I would definitely recommend this banya! I'm going pretty often there, have never complained about it, affordable price and replaced for whole week! Highly recommend!!! read more

Archimedes Banya - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for a dinner experience as well as a 3 hour soak in the banya experience! Good: - It wasn't busy Saturday at 4:30 pm! We got a lucky break - They added a super beautiful sauna with an amazing view on the top floor, loved sitting here and reliving the feeling of being in Finland Saunas - I love the aromatherapy experience! It's super hard to sit through it all and I didn't make it all the way but I basically got through the last round and the cold plunge after felt so great - The food experience was amazing, I loved the tom yum soup with chicken - it feels great to do 2 hours into your experience - Ample spots to sit and I have only felt the squeeze in the hot tubs Bad: - It can get quite packed during peak hours so try to visit when there's less people, otherwise it gets messy and a bit dirty too read more

Archimedes Banya - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

This used to be a spot I'd come to relax and unwind. It's not a fancy upscale spa, but it gives you everything you need to reset your inner balance when you're just out of sorts. I'd put off coming in here after there was so much push for "true female" nights for "religious" purposes. And that upset me. Femininity is an expression that is fluid. I respect that all things happen on a spectrum, and thought this was an inclusive space that was safe for all. Now? I'm not entirely sure. If I didn't have a $200 gift card, I might not have come in on a random Thursday. I guess it's great that it's social, but I show up to completely dissociate and get back in tune with my body. I did feel hyper aware of men who seemed to be next to me, in front of me, and always right around my orbit. That gave me a bit of the ick. All I'm going to say is I'm fine that this place isn't a posh spa. I like the feel of community it can build. But I'm saddened about the approach to gender expression it's taken. It's tough to support a business that is giving off anti-trans sentiment. PERIOD. read more

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Our first visit was unfortunately also our last. My partner and I weren't expecting a "posh" spa but we were expecting a clean, sanitary, and properly maintained facility. The pool and locker room areas had noticeable cleanliness issues, including dirty floors, showers, and pool areas. The saunas were extremely cramped, and we each encountered a non-working toilet. What really sealed our impression was the response from staff when we left. They asked about our experience, but when we explained that it had not been good, there seemed to be little genuine interest in hearing or addressing our concerns. We wanted to like this place, but there are simply too many issues with cleanliness, maintenance, and service for us to consider returning. read more

First time went to unwind and actually really enjoyed the community vibes. They offer everything you need to relax, there's honestly not a lot of places like this and I appreciate it. Two things that I can't ignore and hope management reads this. 1. There is room for improvement on the locker room getting so crowded. 2. Do NOT trust the sandals. They are plastic and incredibly slippery when wet. Since they are not sized to the individual, it's dangerous. I slipped out of my sandals and fell down the stairs in the large Russian Sauna. This resulted in multiple abrasions and a large laceration on my forearm and I actually got stitches for the first time. Sandals have to be fixed, there's stairs everywhere here. The people in the sauna were super nice and helped me, luckily, I'm pretty fit, but it could've been really really bad. Credit to the staff for not charging me for my time there, honestly, I would've rather paid and left uninjured. I'm not 100% sure that I would return, it just happened today so maybe in time that will change. read more

This place is fantastic! From the saunas to the cold plunge to the rooftop lounge area.

The spa itself is totally.... fine. It's clean, the water in the tubs is high and I appreciate that we're not all expected to sit in silence. (But if that's your thing, you won't find it here). What I'd like to write about today is the Office Syndrome massage. It was my first massage experience here and is more expensive than the others. The therapist asked me exactly zero questions about my body, told me to get on the table. I paused to explain one preference and I noticed I had to then act it out, as English is not their first language. Then, during the massage, she was WAY too rough. It was nearly all elbows and forearms. I asked her to ease up 6 DIFFERENT TIMES. When it seemed pointless, I let the involuntary flinching of my body try to do the talking, to no avail. At one point, the therapist said, "I feel like you would be quiet if I wasn't massaging so hard'. Amazing. I briefly considered just asking them to stop -- and I should have. I'd just never been in this position. All of my back muscles were extremely sore for a few days. Then, NYE morning, I did a little morning stretch and bam, one of my upper ribs went out of alignment just in time for the holiday. Thanks, Banya! I just paid $200+ to now go to the chiropractor. NON-SOLICITED ADVICE: Be particular about your massage therapist after reviewing their bios. And skip the Office Syndrome massage. The description says "This massage relieves tension in the neck, shoulders, and back" The therapist spent exactly 0 minutes on my neck and I struggle to see how her technique was anything different for this massage, since again, it was all but elbows and forearms, primarily on my upper back. It was the same rough motions, again and again. I'm hopeful other therapists have better technique and can listen to feedback, but who knows..... read more

