The Best Thai Massage at Nuat Thai Pioneer and the Worst Massage Ever at Nuat Thai California Garden Square Branch!

Disclaimer : I don't like the idea of discrediting one establishment so as to perk up another. I am not into that. What I do though is that I try to talk about my experiences. And if a place or service sucks, sorry but I have to say it. This is one classic example of that.
Note: All photos in this blog post were taken from Nuat Thai Pioneer branch which is my favorite massage place in the whole of Metro Manila.

Having a two-hour massage is usual, but having it in two separate massage shops is another thing. That I tried last week. As usual, I was suffering from severe back pains so I had a massage for temporary relief. I was around the area of California Garden Square in Mandaluyong and saw a Nuat Thai branch there so I gave it a go. I am familiar with Nuat Thai having tried and reviewed three branches --Eastwood, Banawe and Pioneer-- so I thought the brand offers the same quality of service. I was wrong, sooooooooo wrong.

The Best Thai Massage at NUAT THAI PIONEER

Availed of Thai massage. I was there prior to opening and waited patiently. The masseur came and I was the first customer. His name is JR, a high-schoolish looking guy in his early 20s. He is short so he looks a little bulky rather than lean. I thought I was lucky because I was the first customer. That means no reason for him to be complaining tired after servicing many customers. I was lead to the massage room. Changed and waited. He made me wait for 10 minutes without notice. He came back and said he had a quick lunch because he might faint if he doesn't as I wanted to have 2-hour Thai massage. He said it in a confident voice as if close kami. I didn't mind.

And then he started with the Thai massage. I was ok with the pressure level but I noticed after a few pinches that this is not the standard Thai massage. I can tell after having tried it several times. He has no system, he was just pressing randomly as if not counting.

A few minutes after my legs. He started with my back. And he used his elbow. So it was all elbowing for a few minutes. And then he asked if I want him to step on me. I said go. He did.

At that point. I asked, "sure ka na apak na kagad? Kanina puro siko tas apak na kagad". He said yes. I said ok. After stepping on my back, I turned around and talked to him in a calm voice. "Ilang months kana dito? ". He said just two but he was originally from another Nuat Thai branch in QC. He asked why I am imploring, I said because I think "he is not doing it right. He seem to be not counting and he doesn't seem to have a system". "Kanina puro siko tas biglang puro apak, hindi ganyan ang Thai massage na alam ko." And he said, "masakit kasi daliri ko kasi siko ginamit ko." What????

He frowned and he said he doing it the standard way. I begged to disagree so I said, "okay, let's just have it 1 hour instead of two. Just finish the massage and end it properly. He said, okay, we only have 20 minutes left. He spent the remaining 20 minutes punching my arms on the left and he ended with that. He didn't even bother to complete other parts. A well experienced masseur will know how to apportion the time so as to end in a right way. So when he said it's over and he asked if I want water or tea in a little arrogant way, I was fuming.

I made a complaint at the front desk. And the ones in charge there ,they happen to be ordinary therapists because they said the one in charge of the team, the supervisor perhaps, will not check in until 6pm. I was irritated and was straightforward with my language but I made sure I did so in a calm and educated manner. But people didn't know how do handle me so i was even more irritated. Instead of asking me privately at the front desk, they were doing it at the waiting area and they allowed the masseur to go there and confront me saying he did his job properly. That is not for hi, to say. I was not only satisfied, I felt robbed of time and money. And it seemed to me that they were ganging up on me so as to defend their colleague. That I didn't appreciate. For the first time ever, I wrote a complaint letter.

It was lengthy detailing mostly what I said here. I asked that the manager or whoever in charge will give me feedback as to what action they will do in response to this. I am not asking for any money or refund, I just would like to know that they care about the quality of service they give their paying customers. I seriously think they are employing an incompetent masseur who will do better at other trade. As of writing, I haven't received any feedback. Might be that my letter never reached the concerned authorities of that they are just playing "dedma" about it. Only God knows.

Really the worst massage ever at NUAT THAI California Garden Square Branch!

In my case, my back was still hurt and I felt like I really needed a good massage so I transferred to Pioneer Branch. This place is not nee to me. I have been here several times and their service always delivered. On my way, I was scolding myself for not going straight here instead.


It was at Nuat Thai pioneer actually where I had my first Thai Massage. Yes, been having massage for many years and have tried countless spas and different kinds like aromatherapy, hilot, ventosa, you name it. But never that massage. I thought the like of oil doesn't work for me. But Nuat Thai Pioneer changed that. I actually like it more than Swedish now. And thanks because they have competent masseurs. I would normally go for Justin or Glenn but more on Glenn. It was again Glenn who I requested that day and I was so thankful to him for saving the day and for bringing back the smile on my face. The quality he puts in his trade brings back my faith in 250-peso massages. Go give it a try yourself and you will know.

I never felt this deprived for a service in my life. Not that I can remember. I never tried spa hopping before if there is even a term like that but I did so last time thanks to the worst ever massage I experienced at Nuat Thai California Square Garden branch.

PS: All photos in this post were taken in Nuat Thai Pioneer which is one of my favorite branches. The one that I was complaining  about is California Garden Branch which I failed to take a picture of. I will do so one of these days and will update this post.

Nuat Thai Pioneer is located at
56-58 Madison St., Mandaluyong City 

+63 942 808 6828
It's behind Globe Tower

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