Frequently Asked Questions - Complete Guide to Visiting A Touch of Serenity
Whether you're planning your very first spa visit or you're a returning guest looking for more information, you've come to the right place. We've created this comprehensive FAQ guide to answer the questions we hear most often about booking appointments, massage therapy, customized facials, skincare, waxing, infrared sauna sessions, yoga classes, sound bath meditation and everything you need to know before your visit.
At A Touch of Serenity, we believe that feeling informed is the first step toward feeling relaxed. We want to remove any anxiety about trying a new business or service by giving you all of your important visit details before you've even leave home. Below, you'll find some of the most commonly asked questions but if you don't find the answer you're looking for, please feel free to give us a call.
Our licensed massage therapists and estheticians look forward to welcoming you to A Touch of Serenity in Alexandria, Virginia where relaxation, wellness, and exceptional care join together to help you look, feel, and live your best life.
Appointment Booking Questions
At A Touch of Serenity, most of our massage appointments can be scheduled online via the online booking section of our website or through our app, which can be downloaded on your iPhone or Android. Alternatively, if you aren't a fan of online scheduling, you can call to schedule your appointment.
If this is your first massage with us, you will be required to be submit a massage intake form online prior to your session so your therapist can prepare for your appointment. The link to your massage intake form can be found in the "required forms" section of the booking confirmation email you will receive after your appointment is scheduled.
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Call: 571.419.8543
All couples massage appointments must be scheduled by phone in order to ensure your appointments can be booked together in the same room.
All of our facial appointments can be scheduled online with Kita via the online booking section of our website or through our app, which can be downloaded on your iPhone or Android. Alternatively, if you aren't a fan of online scheduling, you can call to schedule your appointment.
If this is your first facial with us, you will be required to be submit the facial intake form online prior to your session so Kita can prepare for your appointment. The link to your facial intake form can be found in the "required forms" section of the booking confirmation email you will receive after your appointment is scheduled.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are looking to schedule a massage and a facial on the same day, your facial must be scheduled AFTER your massage so as not to compromise your freshly applied facial products.
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Call: 571.419.8543
To schedule a wax appointment at A Touch of Serenity, you must call to schedule. You will be required to complete a waxing intake form prior to your visit.
To schedule the infrared sauna at A Touch of Serenity, you must call to schedule. You will be required to complete a infrared sauna use form prior to your visit.
To sign up for a yoga class or sound bath at A Touch of Serenity, you must sign up online in advance, either through the yoga calendar on our website or through our app, which can be downloaded on your iPhone or Android.
Our yoga classes are available on Fridays at 6pm with Erika.
Our sound baths are available once a month and will be posted as they become available.
If you are looking to schedule an appointment for someone other than yourself, the appointment must be scheduled under their name. You're welcome to have your contact information listed on the profile, but the name on the profile should be that of the person who will be coming in for the appointment.
No. At A Touch of Serenity, we do not accept ANY walk-ins. Appointments and advanced online sign up are required for all services and classes.
If we don't have availability remaining on your preferred dates and times, you can submit a waitlist request or give us a call. You can access our waitlist via the waitlist button under the online booking calendar. Once your waitlist request has been submitted, we will keep you posted of any cancellations
First Visit Questions
Prior to your first massage, facial, wax, or sauna appointment, you will be required to submit an intake form online so your provider can review and prepare for your session. The link to submit your required applicable form(s) can be found in the required forms section of the booking confirmation email you will receive after your appointment is scheduled.
It is best if you arrive about 10 minutes early. This will allow you time to visit the restroom, have some water or tea, and have a conversation with your provider before your session.
PLEASE NOTE: If you arrive 15 minutes or earlier for your appointment, you may find that our doors are still locked. We thoroughly clean between appointments and require ample time to reset between sessions.
If you are late for your appointment, you may only be able to receive the remaining time of your session. If you see that you are going to be late, please give us a call so we can let your therapist or esthetician know.
If you scheduled one of the applicable services for our new client discounts, your discount will be applied at checkout after your appointment. Visit the First Time Client section of our website to see all available specials for New Clients.
We accept cash, credit cards, and apple pay
Please wear clothes that you can comfortably change into and out of. During your session, you will be laying on the table underneath layers of linens and blankets. Our providers use professional draping so you will not be uncovered in any way that makes you feel exposed. Please read more on our blog of what to wear to your appointment.
If you received a gift card, this information should be provided to us at the time you schedule your appointment either by phone, email, or the gift card section of your intake form. Once you have provided your gift card information, we will make a note of your gift card on your appointment.
PLEASE NOTE: If your gift card balance does not cover the full cost of your appointment(s), you can pay the remaining difference via cash or credit card.