The issue with this place is that it gets very crowded like they've oversold passes. Also weird that showers are not in the gender segregated locker rooms, but in the main co-ed space. There are 3 saunas, 1 steam room, 2 hot tubs, and 1 pool but despite coming here on a Monday at open, it got quite packed by the time we were leaving. Having been to other spas in other cities, this was pretty subpar. read more

Archimedes Banya was... fine. We booked 60 min Swedish massages, but they felt pretty generic -- not much focus on problem areas, and neither of us walked away feeling particularly relieved. The overall vibe was interesting, but I'm not sure it was worth the trek. The facilities don't really meet the bar for cleanliness -- nothing felt truly dirty, but it also didn't feel actively maintained while we were there. It left a bit of a grimy impression. TL;DR: An interesting experience, but I wouldn't rush back. It's giving "spa-themed field trip," not "luxurious escape." read more

Steve just had the girl who works there call me so she could cancel my massage apt at 5. I have had this appt for several days and they told me at 4:15 when I just arrived in sf from Modesto that they wouldn't let me into the spa. He said "don't worry about it we won't charge you" Are you serious I don't have anything else to do that's what I was going to do in sf. I've had this appt for days. I am so frustrated he said the hours are reflected online, but online it says they're open til 7. How sucky. read more

Archimedes Banya - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I lived in eastern Europe for a while and I've been coming to Archimedes since 2015 or 2016 whenever I want to get my banya fix. I also go to Korean bathhouses, but this is the only place I can get the true Russian banya, which is more humid than a sauna, and has the option of using a venik treatment (birch or oak branches) to exfoliate. I went last week for the first time since the pandemic and it's still a great experience. I found the facility to be clean and in good shape, and the employees to be very friendly. Oddly, there seems to be less of a Russian community presence and more young folks than the last time I visited, which may be due to the time of day. I did the venik platsa treatment with Bemoni, who did a fantastic job! (I had never had a professional body worker do the venik treatment before, and it's quite different than just having a friend or family member help.) If you choose that spa treatment, definitely allow yourself some time to warm up for a few banya cycles, as it does get HOT, but you will feel very relaxed after you complete the full cycle of hot, cool, warm water/relaxation. A few comments: - If you're not comfortable in a mixed gender, clothing-optional space, then this may not be for you. You are welcome to cover up with a swimsuit (I often do if it's busy there), but many do not. I will say, everyone, including the men, were pretty respectful. - As a queer person, I followed the recent news coverage about the single-gender nights. My take is that this place is trying their best to be inclusive, but they are learning. While the current solution is not perfect, they are trying to balance the way they serve the LGBT community and folks within the specific immigrant communities they were founded to serve. I've always felt extremely comfortable there as a visibly queer person, and that the staff have always treated me well. - The food is decent, but not as exciting as it used to be and there aren't a ton of vegetarian options. read more

Nico's was fantastic! My neighbor referred me. He used them and gave me their number er - said they were great. He wasn't wrong. They fit me in same day - short notice! They were very professional and efficient. It was friendly service as well! Love them! Will definitely be using them again! read more

Overall, the place itself is okay, but my experience was completely ruined by the people there. I was in the sauna, and there was an obvious faucet to pour water onto the hot stones. Everyone who was already inside the sauna had agreed to add some water. After that, one man entered the sauna and immediately started arguing and making a scene, strongly opposing it, despite the fact that everyone else was fine with it. He then left the sauna and went to complain to the staff, asking them to come in and "re-instruct" everyone that pouring water was not allowed -- even though there was not a single sign anywhere stating that this was prohibited for this particular sauna stove. This situation created a very negative and unpleasant experience. Because of that, I will never return to this place. read more

They have a real European type of spa. A large area with a hot tubs and cool pools, 3 saunas,a great sun deck on top of the building with a stunning view. We had both a great massage. If you come during the week before 5 you get a $10,- discount for 3 hr soaking. read more

I went here with my uncle recently. I enjoyed it. Co-ed and clothing optional. Cold plunge. Different hot and warm soak pools. Cold pool. Different sauna from wet to dry. Met some interesting folks here. Feedback: I didn't dig some of the music. I like some techno yet didn't vibe with some of the music they were playing. I like being social and meeting new people yet for example when I was meditating in a zone in the wet sauna some folks were chatting and took away from the meditative vibe. I have been to Harbin and enjoy it yet is far from SF. This is close and is in the City. I am curious to check out Kabuki hot springs as my close friend used to work there. I hear they have a meditative vibe that I would probably love. The cafe had Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics playing in a close game where the Nuggets and the Joker won. Joker is no joke. The cafe had some vegan options including chana masala served with pita bread and a borscht served with rye bread that looked good. All in all I enjoyed and would go back. read more

