Down the glass steps is Banya No. 1, a secret spa that will whisk you away from London. A “banya” is a traditional Russian bathhouse dating back hundreds of years. On arrival, Nathalie gives me a tour, taking me to the new private Taiga suite. Designed for groups of around ten visitors, the green, leather, high-backed chairs that…

‘A waiter served Russian dumplings, then a naked hairy giant said it was my turn for a flogging’
There is more to life than food and wine. There is also shmeissing. Put the three of these together and you have yourself a hell of an evening. One that in this country, as far as I know, can only be had at Banya No 1.
But, of course, yo…

What do Justin Bieber, Kate Moss, Bridget Jones and Jamie Laing all have in common?They’ve all enjoyed getting hit with hot birch, oak and eucalyptus twigs by a lovely semi-naked Russian man at the Banya No.1 Russian Bath Club near Old Street.
We were greeted with towels and an extremely flattering felt hat and, once we’d…

Jet lag can occur any time you travel quickly over two or three time zones and symptoms are likely to include disturbed sleep, daytime tiredness and difficulty concentrating. It may take a few days to fully recover and the more time zones you’ve crossed while travelling, the worse you’re likely to feel. Evidence shows that

The assignment was to discover the ultimate truth about hangover cures. Who does one ask about such things? I tried Andrei Fomin. After all, I reasoned, Andrei used to run nightclubs all over London – Propaganda in Wardour Street, that was him – plus he has a lot of witchy knowledge about herbs that his

Blimey, the world of natural highs is changing. There are now nine states in America in which recreational weed is legal. Anyone over 21 can enter a smoke shop where a trained “budtender” will guide you through pre-rolled joints, marijuana flowers, weed-oil vapes, cookies, gummies or brownies each marked “giggly”, “lucid”, “sleepy” etc. This legislation

If the idea of being thwacked by branches and leaves as part of your spa treatment doesn’t scare you, consider signing up for the latest spa trend inspired by a thousand-year-old tradition out of Russia. According to trendspotters at Condé Nast Traveller UK, after Ayurvedic and Turkish baths, Russian banyas are poised to be the next

The original version of this artwork was first published in 1988 on the cover of the widely popular magazine Ogon’ok and it made the artist famous in the Soviet nation, but perhaps not in the best sense. Soviet readers were indignant and demanded punishment for the manifestation of pornography and the disrespect for the braces.

The traditional Russian treatment is making waves on the London spa scene, but are you brave enough to do it? If you haven’t heard of a Banya, then listen up because it is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after spa experiences in the capital. What is a Banya? Originating in Russia, the Banya is

Although a banya, hammam, steam room and sauna each have their own characteristics, the outcome is nearly always the same: sweating. However, there is no need to be alarmed because in fact sweating is beneficial; indeed, it is the body’s inbuilt way of keeping us cool. Of course, we have not yet developed a way