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

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.

‘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 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

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

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