Archimedes Banya - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Archived from the Drafts - April 6th, 2019. Went for a friend's birthday. She had a handful of us. The place was super chill, relaxing amongst many strangers. Most of her friends were not comfortable going in their birthday suits. Place is clothing-optional and co-ed. We were the only ones adorned with 'clothing'. But, all patrons were great. Not sure how it us after the pandemic but I would give it a go. Great experience. read more

The facility up stole my own personal Banya cap! Having gotten an extra hour of time after spending $$$ on mediocre Costco food at the cafe, I headed back downstairs to enjoy more of my sauna time. To my dismay, my house robe and personal sauna cap were seized by the facility 5 minutes after my original check-in time without taking into consideration the extension I paid for and then the front desk was mean about it to me! They begrudgingly took my phone number to return it saying they always find items during laundry but they never called. It was insane that staff could straight up steal my personal property and still manage to be rude about it. read more

My friend and I purchased the Groupon deal for a 3 hour window and came here on a Thursday close to noon. We stayed for 2 and a half hours. As you enter, you have your ID scanned and ticket checked, and are then given a robe, your locker key bracelet, and a sticker with your locker number and end-time. There is a men's and a women's locker room, and inside the locker are two towels and sandals to wear while in the spa. There are also combs, Q tips, and some hair ties on the vanity in the locker room. I took a towel with me to dry off and also to use while sitting in the sauna and steam rooms. The spa is co-ed and clothing optional, so be aware if this is something you are uncomfortable with. It was not very busy when we first arrived, but by the time we left it was quite crowded. There are 3 saunas ranging from 185°-200°, 2 large and 1 small. I preferred the large sauna in the middle, as it seemed to not be as hot as others, while also having somewhat decent sound isolation. I also enjoyed the steam room, which also had the slight smell of eucalyptus. It was very soothing. There are 2 hot tubs, 1 ice plunge, and 1 larger pool. While I enjoyed sitting in the temperature of the hot tub, I took off two stars for the lack of cleanliness in the pools. There were many remnants of leaves and other debris floating around, especially in the hot tubs. There are also plenty of showers with body soap, shampoo, and conditioner, but be aware that they are all in the common co-ed spaces. We ended our experience by enjoying the view on the rooftop and relaxing in the reclining patio chairs. The view is so gorgeous, you almost forget that you're in the middle of a construction zone. Overall, it was a relaxing experience and a nice way to unwind. read more

Archimedes Banya - Entrance - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend and I went to the spa today not knowing what to expect, and it was 100/10 best experience. Steven checked us in and made it really comfortable and fun from the beginning. Chad helped us out with the towels and even found my earning! The uncle regulars were so nice and supportive and helped us navigate the bathhouse, and made sure we didn't burn our hair off by laying down too close to the heater in the sauna lol. We highly recommended, you will have a great time! Oh yeah and the pools were amazing, facilities were great. Lean in friend. Love Thelma and Louise read more

My wife and I had an amazing time here. We were visiting San Francisco and randomly decided to come here. The parking was easy and convenient. My wife had two treatments, she had the Venik Platza and Banya Pine Tar Hammam. Her tech was Bemoni who was wonderful and highly recommended. After her treatments we both enjoyed the saunas, the plunge pool, the jacuzzi and the Japanese soaking tub. The facility was clean; the locker rooms were adequate as well. We also enjoyed the Cafe. We shared the Cumin Hummus and Boiled Potato Pelmini. The food was very tasty along with a beer I had. We both really wish we lived closer as we would certainly be regulars here. Hopefully we can return sometime in the future. read more

Minimal effort to process a $55 dollar gift card from my gf when faced with even a little bit of resistance in redeeming it. No good faith, shit customer service, bored/aloof/unhelpful/disinterested receptionists. Another time would not let us in when we arrived at 9:30 pm saying that last call is at 9:00 (not at all clearly identified on the website btw). We came from so far away and they refused to make an exception even one time like any place with half decent customer service would do. This was truly infuriating Pathetic business practices and customer service. Never going back and don't recommend to anyone. read more

