Conditions at London Fashion Week may be milder than the Siberian tundra at the moment, but the city’s growing Russian population knows all too well how to cope with long, cold, dark winters. So it’s no surprise that the new Russian banya at the South Kensington Club is now the hottest place to unwind, recuperate or soothe the discomforts of an overnight flight.
To recreate a more luxurious traditional country-house style banya, owner and Russian enthusiast Luca Del Bono (who also owns London restaurant Mari Vanna) even travelled to Siberia to find a sauna expert to consult on the project, which took several years to complete. Finally, this stunning wooden banya features two saunas, two steam rooms, an ice pool and two sauna suites with separate entrances, used by celebrities such as Pippa Middleton and Alexa Chung, as well as the rich and powerful, making this an amazing experience like no other.
Donning a custom-made cloche hat (the club has created a stylish, minimalist cream version), visitors head into the sauna for a series of sweat sessions. When you first see the birch, oak, and eucalyptus leaves hanging on the wall, the old saying “Mother Russia makes us strong” comes to mind. Herbal infusions are poured onto the sauna’s scorching stones, which reach about 200 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius), hotter than a traditional sauna. Back in Siberia, tourists will run outside to cool off in the snow, then return to sweat some more. At the South Kensington club, bath therapists, or bath attendants, will offer you to pour buckets of ice water over your head (without a hat, of course) and repeat the alternation of hot and cold water several times to stimulate circulation and start the detoxification process.
Next up is a Russian whisk treatment. This 10-minute Russian Leaf Dance treatment takes place in a warm sauna. You lie on cool branches while sauna staff alternately slap, stroke and fan you with a steaming whisk to stimulate blood flow to your skin and release the leaves’ phytoncides (which boost the body’s immune system), tannins (which act as natural astringents) and flavonoids (which have anti-inflammatory properties). Finish with an ice-cold plunge into a pool to tighten pores and tone your skin, and choose a refreshing coffee body scrub paired with honey from a Latvian monastery or sour cream – both go well with a strong shot of vodka. Cheers!
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