There are two types of people in this world: those who love massages and those who don't. As a subset of those people, there are two more types: Those who get frisky after a couples massage and those who keep it PG. Bring up the subject with a group of girlfriends over brunch and you'll find out real fast who's on which team. Wonder what really goes on behind closed doors in those couples massage rooms?
We asked two spa directors to tell us everything. First, a little background on how men got into the room to begin with: It's believed that couples massages got their start, "Years ago, when men were not as accustomed to indulging in spa treatmentsβthis was a way for wives and girlfriends to get them in the door," says Ava Hennessey, spa director at the Aqua Spa in the Delano Hotel in South Beach, Miami.
These days, couples massages are one of the most popular spa treatmentsβ"By far," says Hennessey. And many couples find indulging in a massage together to be a form of foreplayβalmost as good as a wine-filled meal at a swanky restaurant. This isn't super surprising: Generally, couples who are springing for a massage for two are on vacation or celebrating a special occasion, so they're already in a "why not?
Then, there's the naked factor; a majority of people are totally nude under those robes. After that, there's dim lighting, relaxing music, and candles. Add a blissful 50 minutes or more of clearing your mind, melting away tension, and breathing in aromatherapy oils, and it's no wonder that, by the end of the treatment, a lot of people are in the mood for, um, more.
Once the treatment wraps up and the therapists exit the room, couples greet each other totally relaxedβand nude. When you're minimally clothed, your skin's glistening with oil, and you're already halfway to nirvana mentally, a quick kiss can escalate pretty quickly. But what exactly can you get away with in a massage room with two therapists waiting outside the door? In some cases, it's just a very quick and heated make-out session: "I had a couples massage with an ex very early on [in the relationship], before we'd even had sex," says Natalie, I grazed my hand against him, but we didn't really do anything.