I initially was very excited to give archimedes Banya a try, however after going and understanding what the experience is like I will sadly not be returning. As someone who is a bit of a clean freak I appreciated that the facility instructs you to shower before heading to the pool and sauna area. The facility initially also gives you robes and towels to change into in your respective locker room along with a wristband that unlocks your locker. I was a fan of this since the locker room was nice and there were even heated toilet seats. The part that utterly grossed me out was the actual hygiene of the pools and saunas/steam rooms. Upon exiting the locker rooms there is a door to enter the pool area but everything in this area is slimy. The pre pool showers are covered in hair and some black mold and the pools themselves have random hair, and black/brown flakes floating in them which I will choose to believe were just dirt and not flaked off human skin. There were even globs of hair stuck to the walls! After taking notice of how unhygienic the environment was I decided to cut my visit short and head out. Instead of spending the full 3.5 hours that are included in the $70 pass I only spent 1.5 hours where half the time was at the cafe area. And even with the limited time spent in the pools and sauna I left feeling itchy! The cafe was however nice and cozy and the food was very tasty. All in all if you value hygiene and cleanliness I do not recommend coming to Archimedes Banya! Instead, there are many other well maintained day spas I would recommend such as pearl day spa and kabuki springs spa. read more

Archimedes Banya - Sweet potato piroshki - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The concept of this banya is interesting, but the number of guests clearly exceeds its capacity. The locker room is small, cramped, and uncomfortable -- it takes real effort just to get changed. Inside the banya itself, it feels like rush hour in a busy city subway, except everyone is naked and constantly bumping into each other. If you're comfortable rubbing up against strangers in a steamy, overcrowded environment with questionable hygiene, this might be your thing. Personally, I find it strange to see wealthy people deliberately choosing this kind of experience -- but to each their own. Also, the surrounding area feels sketchy. read more

I hope this comment would be live for people who need to see that. No judgment or harm. But this place is not for conservative view people. It's sauna where men and women are together , and bath in most time NAKED, and no shame on that , especially on men's part. They have beautiful languages that says it's partially or whatsoever in a waiver. Please, be aware, they don't post it on the website or notify prior anywhere. They open at 12 pm - we entered and left in 20 minutes. I didn't want a conflict and paid , but otherwise I would say a word, my baby was waiting at home. Hope I helped those who go first time and want to experience sauna experience! My family truly loves saunas but did not expect such overcome.... now we have our internal family jokes read more

I traveled to the United States (San Francisco and Denver) in May, and there were two main objectives 1:Going to the sauna 2: Watching MLB This was my second visit to Archimedes Banya in San Francisco, and I was able to relax again with the hot sauna room and cold plunge. And the steam sauna had a strong herbal scent that made me feel very relaxed Furthermore, if you go up to the rooftop from the door next to the cold plunge, you can take a rest while seeing the superb view of San Francisco It was nice to be able to stay for almost three hours for $55 on Happy Hour If I have to complain, I think 55℉ to 58℉ is just the right cold because the water temperature of the cold plunge is too cold read more

Archimedes Banya - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Awesome baths! Three saunas, hot tub, ice cold tub, Etc. clothing optional Cheaper 12-4 Dec. 31 and eves of holidays are charged extra. read more

About a decade ago, I used to come enjoy Banya's baths periodically. I always found it clean and good value for the money as a casual spa. I went yesterday for the first time in a long time and was sad to find out Banya has really declined. The biggest issue for me is Banya isn't as clean as it used to be. There was hair in almost every shower, the women's locker room had hair all over and dirty puddles across the floor. There was clearly mold on the ceiling and walls throughout the spa. A number of the tubs had old, cracked and dirty grout. The food in the cafe seems to have declined too. It's not as flavorful as it used to be (at least the borscht) and it's overpriced. I've never loved the vibes in Banya. It's a bit too social for me, they often let in too many people, and there are a lot of men who lack physical awareness. But I used to look past that because of the value for money. They have raised their prices significantly and the quality has really gone down, so I don't think I'll be going back. There are several good Asian baths in SF that are super clean, have nicer ambiance, and are better priced. Not to mention, Banya's controversy about their definition of women is off putting in a city that prides itself on being progressive and inclusive. read more

I decided to return and see if this was going to be my last visit ever after months since the policy changes and views on transgender individuals. Guy at front desk was helpful and chill. We were given an upstairs locker and asked which locker room sex to be assigned. Whole experience went well and we met nice friendly people in the spa. read more

Towels had blood or rust on them $67 for a $5 experience is a rip off. Learn to manage capacity all pools and tubs were over stated capacity Save your money and go somewhere that is a decent establishment that actually cares about sanitation read more

Archimedes Banya - Blood/Rust - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here during a men's night and towards the end it was basically an orgy in both the steam room and dry sauna. Outside of that on coed days it's quite a nice experience. Come on dudes, I'm pretty sure y'all already have places for that kind of fun. read more

