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I was in Beijing, China, for some work recently and I had web-surfed for Beijing spa and massage reviews prior to my trip as I had a very packed work schedule and yet did not want to miss out on good spa and massage opportunities in Beijing, China.

One name that constantly popped up in my web-engine search for Beijing spa and massage venues with positive reviews was the name, Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreat. I made a mental note to fit a trip to DragonFly into my tight schedule.

Beijing remains an ultra-large, busy and bustling city especially with the Summer Olympics just a couple of months away. I managed to find some free time in my schedule and as soon as possible, rushed down to DragonFly. I was hoping against hope that I would not be disappointed. I had been disappointed by many highly acclaimed and reviewed spa previously!

Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreat in Beijing is located in a small lane near to the famous historical Forbidden City along a row of restored historical old houses. If taking a taxi, simply tell the taxi driver to go to the Forbidden City or Dong Chen Men (East City Gate) and you can’t miss the place. (See first photo for how the entrance looks like)

I came hopeful but was prepared to be mentally disappointed. To my joy, this time round, I hit ‘Jackpot‘ and was not disappointed at all! DragonFly really live up to it’s reputation as a delightful massage palor.

Dragonfly is not very big in size but I rate it’s service and massage quality as comparable to any top-class spa. The decor of DragonFly is old Chinese, the mood relaxing and the service attitude of their masseurs as first-class. Prices are moderate and business, at 3pm on a weekday, was very good with a constant stream of both local Chinese and foreign tourists coming in and out.

DragonFly offers typical Chinese traditional massage, foot massage, Shiatsu, aromatherapy and other popular massage services. What was different was that they have packages where more than one masseurs work on your body at the same time - very much like the Thai ‘4-hands massage’.

I chose such a package - the Royal Delight - which starts with an hour of foot massage and then an hour of traditional Chinese body massage.

The foot massage started with a foot-bath and then a foot massage. While one masseur was working on my foot, at the same time, another masseur was behind me, massaging my head, neck and shoulder. Call it the ultimate relaxation package! I had the massage room all to myself but eventually had to share it with another 5 Caucasian tourists and from their bemused look, were apparently having a foot massage for the first time in their life!

After my foot massage, I was led to another small room which had it’s own individual massage bed. Then, it was another hour of good, solid Chinese Body Massage or Tui-Na. Nothing beats Tui-Na from a good, dedicated Chinese masseur with a positive smile on her face all the time.

All too soon the massage was over and I had to return to the reception area. I was served Chinese tea and paid for my treatment in cash. It was RMB360 or about US$45 for a two hour massage session attended by three committed masseurs! Wow!

As I left DragonFly, customers continued to stream in, and I made a mental note that I must recommend it to my follow spa enthusiasts. So, if you are ever in Beijing, and going to the Forbidden City is a must-have if you are ever visiting Beijing, make sure you visit this wonderful little massage boutique near the East Gate of the Forbidden City!

Note: It is indicated in their brochure that they have branches in Shanghai and Suzhou in China as well as branches in Norway and Dubai!

Location of Dragonfly @ the Forbidden City
No. 60 Donghuamen Ave., Dong Cheng district, Beijing, China
Size: Small massage boutique palor with multiple rooms
Facilities: Rest area, toilet
Friendliness: Extremely polite staff and massage therapists.
Pricing: Ranges from US$15 to US$40 for massage only. Between US$85 to US$175 for massage, beauty or detox packages.

One lazy sunny morning, my hubby and I had just finished a hearty breakfast along Mohammad Sultan Road, Singapore and happened to pass by some traditional massage shops along River Valley Road, just besides the Tank Road Indian temple. There were large, colourful banners advertising the shops and you just can’t miss them. Being in an extremely relaxed mood, we decided to try out one of the massage shops.

This massage shop is located in a two level pre-war shophouses. The friendly receptionist introduced their available massages and prices. Both my hubby and I opted for their signature massage… Balinese and Thai massage respectively.

This is a no-frill massage palor or boutique and hence does not offer the any type of spa facilities. Their main focus of business is Therapeutic Massage. In Singapore and Asia, there are many of such type of massage shops that focused strictly on massages and not spa frills and facilities. Personally, we prefer this type of no-frill massage shops as prices tend to be at least 50% lesser than a spa-type of massage boutique.

We were lead by the massage therapists to our respective mattresses as they do not have individual rooms. This place is like a typical Thai massage shop one can find in Thailand (i.e. one row of beds or mattresses with separated curtains in a common area). At least they bother to separate the male and female customers!

I opted for the Balinese massage as I wanted something soft and gentle. Balinese massage uses a combination of gentle stretches, acupressure and aromatherapy oils to stimulate the flow of blood, oxygen and ‘qi’ (energy) around your body, and bring deep relaxation and wellness.

Balinese massage uses a variety of techniques including skin rolling, kneading and stroking, acupressure and reflexology.

Overall, my therapist was not too bad even though she is Thai and not Balinese except that she was rather rough when she moved my leg, arms etc. Other than that, her skills was quite good as she ensured every part of your body was massaged.

My hubby loves Thai massage as it gives him the ‘kick’ when the therapist stretches/bend his body. So whenever we are in Thailand, he will try at least a few rounds of hard Thai massage.

Thai Massage is also called Thai yoga massage because the therapist uses his or her hands, knees, legs, and feet to move you into a series of yoga-like stretches. Many people say Thai massage is like doing yoga without any work! Thai massage uses passive stretching and pressure along the body’s energy lines to increase flexibility, relieve muscle and joint tension and balance the body’s energy systems. It is both deeply relaxing and energizing but for many people, especially first timers, they may find Thai massage less relaxing and more painful than other forms of massage.

His therapist was from Northern Thailand. After the session, I asked for my hubby’s comments. The only words he said was that he slept all the way during the session! On one hand, some people may think that the therapist was so good that the recipient actually slept through the treatment. This will sound right if you are doing Shiatsu, Aroma or Swedish massage. Unfortunately, it’s Thai Massage…. whereby the therapist literally uses her whole body, including her elbow, knee and feet to move, twist, turn and contort your body into various yoga-like positions…. so how can one sleep? Hmmmm……

Location of Spa: River Valley Road, Singapore
Size of Spa: 20 beds in common rooms
Friendliness: Friendly receptionist and masseurs
Facilities: Minimal. Shower room available.
Pricing: Minimum SGD50 for one hour session