FAQ · Midtown East, Manhattan
Massage FAQ for Midtown East, NYC — the questions we get every day
Short version, before you scroll: a foot massage is $35 for 30 minutes and $55 for 60 minutes, we're open every day from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, walk-ins are welcome, and we're on the second floor at 146 E 55th St, between Park and Lexington. Everything else is below.
Location & hours
We're on East 55th Street between Park and Lexington, second floor, Suite 2B — open twelve hours a day, every day of the year we can manage it.
Where is U Beauty & Foot Spa located?
We're at 146 E 55th St, 2nd Floor, Suite 2B, New York, NY 10022 — on East 55th Street between Park and Lexington, in Midtown East. The 51 St station (6 train) is one block away, Lexington Av/53 St (E and M) is three minutes, and Grand Central is a ten-minute walk straight down Lexington. We're on the second floor — look for Suite 2B.
What are your hours?
We're open every day, including Sunday, from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Last appointments start before closing — if you want a 90-minute session, call ahead or book online by about 8 PM.
Prices
Every figure below is the figure in the booking system. Nothing here is an introductory rate and there's no membership to join first.
How much is a foot massage in Midtown East?
At U Beauty & Foot Spa a foot massage is $35 for 30 minutes, $50 for 45 minutes, $55 for 60 minutes, and $80 for 90 minutes. Most Midtown Manhattan spas charge $120 to $145 for a 60-minute foot session, so our full hour costs less than half the neighborhood average. The whole menu is on our Services page.
How much is a couples massage?
Couples sessions start at $110 for 70 minutes of foot massage with hot stone, $130 for 70 minutes of full-body deep tissue with essential oil, and $240 for the couples back massage and essential package. Midtown couples massage commonly runs $259 to $440 elsewhere, so this is one of the best-value couples rooms in Manhattan.
Booking & walk-ins
Book online, call, or come up to the second floor. All three work every hour we're open.
Do you take walk-ins, or do I need an appointment?
Walk-ins are welcome every day from 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM. You can also book online or call (212) 347-7878. Weekday evenings between 6 and 8 PM are our busiest stretch, so a quick call ahead saves you a wait.
Do you have gift cards, and what's your cancellation policy?
Please call (212) 347-7878 to confirm — we'd rather you hear the current answer from us than read an out-of-date one here.
Your session
What we do, what it feels like, and how to pick a length that matches the problem you walked in with.
What services do you offer?
Foot massage (30 to 90 minutes), back and shoulder massage (30 to 90 minutes), combination sessions that pair feet and back, hot stone, full-body deep tissue with essential oil, deep cleansing facials with a back rub, and couples massage for two side by side.
What's the difference between foot massage and reflexology?
Foot massage works the muscles and soft tissue of the foot and calf directly. Reflexology applies pressure to specific points on the sole that are mapped, in traditional Chinese practice, to other parts of the body. Our foot sessions blend both: a hot herbal soak, then thumb and knuckle work through the sole, arch, heel and calf. Read the longer explanation in our reflexology vs foot massage guide.
What should I expect on my first visit?
Come up to the second floor, Suite 2B, and check in. For a foot session you stay fully dressed with trousers rolled to the knee, sitting in a reclining chair — it starts with a hot herbal soak. For back or full-body work you'll be on a table under a sheet. We ask about your pressure and any sore spots before we start, and you can ask for more or less pressure at any point.
Can I choose how firm the massage is?
Yes, and please do. Tell us at the start whether you want light and relaxing or firm and therapeutic, and speak up mid-session if you want it changed. Deep pressure should feel like productive work, never like something you're enduring.
How long should my session be?
For tired feet after a day of walking, 30 minutes at $35 is genuinely enough. For a specific complaint — tight calves, desk shoulders, heel pain — book 60 minutes so there's time to work an area properly. Our most-booked format is the 60-minute combination, 30 minutes of foot plus 30 minutes of back, at $60.
Health & safety
The hedged, sourced answers. Massage is general wellness, not medical care, and a few people should check with a doctor before booking anything.
Does massage really help with stress and muscle tension?
It can, within limits worth being honest about. According to the NCCIH, massage therapy may help with pain, stress and relaxation; Mayo Clinic describes relaxation techniques as a way to lower stress and ease tense muscles; and the AMTA points to research associating massage with relief from anxiety, stress and muscle tension. Treat it as general wellness rather than medical care, and keep it alongside any treatment you already have.
Is there anyone who shouldn't get a massage?
Check with your doctor first if you're pregnant, have a blood-clotting disorder or take blood thinners, have fractures, open wounds, burns or a skin infection in the area, or are having active cancer treatment. The NCCIH's guidance on massage therapy covers this in more detail. Tell us about anything relevant when you arrive and we'll adapt or advise you to wait.
New York massage licensing — how does it work?
New York State licenses massage therapists through the NYS Education Department's Office of the Professions, and licensed practitioners use the title LMT. You're welcome to ask about your therapist's credentials when you book — a good studio will never mind the question.
Sources
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health — massage therapy: what you need to know
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health — things to know about massage therapy for health purposes
- Mayo Clinic — relaxation techniques for lowering stress
- American Massage Therapy Association — position statement on massage, health and wellness
General wellness information, not medical advice.
Still not answered
Call (212) 347-7878 and ask. If it's about prices, the full menu is on the massage prices page; if it's about getting here, the directions page has turn-by-turn walking routes from the 51 St train, Grand Central and Bloomingdale's.
Walk-ins welcome every day, 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM, at 146 E 55th St, 2nd Floor, Suite 2B, New York, NY 10022.