Etiquette sounds like a formal word for something that is mostly common sense. In a session built on close, continuous contact between two people, though, small courtesies carry more weight than they would at a spa. Good body to body massage etiquette is not a rulebook. It is a shared understanding of how to begin, how to communicate while the work is under way, and how to finish, so that both people can give their attention to the massage rather than to uncertainty. This guide follows the evening in order.
In the thread: clear, prompt and truthful
The courtesy starts before anyone knocks. Write the booking plainly: time, length, address, form of contact, and anything the therapist should know about your body. Answer the confirmation promptly, because she cannot set off until you have said yes. If plans move, a later flight, a dinner running long, a different room, send the change on the same thread as soon as you know. The same ten minutes of confirmation run again, and nobody crosses the city to a door that will not open.
Be truthful about the details that matter. Two guests where the message said one, a different address, a few more drinks than planned: each changes how the session should be arranged, and each is far easier to handle in writing than on the doorstep. And remember that every guest must be twenty-one or older, without exception.
At the door: a greeting, then the practical part
A simple hello and an invitation in are all the ceremony required. There is no need for small talk if you are not in the mood, and none for a tour of the room. The fee for the booked length is settled at this point, once, in the form you mentioned: cash in any major currency, card, or crypto. Having it ready is a small kindness. Haggling has no place here, and nothing further is asked for when she leaves, so the money moment comes and goes in under a minute.
Offer a glass of water and point out the bathroom. That is hospitality enough.
One small courtesy counts for more than any other: be ready when she knocks, dressed or in a robe, with the room already prepared. A body to body massage that starts ten minutes late loses those minutes from the booking rather than from the evening, and the opening of a session is the part most worth protecting.
Undressing and the towel
You undress to your own comfort, and there is no expectation either way. If she steps into the bathroom to get ready, that is the natural moment; if not, turning to the bed and lying face down is a perfectly ordinary way to begin. A towel can cover whatever you want it to cover. Nobody comments, and nobody reads it as a signal of anything. If you would like to change the arrangement later in the session, say so.
Body to body massage etiquette during the work: the vocabulary of pressure
The most important courtesy once the massage has begun is speaking up, and it helps to know which words work. Four cover nearly everything.
Lighter asks her to lift weight away or lie flatter so the pressure spreads. Firmer asks her to narrow the contact or lean further in. Slower changes the pace of the passes without touching the pressure. Stop means stop, instantly and without a reason, and she will.
Beyond those four, a short description beats a long one: that shoulder is tender, my lower back likes that, the oil feels cold. What does not work is silence out of politeness. For much of the session she cannot see your face, so a word is her only way of learning that something is wrong. Speaking early is considerate. Enduring discomfort and mentioning it afterwards helps nobody.
Your hands, and the direction of the massage
The massage flows in one direction: from her to you. The etiquette that follows is simple. Keep your hands relaxed at your sides, beneath your forehead or loosely on the bed, and let her place your arms wherever the technique needs them. Do not reach for her, hold her or try to steer her movements with your hands. If you want something to change, ask in words.
This is not about stiffness. It is what allows a therapist working with her whole body to stay balanced and in command of her weight. A guest who moves suddenly or grabs can throw that balance, which is uncomfortable for both people. Her boundaries are as clear as yours, and respecting them is the footing everything else stands on.
Talking, silence and personal questions
Talk if you like; stay silent if you prefer. Most people find conversation fades once the weight-based part begins, and nobody has to fill the quiet. If you would rather have silence from the outset, mention it at the door.
Keep questions about her life light. Where she grew up, the languages she speaks, what she enjoys about the city: all fine, if she is happy to chat. Her home address, surname, other clients or private social accounts: not questions to ask. The discretion you expect about your evening applies equally to hers. Compliments on the skill of the massage land well; remarks about her appearance, however kindly meant, make a professional hour awkward for both people. Her profile on the roster already shows what she has chosen to share.
Phones, photographs and recording
Phones go on silent and out of sight before she arrives. No photographs of the therapist, no video and no audio recording, at any point, including the minutes before and after the massage. Guests occasionally ask for a picture as a keepsake; the honest reply is that the memory is the souvenir. A phone that rings during the massage should be ignored. If a call truly cannot wait, pause the session and step away, understanding that minutes spent on the phone come out of the booked time. Laptops and smart speakers with cameras or microphones belong switched off or turned to the wall.
Time: the clock and extending
The booked length runs from the start of the session to the agreed end, and watching the clock is unnecessary; she keeps track of time so that you do not have to. If things are going well and you want more, ask her directly before the session ends rather than once she has begun packing. Whether it is possible depends on what she has booked next, so accept either answer with good grace. Added time follows the same rate, €180 an hour, and is paid the same way. The full ladder is on the prices page.
If what you really want is a longer session rather than an extension tonight, say so while she packs. A line in the thread afterwards is enough to make the next booking two hours instead of one.
The ending: giving her room to leave
When the massage closes, lie still for a moment if you wish. She gathers the towels and whatever else she brought, and may use the bathroom to wash her hands. There is no need to help pack, to hurry her or to rush yourself. A thank you is plenty. There is nothing to settle and no follow-up to arrange. She leaves as she arrived, quietly, and the door closes on a room left the way it was found.
Couples and shared rooms
When two therapists work side by side for a couple, the same courtesies apply twice, with one addition: each guest speaks to the therapist working on them, not to the other one. Keep conversation between partners soft, since two massages in one room run best when both stay quiet enough for words like lighter and slower to be heard. If one partner wants to stop early, say so; the other session need not end with it. Make sure the bed, or the singles pushed together, leaves room along both outer sides, and agree between yourselves beforehand how much undress feels comfortable in shared company.
When something does not feel right
Now and then a session needs to change course. If a position hurts, a pressure feels wrong or you simply want to finish, say so plainly; stopping early is always acceptable, and no explanation is owed. The same holds in reverse. A therapist may pause or decline to continue if a guest ignores a boundary she has stated, or if anything suggests the age rule is not being respected. In every case the calm response is the right one: a clear sentence, no argument, and a thread that stays open for another evening if both sides wish.
Afterwards: privacy and booking again
Discretion runs both ways once the session is over. Share your own experience however you like, but leave her out of it: no descriptions, no name attached to details, nothing that could identify her. If you would like to see the same therapist again, the simplest route is to name her in your next booking message; the reply will confirm her or say when she is next free. Returning guests often find the second session better than the first, not because anything changes on her side, but because the etiquette is already familiar and both people can give the massage their whole attention. Our guide to the hours after a session covers what to expect once she has gone.