If you are on the fence about paying $45 for this experience, don't do it. The water is dirty, the place is overcrowded - have you ever had to change nakedly while someone crouches below you to access their locker? I am forgiving of some accidental bum bumps to happen, but maybe at least spread out the lockers the staff assigns? It appeared that the ten women in the locker room had ten of the closest lockers. The facilities are too small for the amount of people they allow in at once. And the biggest kicker, they double charged us and then once we had left and realized this had happened, they told us we had to come all the way back to refund the card. This had been a surprise birthday gift and was a huge bummer that after all of that, not even a small apology was given. Huge Meh. read more

Posting as a warning as I saw this happened to another Yelp reviewer as well. I came with a friend a few months ago for a body scrub and day at the spa and broke out in a "hot tub" rash all over my back and thighs after 2 days. Sure, the body scrub was great but not worth the week of hell my body went through after! read more

The best!! My husband and I were in town visiting from NYC. My back issues were acting up and needed some pain relief badly. While searching for a massage therapist, I came across Banya 5 and called them... luckily they had one massage slot open with Johnny who specializes in pain relief and has experience specifically with sciatic pain. It didn't hurt that it's also a Banya because my husband is a Banya enthusiast! I didn't expect that Johnny would give me the best massage for pain relief I have had in the entire 2 years since this issue began. He is patient, kind, knowledgable, and explained what he was doing with each step. I was blown away! I felt so much relief and so much more calm that, if we lived in Seattle, I'd happily become a regular. The facilities in the Banya are very clean and enjoyable as well. My husband and I both left very happy. We will be back! read more

I've been to Banya 5 a total of three times now, and each time is a little different. This is due to the ebb and flow of humans in this beautiful, but indeed smallish, space. This last time around, my friend and I were attended to by a really friendly, helpful guy. For the uninitiated, the setup is easy: you're given a clean pair of flip-flops (unless you've brought your own), two towels, maybe a bathrobe (in my experience, you have to request one), and a stretchy strap with keys to a locker in the locker room. Any valuables are typically checked into the front desk lockers, and you'll get a different key on the strap for that. For the cover price, you can linger as long as you like. From here on out, just know that everything is small. Locker room is bare-bones, but they do provide blow dryers if you even care what you look like after you emerge, clean as a new pearl, from the baths afterward. Banya feels expansive and perfect when it's slow, and very small when it's packed. I'm not an experienced bathhouse-goer, so plunging into a small pool clustered with five people is more social than I typically feel. If you are highly extroverted you will have no problem with this; if you're more like me, your experience here will hinge on how many other people had the same inspired idea to hit Seattle's only Russian bathhouse at the same time you did. Note that I'm a great lover of people, surrounded by an outer crust of sincere misanthropy... The sequence suggested to me by someone in the know is to first hit the sauna (typically it is VERY hot) for as long as you can stand it (typical is 10 minutes or thereabouts), then the ice-cold pool (steel yourself), for at least a few minutes. You'll get a taste of spearmint in your mouth after a few minutes, and that is said to be the stage where your body is detoxing. I couldn't explain why this is so, even under interrogation, but one of the owners told me, so ask him :) Next is the tepid, salty pool. This one's highly prized, so while timing and strategy are critical, you'll be well rewarded for your efforts. It's relaxing to put your head back, submerge your ears to drown out any ambient noise, and gaze up at the perfect lighting--large metal hoops like embroidery rings covered with a frosted glass to keep the light muted and relaxing. All of the times I've been here, people have been convivial but not loud or disrespectful. Sometimes there are canoodling couples, but again, people are Seattle-polite...even though the preponderance of accents suggests that for many people, Seattle's at best a second home, if not just a rest stop. There's also a complementary tea/nap/board game room upstairs-a sort of semicolon break before your pool soak re-initiation sequence. Call ahead to determine how busy it is if you prefer a quieter experience. If you like it social, after-work crowds are usually brisk and enthusiastic. The happy, burnished-clean-as-beach-glass glow from here lasts a good while; I still feel radiant this morning. Seattle-ites should enjoy this place while it's still a *somewhat* secret reservoir of aaaaaaahhhhh. It would also be a fun experience for any tourist looking to untwist the tension of traveling in unfamiliar surrounds. That said, the blissful, bleary state you leave in makes you a prime target for a mugging, because I guarantee you, no one puts anyone in a headlock after leaving Banya 5. Update: Banya 5 now has an app for getting a live total bather count! It's unrated as of yet, but you might consider giving that a shot if you like calibrating your sociability expectations. read more

