Not all massages are created equal. Anyone who’s ever had a bad one can attest to that. But what makes a good massage a great massage?

Affordability, a comfy setting, good use of pressure, and customizable options. We found all four of these elements at Elixir, an unassuming massage-focused spa in LoDo.

The hour-long signature massage costs only $65, the treatment rooms are completely cozy, and massage therapist Lisa Stacey took time to ask us our preferences (we wanted her to concentrate on the upper body) while adjusting her pressure throughout the treatment to suit our desk-weary muscles.