In-home spa: what to have ready before we arrive

One client opened the door with a spotless living room, new towels folded on the sofa, and apologies for a mess that didn't exist. The only thing missing was the thing that matters: the only free space was the living room, with the TV on and the front door two metres away.

Preparing for an in-home service is the opposite of what most people picture. You don't need to buy anything or clean the house. You need a room.

What we bring

The therapist arrives with all of it: professional table and stool, clean linen and towels, essential and carrier oils, aromatherapy diffuser, a speaker with the session's music, and every supply the treatment needs. You don't need to lend towels or sheets, and we won't use them if you offer — ours come sterilised from the spa.

What we do need from you

• Two by two metres of clear floor. That's the table plus room for the therapist to walk around it. Sliding a coffee table aside is usually enough.
• A power socket nearby for the diffuser and the speaker.
• A room with a door. A bedroom beats the living room. A closed door is the difference between a session and a massage with background noise.
• Light you can lower. Curtains drawn and a bedside lamp will do.
• A mild temperature. You'll be still and partly uncovered for an hour: a cold room won't let you relax. If it's hot, a floor fan — not air blowing straight onto the table.

That's it. No music, no candles, no buying oil.

The fifteen minutes before

We arrive fifteen minutes before your time to set up. That quarter of an hour is assembly, not session: your hour starts when you lie down.

Sorting out access helps enormously. If you live in a building or gated complex, leave the therapist's name at the gate. If there are stairs, tell us how many floors when you book — the table is heavy. And if you have visitor parking, let us know; if you don't, let us know that too, so we leave earlier.

The hour before

• Eat lightly one or two hours ahead. Neither hungry nor straight up from the table.
• Shower beforehand if you can. It feels better and helps the oil work.
• No alcohol before the session.
• Silence your phone and leave it in another room.
• Don't schedule a delivery or a call for that hour. A doorbell mid-massage undoes the whole thing.
• Have comfortable clothes ready for after. You won't feel like getting dressed to go out.

If it's for several people

For a birthday, a baby shower or a team's end of quarter, the logistics change. The most requested set-up is a 30-minute back and neck massage per person, with one therapist per four guests; with a bigger group we send two or more therapists and build rotations so nobody waits too long.

What you need to sort out: one room that can be used on rotation, and a rough list of who goes when. We'll build it with you if you tell us how many are coming.

One tip for groups: reflexology and champi are done seated and fully clothed. They're the answer for guests who don't love the idea of lying on a table in someone else's house.

Pets, kids and doors that open

Dogs, cats and children are all fine, but tell us when you book so we plan for it. The session works far better in a room whose door closes, and it helps if someone else is on kid duty for that hour. A dog that wants to climb onto the table is charming for the first two minutes.

What doesn't travel

Most of the menu comes to you: massages —holistic, Swedish, deep tissue, sports, hot stone, champi, prenatal, postpartum, Shantala baby massage, reflexology—, facials with portable equipment, and alternative therapies such as auriculotherapy, cupping, biomagnetism and Access bars.

Anything needing water, a sauna or large equipment stays at the spa: circuits, rituals, jacuzzi, laser hair removal, radiofrequency, cavitation. If what you want is a full circuit, home isn't the place for it — that one is worth coming in for.

The travel fee, before you confirm

The treatment costs what the menu says; the travel fee goes on top, based on the distance from whichever location is closest to you. We tell you the total when we quote, before you confirm — never at the end. For groups of four or more we usually absorb it.

For one or two people, 24 hours' notice is normally enough. For groups, events or weekends, book at least a week ahead. The 20% first-visit discount applies to the service; it doesn't apply to the travel fee.

After we leave

We pack everything up and leave nothing behind but the smell of essential oil. Give yourself ten minutes of doing nothing before going back to the house: that's when the body settles the session. Drink water, and leave the gym for tomorrow.

What to tell us before booking

If you're pregnant —and how many weeks—, if you've had recent surgery, if you have high blood pressure, varicose veins or diabetes, or if you take blood thinners, say so when we quote, not when the therapist is already in your living room. It isn't to turn you away: it's so we assign the right technique and the right person, and bring the bolsters you need.