish Massage + facial for my birthday and I simply HAD to go back! Jackie and Danielle are two incredibly talented masseuses. The long, deep strokes of the Swedish Massage technique will leave you feeling both physically and mentally relaxed and ready to take on the rest of your day. Even the Boston traffic couldn’t phase me after my massages! I will definitely continue going back to étant and recommending their services to anyone looking for a truly professional and reliable experience.

I booked a group massage for four people, and it was a disaster. Three of us had female therapists, while I was assigned a male therapist. Despite specifically asking him to focus on my shoulders and feet, he spent half the time on my glutes (to put it politely). I'm latina, and even I was too uncomfortable to say anything in the moment, but it was easily the worst massage of my life. To top it off, he asked to massage my scalp at the end. I said yes, but he proceeded to pull my hair so hard I just laid there with my eyes wide open, praying for it to end. It was a nightmare. Out of the four of us, only the person who got a Swedish massage (my boyfriend) was satisfied. The rest of us booked deep tissue and were let down; the others found theirs too soft, while mine was, well, let's just say he really leaned into the glute work. I truly regret spending nearly a thousand dollars here. To make matters worse, I lost an earring during the 'hair pulling' ordeal, and the spa claims they haven't found it, so I lost my diamond earring that I truly loved. It was traumatizing.

I visited this spa with a group and personally had a decent massage. Unfortunately, that was not the full extent of our experience. My girlfriend was assigned a male massage therapist due to availability. During her session, she became increasingly uncomfortable because aspects of the massage felt handsy and crossed boundaries. At this price point, there should never be any uncertainty about whether conduct during a service is appropriate. What was meant to be a relaxing experience instead left her feeling uneasy and regretful that she attended at all. She later left a review to share how the session made her feel. Rather than responding with concern or trying to follow up, the spa’s initial reply was rude, defensive and blamed her for not raising the issue immediately after the session or during a follow up call. That response has since been removed, which speaks to how situations like this are handled by management there. Based on both the experience itself and the way it was addressed afterward, I would not feel comfortable recommending this spa, particularly for women. Perhaps this review will receive a similar response that will be deleted as well.

I was the lucky winner of a $275 "Deep Cleansing Ultrasonic Facial" in their 12 Days of Spa Christmas Giveaway... And, boy am I glad. Until today, I would never have allowed myself to splurge. After this facial, I'm getting one annually. My skin has literally NEVER looked this great! My skin specialist/head and shoulder masseuse (what do I call her?) was very relaxing, highly qualified, and generally a joy with which spend an hour and a half. We talked about everything from relationships to relaxation to remedies. She started out quite quiet, I assume on my account. But, I highly suggest you ask her questions, as she is very knowledgeable on skin products, both retail and all natural. THE DEAL: etant spa is a true hidden gem in the South End, offering some of Boston's best facials

Hands down, the absolute best spa in boston (and the best ownership). I’ve been here many many times for many things but today my husband and I came here for a couples massage (his first massage in 47 years!) and we had the best most relaxing hour, both leaving like jelly. They turned him into a massage believer! I would never go anywhere else!