Temptation Thursday - massages in China
I know your first thought already... and let's just say that if you go to a dodgy place in China for a massage, then yes, you may just get that.
But I want to share what was a truly sensational massage centre in Beijing, at an unbelievably low price, and with no seediness attached. The place is called Hummingbird. The location I visited was in the Central Park complex in Beijing, very close to the CCTV building.
The cost was equivalent to less than $20 (Australian/US) for an hour long massage, whereby you get to pick two areas of your body for them to work on. I chose neck and back, and the masseuse did such an amazing job. I couldn't believe it was that good.
As a general rule, they will always try and upsell you with something extra - perhaps an extra 30 minutes, or maybe some fancy special oils. All very affordable still. They have a huge menu of options, and if you are in China for a while, it may be worth your while to get a loyalty card. The loyalty card will set you back a few hundred dollars, but for that you could literally have a few massages each day on a one week trip. You can use it for multiple people and you get a discount on your massage. But the good thing is, the company is located in both Beijing and Shanghai (possibly beyond as well), so if you are wanting to indulge regularly whilst away in China, then make the most of it.