Aroma Thai foot spa: Footloose, frenzy-free

Decked in dark woods, silk pillows, essential oils and soft lighting, Aroma Thai foot spas tempt embattled urbanites with a spartan approach that promises the "essence of Thailand." Which, as long as you haven't visited the shipyards, proves a welcome salve.

Aroma Thai's indulgent spa treatments range from the 35-minute Sawadee Express foot massage, including a foot-washing ritual and jasmine tea finisher, to the 90-minute head-to-toe Ananda Thai massage. Also on the menu are reflexology manicures and pedicures, the Arokaya Massage (foot massage using a traditional Thai herbal compress) and the Sukhothai Silver and Gold massages in which one therapist massages your feet while another indulges your face.

With three locations across the city, Aroma Thai draws women and men (that's right, fellas, the Mumbai spa scene has come to claim you too) for a number of reasons: it's quick, it's casual, it's cheap and, true to appellation, the therapies are Thai-run. Must explain the essence in there.