I always like to treat myself to a "spa day" for my birthday. Having relocated to the South Shore, I was a bit at a loss of where to go. Zen Den offers so many different services, it was an easy choice to go there, but a more difficult choice on which services to get!
Location:
In Norwell, right off Washington Street. Lots of nearby restaurants. Private parking lot.
Services:
Pilates, yoga, sports performance training, flotation therapy, infrared sauna, acupuncture, massage, injury and chronic pain clinic, reiki, and guided meditation.
Facility:
I'm a bit conflicted when it comes to actual building and set up of Zen Den. From the outside, all appearances are that of a relaxing, dimly lit, cozy "den" where you can pamper and nurture yourself. Inside, however, you'll find a lot of industrial features: fluorescent lighting, office-style wall partitions, exposed vents, and so on. My first visit, noise was a big problem. With such an industrial, open floor plan, any noise-- especially in the back area where the sauna and flotation tank are-- echoes quite loudly. While this isn't a "deal breaker", I feel most would be mildly disappointed with the lack of ambiance.
Experience:
I was able to call only one day in advance and book both an infrared sauna and float therapy session. They were running a special deal where booking both would save you $10 or so.
During my first visit, I did the infrared sauna. For those unfamiliar, it is a dry sauna (no steam) that utilizes infrared light therapy to increase circulation, alleviate aches and pains, and elevate your mood. I was given little instruction, especially as it pertained to "customizing my experience" with lights and music. There is a small computer screen that allows you to play music, watch movies, surf the web, and so on. I located the music/radio player (behind a small door), but was unable to change the music that it was on. The Pandora app wasn't working. Since the current music-- whatever it was-- was relaxing, I didn't mind at all. 30 minutes was the perfect amount of time in this sauna; it was during the last 15 minutes that I really started to sweat. Once finished and toweled off, there were showers available to rinse off. However, no additional towel was left for showering (I had to find one myself). Free shampoo/conditioner, body wash and towels. Complimentary water bottle to help you re-hydrate when you "check out". I ended up standing at the front desk for 15 minutes; finally, I flagged someone down and let them know I needed to pay. The rest of the day, I felt energized, my attitude felt "brighter" and generally, my mind seemed more clear.
The second visit, I tried the flotation therapy. This is similar to an Epsom salt bath, except the magnesium sulfate is in very, very high concentrations (like the Dead Sea). So concentrated, in fact, that you will float without even trying! It's great for relaxation, pain and meditation. I was previously told that they had an iPhone/iTouch to play music on, but unfortunately, we could not get it to work for my visit. Everything about my float and the tank itself was explained to me very well. The floats are 1 hour long. I found it very soothing and relaxing, especially once I turned the lights off. Unfortunately, I experienced a seemingly rare phenomenon of feeling "sea sick" about half way through my float, but stuck it out. I later read about it online-- apparently, some first time floaters feel this way. After a few times floating, most people claim they no longer experience it. The staff was very supportive and sorry that I didn't have a great first float, but encouraged me to come back and try again-- maybe for a shorter amount of time. This experience was much more guided, which I appreciated; everything was explained and seen to (for example, having enough towels).
Value:
The "package deal" for the infrared sauna and flotation therapy is a steal. If you're at all curious or considering either one of these therapies, book them both to save yourself a little money! The infrared sauna is only $30 per visit-- totally affordable-- and I look forward to signing up for more of these as the winter settles in. I will definitely be back for more rejuvenation and relaxation, and hope to try several other services they offer! read more
