I just completed my first lymphatic body drainage massage with Michelle, she was friendly, professional, and informative. You can tell that she had a very diverse knowledge of pain management and have had previous experiences with clients dealing with similar health issues that I'm currently going through. I had a 60 minutes massage that flew by and felt like it was only like 15 minutes because it was that heavenly. She took before and after photos to show you how my body was slowly detoxing the inflammation in my system. She also gave me some aftercare tips and what to avoid and can continue to do. I highly recommend her because she does so many awesome amazing treatments that I'm sure you'll find something that is suited for you and feel amazing afterwards. It was that great that I already purchased a summer sculpting package so I can't wait to show off my sexy new body for myself. read more

Absolute Bliss Skin Spa Studio - Some decorations in the room - Massage Therapy Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I've been a satisfied client for many years--Michelle is a wonderful masseuse & very attentive to client concerns.

Michelle Castro does amazing lymphatic massages. She also does great regular massages. She is very knowledgeable in all things having to do with skin care and body functions. read more

Michelle continues to be ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!! I noticed that I wrote a 5-star review just a little over six years ago, and I must say that everything (including the studio environment, which is like an oasis in the desert) has only gotten even better since then. Michelle is simply an amazing and gifted healer, and I will continue (hopefully) to be a healthier and very satisfied client for so many more years to come. She is an essential part of my wellness routine, and I am so grateful for her wonderful service. BLISSFULLY HAPPY!!! read more

Wow. Michelle is magic! I struggle with chronic pain. Her lymphatic massage provided immediate relief! I've seen her for tissue massage as well and always left feeling refreshed. She is kind, knowledgeable and talented. I can't recommend her enough! read more

Amazing facial lymphatic drainage massage! I have gotten many in the past, but the studio I was going to was too far. Being a local CV resident and owning my own business here, I always support local when I can and was not disappointed. Michelle was super knowledgeable about the process and her techniques so I felt comfortable and love learning myself. Can't wait to book my next session! read more

I can't say enough about Absolute Bliss Skin Spa Studio and the owner, Michelle. I was referred to Michelle by another aesthetician a few years ago because she was leaving the business. I am so happy she did. Michelle has always been very personable and done a GREAT job keeping my skin looking healthy. Thank you Michelle for providing such great service!!! read more

I've been seeing Michelle for the past 8 years on a monthly basis and can't imagine seeing anyone else. She's provided relaxing massages on a monthly basis and when my skin needs a "pick me up" she does amazing facials that plump and hydrate my skin. Yesterday was the first time I saw her for an Ultrasonic Cavitation session and OMG with only one session I lost 2 inches off my waist and lost 2 pounds of yucky toxins!!! I can't wait to see the final results of my 12 sessions if these are the results of just one session! She's extremely knowledgeable and her technique is amazing. Anyone looking to smooth out dimpled skin and contour their body should see her ASAP. Highly recommended!! read more

I had my first facial with Michelle following the excellent reviews I read here on Yelp. Michelle is professional, knowledgeable, skilled and talented in what she does. I'm looking forward to building my relationship with Absolute Bliss Skin Spa Studio and Michelle. I plan to make this a regular part of self care practice by booking a treatment on monthly basis. Clean premises. Lovely ambiance. Easy parking. read more

I was really looking forward to a prenatal massage. I am 34 weeks pregnant and have a lot of hip and back pain. I filled out the form provided prior to my appointment and stated my aches and pains. I booked a $110 60min mommy massage. The charge was $115 plus tip and it was 50 minutes. The massage was more arms and legs focused and was soft rubbing. The table was really hard and I was not comfortable for being very pregnant. Google maps directs you to a different address so fyi, it's on redwood road not Castro valley Blvd. The room was really hot (91* outside that day) and my sheets were not tucked in. So I felt awkward laying with sheets not fully covering my body. Just disappointed. read more

Michelle is an amazing soul. She helped me through one of the most challenging times in my life with her approach to whole body health. I love her! You will too read more

I was referred to the lovely Michelle by my mentor. Our office had our 10 year anniversary and my boss hired her to give us a mini massage and it was the best massage I've had. So I had to go back and have another massage by her and so today was that day. I got there and Michelle was so nice and explained the process and a little about the body movements and really got down to the concerns I had with my body. Throughout the day (I had my massage at 10am) I felt my neck relieve some of its tension. read more

