Picture this: you walk into your massage room and are transported to a misty green forest with a stream running over the rocks. A salt lamp glows amber in the corner. A diffuser brings aromatherapy into the room. You’re already more relaxed before the therapist even enters the room.
That’s exactly what Melissa and Danielle Steortz had in mind when they designed A Blissful Garden Massage & Wellness, a cozy spa in northwest Bradenton. “I wanted it to feel like you were stepping into a blissful garden, like escaping to somewhere else," Melissa says.
One treatment room carries the forest scene, while in the other, a waterfall tumbles under pink blossoms. Sheer white fabric hangs from ivy-wrapped bamboo posts around a massage table, with string lights and tiny butterflies scattered across the curtains.
Thai massage, chakra meditation, and a warming “cocoon”
The menu at A Blissful Garden goes well past a standard relaxation massage (although they do those too). Danielle does Thai massage, which leans on stretching, and several types of lymphatic drainage massage. She also offers a unique experience that pairs massage with a guided meditation through all seven chakras.
If you’re feeling very stiff, or just want to treat yourself, add the infrared body wrap to your massage. It wraps you like a cocoon and warms your body for the first 30 minutes. Not only is this extremely relaxing, but it also primes your body for a deep tissue massage.
"You're already warmed up," Melissa says. "We can get in there and just focus on releasing pain." The heat takes care of loosening your muscles, so more of the massage time can focus on the spots that actually hurt.
For the ultimate in pampering, finish your massage with an ionic foot bath, a salt scrub for your feet, a hot towel wrap, and moisturizer. And if you’re dealing with chronic pain and need regular sessions, ask about packages, which can make repeat visits cost less.
The little details that make a big difference
Every client gets one of Melissa's own blends during their massage: Muscle Rescue, made with arnica for tight, achy muscles, or Stress Ease, her calming aromatherapy blend. She makes both herself at a little oil station in the spa, and you can take them home from the retail shelf.
Melissa sells her aromatherapy under her own brand, Blissful Essentials. Beyond the massage blends, the line includes Medieval, an immune-boosting blend; Derma Love for skin care and anti-aging; and Magnified Healing for acute, systemic care. She also creates custom VIP blends for individual wellness goals.
Danielle has her own line, called Intention Oils. She starts with a coconut oil base and adds essential oils and flowers chosen for what they represent. Bountiful is full of gold flecks, smells like Brazilian orange with a little cinnamon, and is meant to bring abundance. Goddess, the newer one, is mostly lily flower, with bay leaf mixed in (Danielle says bay leaf is used for wishes).
"I made it with the intention of having more self-confidence, more self-love, more self-care kind of vibes," Danielle says of Goddess. She also makes custom Intention Oils tailored to each client's individual aspirations.
Every massage ends with a sound bath. When the bodywork is done, the room fills with the sound of singing bowls, a quiet way to wind down before you get up off the table.
What to Know Before You Go
A Blissful Garden Massage & Wellness Center is located at 601 27th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205. Street parking is available.
Visits are by appointment only, so book online through MassageBook or call (941) 727-3600. Once you're there, please enter quietly and turn off your phone. New clients get $20 off a 60-minute or longer service with Danielle.
When you book your appointment (and I hope you do!) be sure to tell them you heard about it on Discover Bradenton.
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