Aquafloat LLC

What Aquafloat LLC does

Aquafloat LLC (DBA AquaFloat of Charlottesville) is a privately-held, founder-owned flotation and wellness center founded in 2007 by Ted O'Neill, a former pharmacy owner, and operating from a single retail location at 925 E Jefferson St in Charlottesville, Virginia. The business is built around sensory deprivation float therapy delivered through three private float rooms — two Genesis float pods with hydraulic lids and one Deluxe Float Room Suite with fiber-optic starry-night lighting — each holding 12 inches of water saturated with roughly 1,000 lbs of Epsom salts heated to skin temperature (~93.5°F), supported by a multi-stage water-filtration system using UV light, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide. The company has progressively expanded its service mix to include therapeutic massage (customized therapeutic, hot stone, and prenatal modalities) and a Jacuzzi Clearlight Sanctuary 2 full spectrum infrared sauna, and cross-references partner Charlottesville Hyperbarics for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The company monetizes through a mix of transactional and recurring pricing: single 60-minute float sessions at $65 with multi-pack discounts (3 for $180, 5 for $275, 10 for $450), massage sessions at $70–$130 across 45–90 minute tiers, infrared sauna sessions at $25–$40 (with multi-session packages), bundled float-plus-massage combos at $130–$180, prepaid gift cards, and a membership program offering 1 float/month at $49 (6-month commitment, floats shareable and never expiring) or unlimited floats at $150/month or $1,200/year. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the physical storefront, supported by the Floathelm third-party online booking and membership platform, organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), a content/blog presence, and community-focused acquisition tactics including a 10% appreciation discount for first responders, military, nurses, UVA students, and a referral program that rewards five successful referrals with a free float. Target customer segments are individual wellness consumers in Charlottesville and surrounding communities, with named personas including stress-relief seekers (primary), athletes, chronic pain sufferers, sleep seekers, and local community members. The company operates 7 days a week, 10am to 7–8pm, with 5 employees and no disclosed external funding, patents, or enterprise customers.

Name

Aquafloat LLC

Legal name

AquaFloat LLC

Website

https://aquafloatcville.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aquafloat LLC is a founder-owned flotation and wellness center in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded in 2007, offering sensory deprivation float therapy, therapeutic massage, and infrared sauna services to local individual wellness seekers, athletes, and chronic pain sufferers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wellness and Float Therapy Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Float Therapy (Sensory Deprivation Tanks) (HSADAKAF)

Keywords

• Sensory deprivation floating
• Float therapy services
• Infrared sauna sessions
• Therapeutic massage services
• Wellness center memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Float Sessions: One-time sessions for sensory deprivation floating in Epsom salt tanks. Session duration is 60 minutes. Individual sessions at $65, with discounted rates for packages (3-10 sessions). Deluxe Quest Float Suite available at premium pricing.
2. Monthly Memberships: Recurring monthly and yearly subscription memberships offering 1 float per month ($49/month with 6-month commitment) or unlimited floats ($150/month or $1200/year). Floats are shareable and never expire for basic membership.
3. Massage Therapy: Therapeutic massage services including Customized Therapeutic Massage, Hot Stone Massage, and Prenatal Massage. Offered in 45, 60, 75, and 90-minute sessions ranging from $70-$130.
4. Infrared Sauna Sessions: Full spectrum infrared sauna sessions available in 20-minute ($25) and 45-minute ($40) increments. Package discounts available for multiple sessions.
5. Gift Cards: Prepaid gift cards available for float sessions, massage services, combos, and dollar amounts. Provides upfront revenue recognition.
6. Combo Packages: Bundled float and massage combination sessions at discounted rates compared to individual bookings. Includes 45/60/90 minute massage with 60-minute float.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aquafloat operates a flotation and wellness center that sells sensory deprivation float sessions in Epsom salt tanks, therapeutic massage services, and full-spectrum infrared sauna sessions to individual consumers in Charlottesville, Virginia. The business monetizes through single sessions, multi-session packages, combo bundles, gift cards, and recurring monthly or annual memberships, with online booking handled through the Floathelm platform.

