Escape to Rhythm & Motion at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel

I think we can all agree on the fact that we deserve some pampering after the year we've had. And not just your usual new hairdo, mani/pedi or massage, but rather, a complete experience.  Services on the Rhythm and Motion Spa Menu at the Rock Spa in Tampa's Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino make the perfect gifts, whether for yourself or a loved one, and I'm really excited to share with you my full, personal experience.

I visited the Rock Spa for the Synchronicity massage, a 50-minute experiential journey that pairs the senses of touch and hearing. What's unique about this experience is that your massage is performed in sync with a curated playlist of ambient tunes. I am such a music lover, and on top of that, I really love ambient sounds and tropical house music, so this was such a fantastic experience for me.

Prior to my service, I was led into a beautiful locker area, where I could cleanse and unwind with a shower, steam room and hot tub.  If this is your first time using amenities such as these, here's a tip: it's important to shower and towel dry prior to entering a steam room or dipping into a hot tub. Not only for practical, sanitary reasons, but also because in Asian culture, you're considered to be performing a ritual that cleanses your mind and body and that allows you to de-stress and fully enjoy the steam room and hot tub experience.

When my masseuse, Kristen, was ready for me, she came to the locker area to guide me to my treatment room. The massage table was heated to the perfect temperature, and she instructed me that I was going to feel vibrations throughout my head and body, and that a dome-shaped structure above my head would lower and rise as the playlist went on, to heighten my audio experience with treble tones. 

I started the massage laying face down, while Kristen massaged an organic, plant-based oil into her hands, placing them just below my face and asking me to inhale and exhale deeply and slowly. The massage began on my arms and continued to my hands, then legs and feet and finally to my back. I experience lower back pain often, so Kristen adjusted the routine of my massage to concentrate on my needs. I then flipped over onto my back, and the other side of my legs and arms, as well as my head and neck were tended to. 

Throughout the course of my massage, I tuned out the environment of the treatment room and tuned in to the ambient soundtrack that was playing. It was such a calming and relaxing experience - I'm the type of person who can definitely overthink things and get into her own head - but in this experience, I was completely tuned out of that, and drawn into a state of Zen. 

The experience was, to say the very least, phenomenal. Kristen made sure that I was relaxed and comfortable throughout the course of my massage, and I absolutely loved the massage paired with resonating ambient music. After my service, Kristen handed me a shot of hot green tea to sip on, to further the detoxification process. She also noted that the locker area was open to my use until 8 p.m. that day, so I could dine at one of the Hard Rock restaurants for lunch, then return to the spa to continue relaxing.

I have never been in more of a relaxed state of mind. I felt completely rejuvenated, and felt like this wasn't just another 50-minute Swedish massage then go home type of ordeal. This was a full experience that I won't forget, which is why I think this would make such a wonderful gift, not just to someone else, but also to treat yourself. You absolutely deserve it!

 *Disclosure:  The service featured in this post was provided by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for feature and for an honest review. Opinions expressed here are my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino or Rock Spa.