Went to the women's only Latvian witch ceremony Sauna thing! Was epic ! Hope to see more of these experiences on the schedule !

Very good experience of sauna and spa. Nice service and great food. Massage is great. Feel great.

Nice spa, good spa, interested to explore more types of massage here. We should have optio

This is a unique SPA which is opens your mind and body to something new. Loved it. Will come back again

Damn, Banya No.1 just gets me. London is rainy/damp/cold. My bones are cold. Banya is the remedy. Consider it a warm, firm embrace, Russian-style. After seemingly endless days of dreary London "winter," I was on the prowl for a remedy. I read Ellie's excellent review of Banya No.1 and realizing it's walking distance from my flat in N1 -- I was sold. I booked in for the *gold package for my husband and I for a Sunday afternoon, and eagerly anticipated the feelings of my bones warming up. And a massage. And a break from sitting outside at the park with my toddler. And some dumplings. Really, everything! Sauna? check. Steam? check. Tea? check. Massage? check. Being beaten lightly with bunches of leaves? Well...check that too, I didn't even know I needed it, but apparently I did. Dumplings? CHECK! I had very little expectations going in, just that I usually love spa/sauna experiences and that I had convinced my husband to join. Pro-tips: 1. They have sessions that are men only, women only and mixed. For the mixed sessions you'll need to bring a swimsuit. Swim clothing is optional for the other sessions, as you please. I attended a mixed session and thus brought a swimsuit. 2. It's quaint, yet very well appointed. They only book in the exact number that they can accommodate, so it feels very private. You'll also have a private booth at which to enjoy your tea, relaxation and any menu items you decide to indulge in. Or vodka. We skipped that this time, but I can see how that might be a good Russian time... 3. Plan your time well -- we ran out of time to eat at the end and thus we would've ordered a bit earlier. You'll want to plan to eat towards the end, particularly if you have massage treatments, etc. 4. Wear the wool hats! These are specially designed to keep your head cool (counterintuitive I know!), look endearingly silly, and will allow you to better enjoy the steam sauna without getting overheated or your hair feeling like it may melt. 5. The Parenie - what's THAT!? this is this!? Well first, you should try it if you are coming. It is £28 and their speciality, I recommend you do it. :::::::::Venik - a leafy and fragrant bundle of birch, oak or eucalyptus twigs:::::: ​(from website) This thermal massage boosts blood circulation intensifying the skin's capillary activity. As well as possessing anti-inflammatory properties, the essential oils released by venik help to prevent premature ageing of the skin. Parenie (steaming) improves the immune system and relieves muscle tension and stress. Parenie is taken in the sauna/steam room. Basically, you lie down in a pile of leaves and an adept Russian brushes you with these twig/leaf branches and you frankly get to the point where you think you are BECOMING A DUMPLING from the inside you are so hot, you ALMOST ask him to stop (Russians clearly are much more fierce than I!) -- then its over and you've never been so happy to have 2 buckets of cold water dumped on your head and then dip into the plunge pool, which for all intents and purposes is really fu*&ing cold. It feels amazing. Try it. Trust me. 6. Other treatments: I definitely enjoyed the massage and the salt scrub/mud mask. These are all a bit more commonplace compared with the Parenie, but when in...Moscow, do as the Russians do, get it all. I really enjoyed it. We prebooked all the services with the package and the lovely lady just came and fetched me at various points to administer, I didn't need to worry about a thing. The space itself is rather small so you'll not get lost or miss your treatments. They really do take great care of you. 7. The food - leave time to eat. The menu is Russian specific foods, and they are hearty and filling. Another way to warm up those systems! I also very much enjoyed the beet kvass (homemade) and the cranberry presse. Rehydrating is definitely required! They'll just bill everything to you at the end, so order away and pay at reception before you leave. No muss no fuss. *Gold package* 3-hour session + Honey & Salt or Coffee Scrub, Parenie, Mud Decollete or Body Wash, 30 min Massage and a Pot of Herbal Tea. Package price is £120/pp (£135 peak times) I loved this unique spa experience and will definitely return. The Russian run Banya No 1 maintains a lot of cultural traditions while exposing their rituals to foreigners like me. They took such great care of us and we felt very welcome, relaxed and left with a really great impression. Banya No 1, they get me. read more

Banya No.1 - Hoxton - It's a lamp in reception :) - Day Spas Near Me - London, XGL

I am visiting from Los Angeles and decided to get a massage. The staff was friendly and the massage was great.

I like the interior there. Small and cosy. Great deals during lunch times (30 pounds). You have sauna, cold water pool and relax/dining area. One thing I did not like were 2 men in service which made a bit worse on my view and my soup was from microwave. read more

I have absolutely no idea what a traditional Russian bath/spa (or "banya") is doing in the ground floor of an architecturally noteworthy apartment building between Angel and Old Street. But I have a friend who lives nearby, and she took me to this place. What I love about Banya No. 1 is that as multicultural as London is, you don't often to get the opportunity to feel that you have been transported to a different place. So, what does one do at a Russian bath club? Well, for starters, there is a dry/steam sauna. It is similar to a Finnish sauna -- you lie on wooden planks and people can throw as much water as they want to increase how steamy the air is. And they like it pretty steamy. The Russians have brought an important innovation to the sauna, which is -- yes -- a woolen hat. Turns out that a woolen hat acts like a giant oven mitt, protecting your head from overheating and allowing you to stay in the sauna for a long time. You look silly, and it seems counter-intuitive that a woolen hat would keep your head cool not warm, but it totally works. The second thing that distinguishes a Russian sauna is the venik treatment (shown in photos on their web site) which is where an attendant pats you down with -- yes -- bundles of twigs and leaves. I opted for a regular massage this time to get the knots out of my back, but the venik treatment seemed like the thing to do, so I'll have to try that next time. When you're totally overheating, you can leave the sauna to go jump in the freezing tub or dump a bucket of cold water over your head. For the more warm-loving people, there are also warm showers. The other thing that makes the experience unique is that you can go to the lounge, which is a bunch of restaurant-style booths made of vinyl (so you can keep your wet swimsuit on). There, you can order traditional Russian food. We enjoyed cheese rolled in herbs, salted/pickled cabbage, boiled crawfish which I had no idea was a Russian thing, and of course tea. They have men-only, women-only, and mixed times so you can go with the group that suits you. I left very relaxed and feeling I had seen a slice of life from another place. read more

Really nice place - but more importantly the staff were great; super friendly and welcoming. I had a nice steam, a great massage, and some delicious Russian food and beers. Great little escape after a long work week. Thank you Banya staff! read more

Amazing spa. Very clean and relaxing. Not too busy. Feels private and secluded.Highly recommend.