Michelle does an amazing job getting your body right. I have been going to Michelle for monthly massages and have noticed a big difference in my overall mood, energy, and range of motion. I like how she always starts with asking. "How is your body?" She listens and focuses on any problem areas and follows up with advice and at home techniques that you can use to really address any issues you are having. She is very knowledgeable and breaks everything down so you can understand what her services do to help your body and why they would benefit you. She is awesome! Thank you Michelle! read more

Can we just talk about Michelle for a minute! She's super fabulous, and I feel like a found a gem! I just had 360 lipo and a bbl, and I've had some hard swelling on my stomach and inner thigh. She did the lymphatic drainage massage and it was absolutely wonderful. I can already tell a difference the day after. She's definitely going to be my go to for any future massages. If you're looking for relief and peace, look no further. Michelle is it! read more

Got a nice facial from Michelle, the place was small but easy parking & clean. I liked that Michelle explained all the products and what they did as she applied each one. The facial was smooth & relaxing, though the extractions were a bit painful. I liked that her products are all natural & no animal testing. She did not pressure me to buy anything. When I have had facials elsewhere, sometimes they also do a hand/arm or foot massage, but Michelle did a nice quick neck & shoulder massage. My skin looked good the same day. Scheduling an appt was a bit tricky as she was sick, but I was able to get an appt on a weekend. If you have a groupon or deal book an appt as soon as you buy it so you aren't trying to cram in an appt the week before it expires! read more

I went in for a lymphatic massage after surgery, I had already gone somewhere else and had mentally prepared myself that it was going to be rough because I am obviously still sensitive and my prior rough experience, but Michelle made the entire experience enjoyable and eased me into the process, she quickly adapted to my modesty and made me feel comfortable, not only that but she educated me by telling me things like "I know it's uncomfortable but we need to drain the water out of your system so it doesn't become hard and causes problems later" it was very easy to trust her because of the experience and professionalism. I notice a dramatic difference after every session and so has my surgeon. I will continue to come here on a regular basis. read more

I really enjoyed the Deep Bliss facial. My skin is noticeably brighter and more glowing than before. I would definitely be back for more sessions, Michelle seems like a knowledgeable specialist and can offer advice on your skincare regimen. read more

I have been coming to see Michelle for lymphedema drainage massage for 2 years now. Which I feel amazing after each visit. The other day we did her new ELT Therapy. Let me say I still feel amazing two days later! I felt so much lighter within the same day! Two days later my ankle/lower leg (which is my problem area) looks so good! I definitely recommend going to Michelle for any service, she is amazing and very knowledgeable. If you suffer from lymphedema definitely try the ELT Therapy! read more

Michelle is the absolute best! She has changed my entire outlook on massages! The body work she has done on me is incredible, my waist is slimmer and my back problems are virtually gone. Not to mention the lymphatic drainage has really been helpful after my recent liposuction. Thank you so much Michelle! read more

As it stands I'd love to give a negative star. Bought 2 deals for my boyfriend and I on living social for this. Tried to make an appointment which is a nightmare. I had some time on my voucher but could not book an appointment before it expired. I tried emailing this place but NO ONE responded. So I figured I'd just book one after it expired. Not. I made a reservation online for a Friday months in advance. Then I get an email saying that my reservation is CANCELLED because they no longer want to work Fridays. If anyone is reading this from the company my name is Rachael Portocarrero and all I want is a refund! please return my call. read more

This place has totally overextended themselves. There are deals posted all over the place and yet the only (very limited!) appointment times are months away. I've emailed and left voicemails and received NO response. The booking program on the website was down for several days, as well, so this place was simply unreachable during that time. I have managed to schedule and attend one massage and it was mediocre. The massage therapist (named Aloura) was running about 30 minutes late. There was apparently some miscommunication between Michelle and Aloura, so I was given a hot stone massage instead of the aromatherapy massage that was listed on my Groupon voucher. That would have been okay except the therapist had heated the stones up too much so two of them burned my back! That kind of ruined the relaxing mood. My voucher covers two more massages but I don't even feel like going back - even if I can find an appointment that isn't more than 6 weeks out. It's not really worth the time. read more