PLEASE NOTE: We require gift card information to be provided in advance in order to ensure you have a smooth and easy checkout process. If you failed to provide your gift card information in advance, your checkout process will require extra time.
Yes! Tips are always greatly appreciated. If you'd like to leave a tip for your provider, you can tip via cash, credit card, or Venmo.
Absolutely! If you know your schedule, we strongly encourage everyone to schedule their next appointment at checkout. Scheduling in advance ensures that 1) you are able to get your preferred appointment date and time and 2) That you don't forget to schedule! Many times, people will get home and resume their hectic routines and completely forget to schedule their next appointment.
Services & Classes Pricing Questions
We offer a wide variety of services. To see all prices, please visit any of the services pages on our website.
There is no additional cost to schedule a couples appointment. The price depends solely on the service(s) you both opt to schedule. To see all prices, please visit any of the services pages on our website.
PLEASE NOTE: All couples appointments MUST be scheduled via phone in order to ensure your appointments can be scheduled together in the same room.
Yes! We do have New Client Specials available:
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For Massage: $30 OFF your first classic massage (60 minute, 90 minute, or 2 hour Swedish, deep tissue, or prenatal massage)
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For Facials: 15% OFF your first classic facial
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For Yoga: 15% OFF your first yoga class
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For Waxing: 10% OFF your first waxing session
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While we do not offer any memberships, we do have packages available for our services and classes. Packages offer sessions at a discounted price for purchasing in bulk.
Package Perks:
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4-session packages expire 6-months from date of purchase
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8-session packages expire 12-months from date of purchase
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16-session packages expire 12-months from date of purchase
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Package sessions may be shared with others
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HUGE savings!
Visit the packages section of our website for more information on our packages
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Policies Questions
We require 48 hours notice to cancel OR reschedule couples or multiple appointment bookings. We require 24 hours to cancel OR reschedule single appointment bookings. If you do not provide the applicable 24 or 48 hours notice, and we are not able rebook that time slot for your provider(s), we will either redeem a prepaid session, your gift card, or you will be charged the late cancel/reschedule fee.
To cancel OR reschedule an appointment, you must call or email.
Please note: we will always try to re-book your appointment for your provider(s) before charging you the applicable late cancel/reschedule fee. If we are not successful in getting your provider(s) rebooked, the late cancel/reschedule fees are as follows:
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$60 late cancel/reschedule fee for a 60 minute classic massage service
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$85 late cancel/reschedule fee for a 90 minute classic massage service
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$120 late cancel/reschedule fee for a 2 hour classic massage service
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50% charge of regular price for specialty services, facials, waxing services, and body scrubs
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It is important to us that you are always comfortable during your sessions. We require that you let your provider know DURING your session if anything in the room or anything about the providers technique(s) needs to be modified. Your provider has the ability to adjust anything within their control (i.e. the volume of the music, lighting in the room, temperature of the table, pressure of massage techniques, etc). We strongly encourage our clients to exercise their responsibility of letting their provider know if anything needs to be adjusted DURING the session.
Tips are always greatly appreciated! Gratuity for your provider may be left at your discretion after your session. You can leave a tip via cash, credit card or Venmo.
Please plan to arrive for your appointment no earlier than 10 minutes prior to your appointment start time. If you arrive 15 minutes or earlier for your appointment, the doors may be still be locked as we thoroughly clean between appointments and require ample time to prepare and reset between sessions.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are late for your appointment, you may only be able to receive the remaining time of your session. If you see that you may be arriving late for your appointment, please give us a call so we can let your provider know.
Gift Cards Questions
Our gift cards are available for purchase online only via the gift card section of our website. Depending on the option you select at your time of purchase, your gift card can either be emailed to your recipient or printed.
Contact & Location Questions
A Touch of Serenity is located in Alexandria, Virginia in the Franconia Professional Center. Our address is 6218 B Old Franconia Rd Alexandria VA 22310.
PLEASE NOTE: We are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors and do NOT have an elevator. We are by appointment only do not accept ANY walk-ins.
Yes! We have free parking available in our parking lot. You may park in any open space in our parking lot.
Absolutely! All of the massage therapists and estheticians at A Touch of Serenity are licensed and professional.
To learn more about your provider before you schedule your appointment, please visit the Meet Our Team section of the website.
No. We do not have showers at our facility. We kindly ask that you please shower at home before your appointment.