Banya 5, where have you been all my life? Traipsed in here for their Happy Hour deal which is a $20 admission (instead of $35) between 10 am -2 pm on Wed, Thurs and Fri's. I tacked on a 50-minute salt scrub so the admission was waived, double yay! The guy at reception was super friendly and informative when I explained I was a newbie. You do have to sign a waiver form because the 5 pools and rooms can be quite intense if you have certain health issues. As for the amenities, everyone seems to rotate in whatever fashion they please but I found it especially pleasant to go from extreme hot to extreme cold. PARILKA: - Super heated dry sauna with three stadium type levels of wood seating - The higher you go, the hotter it is - Guys were wearing beanies (to keep in the heat?) Maybe it was a fashion statement TURKISH STEAM ROOM: - My favorite! It's scented with fresh eucalyptus and the steam starts anew every 10 minutes or so (albeit, a little loudly). When it's at its peak, you can barely see the person sitting right next to you COLD PLUNGE POOL: - Try really really hard not to scream bloody murder when you take the plunge - I could hardly last a few seconds but saw people lingering and even dunking their heads. What are you, polar bears?? SALT WATER TEPID POOL: - Lovely in-between temperature from the hot tub and cold plunge pool The Salt Scrub was absolutely divine but for you more modest people, you're only going to have a wee towel to cover thy bum. It's a "wet" room so they douse you with what feels like gallons of just-right temperature water before starting on a full body honey massage (local honey to boot!). Then they scrub you to an inch of your life and do it all over again on your other side (yes, you get another towel to cover your chest if you're a lady). The 50-min service also includes an add-on like a head/scalp massage or body lotion application. Overall, not sure how people spend all day here because I looked like raisin's cousin twice removed after just an hour. Most people seemed like regulars and there were maybe a dozen or so folks throughout my stay which is on the less crowded side since they can only accomodate 40 at a time. Each pool is pretty small (accommodates 4-5 people) so I can't imagine when the place is at its full capacity. They also have a real-time people counter on their website so you can decide last minute whether or not you want to kick it with a bunch of people or when it's more tranquil. Banya on! read more

This isn't a Korean spa. I'm a man in Seattle and want a Korean spa. Men in Seattle have few options. Banya isn't one of them. For all I know Banya's great by Russian bath standards: few saunas (just two: one dry, one wet); a "hot tub" that any Korean spagoer would call a "warm tub" if he was feeling real real generous and of which there is only one and it's not big. Plus a cold plunge -- genuinely cold, so they get props for that. And one other tub -- coldish. And that's all. All these tubs are small. There just isn't much here. That admission is $40 at regular hours is something I can't really even believe. The figure's about double what I would expect to pay at a Korean spa with twice the number of baths and saunas. I'm aware this place just isn't what I was looking for and that it might be unfair to rate it on the basis of what I wish it were but that's mob-based criticism for you. read more

At the first glimpse, spa was very clean and not crowded. So my gf and I decided to give it a try on our 5th anniversary. We were surprised to see only 2 hot rooms, 1 small Jacuzzi, cold water and salt water tub for $40 admission price- not worth it. Service prices seem to be slightly high, but the same as everywhere in the city. We decided to relax and try the hot rooms before ordering services. While my gf and I were sitting in salt tub (I was hugging her, no feeling, no smooching, no inappropriate behavior), one spa employees rushed to us and IN FRONT OF everyone (there were 4 people in the tub and 3 people standing around) told us loudly "NO PDA IT's POSTED EVERYWHERE". Everyone kept looking at us, and we were embarrassed to be told in front everyone- not a comfortable feeling plus very unprofessional service. Needless to say we didn't want to order any services nor to stay longer. A special paragraph about employees of banya- all of the are very arrogant and not helpful at all! Ladies at the desk had "I don't care face-stop bothering me with your questions" while we asked several questions bout spa. Btw, none of our questions about temperatures and humidity level weren't answered. We had to ask twice for 1 more towel since our towel got wet in a wet spa room. Why do we have to ask twice for a towel? Do they have a shortage of them? Overall- no, very dissatisfactory experience. Note to the owner: train employees to smile and be professional and helpful read more

This is a great place if you don't know better. I have to say the steam room is the best steam room I've ever been in and the sauna is the hottest sauna I've ever been in. And after a few hours of soaking, sweating and cold plunging you're bound to feel better than you did walking in, that's a given. Here's the thing folks- you can pay half the price and get more amenities at a Korean spa any day. The place is small-ish with the hot jacuzzi only taking two people comfortably and 4 people uncomfortably. It was also placed in a corner and just felt cramped. There seemed to be a clash between people who think of this as a social bathhouse to those who try and make it a relaxing oasis and there's no help from the facilities to give you a clue. There are no signs explaining anything other than to be careful on the stairs (great). It would help everyone if there were signs asking to either keep your voice down or let conversations carry. It would also be nice to ask people to shower after coming out of the saunas and steam rooms before going in the pools (this is something that grossed me out at first but I got used to after seeing it constantly). I had to ask for a towel two different times as the staff kept taking it off it's hanger, which would have been great if there was someone attending the towel desk when I needed one. I don't know how people got robes. I saw a few people with them upstairs but was never offered one at check in. I never saw this birch, or leaves, or whatever they're supposed to whack you with in the sauna, so the cultural thing was lost to me here. Oh! I'm sorry -there's tea upstairs! -one kind of herbal tea and jam to put in it (oooooooooh how Russian of you). Again, this place is great if you're a beginner to the spa day thing, However for the money I'd hit The Palace, Bella Luna for co-ed or Olympus (ladies only) over this in a heartbeat and for the location (being a lady) I'd hit the hot house for a quick fix. Parking's an issue as well. there's not many spaces during the day and if you're left to parking on the street or lot you have a only a short time before you need to leave and move your car. This doesn't help you to relax any more, on top of loud voices echoing off the walls. read more

