Sydney's Bathhouse Revolution: The New Wave of Wellness Retreats Where Relaxation Is a Group Activity
Sydney's bathhouse boom is heralding a new self-care era in the Harbour City, where long, soothing soaks and fun hangs with friends are one and the same.
Sydneysiders are no strangers to a spa day. Some of the most luxurious pampering in the country can be experienced in the Harbour City, most notably at the wealth of top-of-class day spas found at Sydney's five-star hotels.
For many, a day of self-care is typically a solo affair, but now, a new wave of wellness retreats are redefining relaxation as a group activity. While the facilities at these venues are cutting edge, the wisdom behind them dates back to antiquity, when bathhouses not only offered a chance to purify and unwind but also a place to gather.
Soak Bathhouse Alexandria
Originating in Queensland with bathhouses in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, Soak has expanded its footprint to NSW, opening a new outpost in Sydney at Bondi Junction, with a second set to open in Alexandria in April 2025. Both will feature expansive mineral pools in leafy surrounds where guests can melt away their stress while enjoying each other's company. Communal areas will also boast thermal spas, saunas and steam rooms, and a chilled plunge pool for an invigorating dunk, while a range of private therapies and treatments — including infrared sauna sessions, LED facial treatments and expertly delivered deep-tissue massages — will be available for spa-day purists who prefer not to share their serenity.
The signature luxe fitouts of Soak bathhouses, replete with marble tiling and brushed gold finishes, conjure a sense of opulent escapism, transporting visitors to a realm of zen far from the urban hustle of the city outside.
Slow House Bathhouse
Just down the road from Soak Bondi Junction, Slow House is located within the new Pacific Building overlooking Bondi Beach. This 700-square-metre subterranean spa complex is the brainchild of wellness mavens Natassjha and Jody Coggan and features a traditional cedar sauna, steam rooms (which they claim are the first ever located at Bondi Beach), ice baths and soothing magnesium pools. Much like Soak, Slow House complements its communal spaces with individual spa treatments, including private infrared sauna suites, and a variety of massages and facials.
To meet the needs of a diverse range of clientele with different schedules, this up-market sanctuary is open daily from 6.30am–9pm, sporting a soothing interior of sandstone tones and piercing aquas that feel both modern and timeless.
Capybara Bathhouse, Surry Hills
One of the first of this vanguard of new Sydney bathhouses to open, welcoming its first tranquility seekers in April 2024, Capybara in Surry Hills draws on wellness rituals from around the world, from Japanese sentos and onsens, Russian banyas and Moroccan hammams to Mayan temazcals, Jewish mikvehs and Korean jjimjilbangs. Taking its name name from the large South American rodents with a penchant for hot springs, Capybara was created by six friends — Natalie Cheung, Rebecca Qin, Justin Lo, Daegeon Song, Nicholas Souksamrane and Sebastian Tsang — who shared a vision for a new way to unplug and unwind.
While shared relaxation is central to this spa's ethos, the experience has been carefully curated to avoid overcrowding. Groups of up to four arrive in 15 minute intervals, with a maximum of 20 guests admitted per 90-minute session. After a soothing shower, guests can explore the hot-stone sauna or steam room before a relaxing soak in the generous magnesium baths and a bracing dip in the two-person ice plunge pool. There are heated benches and an ice scrub where guests can scour away dead skin or alternatively, there are a range of herbal and mineral scrubs that can be purchased on arrival, to be used in the spa's dedicated exfoliation nooks.
Sense of Self Bathhouse, Surry Hills
Joining Capybara in Surry Hills, Melbourne wellness brand Sense of Self will boast the largest bathhouse in Sydney when it opens later this year, set across 1000-square metres in a converted warehouse on the Surry Hills–Paddington border. Hoping to replicate the runaway success of its debut venue in the trendy Melbourne suburb of Collingwood, which opened in 2020, Sense Of Self Sydney will boast multiple large mineral pools heated to a pleasant 39-degrees Celsius, as well as saunas, a Hammam-style steam room and chilled plunge pools alongside a suite of private treatment rooms for various therapies from massages to facials. Visits have no fixed duration — guests are encouraged to take their time and even have a nap should their levels of relaxation demand it.
The aesthetic of the Surry Hills space is part industrial chic, part zen garden, part contemporary onsen with a modern palette of rust reds and deep terracotas contrasting exposed brick walls and striking structural columns, channelling a similarly uber-cool spirit to its sister venue in Melbourne.
"Bathhouses are so much more than the sum of their parts. They serve different functions for different people; from recovery bathing through to social connection and body acceptance, and we love catering to all of those needs," Sense of Self Founder and Director Freya Berwick says. "Sense of Self is a space that holds and positively challenges our guests and our goal is to balance inspiring yet functional design with warmth, accessibility, and customer care."
