Table of Contents
The short answer
A home massage is an ordinary professional massage with the travelling done by the therapist instead of by you. You choose the treatment and the length online. The therapist arrives at the booked time with a folding table, linens, towels and oils, sets up in a quiet room, gives the session and packs away. You provide the room, a few minutes of preparation and a way into the building.
IHR Dream Cleaning offers these sessions across Abu Dhabi from the spa and wellness page. The published prices are AED 199 for a 60-minute massage and AED 279 for 90 minutes, VAT included, paid by card online once we confirm your booking. Keep about half an hour free beyond the session itself for setting up and packing away.
What you choose when you book
A booking is four decisions, all made before you pay.
- The treatment. A relaxation, Swedish, deep tissue or aromatherapy massage, a session for two, or one of the shorter sessions such as foot reflexology or head and shoulder relief. If you are unsure, our comparison of which massage to book explains each one.
- The length. The full-body massages are booked at 60 or 90 minutes.
- The date and time. We work every day, 8 AM – 8 PM, and the booking calendar opens 30 days ahead.
- The address and how to reach you. The area, the building or villa number, and how a visitor gets in.
What is confirmed before the appointment
Before the appointment we confirm the session length, therapist availability and what will be brought. The treatment, your pressure preference and any sensitivities are discussed before the session begins, so nothing about the session should come as a surprise once you are on the table.
If you would prefer a female or a male therapist, state it when you book and have it confirmed with the rest. How to word that request, and what to do if it cannot be met for your date, is covered in our guide to asking for a male or female therapist.
Booking ahead and booking for today
Spa sessions are booked in advance for a preferred date and time. A slot later the same day depends on your area, the length of the session and a suitable therapist being free, so the booking page shows the nearest time that can be confirmed instead of promising one that cannot. A session for two needs two therapists free at the same hour and should be arranged further ahead than a session for one.
What a session costs
The published price of an in-home massage is AED 199 for 60 minutes and AED 279 for 90 minutes. Those two figures apply to the relaxation, Swedish, deep tissue and aromatherapy sessions alike, so choosing a firmer or a gentler technique does not change what you pay. Both are on our price list.
| Session | Published price | Time to keep free at home |
|---|---|---|
| 60-minute massage | AED 199 | About an hour and a half |
| 90-minute massage | AED 279 | About two hours |
What the price includes
Every price on the site already includes 5% VAT, so nothing is added at the end. The therapist brings the table, fresh linens, towels, oils and whatever else the treatment needs. There is no separate charge for equipment and nothing for you to buy. There is no call-out fee, and Fridays, weekends and public holidays cost the same as any other day.
If you are sensitive to a fragrance or a product, or have an oil you prefer, tell us in advance. What will be used is confirmed before the session, so that you are not finding out on the table.
One addition depends on where you live. In Al Wathba, Al Shahama, Al Rahba and Al Samha a flat AED 20 is added to each visit, whatever is booked. The total, including that fee where it applies, is shown before you pay.
Is the extra half hour worth paying for?
The longer session costs AED 80 more for 30 extra minutes. Worked out per hour of massage, the 60-minute session is AED 199 and the 90-minute session is AED 186, so the longer booking is the cheaper one by the minute.
Whether it is worth it depends on what you want covered. An hour is enough for an even full-body massage. Ninety minutes leaves time for the whole body and for slow work on one or two areas that need it. Our guide to session lengths sets out what fits into each.
Two people, and the other sessions
For two people booking together, the rate for the session is shown when booking. We do not publish a separate figure for it here. The other sessions have starting prices, each with one therapist: foot reflexology from AED 199 for 60 minutes, the head and shoulder session from AED 99 for 30 minutes, the facial from AED 149 for 60 minutes and the Moroccan bath from AED 199 for 60 minutes. The price is confirmed before the session, and each service page says what the session includes and how long it lasts.
How you pay
Payment is by card, online, once we confirm your booking, on a secure payment page. A tax invoice is available on request. Nothing is settled with the therapist at your home, which keeps the visit simple: the therapist arrives, works and leaves.
The room: how much space a massage table needs
The therapist needs a clear patch of floor about two metres by three. A folding massage table is roughly the length of a person and a little narrower than a single bed, and the therapist has to walk all the way round it to reach each side of you without leaning across.
In an apartment that usually means the living room with the coffee table moved aside, or a bedroom with enough floor beside the bed. In a villa, a spare bedroom, a guest room or a majlis that can be closed off works well, because it is away from the rest of the household.
