Do bathhouses still exist in NYC?
Luckily, there’s been a recent boom of bathhouses opening across the city. But these aren’t your grandpa’s Russian shvitz centres – these are stylish and modern spas. Most have several types of saunas, as well as hot and cold baths of various temperatures (and buoyancies). Some even offer spa treatments, too. The most relaxing spa treatment is often a massage or sauna experience because they target the whole body and allow you to sit back and relax.The most common spa treatments are massages, manicures/pedicures and facials. However, you might also see offered such treatments as a body scrub/exfoliation, a fingers or toes file & polish (like a mini manicure or pedicure) or a scalp massage. Find out more in our treatment guides.Bathhouses are communal spaces with a focus on traditional public bathing practices. Visitors can enjoy steam baths, saunas, and shared pools, emphasizing social interaction and collective relaxation. In contrast, spas often focus on individual pampering and personalized treatments.
What is a bathhouse sauna?
Bathhouses – also known as baths, saunas, or gay saunas – are spaces where queer men* meet to socialise, relax and have sex. They are legal, licensed sex venues, as opposed to regular saunas or steam rooms where people cruise. While the original intention of men’s bathhouses may have been hygiene, today’s gay bathhouses or saunas, along with other types of sex-on-premises-venue (SOPV) or sex venues, are intended as places where you can meet others for casual sex.Most have a steam room (or wet sauna), dry sauna, showers, lockers, and small private rooms. Different cultures emphasize different uses of a gay bathhouse. In Asia, nearly every gay sauna includes a communal karaoke room complete with handheld microphones and large selections of songs for their toweled patrons.While the original intention of men’s bathhouses may have been hygiene, today’s gay bathhouses or saunas, along with other types of sex-on-premises-venue (SOPV) or sex venues, are intended as places where you can meet others for casual sex.
What happens in a bathhouse?
Bathhouses are all about communal gathering, with shared pools, saunas and steam rooms where people can socialize and recharge. The sequence usually includes a hot room, followed by a steam bath, and finally immersion in cold or warm water. There are also several common rooms for socialising and conversation.
What is the difference between a bathhouse and a spa?
Bathhouses are communal spaces with a focus on traditional public bathing practices. Visitors can enjoy steam baths, saunas, and shared pools, emphasizing social interaction and collective relaxation. In contrast, spas often focus on individual pampering and personalized treatments. These are private rooms in which you can enjoy a selection of pampering spa treatments, such as massages and facials. Many of our spa packages feature treatments, which will take place in one of these rooms.Upgrade your spa experience with our VIP Room, featuring a private Jacuzzi. This exclusive room offers the perfect ambiance for relaxation and rejuvenation, whether you’re enjoying a massage or simply unwinding in the Jacuzzi.