“I can’t compete against spas that have big corporate money behind them,” Bruce explained. “The only way I can compete is to offer a better experience and have people who care.”
Coming In From the Cold for A Hot Stone Massage
I was assured that Bruce Baltz, LMT, an educator with 20 years experience, was not only an expert at this treatment, but he trains others throughout the country. It would be an amazing experience, I was told. I figured it was time to get back on the horse, so to speak, so I agreed to go with the stone flow.
The spa is tucked away in a one-flight-down private entrance from the main building of 1 Park Avenue’s lobby. Once you open the doors into Oasis, you enter an expansive waiting room with comfortable oversized chairs surrounding a large glass table adorned with a huge vase and faux flowers that truly look real.
As you check in, you are warmly greeted by personnel who present you with a health questionnaire asking the usual questions. A hair and nail salon is off to one side of the front room and the women’s locker area is through another curtained alcove. Oasis on Park has a bountiful 38 lockers, showers and a steam room, all bathed in subdued lighting.
Oasis Park Avenue has 19 full treatment rooms, including a wet room for body scrubs and wraps, and an event room large enough for special occasions. Cheerful wall paintings adorn the hallways and if you need to use the facilities, look for the “Wash Closet.”
A Master Hot Stone Therapist
The Oasis co-ed relaxation lounge is horseshoe-shaped with lounging seats surrounding four little tables with candles and spa-related magazines. An expansive assortment of teas, lemon and orange water were available in addition to dried cranberries, apricots and almonds. A fellow guest mentioned that it felt cold, and a staff member immediately went off to adjust the thermostat. That’s another good sign that Oasis truly does look after their customer’s comfort zone. Another nod to common courtesy was a wall hanging that reminded guests to keep voices at a whisper level.
I was led to my room by Bruce Baltz, who started the stone program at Oasis years ago and has since trained the staff. He managed to diffuse my trepidation about having a stone massage with his calm reassurance and expert technique.
Using warm basalt and cool marble stones in an intricate dance of Swedish massage strokes, he managed to unlock some toxic tension in my shoulders and lower back. The stones were used as an extension of his hands, never just placed on muscles indiscriminately.
While many hot stone massages use only hot stones, Bruce says cool stones are an important part of the treatment. “The body only heals by change and the most dramatic change for our body is through cooler temperatures,” he explained. “The body will soak in as much heat as we give it, and by applying cool stones we pull the excess heat out of the body. The body doesn’t absorb the cold, it releases heat when the cool stones are applied.”
Other Popular Treatments at Oasis
Bruce, who has been with Oasis for many years, is often out-of-town teaching stone massage to other therapists. So, if you’re at all interested in experiencing this expert’s touch, I suggest calling ahead and booking some time with him whenever possible. Yes, he’s that good.
This may be more information that you needed to know about this kind of massage, but it was fascinating to me to learn how these wonderfully smooth, large stones can be so instrumental in reducing stress and tension.
Other popular treatments at Oasis at 1 Park include the aromatherapy massage which combines the basic Swedish massage with specially blended oils, an organic Seaweed Facial and the Red Carpet Facial, which last 75 minutes.
Prices are reasonable for Manhattan, but they can go even lower if you look for its web-only specials, which usually run Monday-Friday. Now that’s a bargain. And you get great service, too.
Oasis Day Spa At A Glance:
Type of Spa: day spa
Locations: Oasis On Park, 1 Park Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Streets, NY, NY. Tel. 212-254-7722
Oasis Day Spa at the Affinia Dumont Hotel, 150 East 34th Street between Lexington & 3rd Avenues, NY, NY. Tel. 212-545-5254.
Oasis Westchester, Saw Mill River Parkway Exit 16, 50 Livingstone Ave, Dobbs Ferry, NY. Tel. 914-409-1900
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary treatments for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