I mean, it's pleasant enough. But for the $40 admission price? I was disappointed. I fell down and hurt myself while hiking, and all I wanted to do was soak in some tubs and feel better. We found Banya 5, and I got the impression that the experience here would be similar to the baths I visited in Turkey and Hungary. Spoiler alert: I was wrong. The main spa area is so very small. It has the tiniest of hot tubs, a somewhat larger "warm" pool, and a very cold dunk tank. Then it has a steam room and an admittedly impressive dry sauna. That's it. For $40. We were bored within an hour. If you're just going to soak, I'd say it's pretty dang overpriced. Maybe they price it this way to keep it from getting crowded? I don't know for sure. I just know that I won't be back. read more

Heat up and cool down at Banya5. Repeat. I think it was the third time that I plunged into the 50 degree water and rose, gasping for air, lungs constricted, and face flushed. That's when I really got into the Banya groove. With the faint aftertaste of cucumber and lemon water in my mouth, I laughed out loud and headed straight back in to the 120 degree sauna. That is the cycle, hot sauna to cold bath, mixed with dips in the lukewarm salt bath, eucalyptus-scented Turkish steam room, and plain-vanilla Jacuzzi. Now I'm not as hard core as some of the other visitors. Some have a tolerance for the heat like that of Gila monsters sunning themselves on scorching rocks. Are these humans cold blooded? And while I can't gracefully handle the respiratory restriction that accompanies the cold water plunge, there are others who jump without a pre-plunge grimace. But I get it. There is a certain meditative euphoria involved once you hit that groove. Pad up to the upstairs relaxation room for a cold-fix of cucumber-lemon water or iced tea. Although there is a hot water pot and tea packets, I'd suggest sampling their hot house teas... "Cheer" is my favorite. Made of good-for-you ingredients like licorice root or chicory, the teas taste complex, a suitable accompaniment to a day of plain water and steam. You can lounge at the wicker tables, reading magazines or playing chess, or you can head to the back chambers where there are lounging chairs for catnappers and exercise balls for stretching. I hope that Megan D's concerns about the employee treatment have been addressed, cause Banya is a gem. Sometimes its crowded, sometimes its not. Meh. It's a different way of spending time with your fellow human beings. I've always been impressed with the cleanliness of the facilities and have had some nice conversations. (Seattle Celebrity Bonus: a friend of mine has witnessed some of the Teatro Zinzanni performers, complete with entourage, rolling deep into Banya late at night. Vodka shots and all.) So belly up to the Banya folks. Test if your style is the dry-heat/cold-water circuit or if you prefer to mellow down in the steam room. Either way, I hope that your time as a Banya guest is as euphoric as mine. read more

I had the rare opportunity to take a day out of a very stressful past 6 months to finally do something for myself. No psycho lover, no work, no worries. I arrived and they were really helpful and nice -showing me where everything was, the order of what pools/steam rooms to try first, then where the tea room and massage area were located. They assigned me to Erica, who is the best LMP I've ever had in my life. That's roughly 20+ massage therapists over the course of 30 years. I left feeling Human again. And in these times, that's more than most of us can hope to expect. Definitely worth the time and money. read more

This is my sanctuary in the middle of the city. I recently moved here from NYC and went to the russian baths there a lot, and was happy to find a place here. But Banya 5 is much better than any I've been to back East. Everything is very new and clean and it is never too crowded. I haven't tried any of the services yet, however. When I go I plan on staying for a few hours (at least three) and bring a book, a water bottle, and and extra towel or two. They give you towels and (sanitized) sandals, you can also rent a robe. I appreciate the lounge upstairs with complementary tea. There is even an area where you can take a nap if you like. I've only lived in Seattle a few months but I've been here several times. I even contemplate getting a membership. read more