DO NOT GO HERE! I purchased a deal on living social for a hot stone massage at this place and for three days I called and left messages to schedule an appointment. No one every returned my calls I decided to take the 30-minute drive to Castro Valley to see if I could finally get an appointment. Michele told me there was a problem with her voicemail system and she wasn't receiving messages then told me I couldn't schedule an appointment that day because she didn't have her computer with her. SERIOUSLY? So unprofessional. She said she would have to call me back to schedule. After meeting her and reading these reviews, I just got a refund from living social. I was really looking forward to a massage :-( But a massage is suppose to be a stress reliever not cause more stress. My advice to Michele: if your gonna advertise on these social websites please get a better scheduling process or hire more people!!! read more

I believe that Michelle at Absolute Bliss Massage has proven you don't always get what you pay for. She is always offering amazing deals for high quality services. I've actually had some very mediocre massages at other spas for twice her prices. So now it's affordable enough to not have to wait for special occasions to get pampered! :) I've been wedding planning for the past several months, so I've made it a point to visit her for some much needed relaxation time. Everytime I go in, I feel SO incredible- inside and out! Michelle has given me great advice on how to prevent soreness in my shoulders and help relieve some of my TMJ tension. She definitely goes above and beyond any masseuse I've met. Note to newbies: This studio doesn't have the over-the-top, high-end, snooty kind of environment like a lot of spas. Its very warm and inviting. There is even an option of listening to non-traditional spa music now. Love it. read more

I woke up last Tuesday morning with a kink in the neck, ouch. I figured it's happened before, just hurts for a while, but it'll get better, no big deal. Well it got worse as the day went on. I was crying by the end of the day. I couldn't even keep my head up, not to mention turn my head to the right. That night, I took some pain killer and went to bed. Next morning woke up still in pain, and kept getting worse through out the day. Luckily I had made an appointment with Michelle for that evening (had to wait till I get my toddler to bed first). I'm so thankful that Michelle has evening hours! I got to my appointment on time. She greeted me and asked me what was bothering me and went straight to work. A fuzzy 65 minutes later, I walked out in a half asleep stage. It was fuzzy because I was so relaxed! I went home, with greater range of motion for my head/neck, finished some chores and went to sleep. Woke up the next morning, OH EM GEE, I was a different person!! My head! My neck! My arm! Everything that was hurting the day before was feeling 10 thousand % better! Yes there was still a little pain from the pinched nerve, but oh my goodness! I had my full range of motion back! I could turn to my right w/o having to turn my entire body! If you haven't tried Michelle, give her a call. She's such a sweetheart. Her services are super affordable. Support small business! Not only will your body feel great, your heart will also feel great for helping out a family! read more

I have been coming to see Michelle for the last 5 years or so. I ran into her through a Groupon special. I have a once a month appointment with her that I look forward to every month with extreme enthusiasm. I have had dozens of massages over the last 20 years plus and she is the only person in all of these years who I have an ongoing once a month appointnment. Michelle's technique is amazing!! I build up a lot of tension in my shoulders and back from working out and Michelle just takes it all away in the one hour of Bliss, pun intended. She truly knows what she is doing. Michelle is very sweet, kind, nurturing and a professional. Also, her studio is clean, soothing and very welcoming. Shame on the negative people who left negative remarks. I booked my appointment in an extremely reasonable amount of time. read more

Got a few massages from Michelle. At first what stuck out was the music she plays. She plays New Wave soothing vocal music. It was distracting at first but with the combination of her deep tissue massage technique I find myself becoming more relaxed than normal during her massages. I actually like it a lot and Will be coming back. Additionally, make weekend appointments all at once or asap bc she fills up fast read more

I can't praise Michelle enough for her skills. I've had massages from different countries and various kinds and Michelle's skill ranks among the tops. What I find helpful is to always communicate with your massage therapist. Michelle listens and does a great job of addressing my issues and she worked out the kinks and knots on my body consistently. I am very active in sports, recreational activities and I train MMA. Without Michelle's massages on a regular basis my performance would suffer and in some cases I would have to skip training or enjoying my favorite activities. In terms of scheduling I haven't had trouble recently. I've read the reviews complaining of her inaccessibility. I believe she has addressed the problem. Wish her and her future and current clients smooth sailing from this point on as her skills should be experienced and enjoyed by all. read more

Michelle has been absolutely wonderful! She has exceeded all my expectations from the initial appointment scheduling to a follow up call the day after her services. Michelle is sensitive and attentive to all my needs. She is flexible with scheduling and answered all my questions. She never makes me feel rushed or that I'm not worth her time. I appreciate her honesty and self care tips. Extremely clean environment. Thank you, Michelle! Can't wait for my next appointment! read more

I have been to Michelle twice now. She is nice and makes you feel very comfortable. I will be a regular.

