May 2026 · 10 min read · <how to book a massage in under 60 secondsn class="text-amber-700 font-semibold">Wellness
I am a twenty-eight-year-old software developer from Raipur who had never set foot inside a spa. Not once. Not even for a haircut that involved a head massage. The idea of paying someone to touch me felt... awkward. Unnecessary. Embarrassing. But when my girlfriend booked me a session at Meraki Spa as a birthday gift, I had no choice. This is the diary of what actually happened — the fears, the confusion, the surprising moments, and why I am now a regular.
Day -7: The Booking
My girlfriend handed me an envelope. Inside was a gift voucher for Meraki Spa — Oil Massage (₹999), 60 minutes. My first reaction was panic. "I have to take my clothes off?" "I don't know what to do with my hands." "What if I fall asleep?" "What if I fart?" (Yes, that was a real concern.) She laughed at all of them, but the embarrassment factor was real. I am the kind of person who gets uncomfortable during haircuts when the barber makes small talk. How was I supposed to survive an hour of silence with a stranger's hands on my back?
Day 0: Arrival
Meraki Spa is on Bazar Road, Changurabhata — a location I drive past regularly but never noticed. The entrance is unassuming, but the moment you step inside, you realize you have entered a different world. The temperature drops a few degrees. The lighting is warm — dim but not dark, like a really good restaurant. The air smells of lemongrass and something floral I cannot identify. Soft instrumental music plays from hidden speakers. I immediately felt underdressed in my jeans and t-shirt.
The receptionist greeted me with a genuine smile and asked for my name. I showed her the gift voucher. She checked the booking and handed me a clipboard with a short form — name, phone number, any medical conditions, preferred pressure (light/medium/firm). I wrote "medium" because "I have no idea" was not an option.
"Have you had a massage before?" she asked.
"No."
Her smile did not change. "Your how to talk to your massage therapist will take good care of you. Just tell her if anything is uncomfortable."
She asked me to wait for a few minutes and offered me water. The waiting area had comfortable chairs, a small fountain, and a shelf of books about wellness and Ayurveda. I scrolled through my phone nervously. At exactly the appointment time, a woman in a white uniform appeared and said, "Ready?"
The Room
The therapy room was smaller than I expected, which somehow made it more intimate. The centerpiece was a massage table — wider than a bed, with a rounded face cradle at one end. A small side table held oils and towels. The lighting came from a salt lamp in the corner. The room was warm, probably heated specifically for massage.
The therapist gestured for me to sit on a small bench and gave me instructions that I now realize are standard but which felt monumental at the time:
- Undress to your comfort level. This means you can keep your underwear on. Most men keep their boxers. The therapist will leave the room while you undress.
- Lie face down on the table. Place your face in the cradle (the donut-shaped opening at the top). Your arms go at your sides, palms up.
- Cover yourself with the top sheet. There will be a flat sheet and a blanket. Use them to cover whatever you want covered.
- She will knock before entering. When she returns, she will announce herself and wait a moment before coming in.
She left. I sat there for a solid thirty seconds, psyching myself up. Then I did the awkward dance of removing my clothes while trying to be modest in a room with no one in it. I lay face down on the table. The face cradle was surprisingly comfortable. The sheet felt crisp and clean. I took a deep breath.
The Massage
Knock. "Coming in." The door opened. I heard her footsteps approach.
The first touch — on my upper back — made me flinch. Not because it hurt, but because it was unexpected. Her hands were warm, and she had applied oil beforehand so there was no cold shock. She started with gentle, broad strokes across my entire back — effleurage, I later learned it is called. It is designed to warm up the muscles and introduce the body to touch.
For the first five minutes, I was hyperaware of everything. The sound of her breathing. The creak of the table when she shifted weight. The distant music. I could not relax. My mind was racing: Am I doing this right? Should I say something? Is it normal that my face is squished like this?
But then something happened around the ten-minute mark. She moved to my shoulders — my chronically tight, desk-job shoulders — and hit a knot that made me inhale sharply. She paused, worked the area with her thumbs, and I felt something release. Not physically. Mentally. The knot of anxiety I had been carrying about whether I was "doing the spa right" just... dissolved.
I stopped thinking. I started feeling.
The oil massage at Meraki Spa uses warm, herbal oil — not the kind you buy at a pharmacy, but something that smells of earth and herbs. She worked down my spine, using her forearms to apply long, sweeping pressure. Then she moved to my legs, one at a time, working from ankle to thigh with firm, rhythmic strokes. She did my arms. My hands. Even my fingers got individual attention, each one gently pulled and stretched.
I fell asleep somewhere during the leg section. I do not remember exactly when. I just remember opening my eyes to her gently tapping my shoulder and saying, "Please turn over." I had been drooling. The face cradle had a small damp spot. I was mortified for approximately two seconds, then I remembered that this probably happens every single session.
The front side was different. More intimate. She worked my neck while supporting my head with one hand. My shoulders. My arms again. My legs. Then she placed a warm towel on my face — just for a minute — and finished with a gentle press on my forehead.
Aftermath
"Done," she said softly. "Take your time getting up. Drink water."
She left. I lay there for another five minutes, not wanting to move. My body felt like it had been recalibrated. Every joint felt looser. My breathing was deeper. My mind was quiet — not empty, but peaceful, like the ocean after a storm has passed.
When I finally got dressed and walked out, the receptionist asked, "How was it?" I said "Good" because I did not have the vocabulary for what it actually was. She handed me a glass of water and a small piece of chocolate. I ate the chocolate. I drank the water. I felt impossibly, unreasonably good.
What I Learned
Here is the truth about being a first-timer: nobody cares. The therapists have seen every body type, every level of nervousness, every awkward question. They are professionals. The only thing they care about is whether you are comfortable and whether you communicate your needs.
- Talk to your therapist. If the pressure is too strong or too light, say so. They want to know. They cannot read your mind through your back muscles.
- You do not need to make conversation. Silence is expected. Talking during a massage is actually unusual. Close your eyes and disappear.
- Strange noises are normal. The table will creak. Your stomach might gurgle. You might snore. The therapist has heard it all.
- You do not have to tip if you don't want to. It is appreciated but never expected.
- Drink water afterward. Massage releases toxins from your muscles into your bloodstream. Water helps flush them out.
It has been four months since that first session. I now go to Meraki Spa twice a month without fail. The Oil Massage (₹999) is my go-to, but I have also tried the Deep Tissue (₹1,499) for when things get really bad, and the Foot Massage (₹1,000) for the days I spend too much time on my feet. I have even convinced two other developers from my office to try it. One of them is now a regular too.
If you have never been to a spa and the idea makes you uncomfortable, I understand completely. I was you. But I will tell you what I wish someone had told me: it is not weird. It is not embarrassing. It is just an hour of your life where you let someone else take care of you. And honestly, that is something most of us do not get nearly enough of.
Meraki Spa is at Bazar Road, Changurabhata, Raipur, Chhattisgarh 492001. Open 11 AM to 9 PM daily. Call +91 9399075318 to book. They have a 4.8 Google rating for a reason. Tell them it is your what to expect on your first spa visit. They will take care of you.
"The hardest part of getting a massage is walking through the door. After that, the professionals handle everything. And when you walk out, you will wonder why you waited so long."
