What is Swedish massage?
Swedish massage is the gentle one. Long, gliding strokes and soft kneading over the whole body at a soft to medium pressure, with nothing you have to brace for. It is the treatment most people mean when they picture a relaxing massage, and the one to choose if you want to come out calm rather than fixed.
Light to medium
2 out of 5Relaxing pressure, easing deeper only where you want it.
- Classic massage
- Relaxation massage
- Full body massage
We come to you, anywhere in London. Your home, your hotel room or your workplace.
33 London therapists trained in Swedish massage
Independent, qualified, insured, and met in person before we let them near a client.
What people say about our Swedish massage therapists
Excellent Swedish massage by Lusine. Definitely recommend!
Supaksana’s mix of Thai and Swedish techniques was exactly what I needed. Will definitely book again!
Elena was amazing! My daughter booked her for a Swedish mobile massage on my birthday. 5 stars. Thank you!
Vivian is a real expert in swedish and deep tissue massages. She has great techniques and works her magic to help you relax throughout the session. I greatly enjoyed her massages and I totally recommend her as I am convinced you will not regret it!
Now this is coming from someone with a long history of body problems and a long list of massage therapists that ive experienced, from Chinese, to Swedish to the lot but I have never ever had such a good deep massage from such a friendly professional, arrived right one time, with a smile on the face, and hands that are made of GOLD. Thank you HANA ❤️
Rated Outstanding
Average 4.97/5 from 12,254 reviews
How Swedish massage feels
Slower than you expect, and the point at which you stop thinking about your day comes sooner than you expect too.
- Long, gliding strokes from your shoulders all the way down to your feet, warm oil the whole way
- Soft kneading through the back and thighs, the effleurage and petrissage a Swedish massage is built on
- Your therapist leans her weight rather than pushing, so the pressure spreads instead of digging
- Most people go quiet inside ten minutes, and a fair few fall asleep
- Nothing sore afterwards, just a pleasant heaviness that stays with you into the evening
If one shoulder is worse than the rest of you, say so. Plenty of our therapists will fold in firmer work, or a bit of Indian head massage where it is needed, without turning the whole hour into something you have to get through.
Who Swedish massage suits
Worth booking if
- You are stressed rather than injured, and you want an hour or two off
- This is your first massage and you would rather start gently
- You are not sleeping well and everything feels wound a bit tight
- You want the whole body done rather than one part of it
- A firmer massage has felt like too much before
Mention it when you book if
- You want deeper work, in which case book deep tissue instead
- You have a skin condition, or a reaction to nut oils
- You are pregnant, at any stage, so we can send a pregnancy therapist
- You have had recent surgery or an injury that is still sore
- You are feeling unwell today
What happens during Swedish massage
Below is how a typical 90 minute session pans out. A 60 or a two hour booking follows the same shape, with more or less of the middle.
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Before she arrives
Somewhere warm to lie down
Your bed or the floor, a couple of old towels out ready, and the heating on a little higher than usual.
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First 5 minutes
Settling
Warm oil and long, unhurried strokes over your body while you stop thinking about your day. Nothing is being worked on yet.
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Next hour and 20
Head to toe
Your therapist will go through your whole body in turn, back, shoulders, arms, legs, feet, at a pressure you have agreed and can change at any point.
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Final 5 minutes
Coming round
Slower and lighter until the end arrives. Give yourself a few minutes before standing up, and remember to stay hydrated.
Never had a massage before? Our guide to what to expect at your first massage walks through the whole thing, from preparing the room to how you will feel afterwards.
Why have it at home rather than at a spa?
Because the point of this one is to relax, and getting yourself across London and back does the opposite. You finish, you put your dressing gown on, you are already home.
You also pick the therapist rather than being handed whoever is free, which for a treatment this personal matters more than people expect.
How Swedish massage differs from the alternatives
Most people land here torn between two. Here is the short version.
| Swedish Massage | Deep Tissue Massage | Thai Massage | Aromatherapy Massage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure | Light to medium, even all over | Firm and slow, into specific areas | Firm, through stretching rather than oil | Light to medium, with scented oils |
| Best for | Stress, poor sleep, general tension | Knots that keep coming back | Stiffness and locked joints | Winding down, and headaches |
| Feels like | Soothing, nothing to brace for | A good ache at the edge of comfortable | Being moved and stretched | Swedish, with the scent doing half the work |
| Afterwards | Relaxed, usually sleepy | Mildly sore for a day | Loose and mobile straight away | Calm, and sleeping better that night |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Want the longer answer?
If Swedish massage is not quite what you had in mind
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Wherever you are, someone covers it. Seven days a week, 7am until 11pm.
Common questions about Swedish massage
Near enough, yes. "Full body massage" describes what gets covered and "Swedish" describes how, so most people asking for one are asking for the other. If you want the whole body done at a comfortable pressure, this is it.
It will help if the ache is tension and tiredness, which for most desk-bound Londoners it is. If there is one specific knot that has been there for months, book deep tissue instead, or ask your therapist to spend longer on that area within the Swedish hour.
No. You undress as far as you are comfortable and stay covered by a towel the whole time, with only the part being worked on uncovered. Most people keep their underwear on. What to wear during a massage covers it properly.
Once a month keeps most people ticking over. Weekly if you are going through something stressful, or a one-off when you simply need an hour or two where nobody wants anything from you. There is no wrong answer.
Ninety minutes, if the whole body is the point. An hour covers it but the pace is what makes a Swedish massage work, and rushing head to toe rather defeats the object. Book 60 when time is short and you would rather have something than nothing.
£59 for 60 minutes, £80 for 90 minutes and £110 for two hours, the same as every other treatment we offer. Some outer London areas carry a small travel charge, which you see before you pay. We have written up what a massage costs in London and how we compare.
Whatever you are comfortable in when she arrives. During the massage you undress as far as you want to and stay covered by a towel throughout, with only the part being worked on uncovered. If that is the bit you were worried about, what to wear during a massage goes through it properly.
Often within the hour, though it depends on who is free near you at the time. Put your postcode into the box on this page and you will see the therapists covering your area and the times they have left today. We work seven days a week, from 7am until 11pm.
Somewhere to lie down, either your own bed or a mat on the floor, and your own towels. Your therapist brings the oil and the music. We ask you to use your own towels for hygiene, because a therapist working in homes all day cannot launder between visits the way a spa can, and yours will always be cleaner. Old ones are best, since oil stains. No table needed, and we have written up why we work this way.
Across more than 200 London neighbourhoods, wherever you are staying or living. Your therapist comes to your home, your hotel room or your workplace. Enter your postcode above to see who covers your address, or look through every area we cover.
Medically and professionally reviewed by Katarzyna Piatkowska, ITEC qualified massage therapist, August 2025.