No, I am not stoned. I just shocked my body with an ice cold shower after baking myself in a 220 degree (F) dry sauna, and now I'm panting and sighing with the energetic high that comes with that wild transition. I'm getting deep, satisfying breaths of air. I can feel my body coming to life, my mood leveling off and my sense of contentment and calm slowly replacing whatever frustrations I left at the front door. Just let me stand here for a moment. Let me get my bearings, and then I'll make my way to that wonderful, salt-laced (200 lbs worth!) tepid pool of floaty goodness, where I will continue to bliss out and prepare for the next round of hot and cold. For variety and additional health benefits, I will integrate several trips to the steam room, where I will breathe in the eucalyptus scented steam (the eucalyptus plants are replaced regularly throughout the day), clear up any allergy-related annoyances, open and cleanse my pores, and continue to feel that warm sense of happy relaxation. There's also a small whirlpool here, with good strong jets that work with the heat to ease my sore muscles (a benefit also achieved in the dry sauna and steam room). It's the only place where I notice a stronger scent of chlorine, but I grin and bear it (it's not that bad), as the benefits of this form of hydrotherapy are well worth it. I am very impressed with the cleanliness and general upkeep of this facility. This joint is closed on Mondays (I think for in-depth cleaning), and the work that they put into sanitation and maintenance is so far very consistent. Since this place has been around a while (about seven years, if I remember correctly), I find it very reassuring to see how well kept it is. The staff and the community here are terrific, in my opinion. I've connected positively with several people here in a very short time, and I always feel welcomed by the regulars that I've met. I also appreciate that I can close my eyes and tune everything out if I'm not feeling sociable. So far, I haven't had to drop any not-so-subtle hints that I'm not feeling chatty, and I enjoy the conversations that I do have. Regarding the "douchey banter" thing...I've heard noisy banter, and maybe a comment or two here or there that has come across as a bit closed-minded, but overall, I find myself fascinated by the people and their experiences/attitudes. Generally, if I hear something that turns me off, I'll let it roll off of my sweaty back. It helps to have a natural filter for bullshit, but the majority of what I hear and feel here is very positive. Most of all, I'm enjoying the individual and collective experience of doing something healthy, and that is a beautiful thing. I hope you'll give this place a try. I was there for not more than a few hours before I decided to throw down for a six month membership. I have zero regrets about that decision, and a good deal of gratitude. To your health, dear reader. read more

Oh Banya 5, how did you elude me for so long? I love you, my sweet, sweet Valentine. (Ahem.) Banya 5 was the perfect way to spend this V-day evening. The facility is clean, ambient, and accessible. Entry fee is $35 for use of the baths (tepid salt, hot jet, and cold plunge), steam room and sauna, and there is no time limit. No time limit (how awesome IS that!?)! We were there for about 90 minutes, and I could have stayed another 90 minutes at least if we hadn't needed to leave for dinner. The staff is incredibly friendly--the gal at the front desk called me by my first name; they were welcoming and talkative. Towels are complimentary and so are sandals if you don't bring your own. You're given two towels at the start but are able to get fresh, dry towels throughout your stay. They have shampoo, conditioner and soap for post-bath showers; bring your own brush, hair product and moisturizers. They call it an "extreme environment"; I agree. It's also incredibly relaxing. I have to echo another reviewer's sentiment and say that I, too, felt sort of a natural high while going through the circuit. I found it to be a very internal experience, even though I was not there alone and there were plenty of other bathers around. The sauna and steam rooms really create the need for deep breathing, cultivating that deep relaxation and mental detox. There's a lovely lounge upstairs for reading, board games, and/or hydration breaks (refreshing ice cold water with real lemon slices, and blended teas with raspberry jam to sweeten), and an area for little naps. What I loved is that there are people of all body types and backgrounds who bathe at Banya. I talked with a few other customers who were very friendly and social. It wasn't crowded (Sunday night), and there were no kids. I would have like to smell some relaxing essential oils to feel like I was in spa-full-effect, although the music was very light and ambient, which helped with that. Consider me a regular! read more

The place was ok. I was a bit turned off by strong bleach odor. I guess they are really big on keeping the facility clean, but I have been to many other fancy spas, and most of them were CLEAN and smelled nice --- like spa-like. I got a body scrub. I get massage for free through work insurance. When I booked a massage appt for my bf, I decided to book something for myself, so we could spend time together. When I booked the appt and when they called me to confirm my appt, I repeatedly asked if my hair would get washed and conditioned. I was repeatedly told they would not. They recommended me coconut wrap if I wanted to get my hair washed. I declined the offer and decided to go with the scrub option since I was always curious about turkish exfoliation. I have pink dye in my hair and try to avoid having to wash my hair too often. Well, the person who scrubbed me WASHED my hair. It was really clear that the front desk people had no clue as to what each service entailed. I asked them several questions as to what each option entailed, but all I got was very abstract answers basically copycatted from the website description. I washed my hair at home before my appt, so basically, my pink hair got washed twice that day. It was frustrating. And, the room was cold. I was very uncomfortable and finally had to ask the person if we could warm up the room. It turned out they had a heat warmer right above my naked body. The scrub person apologized and turned it on immediately. I got finally warmed up, but it was 30 min later. Basically, too late. When I was done, my bf was still in the massage room. I wanted to pay for both of our appts before he came out. The SAME person who greeted us and explained the facility just 60 min earlier decided to charge us additional $50 for using the spa -- $25 for each person. I explained we did not use the spa facility and we showed up five min before our appt. She was not old. She was in early 20s and should not have a short term memory loss problem. I would highly recommend Korean spas if you are looking for exfoliation. Much better. Massage wise, there are tons of options in Seattle. This place is just ok. I would not recommend it. read more

