What the Spabreaks.com team thought of a spa day at Banya No.1 - Hoxton

A theatrical approach to wellbeing

Banya No.1 - Hoxton is an experience like nothing else I've really had in a spa. It's definitely got a cultural component to it, and it is great for people who want something different. It's almost like entertainment or theatre!

The whole experience can be enjoyed as a group - it's based around the sauna, again isn’t like a regular sauna. The whole journey takes you from the intense heat of the Parnaya steam sauna to a dip in the icy plunge pool afterwards, so you get the wellbeing benefits of the contrast. You have up to three hours to go through the different temperatures, and when you're in the sauna, a steam master uses fragrant bundles of birch, oak, and eucalyptus to manipulate the steam around the body to enhance the intensity.

Intense heat!

You can really feel the heat when it’s being fanned around you - it's like a treatment, but shared with other people, so it's great for groups. The movement of the steam seems to mean you get hotter much quicker and you sweat a lot more than you would in a regular sauna.

I really liked the fact that you have a host walking you through it, explaining it, and guiding you, rather than leaving you to your own devices. It meant that I really felt we made the most of the experience. For the first two minutes it was incredibly intense, but I pushed through it and chose to sit in the hottest area, and it was worth it!

Garlic goodness

One of the really unique highlights I want to point out was the scent in the sauna. They add different herbs to the heat, so whenever you go you are likely to have a slightly different experience. We had the garlic option - it's not like the kind of garlic you cook with but somehow you recognise it, and while it sounds odd, it was amazing. At other times they have wormwood, clover, and beer, all of which have their benefits.

Feel-good-food

After our time in the heat, we settled down to relax with refreshments. I really liked all the food and drinks that they served - it's quite different and all very healthy, which is what you want after all that detox. Again, there's a cultural influence from Russia, with lots of fermented teas, soups, fruit, and I liked the pickled mushrooms - which were quite unusual. That said, there's also the option for a beer or a shot of vodka if you want it, which again links to the traditional idea of Banya.

Refreshed and revived

I really enjoyed it and would definitely go back again - it's very different to other spa experiences though; I can see that some people will love it and others might not feel it's for them. There's a real wellness component to it - it's not the kind of spa experience where you gently relax by the pool - it's intense.

I felt incredibly refreshed afterwards - I was also very tired and went home to have the best night's sleep. I liked that it was a bit like having a massage without actually having a massage in the traditional sense, so for people who perhaps aren't so keen on being touched it's a great option.

I will absolutely go back - I have started including sauna experiences in my fitness routine, and this takes it to a whole new level!