I am not one for spa’s and massages but when I heard about Banya No.1 Russian traditional bathhouse who gives guests a treatment like no other of slapping you with leaves I just had to go along and check out their signature treatment parenie. I attended on a complimentary experience along with some other community … Read more

When life gets tough, a spa is where I go to relax and forget about life for a few hours. Whether it’s having a swim in one of the pools, detoxifying in a steam room, or destressing with a full body massage, nothing beats a good spa day. When I think of a spa, rarely … Read more

From where to go to why to try it… Russian banyas are undoubtedly one of the most Instagrammable spa trends out there, with countless influencers recommending the ‘Parenie’ treatment for its health benefits as well as the photo opportunities, but what does it actually entail? Looking up Russian bathhouses in London, l landed on Banya … Read more

Anyone who’s been following Girl on the River for a while will know I am a passionate convert to saunas and their beneficial effects, ever since I raced in Finland a couple of years ago and a lakeside sauna session transformed me from a wobbly, aching, potentially-injured mess to good as new. Since then I’ve … Read more

Do: get naked People generally strip off to use banya. While this may seem a little odd or confronting for people coming from countries where public bathing and steam rooms aren’t really a thing, it would be more strange for you to wear a swimsuit than to not wear one. In Banya No.1 we suggest … Read more

We’re just going to go ahead and say it. It’s been too long since somebody last thrashed your naked body with a bunch of twigs. So to remedy this immediately, we suggest that you take yourself off to Hoxton, head into Banya No.1, and settle in for a three-hour, full-body detox session. With twigs. For … Read more