Michelle is amazing! I went in today for my first massage. I wasn't sure what was going to happen today but Michelle made sure I was very comfortable. Michelle was very knowledgeable, & the whole time of the massage she was suggesting different things for me to do/use to lose the tenseness in my muscles. She kept asking me if the pressure level was okay, she asked if my neck was okay, if there was anything I needed her to know to tell her. After having the massage today, I feel relaxed and my body feels so rejuvenated. I will definitely return to Absolute Bliss, I had an amazing first massage experience. Thank you Michelle! read more

DO NOT PURCHASE GROUPON as it will be very difficult to schedule the appointment online and in person...NO WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS OR AFTER 4pm APPOINTMENTS!! ApparentlyI needed to enter my credt card info online in order to even book..i purchased a while back and very difficult scheduling...wasted money!! no afternoon appointments and couldn't accommodate my Groupon even thought it was only a day late (apparently online booking didn't go through because of needing to enter the credit card number) read more

I bought a deal from Groupon and I made my appts. all at the same time for the three massages I bought. Michelle is a great massage therapist. I have had many massages in my lifetime and this was a GREAT one! Maybe Michelle or her Assistant are a little slow with getting back to you to make an appt. but there is only 8 hours in a day.... so be PATIENT people! Michelle is VERY busy because she is one of the best at what she does. Your patience will pay off once you get scheduled, I can tell you that. I think she might be thinking about doing a monthly membership for her business and I will be the first to sign up for that. I went to a massage place that does monthly memberships and they SUCKED! I would never sign up with them! Bottom line is Michelle is great at what she does and NOBODY can disagree with that. The only thing people are complaining about and giving her one star for, is her call back to schedule. Judge Michelle on her massage not the amount of time it takes to get a call back. When you get in, schedule your next appt. so you won't have to worry about that! I will be telling all of my friends and Family and my Facebook friends to go to Michelle. read more

Wow! After the other glowing reviews and looking for a decent masseuse, I thought I would give Michelle a try. Bought the yelp deal. I have been calling and emailing for over a month to get an appointment. I keep getting vague, unprofessional replies and STILL no appointment. Geeze!! How hard can making an appointment be??? I have given up and would never go to someone so unprofessional. Guess she doesn't want new customers. Thankful for Yelp refunding me my money. Worse customer experience I've ever had!! Don't bother! read more

I hate to have to give a one-star review, but I really do not have any choice, as I think others here have a right to know what to expect from this business. Here we go: 1) Getting an appointment is a hassle. Forget even trying the online scheduling program- it's useless. 2) If you do get an appointment, it will be in the middle of your work day at least a month away from now. 3) The day before your appointment, you will receive an email that notifies you exactly how much you will tip, which is around $30, with no consideration as to whether or not you will have a good experience or believe the gratuity was well earned. 4) When you arrive at the massage studio on the day of your appointment, you will meet someone you have never seen on any voucher, web site or email confirmation from Absolute Bliss, and this person will do your massage, not Michelle. You will receive no advance notice, and will have no opportunity to learn about their training, background or quality of touch because there are no reviews to prepare you. 5) Your one hour massage will be 50 minutes, like the chains (Massage Envy), not one hour. 6) You will only be massaged on one side of your body, like I was (back only). I guess if time allows, they will also do the front-- maybe this is reserved for 90 minute massages. 7) You will receive a "glass" of water at the end that is the size of a thimble. Drink up. And don't forget to hand over the designated amount of your tip. read more

So normally I hate reviews that state if I could have given no stars I would have. But I am going to make the same statement. I wanted a massage and facial done, so I looked at groupon and found this place. It took me 10 days to schedule the appointment. And that was only after I contacted groupon and told them I was not able to schedule an appointment. My appointment was then scheduled for 6 weeks out. I need a Sat afternoon appointment. Yesterday, I sent a text message to confirm my appointment, since I did not receive a reminder call. The initial response was "Who is this?" Once I told her who I was, she informed me that she lost her previous phone and all of the contacts in it. She then proceeded to tell me that I do not have my appointment anymore. That she is now booked during that time. What?!?!?! What does losing your phone have to do with me losing my appointment. Regardless to say, I am NEVER going to this place. read more

