It’s likely visitors and locals will hear about Samantha Sunshine and her acrobatic and Thai massage studio in Lionshead Village before they stumble across it. Sunshine Massage Studio is hidden — located in Concert Hall Plaza in Lionshead, next to the Ski Valet and below Moe’s Original Bar B Que — but word of mouth will likely give the space an obvious presence in the valley soon.
Compared to a traditional massage or spa experience, Sunshine Massage Studio is tapping into a new-age approach. The bodywork Sunshine does is unique, combining techniques of assisted stretching and anti-gravity support — like yoga, acrobatics and massage combined into one.
“It’s an experience where you use heat and stretching and inversion therapies to realign and restore the body,” Sunshine said.
Her services are done on a large, comfortable, heated mat, in a yoga swing or “flying” while supported by Sunshine’s own hands and feet. She creates treatments to cater to each client specifically, and she includes personalized aromatherapy and sound vibration to complement the work.
FULL RANGE OF MOTION
Sunshine grew up in Vail but just moved back about a year ago from Hawaii, where she learned acrobatic and Thai massage therapies and became a licensed massage therapist. She is also a local ski instructor now and said she’s glad to be back in Vail to work on mountain athletes.
“It’s really exciting to be here because I am surrounded by athletes and people who use their body really intensely,” Sunshine said.
Thai massages are recommended for all body types and can be deep tissue-style. Anyone who is less than 185 pounds can try acro-massage with Sunshine (whose petite figure can only support so much weight), and for those who weigh more than 185 pounds, the studio’s yoga swing can be used for inversion therapies.
Inversion is just an option, and no one with recent back or eye surgeries, high blood pressure or who is pregnant will be inverted.
“All the sessions are done with the client wearing comfortable clothing,” Sunshine said. “I use aromatherapy on the feet, neck and hands, but it’s not like an ‘oil-down’ experience.”
COURTESY OF SUNSHINE MASSAGE STUDIO
MANY POSSIBILITIES
Sunshine also offers mobile treatments at homes and hotels in Lionshead, Vail Village and the Golden Peak, but the large mat in the Sunshine Massage Studio is an ideal place to receive a session.
“The amount of space on the mat gives me freedom to do range of motion,” she said. “I can put you in stretches that you wouldn’t normally get put into, cause there’s space. It really opens up possibilities.”
Book online to see all of the Sunshine Massage Studio options. Rates begin at $55 for 30 minutes and go up to $380 for three hours.
For new clients, Sunshine is offering 15 percent off a first treatment or 30 minutes added to an hour treatment (buy one hour and receive and hour and a half of bodywork). For more information or to make a booking, visit sunshinemassagestudio.com.
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