Banya No.1 energised my body by slapping me with leaves

Looking for something completely different? Look no further. I have just discovered Banya No.1, a wonderful Russian bath and wellness spa that offers invigorating organic treatments like no other.

I tried something new and exciting which I have never tried before.

Experience the ultimate Russian Banya at Banya No.1 in London with steam, Parenie massage, cold plunges, and revitalizing spa treatments. A must-try!

My mind and body had connected on a level that I didn’t control and despite having to sit and breathe after the experience, I was already excited to do it again at my next session.

Banya No.1 is a traditional Russian spa club based in central London, offering organic spa treatments, wellness rituals and well-appointed steam and sauna facilities.

Don’t come here expecting five-star spa luxury with relaxation loungers and tea rooms. This isn’t a pampering indulgent spa of that ilk. It’s quirky and gives a real sense of a traditional Russian Banya. I loved it.

Discover Banya No.1 in Hoxton, London, for a traditional Russian sauna experience. Enjoy Parenie, a venik massage, and plunge pools for ultimate detoxification and rejuvenation!

I left feeling completely renewed and bursting with energy.

There is a super steam sauna. It creates steam at a much higher pressure than normal saunas which means you can withstand higher temperatures more easily, and even with the traditional felt hat (apparently to protect hair and ears) it’s a good heat to wallow in, and the detox sweating comes fast.

The steam room itself is inside a wooden cabin, heated to 70 degrees Celsius and 40-70 percent humidity which allows you to sweat profusely and detoxify. You lie down to sweat it out in a little felt hat, worn to protect from overheating.

This traditional Russian Banya offers a difference in way of culture. Unlike convention saunas, a Russian banya is known for wetter and higher levels of steam making it easier not just to breathe but inevitably more detoxing. When you arrive you will instantly feel and notice why Banya is not like any other conventional sauna.

One of the main rituals of a Banya treatment is the Parenie with a venik, a leafy, fragrant bundle of birch, oak and eucalyptus twigs.

Experience the traditional Russian parenie at Banya No.1—hot steam, venik massages, vodka, and Russian delicacies. Immerse yourself in authentic Slavonic relaxation in London.

If you were to find yourself, as I did, prostrate and naked on a bench in an infernal steam sauna, your face mashed into a pile of birch leaves as a hulking Russian banschik beats you with bundles of oak branches, you might question your life choices — which is precisely the point of the signature parenie treatment at Banya No.1 in London.