Three more things make a room suitable. The first is a door that closes, so that you have privacy for the length of the booking. The second is a power socket within reach. The third is a floor that is flat and firm: tile, marble, wood and fitted carpet are all fine, but a thick loose rug lets the table legs rock, so roll it back. A chair or a clear surface for your clothes is useful, and so is a bathroom nearby.
A bed is not a substitute for the table. A mattress is too low and too soft: pressure sinks into it instead of into the muscle, and the therapist cannot work from both sides. The shorter sessions are different. Foot reflexology is given with you seated on a comfortable chair or sofa, and the head and shoulder session needs only an upright chair with a little space behind it.
A session for two needs room for two tables side by side with space to walk round each, so give the room size when you book. Our guide to couples massage at home looks at the space in more detail.
Temperature, light and noise
Homes in Abu Dhabi run the air conditioning for most of the year, and a room that feels right when you are dressed and moving feels cold when you are lying still with oil on your skin. Raise the thermostat a little before the session. If the table would sit directly under a vent, choose a different spot or angle the louvres away.
Dim the lights or draw the curtains. Ceiling downlights shine straight into your eyes once you turn face up. Put phones on silent, and tell the household how long you will be. A session interrupted twice by the doorbell is not much of a rest.
Getting the therapist into the building
In a tower the visit starts at the security desk, not at your door. Tell reception that a visitor is expected, register the visit in advance if your building asks for that, and let us know where visitors park and which lift to take. The therapist is carrying a folded table and a bag. A long walk from a distant car park or a wait for a visitor pass comes out of the time you have set aside.
The therapist arrives at the time booked and calls ahead from the gate or lobby, so give a number that will be answered. In a gated villa community, add the visit at the gate if that is how your community works, and give the villa number along with a landmark if the numbering is hard to follow.
Our guide to visitor registration, service lifts and parking in Abu Dhabi towers was written about cleaning visits, and the same steps apply to a therapist.
Before the therapist arrives
Ten minutes of preparation is enough. Work through it in this order.
- Clear the floor where the table will stand, and move small furniture out of the way between the front door and the room.
- Set the air conditioning, close the curtains and put a jug or bottle of water in the room.
- Eat lightly. Lying face down straight after a heavy meal is uncomfortable. A light meal an hour or two beforehand is fine.
- Rinse off if you have come in from the heat or the gym. Otherwise there is no need: skin does not have to be freshly washed for a massage.
- Take off jewellery, your watch and your glasses, and tie long hair up.
- Use the bathroom. Ninety minutes is a long time to lie still.
- Settle children and pets elsewhere for the length of the booking. A cat that jumps on the table ends the calm for everyone.
- Decide what you will say: the pressure you like, the areas you want attention on, anything to avoid, and any health point the therapist should know.
The visit, step by step
From the call at the gate to the door closing behind the therapist, a home session follows the same order every time.
- Arrival. The therapist calls from the gate or lobby and comes up at the booked time. Show the room and where to wash hands.
- Setting up. The table is unfolded and dressed with fresh linen. It takes a few minutes and you do not need to help.
- A short conversation. The therapist confirms the treatment, asks what pressure you like, which areas need attention and which to leave alone, and whether you have any sensitivity to oils. Mention health points now.
- Getting on the table. In professional practice the therapist steps out or turns away while you undress to the level you are comfortable with and lie down under the sheet or towel.
- The massage. A full-body session usually begins face down with the back and ends face up with the neck and scalp. You stay covered throughout, with only the area being worked on uncovered. The therapist checks the pressure with you as the session goes on.
- Speaking up. You can ask for lighter or firmer pressure, a change of position, a pause or a stop at any time. Nobody needs a reason.
- The finish. The therapist tells you the session is over and gives you a few minutes to lie still. Sit up slowly. Getting up fast after an hour lying down can leave you light-headed.
- Packing away. While you dress, the linen and the table are packed. The therapist asks how you feel and whether any area needs attention next time, then leaves.
What you wear and what stays covered
How much you take off is your decision. Many people keep their underwear on, and that is normal. During the massage a sheet or towel covers you and is folded back one area at a time. Intimate areas are never part of a massage. On our service pages we say that the therapist maintains appropriate draping and privacy throughout the appointment, and that is the standard to expect of any professional.
What to tell us about your health
Tell us about injuries, pregnancy, recent surgery, allergies and areas to avoid, when you book and again before the session starts. Say what pressure you like in plain words. It is easier to set at the beginning than to correct halfway through.