It was my first time at Banya 5. I went for an 80 minute massage and signature facial. The facial was AMAZING! The products were organic and plant based, no chemicals used and my face looked amazing! The massage was great- relaxing and the technician made me feel comfortable. I used the spa before my appointment and it wasn't bad- I tried again after my appointment (around 5 pm) and it was packed. There was no way I was going to enjoy the hot tub with that many other people. Overall it was a great experience and priced appropriately. read more

Hot or Cold? If you've never been to a Russian Spa, then Banya 5 is a must. Spend your afternoon drifting between the dry sauna & steam room. Then, plunge into the cold pool for 30 second and warm up by soaking in the salt bath or the hot tub. If you really want to pamper yourself, book a massage, salt scrub (with a honey massage), or a mud wrap. Also, they have a tea lounge upstairs so you can stay hydrated during your visit. So, this could be an expensive habit. If you are only interested in the plunge pool sauna/steam room/hot tub services, it is $40 per visit. However, they offer several packages if you plan to frequent Banya. Also, if you were to get a massage or treatment, you can take advantage of the plunge pools/sauna/hot tub for $25. A couple of tips: - If you are coming for a massage/scrub - then plan to spend at least 2.5 hours at Banya. You can arrive early and relax in the hot tub/sauna/plunge pools for an extra $25 and there is no time limit - I highly recommend making an appt., it can get crowded. In case you are coming last minute, visit their web page and check out the banya-meter on the top left-hand corner. It will tell you how many people are currently at the facility. - Bring your slippers! Don't worry if you forget, they have some on-hand for you. read more

For Seattle, there's not many options for spas like this in the first place. So, having Banya is better than nothing. Like other reviewers have noted though, this place is small and gets easily crowded. At $40 an entry, you get a few pools (cold and couple lukewarm), steam room and dry sauna. "Services" are extra-- a 50 min basic massage is $95. Having been to Korean spas aka jimjilbangs, maybe I've been a bit spoiled. Banya pales in comparison to the various hot rooms (eg. Room with hot balls), comfy recliners, wifi, flat screens, and yummy food that Korean spas offer-- all at the fraction of the price. I would've given this place 3 stars but for them placing me on the wait list to enter the spa, even when I came with my girlfriend and paid for her "service". read more

I love this place. For some reason among my friends this place has been termed the "man-spa". But it isn't just for men. In fact every day is co-ed now! It is clean and well maintained. Very invigorating and not at all creepy or uncomfortable. read more

A waste of money. The pools are fairly gross, the staff is inexplicably rude, and the tubs at are small, overcrowded, and none are a relaxing temperature. You have to keep moving from boiling hot to tepid. Whatever the chemicals they use in the water, it made a terrible smell and the water had nasty foam all over. I give the staff an F-. Simply some of the rudest people I've encountered in a while. I was waiting for a friend to meet me there, sitting in their waiting room, and they asked me, " are you waiting? You need to pay the admission." If I wasn't waiting for a friend I didn't want to disappoint, I would have left. We both agreed, never again. read more

Ugh. This place is terrible! We went there in November 2014 during the Thanksgiving weekend to treat ourselves after cooking a meal for 10 people. Worst decision. The pools are TINY and were packed with people on that day. Really, I'm not into skin to skin contact with strangers. The day we went the water was cold in ALL the pools (they told us later that it was some issue with the heating system). And because there were so many people, there were a ton of people in the saunas too, chatting loudly (we had to hear a lot of intimate details about someone's sex life) so it was not a quiet and relaxing experience. The massage was mediocre and the massage therapist was more focused on giving me 15% off my next massage because he left I needed more work than trying to do a good job with the massage. I'm definitely not going back. read more

I can't get enough of this place. It's clean, serene and a brilliant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I typically go here after parkour to soothe my aching, abused body. You are first warmly greeted at the banya, typically by young, hip and always friendly staff. From there you can signup for a number of spa treatments, get towels and robes and intruction on the facilities. The Parilka ( russian sauna), is outfitted with birch veniks. After about 20 minutes I tend to get into icy showers, then into the Turkish steam room. There are 3 pools in which to lounge, one cold, one moderate and one hot tub. Upstairs there's a lovely tea room, with a variety of hot teas and a couple pitchers of iced. Further down the hall is a lovely nap room. The people I've met there have always been friendly and intelligent, never cruisey. For 35$ you can spend the afternoon here. For very good prices you can get the full spa treatment with massages or facials. read more

