Hard Rock’s Massage to the Music
Music-infused massage at Hard Rock Hotel. (Photo: Anne Menke - Trunk Archive)
I live in New York, the city that never sleeps, and that includes me. Things in Manhattan are exciting, fun, nonstop and that includes sleep. I am 100 MPH, 100 percent of the time. Which is why I decided to get away to recharge and reset.
At Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic I was told about their signature Synchronicity Massage offered at various Hard Rock Hotels. There were a few Hard Rock locations with the music-infused spa menu specialty, as music is the underlying theme there, after all. I was ready for rest, relaxation and the rhythm & motion inspired massage.
Within the large and winding Rock Spa, my masseuse Karina lead me to a dark lit room with a table covered by a zebra stripe pattered throw. She asked me to select one of four scented oils. “Detoxify,” I requested – for both the fragrance and what I needed most thanks to city pollution
Lying face down, a clear dome-shaped speaker hovered above my head. Music began playing, as the table beneath me started vibrating to the beat. For 50 minutes, songs with an island flare, rock melodies, and jazz tunes played – all while syncing with the massage movements and table bass vibrations. There was no rap, hip-hop or classical music – the latter being something I’m used to hearing. It was a nice change of pace.
As a beauty writer, I have experienced countless varieties of body kneading; including honey infused reflexology, sea salt scrubs and a not-so-painless Thai massage in Bangkok that literally left bruises. Altogether, the Swedish massage was unlike any other I’ve had. Although relaxed, I wasn’t dozing off. In fact, I felt like my spa tech was dancing around at a few points.
By the end, I was facing the ceiling again with my eyes closed hoping for another 10 minutes. This was when a live strumming of an acoustic guitar notified me that I could continue resting elsewhere – on the beach, by the pool, in my hotel room, or at the bar – but I needed to get off the table. Unfortunately, mySynchronicity Massage was over. I left refreshed and calm but not out of it.
I’m not sure when I’ll be back in the Caribbean (hopefully sooner than later), but if my travels take me elsewhere: I’ll have a reason to stop by the Hard Rock in Ibiza, Spain, or their Hollywood location when I go home to South Florida (yes, mom, I’ll bring you with me).
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