If you've never booked a massage in Vietnam before, the range on offer can be confusing — the word "massage" covers everything from a firm therapeutic session to a gentle facial add-on, and prices can swing several times over between two spas on the same street. Here's what a session actually looks like at Ngải, and what it costs.
Arriving and choosing
Reception asks what's bothering you and how much time you have, then matches you to a therapist and a room. You don't need to know the exact name of what you want — describing where it hurts, or just saying you want to relax, is enough. First-time guests sometimes worry about picking "wrong" — in practice, reception is used to steering people toward the right group in under a minute, so there's no real way to get it wrong beyond not saying anything at all.
Six groups of treatments, from therapeutic neck-and-back massage to facials and complete packages. Each group takes its own route and does its own work. Pick the one your body is asking for — or just come in, and a therapist will read it for you.
What actually happens in the room
Most guests change into a robe first; a foot massage or some facials need no change of clothes. Many sessions open with a warm herbal soak, softening the muscle before the hands start. From there it depends on the group: moxibustion and acupressure for therapeutic work, oils and hot stone for relaxing massage, active ingredients and technique for facials. Nothing is presented as a cure — think of it as a deliberate pause for the body, built around real technique rather than a script everyone gets the same way.
What's inside each group
Therapeutic massage reaches deep into muscle knots with mugwort warmth, kneading and acupressure — so circulation returns and the ease lasts, not just fades by evening. Relaxing massage is gentler: essential oils, hot stones, four hands working in rhythm — a pause to let the body soften rather than dig in.
Facial care soothes, brightens and lifts with active ingredients, technique and technology that wake the skin's own collagen — a different job from body massage, not a smaller version of it. Body care covers scrub, herbal soak, wrap and body shaping, cleansing and softening the skin's texture rather than working muscle. Foot massage pairs acupressure through the feet and lower legs with a warm herbal soak — relief from the ground up, and the easiest session to book on a first visit. Guests short on time or wanting the full range in one sitting usually pick a complete package, which bundles several of the above into one longer visit at a set price.
What it costs
Prices in thousands of VND, before VAT — posted the same in Vietnamese and English, so what you see is what you pay, no negotiating once you're in the room.
- Therapeutic massage — from 690k, 65–100 min
- Relaxing massage — from 590k, 65–100 min
- Facial care — from 590k, 30–60 min
- Body care — from 290k, 20–60 min
- Foot massage — from 290k, 20–60 min
- Complete packages — from 1,250k, 110–180 min
See the full price list for every group.
Which of the two locations to pick
The Lãn Ông branch sits inside the Old Quarter, on the street Hanoi has known for generations as the place for herbs — walkable from Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The Phan Kế Bính branch is in Ngọc Hà ward, quieter and easier if you are coming by car. Both run the same six groups, by therapists trained the same way — pick whichever is closer to where you're staying.
What to tell your therapist
Say so before you start if you have an open wound, a skin condition, varicose veins, or if you're pregnant and which week you're in — the therapist adjusts pressure and position accordingly.
Booking, payment, and tipping
Ngải is open 11:00 to 22:00, every day, at both locations — Lãn Ông in the Old Quarter and Phan Kế Bính in Ba Đình. Booking ahead is worth it in the evening and at weekends. Cash, bank transfer and Visa/MasterCard are all accepted. Tipping isn't expected — it's welcome if you'd like to, entirely up to you. Chrysanthemum tea and Herbalism nut cookies come with every visit, however short.
FAQ
How long does a session take?
Most sessions run 45–100 minutes depending on the group; complete packages run 110–180
minutes. Foot massage is the fastest at 20–60 minutes.
Do I need to book ahead?
Walk-ins are welcome; booking online holds you a time, especially in the evening and at
weekends.
Does the staff speak English?
Reception and therapists handle everyday English at both locations.
Ready to book a session?
Two locations in Hanoi, open 11:00 – 22:00 every day.