Love this place! A great alternative night out on Friday or Saturday nights, since they're open till 11pm. I like to detox, verses toxify, my body whenever possible. Weekdays are also nice, as I find it is more quiet and relaxing... and not so social and chatty as weekends are. As you go here more frequently, you can tell who the members are and who are "just visiting." ;) Banya5 gets my business because they are clean, lavishly upscale, effective and worthwhile, and extremely addictive. The staff as well as fellow patrons are very nice people to get to know. I've made a few new friends here. BUT: I don't really recommend the massages, as the therapists have proven to not be very good (I've tried three different LMPs, and all were at that I'm-still-a-massage-student-and-I'm-using-you-to-practice-on level.) Plus, the massage "rooms" upstairs are only separated by cubicle panels and curtains, so you can hear the other practitioners/clients whispering/sighing, etc... In trying to relax, the cool breezy massage room felt like a refrigerator compared to the warm spa downstairs. The therapists do not seem happy about their job, more from under-work vs. over-work. I felt they were not really into the groove and quite tense themselves. Once, I had to get another massage the next day to un-do all the wacky tension and extra soreness the a female LMP (forgot name!) caused. (I have not tried the salt-scrubs, but have heard good things about these, and they are done on the same floor as the pools/sauna/steam rooms.) I appreciate the varieties of herbal teas and cucumber/lemon water Banya5 has to offer. I have been known to spend up to 4 hours here. But do not get the massages (it's hard to resist, being that they would be the perfect compliment to all this hydrotherapy!)... unless they learn how to heat the room to a comfortable, non-clinical temperature and get cozier rooms and more experienced LMPs. Still, I am very thankful Seattle has Banya5. Everyone should try it at least once. read more

First off I would not call this place a spa, more like an updated section of the 24 hour fitness jacuzzi, sauna, and steam rooms. The three tubs were not equal in size and were way to small for the amount of people that were there. The hot tub which is the most popular was the smallest of the tubs basically the size of my bathtub. The mens locker room needs to be updated and has a mirror missing from one of the sinks. The lighting was way to bright and does create a relaxing atmosphere. Along that social atmosphere was gave me a feeling that I was at a community pool or gym. Not a relaxing quiet place where I can escape and relax. I can easily think of two other places in the Seattle area that are much nicer and are within the same price range. Oh I forgot to mention that they also have fresh snacks and real china for their tea which is included in the price. Banya just serves tea in paper cups and any snacks are added onto you bill at the end. some positive things about this place was that the staff was friendly the cold plunge tub was actually cold and the sauna room was a good temperature. all in all I would not come back here again, I think it is overpriced. They should charge $15 instead of $30 for the hydrotherapy tubs. read more

I don't have a lot of spa experience so take my review with a grain of salt. The pools and saunas are small so be prepared to get cozy with other Seattle spa-sters (i.e., young-ish, thin-ish, coed Whites and Asians). They have a luke warm tub, a regular hot tub, a super fricken cold shrinkage tub, a dry sauna, a steam room, hot showers, cold showers, etc. Basically, they provide every possible form of water to shock your body with. The salt scrub is a sensation extravaganza: I'm naked, completely naked, a woman with a plastic apron removed all my dead skin with salt, super painful, white-hot pain, but satisfying pain, honey massage, actual honey, periodic splashes of hot water, I felt like I was being water-boarded, but in a good way. I highly recommend it. Apparently they have a nap room and a movement room, whatever that means. read more

Sunday at Banya is family day.....which apparently means make out with your weird-significant-other-in-the-hot-tub-day to a lot of people. Anyways, I suggest a weeknight. Lovely then. read more

We won a gift cerfificate from here at a Wildnight PAWS fundraising event and were excited to see what it was all about. The fact that they would contribute the use of their facilities to help animals said something to us about the management. Not knowing what to expect I have to admit that initially we were very intimidated. You arrive, check in, they give you towels and a complimentary robe if you make arrangements for the spa treatments, we booked the salt scrub. So there I was in the locker/shower room where there was a mixture of 20 somethings and elderly russian women. Those coming from the Banya didn't seem to have suits on so I was flooded with panic thinking, "Is this a clothes optional thing?!" So I quickly took my shower, dawned on my suit, took a deep breath and entered the tub area where I was relieved to find a group of all ages and nationalities wearing swimsuits! Whew! This is where I wished they had that shot of Vodka to losen you up before you jump in! I figured out later that they probably had a spa treatment and rather than put on a wet suit they just went with the robe! My husband and I rotated between the dry hot sauna, cold pool, wet steam eucaliptus smelling sauna(my fav), cool salt pool and hot tub for around an hour. It was both exhilarating and relaxing. I would probably have enjoyed the experience a bit more if there weren't so many people to share things with. The pools are fairly small in size so you do end up having to get intimate space wise with others which isn't necessarily the most comfortable for me thus I took off one star. Although the facitilites were very enjoyable I have to say the best part of the experience was the Salt Scrub. Truly Amazing! You are called into small room right off of the communal spa area so I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to relax. However you quickly forget about everything around you once this heavenly treatment begins. You are scrubbed in massage like manner with this wonderful concoction of honey and salt. Then the best part is they rinse you off with small buckets of water that lap at your body and make you feel as though you are laying along the gentle surf of the sea. This is the perfect way to end this experience! After leaving, we were more relaxed than we have been in years, in fact we were almost exhausted. Which apparently from reading some of the material they had out, the alternating between hot and cold is a work out for your organs that would explain why we felt as though we ran a marathon but didn't have the muscle soreness! Maybe this is how the Russians' livers can handle so much Vodka! read more

