INFORMATION
Frequently asked questions
Everything guests ask at the desk, answered before you arrive. If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp — we answer in writing, which is usually clearer than a phone call.
Hygiene
Every guest is set up from scratch. This is what that means in practice.
- Fresh linen, towels and Thai clothing for each guest, changed after every treatment.
- Laundry washed at high temperature and fully dried before it returns to the rooms.
- Treatment rooms wiped down and ventilated between guests.
- Therapists wash and sanitise their hands before and after every session.
- Oil and lotion dispensed per guest. No open container is shared between rooms.
- Showers, lockers and slippers cleaned and disinfected daily.
- Shared floors, door handles and the waiting area disinfected on a regular schedule.
If anything in the room does not look right to you, tell the front desk and we will reset it before we start.
Health restrictions
Massage is not suitable for everyone on every day. Please tell us at check-in if any of the following apply, so the therapist can adjust the pressure, skip an area, or recommend a different course.
- Pregnancy. Tell us before booking. We avoid abdominal work, deep pressure and certain essential oils, and we do not recommend treatment during the first trimester.
- Recent surgery, fractures or acute injury. Please wait until your doctor clears you.
- Open wounds, skin infections or contagious skin conditions.
- Fever, flu or any acute illness.
- Alcohol. We cannot treat guests who are visibly intoxicated. Massage after drinking raises the risk of dizziness and nausea.
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, or a history of thrombosis, DVT or severe varicose veins.
- Osteoporosis, herniated disc, or spinal conditions. Stretching and deep pressure will be reduced or skipped.
- Diabetes with reduced sensation, or any condition affecting how you feel pressure.
- Cancer treatment, past or present. Please consult your doctor first.
- Allergies to nuts or essential oils. Relevant for aroma courses, which use a plant oil base.
Massage here is for relaxation and comfort, not medical treatment. If you are unsure whether it is safe for you, ask your doctor before booking.
Booking and prices
Do I need a reservation?
No, walk-ins are welcome. Rooms fill on Friday and Saturday evenings and between 22:00 and 01:00, so a WhatsApp message an hour ahead is the reliable way to secure the time and room you want.
How much does it cost?
Traditional Thai courses are ₩45,000 for 40 minutes, ₩60,000 for 60 minutes, ₩80,000 for 90 minutes and ₩110,000 for 120 minutes. Aroma oil courses are ₩60,000 for 40 minutes, ₩80,000 for 70 minutes, ₩100,000 for 90 minutes and ₩130,000 for 120 minutes.
How do I pay?
Cash in Korean won or credit card, including international cards. Tipping is not expected.
What are your opening hours?
13:00 to 05:00 the following morning, every day of the year. There is no regular closing day and we open on public holidays.
How late can I arrive?
Late enough that your course finishes by 05:00. That means about 04:20 for a 40-minute course and about 02:50 for a 120-minute course.
Can I change or cancel?
Message us on WhatsApp as early as you can and we will move the time if a room is free.
Your first visit
What happens when I arrive?
You take the lift to the second floor, choose your course at the desk, lock your belongings in an individual locker, then have a foot bath with tea and fruit before the treatment begins. The foot bath is not counted inside your paid time.
What should I wear?
Come in whatever you are wearing. For Thai courses we provide loose Thai clothing. For aroma courses you undress to your comfort level in the room and stay covered with a towel.
Should I eat before?
Leave about an hour after a full meal.
Can I come after drinking?
No. We cannot treat guests who have been drinking, because massage after alcohol raises the risk of dizziness, nausea and blood pressure changes.
Can I ask for lighter or stronger pressure?
Yes, at any point. Your therapist will also check with you early on and again partway through.
Which course should I choose first?
Sixty minutes of traditional Thai if you want firm pressure and stretching. Seventy minutes of aroma oil if you want light, calming pressure and a shower afterwards.
Rooms and facilities
Are the rooms private?
Yes. These are individual rooms with doors, not curtained bays. We have single rooms, couple rooms for two, and rooms joined by sliding doors for three or more.
Do you have a couple room?
Yes, for two guests treated at the same time by two therapists. There is no extra room charge.
Do you have showers?
Yes, separate men's and women's shower rooms, free to use, with towels provided.
Where do I put my valuables?
In an individual locker that you lock and unlock yourself with your own number. Staff do not hold your key.
Is there a lift?
Yes. We are on the second floor of the building and the lift goes there directly, so no stairs are needed.
Is there parking?
Yes, in the basement of the building.
Is tea provided?
Yes. Pu-erh or jasmine tea with seasonal fruit or a small sweet, served before and after your treatment at no charge.
Health and safety
Can I have a massage while pregnant?
Tell us before booking. We do not recommend massage during the first trimester, and we avoid abdominal work, deep pressure and certain essential oils at any stage of pregnancy.
I had surgery recently. Can I book?
Not until your doctor has cleared you. The same applies to fractures, open wounds and acute injuries.
I have high blood pressure. Is it safe?
If it is well controlled, tell us at check-in and the therapist will keep pressure moderate. If it is uncontrolled, please consult your doctor first.
I have a skin condition. Can I still come?
Not if it is infectious or the skin is broken. For eczema, psoriasis or sensitive skin, tell us and we can adjust the oil or work around the area.
Do you treat injuries?
No. This is a relaxation and wellness shop, not a clinic. We do not provide medical treatment or physiotherapy.
Do you offer adult services?
No. Palm Thai Massage is a licensed massage shop offering traditional Thai and aroma oil massage only.
Getting here
Where exactly are you?
9 Gunam-ro, on the second floor of the Ramada Encore Hotel building, Haeundae-gu, Busan.
How do I get there by metro?
Haeundae Station on Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3, then 91 metres on foot.
Do you speak English?
Yes, along with Korean and Thai. Japanese and Chinese are easiest over WhatsApp.
Can I bring a suitcase?
Message us first. Lockers take a day bag; larger luggage needs to be arranged.
Ready when you are
Message us on WhatsApp with a time and we will hold a room. Or just come up to the second floor — we take walk-ins until five in the morning.