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

WHAT Parenie (£28) and Russian massage (£35 for 30 minutes) WHERE Banya No.1, London THE LOWNDOWN Russian Banya is a full experience, not an in-out treatment, so if you’re in a rush, save this for another dy. After a relaxing cup of tea, you’ll be laid down in a steam room where the therapist uses birch, oak and

It’s rare to experience both excitement and fear before a spa day, but Banya No.1, London’s foremost – and indeed only – Russian Spa, is a bit of a special case. I was really looking forward to experiencing an authentic banya, but I was also afraid of being stripped naked, beaten senseless with birch logs and thrown

The history of the Russian banya in London goes back to late 19th century and is connected to numerous Jewish immigrants that arrived to London during Pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. The immigrants liked to create close-knit communities, preferring to live and work near to each other and within walking distance of a synagogue,

Kate Weinberg is massaged with twigs at a Russian bathhouse Photo: Paul Grover Banya involves being hit by branches and having a bucket of icy water chucked over your head. Kate Weinberg visits a bathhouse in London. It’s 9pm. I am lying face down on a wooden slab in a hot room, musing on how

Banya No.1 is bringing the traditional Siberian spa experience to London, swapping candles and soothing music for cold water and hot leaves… Being thwacked with bunches of wet oak leaves by huge Russian bears might not sound relaxing, but it is. Banya No.1, tucked away on a quiet street in London’s Clerkenwell, is a spa

There’s a joke the Finns make about the Swedes: they call their saunas “warm rooms”. This is because the Finns aren’t very good at jokes. (Nobody, you’ll note, is insisting Mock the Week has at least one Finn on its panel every week.) It’s also because the Finns think a sauna should be hot. Really

Banya No.1 in Old Street, London, opened in January 2013. I will admit to a little trepidation visiting Banya No.1 for the first time. Images of the near freezing plunge pool haunted me as we arrived, while thoughts of the banya staff (banschiki) lashing my skin with birch branches were also a cause for concern.

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…