First of all, this isn't like a normal day spa where everything is heavily scented and there's ambient tonal music playing. Not to say that Banya isn't wonderful! When you enter, you'll get a key and go straight into the locker room. It's pretty much like a gym locker room - no frills. You change into your swimsuit and sandals, rinse off in the shower, and enter the main room. They have multiple pools in the spa area, and it can be a little intimidating at first. I just immediately walked into the steam room (they have hooks to hang your towel) and tried to relax. The steam room has live eucalyptus plants they change out frequently, so it smells wonderful. From there, you can go into the SUPER HOT sauna. I stayed in here as long as I could (I probably lasted only 10 minutes) and immediately after leaving, you plunge into the small cold pool (DON'T TEST IT OUT - JUST JUMP). The idea is that you stay in the cold pool as long as you can to maximize health benefits. Then, as you scramble out, head to the saltwater warm pool. After that, they have a hot tub which is always very popular. And then you just do the entire cycle again! After doing the rounds a few times, I got a massage from Michelle. She was professional, friendly, and gave an excellent deep tissue massage! Tips: -DO NOT test the cold water pool. It's cold. Just jump in and make sure your head goes under, and you'll feel hardcore. -Banya is co-ed. They have rules about skimpiness of swimsuits (I wore a normal bikini and it was fine. But thong bikini bottoms wouldn't fly here). No PDA is allowed (thankfully). -HYDRATE BEFOREHAND! I hadn't done it adequately in the morning, and I regretted it as soon as I went into the sauna. -Don't forget to grab some tea in the tea room upstairs - it's delicious. -They have limited parking in the back, but I wasn't able to find any openings there. There's 2-hour parking (that's cutting it really close, in my opinion) but a few blocks away there's 10-hour parking. I'd go for that. ENJOY! read more

This is the best Sauna and Spa in Seattle. The sauna is awesomely hot, like 240°! The hottest one around. The cold plunge is very cold, 45° or something. The hydrotherapy action manifests best at Banya of all the spas around. The cold plunge is fairly good sized and deep if you like that kind of thing. There's also hot tub, tepid salt float tub, great steam room, lounge upstairs, tea lounge. Lockers, towels and slippers provided. They have massages and the scrubs are great. That Sauna and cold plunge are dreamy! It can get crowded, especially in the cold wet weather, tips: check their website bather count to see if there's a wait list. The crowd varies, typically nice and medium social, it's comfortable to sit in quiet or have chill conversation with strangers. read more

The man behind the counter was very rude. I will never come back to this business again. There is informing your customers courteously when theres a misunderstanding and then theres just flat out being disrespectful. Very disappointing. I went there to join a friend with my kid who's 9yrs old for a spa day. My friend and I were both under the impression that children were ok to bring since there was no specification on the website of age limits that either of us saw. The man regarded me and stated "No children allowed under 13 yrs". I conceded "Oh. I didnt know that" and explained there wasnt advertisement on their website regarding age limits and I was met with a condescending attitude "Well I'm telling you now. No children under 13 allowed". He was brash and sharp in his delivery. Feeling shamed and embarrassed I left with no intention of ever returning. That is not how you handle a situation like that. Especially when your customer was only trying to explain how they misunderstood the policys. It was an opportunity and it was squandered on poor customer service and bad attitude. I've never been to spa before, but I'll never go to this one again. Absolutely unacceptable behavior. read more

I really really liked this place. I went there for the first time, hit the saunas and the tubs then had a great 1 hour deep tissue massage. Ask for Lisa - very good. There are 3 tubs - 104 degree hot, 86 salt and a 50 degree cold plunge. There are 2 saunas - wet Turkish at about 110 and a dry Russian at about 180. Hit those then jump in the cold plunge tub. SO GOOD. Tea/relaxation/stretching rooms are upstairs. read more

Great atmosphere, great staff. Highly recommend Jeff for massage services. He was attentive, professional and worked wonders on tension in my back and shoulders. (Parking spaces in DT Seattle were a small but mighty bonus) Looking forward to returning! read more

Fantastic service. Attention to detail and not too crowded on a Friday afternoon..I will be back for sure!

Banya 5 is the first Russian style spa I have ever been to. So, by default, it is the best Russian spa I have ever been to. But, even if I had taken a year long trans-Siberian road trip, there's a good chance it would still be a favorite for me. If I had any problems with the place, its that the crowd there wasn't made up entirely of elderly Russian men. In fact, most everyone there looked to be in their late twenties and had, like, tattoos and stuff. The only tattoos I wanted to see were hammers and sickles tattooed onto the hairy chests of retired nuclear submarine captains... preferably wearing those furry hats and drinking vodka. But, that subconscious desire to fulfill gross cultural stereotypes aside, this is actually a really great place. They've got both a steam room and a sauna where you can work up a good sweat. And then a cold pool you can jump into and give your body a much needed cooling down and jolt to your system. Then, you can relax in their tepid salt water pool or hot tub ...before subjecting yourself to the ritual all over again. As others have mentioned, they also have free tea (good tea too). As well as rubs and massages for an extra fee. As I was entering, I noticed that they had year-long memberships for $1000, and I balked a little at the price. But, after spending a few hours there, it doesn't seem like it would be that bad of a way to spend your money. If, y'know, you had $1000 to spare. read more

