April 28, 2008

Lifebooker.com for easy spa appointments in NYC

What OpenTable.com is to free restaurant reservations, Lifebooker.com now is to easy reservations to spa and fitness appointments.

The site lets you pick a service -- including mani/pedi, bikini wax, massage (with a male- or female- preference option,) accupuncture, cupping and men's shave. You then pick a day, time, and if you want, a neighborhood to narrow your reach. The site then reloads with all your options, including prices at each location, alternate times and types of services within the topic you've selected (such as Brazilian, landing strip, bikini updo, Bermuda Triangle basic, etc.)

You can book on the site for free, but you need to provide a credit card number to hold appointments. (But only the spa itself ends up paying Lifebooker a percentage, which is where the website makes its money.)

The site launched six months ago and currently offers appointments only in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The goal is to offer appointments at about 1,000 spas, salon and fitness providers from the tri-state area by the end of the year, a company spokesman told NewYorkology. Eventually the service will launch in other cities as well.

Companies already offering appointments inlcude Allure, Delluva Day Spa, Rita Hazan, Townhouse Spa, Paul Labrecque, Spa Chinois and White Tea Spa -- and some with special discounts for Lifebooker users.

The site also lets you read reviews written by other members who have actually booked past appointments at the spas. And you can earn reward points for future services.

Lifebooker is independently owned by 26-year-old entrepreneurs Andrew Unger and Dana Reichman.

Earlier: $50 massages, facials during Spa Week, April 14-20

April 28, 2008 1:37 PM in Downtown, Midtown, Out of Manhattan, Romance, Shopology, Techology, Upper East Side, Upper West Side

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