I have seen these in malls, and now there is one in the Anchorage airport. It would be tempting to do, especially with a redeye flight, but I find it being so public(across from gate) is intimidating.
I used to see people getting the chair massage at other airports, but the "face forward" part provides some anonymity(until the person emerges with the donut face after,lol).
Has anyone tried the water massage? Was it claustrophobic, and where do you safely store personal items if you are alone?
Massage curious J.

I tried it once at a mall. I'm claustrophic and felt like I was trapped in a small box. Hated it! The water pressure didn't relieve muscle aches like a regular massage does (I'll admit it--I'm a massage junkie).
Bottom line for me: a waste of $$$. Give me a chair massage instead any day!

Yeah, I sorta figured. I have been sold on my massage gals at a chiropracter's office.. it's nice that they are all good at removing the kinks before travel.
The claustrophobia thing would no doubt stop me from trying it too. I have yet to try a chair massage, but it seems worth it between flights.

A little off topic, but I've gotten massages at resorts a couple of times and was quite disappointed. My back stiffens under stress, or when I sit still too long, or go sightseeing or hiking - as in traveling. I have found that the only massage that relieves my back is very high-pressure, even rough. Can you request that kind of massage? Does it have a name? I hate bugging my husband (who gives a great massage) since it's his vacation too.

I believe that would be a deep tissue massage.

Oh, I nearly passed out from pain when I had my first and last d.t.m... although I said my lower back needed more pressure, this little gal had an ironman touch.
I remember thinking that pressure points behind the ears could kill a person if too much pressure was applied.. I was sure I'd be seeing several relatives after she started in. I think I was trying not to be a wimp, and I have to say, as painful as it was, I felt great for a long time when she finished abusing me.
Now, one gal did a hip rotation that made me think about a roasted chicken and even seemed worthy of a profitable website, but she corrected an imbalance that my stupid treadmill caused after running on it before we leveled it properly.
The only public thing I like is the massage chair in Brookstone or Sharper Image, if you can get the other people out of them for a few minutes.

LOL. Thanks for the info.

Claire -

I don't know a proper term for a "strong" massage... I just tell the masseuse that I will tell them if they are too rough. Please don't be gentle!

I have also seen these things at the mall but never seen anyone actually in it. At the risk of sounding really stupid, what do they do so you don't drown or at least get soaked? I am sure the pushy sales rep would have told me, but at the risk of being kidnapped and stuffed into that awful looking contraption.

I'm assuming that the water is within a rubber or plastic coating of some sort.
I don't recall seeing people using those either, okay, maybe one guy whose wife stood by.
I will try it when they invent one that smooths away the "oh crap, I've forgotten something" look,lol.
Or a foreign accented voice while I lounge on the rich cordoban leather, sipping wine and having my feet massaged, now that would be worth paying for.
Hmm, tax day, still getting snow flurries in late April, Monday... a little fantasy will help make the bad stuff go away?

I actually did this a few years ago. Yes, the water is contained within some kind of rubber/plastic barrier. The water pressure wasn't even close to matching a real person's hands or even a shiatsu chair. It was claustrophobic, and I felt weird about being in a confined space where others had been. Yeah, that's weird, but I just have a thing about that stuff. So imho, don't waste your money.

LOL! Okay, I was with my daughter and friend at the Opryland Mills mall and they got this wild idea to try this. I actually enjoyed it a lot! I hate being massaged by strangers, I've had to train my husband and children well. But this thing was like a pulsating gentle water bed. Not really a tissue type massage, but a relaxing warm bath without the water. Now, that said, I had 2 glasses of wine prior and came out of that darn thing about 102 degrees. It would be splendid on a cold day, but it is really warm and if you are prone to hot flashes, etc be warned!

LLindaC~ I am a curly haired person, so between the melting makeup and that, I shudder to think of climbing out of the contraption in front of who knows who and trying to pull myself together.
I wonder though, can they hear you scream while you are in there? Maybe they should have designed it with the head outside and covered/shielded.
I prefer the same massage therapists I have been seeing for a few years. They aren't really strangers in the chiropractor's office. It's very calm and soothing, and on the table with the soft sheets and heating pad(in winter), pretty darn relaxing!
One of them tells stories about her life in Chile, living near the Andes, and it's almost like a vaction.
My dh though, still thinks of the back alley, darkened windows,(park in the back sorta deals), and would have to be drugged to let someone get within a foot of him, especially unclothed. It's the best way to untangle those glutes,lol.

Thanks for the explanation - still seems claustrophobic and creepy. And I would keep worrying that the thing would leak, or my head would need have an itch scratched, or I would need to get out to go to the bathroom. No thanks.