My first experience at Banya 5 was great. My friend and I went the other day and it was everything I thought it would be and more! A friend of mine used to work there and raved about it...so I ended up getting a 5 time pass to the spa for my birthday about a month ago. The staff is friendly and helpful. The facility itself is great, very modern and comfortable. Definitely a place to relax. They also have ice cold lemon water and a couple of types of hot tea that is made especially for Banya. Delicious! They also provide sandals, towels, and a locker. Even if I didn't have a 5 time pass to Banya, I would definitely go back...I may even get a membership. It is a great way to relax and it is also good for your health! read more

Hello. My name is Michelle and I'm a plunge addict. There really is something envigorating about sweating until you can't stand the heat (in their sauna, steam room, or both!) and then plunging into a pool of freezing cold water. Yes, it's a little bit insane, but mostly insanely relaxing. Once I start I can't stop! I just want to do it over and over and over again. I love Banya, but this place may not be for everyone. If you're a first timer, I suggest arriving with an open mind and trying new things throughout your visit. Once you find the routine that suits you, stick with it and let the relaxation begin! Banya allows unlimited access to their Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, salt water pool and plunge pool with their basic entry fee. They also a variety of amazing spa services for an additional cost; I highly recommend the 50 minute scrub with honey massage. For the newbies: Don't forget to bring your bathing suit and flip flops, you'll need both. I'd also recommend a water bottle; they have delicious spa water available in the relaxing room and it's important to stay hydrated. Double bonus: Banya 5 offers half pried entry before 4.30p Wed-Fri! I highly recommend coming at this time if you can. It's quiet inside and there's usually room to book a last minute service. read more

I'm not reviewing the pools or the steam... I only came for a massage. The massage itself, with Jeff D., was amazing. Just what I needed. Perfect pressure, very comforting. The space is pretty nice. The lobby is comfortable, the locker room is clean but very sparse. One thing I really appreciated was their no-scent policy. They ask patrons to take a shower and remove all scents, and not to re-apply them until they've left the building. Also all their shampoo/ conditioner/ body wash and massage oils are scent free. This is great for my friends who are chemically sensitive. read more

My girl friend and I went here for a relaxing spa experience. The women at the front were not at all friendly and seemed almost bothered to help us. We walked into the changing room and it definitely looked like a converted gym locker room. It is outdated and there are very few amenities. For the price you pay, I would expect there to be more amenities like eye make-up remover, vanities, private changing rooms, cucumber slices, and perhaps something fragrant to make it smell like an actual spa. This was a big disappointment. The sauna and steam room were both very nice, no complaints. The cold water pool is COLD, but worth the experience after you get really hot and jump in. Do not ease in or you won't do it. The other two pools were really small, especially the hot tub. Only about 4 people can fit in at once, which is not sufficient for this size spa, nor for the price you're paying. Upon leaving the spa, the ladies again were not very pleasant. We had our towels and flips flops in our hands and they instructed us to go back and put them in the locker room. A customer oriented spa would just take them for us and ask how our experience was. Also, my friend asked for water and the woman sent my friend to the water fountain. Really? Part of the spa experience includes hydrating, so a spa should make it readily available. Next time I would rather pay a little more someplace else to get a nicer spa experience overall. read more

I brought my mom and sister here as a spa day treat. They had never been to a day spa before, but I had. First off, they only have 6 parking spots so if you drive in expect to park at Whole Foods and pay $20-ish bucks for parking. Make sure if you do to snag something small at the Whole Foods and they will validate it to get a couple hours off. As for the place itself, it is small. Locker rooms have two showers. With multiple parties in at the same time, it quickly seemed cramped but that only happened briefly for us. The pools and spa area is very enjoyable, but is intense. My sister didn't spend more than 15 minutes total on the pools and saunas, though I loved the steamroom most and spent an hour easily between them. The tearoom where you end up waiting for services is nice, but not amazing. You end up hearing car and construction noises (during services too). The highlight was the services themselves. The woman who does the facials especially was amazing. If you are in the area to live or visit, in walking distance, this might be a great spa for you. read more

Some girlfriends and I came here for some pre-wedding pampering and we all LOVED our experience. Overall, the place was super clean, prices were fair, and the service was fantastic. PROS: 1. If you go during weekday "happy hour" (the hours between 11am and 2pm), prices are reduced. 2. If you go and get a treatment, admission is only a $10 add-on 3. I got a honey sugar scrub from Jeff and it was A-MAZING. I had developed some blisters on the backs of my heels from wearing un-broken-in new heels and have been nursing them to try to heal, and he was careful to avoid my feet. CONS: 1. Maybe a little on the small side 2. Gotta be careful to talk quietly. We got scolded by a couple patrons (um, okay) for apparently being too boisterous and excited. read more