Soakology Foot Sanctuary and Teahouse... An Oasis of Calm in Portland, Maine

My husband Bill and I just took a fabulous trip to Maine. Neither Bill nor I had ever been to New England before, so we were pretty excited about our vacation. Unfortunately, as we were walking around Portland, Maine, I was experiencing nagging back and hip pain. It was so unpleasant that I was having some trouble walking at a normal pace.

As we were strolling past 30 City Center, I happened to look up to see a sign that read "Soakology". There was a picture of moose sitting in a comfortable looking chair with its hooves in a big pot of hot water. Noting how stiff and sore my back was, I was very intrigued by the concept of soaking the pain away. Bill looked pretty skeptical, though, so I immediately set about trying to convince him to join me for a foot soak. Citing his sunburned feet, Bill said he wasn't sure soaking his feet was a good idea. But then I saw a sign that indicated that Soakology also offers foot and leg, hand and arm, and head, neck, and shoulder massages. Bill finally relented and we presented ourselves to a friendly receptionist, who told us we could get treatments right away!

Our treatments

Since my back and hips were bothering me so much, I decided to get a healing foot soak. At $40 for a 45 minute treatment, this soak consisted of ancient Chinese curative herbs mixed with very hot water. Bill decided to get a 20 minute head, neck, and shoulder massage for $34.

The experience

A very serene woman named Rachel took us to Soakology's basement and asked us to take off our shoes and don a pair of slippers. After inviting us to use the restroom if we needed it, she pointed us to two very comfortable chairs that were raised high off the ground. While we were sitting in the chairs waiting for our treatments to begin, I noticed the calming ambiance in Soakology. New age music played over the sound system; the lights were turned down; and there were sheer curtains that surrounded our treatment area.

Rachel placed a heated upper body wrap full of fragrant herbs on Bill and me, thenpresented us with menus, which offered light snacks, smoothies, and teas. I was tempted by the hummus plate, but Bill said he wasn't sure he wanted to eat while he was getting a massage. So I ended up ordering spicy peppermint tea for $3. The heated body wrap had the immediate effect of relaxing my shoulders and upper back.

Soaking away my cares... and kneading away Bill's tension

Rachel placed what appeared to be a large, beautiful planter on a platform in front of my chair. I could smell the aroma of herbs as she mixed in very hot water. I placed my feet in the bowl and immediately sighed with ecstasy. The hot water and herbs gently were heavenly as I closed my eyes and sighed in contentment. Meanwhile, Rachel came back with a small French press full of peppermint tea with a side of honey.

As I prepared my tea, she got to work on Bill's neck and shoulders. I watched his eyes close as our skilled therapist worked her magic on Bill's muscles. When she found a particularly sore spot, she worked very gently and carefully to release the tension. By the time she was finished, Bill was totally relaxed.

As my water cooled, Rachel warmed it up with a fresh infusion of hot water. I noticed that the pain in my back and hips was slowly dissipating. After my treatment, the pain was almost completely gone. For our two treatments and my tea, we paid about $80. I thought the price was totally fair, especially given the fact that my back was feeling so much better. Bill rewarded Rachel with a much appreciated gratuity for making us feel so good.

Want to take something home with you?

Soakology has a small retail area, where patrons can purchase teahouse and spa items. I spotted the upper body wraps on display behind the receptionist's desk. I had actually been looking for one of those wraps for a long time, so I was glad to find them selling for $46 at Soakology. Other items include fair trade teas, brewing accessories, and other luxurious items. It's a great place to shop for a unique gift for the person in your life who is a little hedonistic.

Soakology has something for everyone

They have everything from 15 minute treatments to luxurious two hour treatment packages and a diverse menu of foot soaks, massages, and facials. I opted for the healing foot soak because of my back, but had I not been in so much pain, I might have chosen a chocolate mint soak.

Soakology also appears to be a great place for friends. While Bill and I were enjoying our treatments, a group of six women came in together and had foot soaks and massages over snacks.

More information

Soakology is open daily at 11:00am. It closes at 7:00pm Monday through Wednesday, at 9:00pm Thursday through Saturday, and at 5:00pm on Sunday. Reservations can be made in person or over the phone at 207-879-7625. Want to learn more? Visit www.soakology.com.

Overall

I count the time and money we spent at Soakology an excellent investment. If we ever make it to Portland again, I'll be sure to stop in for another heavenly foot soak.

Sources