I bought a Mothers day deal that was $60 for a 1 hour massage. First off, the instructions weren't very clear on how to get the "certificate" I called and spoke with a lady and she just said to write down the paypal confirmation#. How difficult is it to put that instruction on your website?? As the other negative reviewers stated, we read the great previous reviews and thought this would be a great mothers day treat so we bought a "Mothers Day" special from the website. The experience was the total opposite (and my mom didn't even have the chance to receive the massage, what does that tell you?). My mom called to schedule an appointment and was greeted by a very unaccommodating, unprofessional, and rude lady which I can only assume is Michelle. If you want your mother/friend/yourself treated terribly (which i'm sure everyone does!!) this is your place! As you can see from the recent reviews Michelle's business is spiraling downward due to her unprofessionalism. I am at least glad she had the decency to refund our money. Avoid this massage therapist like the plague!! Yikes! read more

I think it's safe to say I've found a dedicated massage therapist. I've been all over the Bay Area trying different Chinese reflexology places, Massage Envy's, and I did not walk out of an establishment feeling like I was walking on air until I got body work by Michelle! Michelle knows her stuff. Right off the bat, she could tell where my problem areas were/would be, used the right amount of pressure, and varied it throughout the massage to tailor to different parts of my body. She also knew when to talk and what kind of questions to ask- SUPER important when you're a massage therapist with clients looking to relax. I found Absolute Bliss through a Groupon, but I will continue booking even outside of the app. Scheduling is a bit difficult, but well worth the wait! She can book 4 weeks out, so catch her then. Huge plus- she works out of a whole body treatment facility (healing clinic next door, skin studio adjacent), so you could technically walk out of there looking and feeling good. read more

Had 120 minutes of ABSOLUTE BLISS!!! The name says it all! Michelle is a "spot on" professional - she knows where you need, what you need! Why did I wait so long to go? Cozy, warm and inviting atmosphere, great ambient music. I am looking forward to my next visit! read more

Please note that this review is for Michelle and booking with Absolute Bliss and no other therapists. I have been seeing Michelle for over 3 years now and there is an obvious reason for that...she is FABULOUS! As someone who is well travelled and has been treated at some of the top spas in the country I feel I have a keen sense of what a great experience is. From massage to facials I walk out of her studio feel amazing! Most times I even have what I call the jellyfish effect where I feel so loose and relaxed that I forget all of my stresses and worries. Her technique is perfection, she is very intuitive and applies the perfect amount of pressure as needed. The vibe in her studio is inviting as soothing. And depending on my mood she is happy to provide the perfect background music and sometimes even conversation. In fact I think sometimes she is really earning the "therapist" part of her title. And I am not one to open up easily, but I instantly felt at ease and completely open to her. It takes a special person to have that effect on people. Also, when she started offering Esthetician services I was SO stoked because I was terrified after many bad facials as I have sensitive skin and don't have the time or money to travel to Calistoga every 6 weeks for the Solage treatment. Her facials are AMAZING they don't make my skin itch or burn and I leave her studio with a beautiful glow! Her Blisstox treatment is also amazing! I will add that she is VERY busy and it's sometimes hard to get an appointment at the last minute. But, that is true for all GREAT massage therapists and Estheticians. In fact, I don't think anyone would expect to get a haircut from Chaz Dean without an appointment made reasonably in advance. I am not saying Michelle is as hard to book as Chaz, but I read some of the previous reviews and they seem insane to me. I originally found her through a Groupon or LivingSocial deal, left a message and was booked within a reasonable amount of time. Since then I've booked in advance and plan my sessions as I see her regularly. But, when I need an unscheduled visit I use her website which is easy to use and very straight forward. It seems like other reviewers have waited until the last minute to use their deals and are angered that they cannot be accommodated. I learned as a child that there are consequences for procrastination and you cannot blame others for your mistakes. These reviews seem completely irrational. She is a small business and doesn't have a huge staff to accommodate these irrational people...that's what I thought Groupon and LivingSocial were for, to help small businesses get their name out there. Spa services are very different from restaurants and other business these coupon sites promote and cannot be held to the same standards. It's really to bad for these reviewers because they will never know what they missed out on by being procrastinators. All in all I will continue to see Michelle for years to come because I know I can trust her with my skin and body and will always leave her studio feeling wonderful! Also, if you want to see more REAL reviews you should check out her Genbook page via her website. read more

Michelle is one of the best massage therapists I've ever visited, and I've been getting massages at least once a month for the past five years. She's just a total pro. If you have an injury or even just muscle tightness I highly recommend you visit Massage Bliss! read more