If you need to get in touch with us, please give us a call during business hours at 571.419.8543
A Touch of Serenity is open 7 days a week by appointment only:
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Mondays 10am - 8pm
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Tuesdays 10am - 7pm
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Wednesdays 10am - 7pm
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Thursdays 10am - 9pm
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Fridays 10am - 7pm
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Saturdays 10am - 7pm
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Sundays 10am - 7pm
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General Massage Questions
Congratulations! Yes, you can get a massage if you are pregnant. However, you must be in your 2nd or 3rd trimester. The 60 minute prenatal massage is the only service our expectant mothers can receive. Our prenatal massage appointments are performed in the side-lying position. You will be provided with cozy pillows on the table for support. Feel free to read our blog on some of the amazing benefits of receiving a prenatal massage during your pregnancy.
No! Getting a massage while you are sick can actually make you feel worse (not to mention, your provider and others). Please be sure to contact us before the applicable 24 to 48 hour cancellation window so you do not incur any late cancel/reschedule fees.
We offer a wide variety of massage services that range from therapeutic massage (ideal for chronic pain) to relaxation (ideal for high stress levels). The type of massage that is best for you will depend on what your needs and goals are. If you are new to massage, we recommend scheduling a Swedish or deep tissue massage for your first visit. Both of these services are a great introductory pathway for you to learn what your body responds well to. You and your therapist will then be able to determine if you would benefit from scheduling one of the specialty massage services.
It is normal to feel sore after a massage, especially a massage that incorporated deeper work. The soreness you may feel after a massage will typically dissipate within a day.
PLEASE NOTE: It is super important to speak up during your session if the pressure is too much (or not enough). You will know if the pressure is too much for you because you will feel pain. During a massage, you want to stay within that "hurt so good" range. Also, remember to drink water after any intense massage therapy session so as to reduce your chance of excessive soreness.
The frequency of your massages will vary depending on what your body needs. If you are experiencing chronic tension or pain, you may need to schedule your massages consistently at once a month or every two weeks. If you are looking for general maintenance or relaxation, once a month to every three weeks is usually the ideal interval between appointments. Of course, this can vary as your life's demands on your body can vary. As a general rule of thumb, its best to pay attention to what your body is telling you.
General Facial Questions
There is no right or wrong answer here! The answer to this question depends on your goals, your skin, and your personal preference. For example; If you are seeking facials for corrective work (i.e. fading blemishes, clearing acne, etc), it is recommended to schedule your facials consistently at every 4-6 weeks. If you are seeking facials for relaxation and general maintenance, it is recommended to schedule your facials as desired every 8 - 10 weeks.
You can return to your regular skincare routine the next day! On the day of your facial, its best to let your skin rest and allow the facial products to fully absorb. You should be able to resume all of your regular skincare routines the day after your facial appointment.
We offer a variety of facials that aim to focus on specific corrective work or provide general relaxation. The type of facial you should schedule will depend on your skincare goals and your skin type. If you have an idea of what you're looking for, you can read more about each type of facial we offer on the facials section of our website.
Yes! If you have sensitive skin, it is recommended to schedule the Gentle Facial. This facial is designed specifically for people with sensitive skin.
To sign up for a yoga class, visit the yoga section of our website. Advanced online sign up is required. Once you have signed up for your class, you will receive a sign up confirmation email with your class details.
Are class sizes are relatively small allowing for 10 or fewer students per class.
Yes! Our yoga class is great for all levels of experience, especially beginners. Erika's patient and gentle teaching style is found to be extremely helpful for beginners.
Please be sure to bring:
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A Yoga Mat: Please note: if you do not have a yoga mat, you can rent a yoga mat for $5 for the class (cash only rentals)
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Water Bottle: It is super important to hydrate before, during, and after class
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Open Mind: Our yoga classes are all about your personal growth and development physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Whatever your personal goals are with your yoga practice, we are here to support and encourage you.
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General Sound Bath Questions
A sound bath or sound healing is a deeply relaxing meditation experience where participants are "bathed" in soothing sound waves created by instruments such as crystal singing bowls, Himalayan bowls, chimes, gongs, and other therapeutic instruments.
As you lay comfortably on a yoga mat with your eyes closed, the sounds gently fill the room, creating an immersive environment that encourages relaxation, mindfulness, and mental clarity.
Unlike traditional meditation, there is nothing you need to "do". There are no poses to learn, or techniques to master. Your only job is to relax and simply receive the experience.
Our sound bath sizes are relatively small allowing for 8 or fewer people per session.
To sign up for a sound bath, visit the yoga section of our website. Advanced online sign up is required. Once you have signed up for your sound bath session, you will receive a sign up confirmation email with your session details.
For the sound bath session, we do provide you with a yoga mat, pillow, blanket, and eye pillow but you are welcome to bring your own. Whatever you need to feel the most comfortable!