Product overview

AquaFloat is a flotation and wellness center offering a coordinated suite of therapeutic services centered on sensory deprivation floating, massage therapy, and infrared sauna sessions. The core offerings include three private flotation rooms (two Genesis float pods with hydraulic lids and one Deluxe Float Room Suite with fiber optic lighting) holding Epsom salt solution for gravity-free float therapy, a Jacuzzi Clearlight full spectrum infrared sauna, and licensed massage therapy with multiple modalities (customized therapeutic, hot stone, prenatal/postpartum). Services are available individually or as combination packages, and the company operates a membership program for regular users. A partner relationship with Charlottesville Hyperbarics provides access to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Online booking and membership management are handled through the Floathelm platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flotation Therapy Sessions 60-minute sensory deprivation float sessions in private rooms holding 12 inches of water saturated with 1,000 lbs of Epsom salts, heated to skin temperature (93.5°F). Creates a gravity-free environment that supports stress reduction, muscle recovery, pain relief, sleep improvement, and meditation enhancement through magnesium absorption. Available as single sessions ($65), Deluxe Float Room Suite ($75 single / $140 two-person), or packages of 3, 5, or 10 floats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Decreases cortisol (stress hormone) levels while increasing endorphins and dopamine
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• StretchLab: StretchLab is a franchise offering one-on-one assisted stretching and recovery services, positioning itself in the broader recovery and wellness category. It is an emerging player addressing overlapping customer needs around muscle recovery and flexibility that AquaFloat targets with float therapy and massage.
• The Now Massage: The Now is a boutique massage brand offering customized therapeutic and relaxation massages with a modern, wellness-focused brand identity. It is an emerging player targeting a similar stress-relief and self-care customer segment, though without float therapy.

Direct peers

• Massage Heights: Massage Heights is a membership-based therapeutic massage franchise with a comparable subscription pricing structure (monthly recurring) and therapeutic massage focus. Its business model mirrors AquaFloat's membership-plus-massage approach.
• Elements Massage: Elements Massage is a national therapeutic massage franchise offering customized sessions in Swedish, deep tissue, and sports modalities — closely matching AquaFloat's customized therapeutic massage offering and member-based pricing model.
• True REST Float Spa: True REST is the largest float therapy spa chain in the United States, operating dozens of franchised locations offering sensory deprivation float tanks as a core service. It is the most directly comparable scaled competitor to AquaFloat's float-first, multi-modal wellness model.
• Restore Hyper Wellness: Restore operates a national chain of recovery and wellness centers offering cryotherapy, IV drip therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, infrared sauna, and compression therapy. It is a direct peer in the recovery-wellness category and notably already includes the hyperbaric oxygen therapy modality AquaFloat accesses only through a partner.
• Urban Float: Urban Float is a multi-location float therapy chain offering sensory deprivation float tanks as its primary service with complementary wellness offerings. It directly competes in the same core modality and customer segment as AquaFloat.

Broad incumbents

• Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa: Hand & Stone is a national franchise offering therapeutic massage, facials, and stretch therapy with membership-based pricing. It is comparable to AquaFloat's massage offering and membership model, though it operates at much broader scale and does not specialize in float therapy.
• Massage Envy: Massage Envy is the largest massage membership franchise in the United States with hundreds of locations. It is a broad incumbent offering comparable subscription-based therapeutic massage and skincare services, though without AquaFloat's float therapy specialization.
• Woodhouse Spa: Woodhouse is a full-service luxury day spa offering massage, facials, body treatments, and wellness services. It is a broad incumbent in the spa and wellness category overlapping with AquaFloat's massage and infrared sauna offerings at a higher price tier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aquafloatcville
• Facebookfacebook.com/aquafloat
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquafloatcville/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquafloat-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquafloat LLC