A massage is for comfort. It is not a medical treatment, and a therapist does not diagnose. Speak to your doctor before booking if you are pregnant, if you have ever had a blood clot, if you are recovering from an operation or an injury, if the skin in the area is broken, infected or inflamed, or if you are being treated for a serious illness. If you wake with a fever or feel unwell on the day, move the booking to another date.
Afterwards
The advantage of a home session is that there is no drive back through traffic with oil on your skin and your head half asleep. Use it. Keep the next half hour free, drink some water and sit quietly before you return to the day.
Massage oil marks fabric. Put on old, loose clothes or a robe, and lay a towel on a pale sofa before you sit on it. Shower when you like. There is no need to rush, and warm water an hour or so later is pleasant.
Check the floor where the table stood. A drop of oil on tile or marble is slippery underfoot, and marble is porous enough to take up oil and darken if a spill is left. Wipe any drops with a damp cloth and a little washing-up liquid, then dry the spot.
After firm work some soreness the next day is common and passes within a day or two. Our guide on soreness after a deep tissue massage explains what is normal and what is not. As for when to book again, there is no rule. A monthly session is a common routine, and many people simply book after travel or a long week.
A session at home or a visit to a spa
Neither is better in itself. They suit different days, and it helps to be clear about what each one gives you before you choose.
| What differs | At home | At a spa |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | None. The therapist comes to you | There and back, plus parking |
| The room | You prepare it | Prepared for you |
| Facilities | Your own bathroom | Often a steam room, sauna or pool |
| Afterwards | Rest where you are | Dress and drive home |
| Household | Needs to be quiet for the booking | Out of earshot |
Who a home session suits
It suits people who value the rest afterwards more than the facilities beforehand, parents who cannot easily leave the house, anyone who finds the journey home undoes the massage, and people who are more at ease in their own room than in a shared changing area. It suits less well a home that cannot be made quiet for an hour and a half.
Changing or cancelling a booking
You can cancel or move a booking free of charge up to 6 hours before the start time, online or by phone. After that a late cancellation costs AED 30, and the charge is AED 60 if the therapist travels to you and cannot get in. Moving a booking early always costs nothing. The cancellation policy explains how each case is handled.
If you would like a different length or a different treatment, ask before the appointment. We explain any change to the price or the time and then confirm it, subject to availability. If you are unwell on the day, moving the booking is always better than going ahead.
Common questions
Which areas do you come to?
The areas we serve are listed on the site, from the islands and the city centre to the mainland communities, and you choose yours on the booking page. If your community is not on the list, pick 'Other area' and we call to confirm coverage before the visit. Sessions are for private homes and hotel rooms, not for work sites.
My apartment is small. Is there enough room?
Measure the largest clear patch of floor you can make. If it is about two metres by three once a coffee table or a chair is moved, a table will fit, and that is true of most living rooms, including many studios. If you are in doubt, describe the room when you book. Where there really is no space, foot reflexology on your sofa or the seated head and shoulder session needs almost none.
Can I book a session in a hotel room?
Yes. Give the hotel name and room number when you book, and tell the front desk that a visitor is expected, because most hotels will want to know who is going up to a guest floor. Check the floor space first: the same two metres by three applies.
What should I wear?
Before and after, loose clothes are easiest, and choose something you do not mind getting a little oil on. For the head and shoulder session, loosen your collar or wear a vest top. For reflexology, wear trousers that roll to the knee.
Can someone else be at home during the session?
Of course. It is your home, and many people prefer to have a family member in the house. Ask them to keep the room undisturbed and the noise down, and to answer the door if anyone calls. If you would like someone to sit in the room, tell the therapist at the start.
What if I am not ready when the therapist arrives?
The time you have booked is a slot in the therapist's day, with another appointment likely to follow it. Minutes spent clearing the room or finishing a call are minutes you had set aside for something better. Being ready is the one part of the visit that is entirely in your hands.
How to book
Choose the treatment on the spa and wellness page. If you want the gentlest of the full-body sessions, that is the relaxation massage. Then book online or in the IHR Dream app: pick the length, give your address and preferred time, and use the notes to name the treatment, your pressure preference, any health points and how a visitor reaches your door.
The rate is shown before you confirm and you pay by card once we confirm your booking. For a question before booking, the office is on +971 52 723 5299, every day, 8 AM – 8 PM.