Absolutely epic!!!!! But would love a better Eastern European beer selection and some friendlier staff. read more

Archimedes Banya is an interesting experience in San Francisco. It is a mixed gender, clothing, optional sauna, and hot tub bath place. You can get a three hour or day pass and spend time in a variety of relaxing in sauna experiences. Pros: - Variety of saunas and pools, including dry sauna, wet, sauna, hot tub, cold plunge, cooler pools - Towel, robe , slippers provided Cons - Crowded on Sunday evening - Hourly pass is not available. I got a three hour pass ($63) but I only stayed for a shorter amount of time that day. To stay longer I wish the bathhouse was less crowded and there were more lounging areas. - Locker rooms are very minimal and showers are only in the public communal - casual no frills sort of place I would revisit if I really wanted to spend a lot of time in the saunas in particular, but if I want a slightly more pleasant ambiance go elsewhere. read more

Archimedes Banya - Menu - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

My first time here. I have to say I left pretty happy & relaxed. There a seam room, sauna, a Jacuzzi, a pool, and a cold pool. I went back & forth with the sauna, pool, jacuzzi There's a herbs sense in the seam room & sauna. The seam room was pretty intense for me because it's so hot. Sauna was just perfect temperature. Stay at the sauna for 5-8 mins, come out rinsed off with cold water& hope onto the jacuzzi repeat that 3 times. It's amazing my body is so relax and loose. read more

Came in on a Monday right at noon when they opened. You get a bracelet w locker number, two freshly laundered towels, a robe and flip-flops. The establishment is on three different floors but all the saunas and plunges are on the first floor, place is super clean and everyone was very respectful except maybe one or two older men that bluntly were staring at women, clothing is optional. By 1:30pm there were more people but not so crowded that you could not enjoy the establishment. Second floor has a small patio, TV room and a restaurant. The third floor is a larger area w lounge chairs and stunning views of San Francisco. The entire experience was wonderful and just so relaxing. Easy street parking read more

A wonderful way to spend a birthday. Thank you for being so welcoming. One of the best massages I've had.

I've been to this place twice already! Both times after doing 50k ultra marathon! Great healing place because of the intense heat of the sauna which i love! This is a coed banya and both genders naked without any malice! Love the vibe of openness and honesty and innocence! Will keep on coming back! read more

STILL NO REPLY. Going to my bank now to dispute the charge. SUPER DISAPPOINTING! The least they could do is reply to my email or call me back like they promised. read more

I love this place I come here all the time but I wasn't thinking about it and drank from the water fountain and I swear I was poisoned...something is really wrong there. I normally know better to drink the filtered water but it needs to be removed. They've upgraded everything else why keep that ? read more

Welcome to PP and VV land... if you are naive like me and thinking "oh maybe just a few open-minded folks are going to be nekie"... PLEASE reset your expectations because clothed ones are odd ones in this space. My review isn't based on the different expectations when it comes to that because I was aware of the "clothing optional". The place gets 2 stars because it is overly crowded and it is dirty! I am not impressed with the services. 1. For the price point, this should be considered mid-high end services. However, most sauna or steam rooms even the pools and tubs are WAY ABOVE capacity, but hey that's our problem isn't it? They just want to collect. 2. Place is super dirty and some areas are kinda gross. 3. Letting people in to the point there Was no place to hang our robes or towels was just ridiculous. Did I mention it was HARD to walk without TOUCHING others' private parts? That was how crowded it was. Hopefully, they get health inspection or code inspection soon because to me, there are multiple failed codes. read more

Archimedes Banya - Only outside photo because phones aren't allowed beyond locker rooms - Day Spas Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you are wanting to elevate your spa experiences beyond the more restrained and discreet Western-style practices, go to Archimedes. Let go of your inhibitions. Set an intention. Absolutely have a Venik Platza. There is nothing else that compares with the heat, the burning, and the release. Have your outer surfaces scrubbed, rubbed, and rinsed. Your inner compass will be reset. Most highly recommend Chad for the platza - a true master of this ancient art. Jada gave me an extraordinarily intimate and caring Song Kran body scrub and massage. Do note that Friday's get busy. As this was my first experience, the quantity of bodies - in all shapes and sizes - took some getting used to, and there was nary an empty towel hook left. Go on a quieter night, or even Ladies' night, to experience a different, more feminine energy if you have any reservations about co-ed nudity. A group of my dearest friends and I reconnected in this special place, and it was a divine experience. If you are at all intrigued or curious, go. read more