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

Some days are cold and some days are hot… but the best days, involve a banya stop! Recently we asked ourselves this very profound question: what shall we do today? It was a Wednesday that happened to have coincided with Christmas. Us being the non-Christmas observing type, we had to decide on what oh what

I’m face down on a hot wooden bench, in a dimly lit steam room. To my side, a large, hairy man dressed in swimming trunks opens the door of a deep stove that resembles a pizza oven. Inside, red-hot metal glows at 700ºC. He throws in a ladle of cold water, which explodes into steam.

Banya No.1 – Russian bathhouse experience! In the middle of Hoxton is a traditional Russian spa, or Banya. But it’s not like a regular spa. I know you wouldn’t think you could feel like you’ve been transported to the woods of Siberia in the UK…but I promise you, you can! Video review from Roaming Rebecca:

Our traditional and authentic Parenie treatment is unique and exclusive. As many of our clients have experienced the unforgettable and amazing emotions that the Parenie elicits, we have decided to publish a selection of their reviews so that you will know exactly what to expect from this treatment when you book your appointment at Banya

Now I’ve been to a fair few spas in my time, but nothing quite like this one. If you’ve never tried a Russian Banya, you’re in for a treat. Tucked away down an unremarkable side street in Hoxton, London’s first Russian spa Banya No.1 will change your mindset on spas for good. Based very much

Cold water immersion promises a whole host of benefits for mind and body. No wonder plunge pools and ice baths are having something of a moment. If 2021 was the year of the hot tub, then 2022 is the year to chill — literally. Cold water immersion, particularly using ice baths and cold plunge pools,

Imagine ‘me time’ with the added luxury of popping to and from the sauna to the plunge pool, and having your own private booth to return to for tea, water or food. Banya No.1 is exactly that, and your visit won’t be rushed.  The three-hour session felt like complete bliss, the perfect place to relax

To counter the hustle and bustle of hectic city life, London has a wealth of affordable spas where you can switch off, unwind and recharge. Whether you want to soak in soothing hot baths, have an all-natural facial, be thwacked by birch twigs or float in a sensory deprivation pod, these are some of the

Are you looking for an affordable yet unique spa experience in London? Look no further than Banya No.1! We’re excited to announce that our spa has recently been featured in top publications like Timeout London and Condé Nast Traveller as one of the best affordable spas in the city. At Banya No.1, we offer a

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

‘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