When I say pamper yourself, I mean truly relax and switch off pamper yourself. Recently I was invited to Ancient Aire Baths on the edge of Covent Garden. In a ‘house’ where London’s greatest architect lived, Robert Adam and the author Sir James Barrie.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this London Bath experience. I hadn’t heard a single bad word about it from those who had been, so I was incredibly curious.
From street level you take a lift down… about 4 floors. You arrive into a large changing room where you are greeted and shown your locker and where everything is. Once you have changed into your swimming costume and have your robe, you are ready to go.
Then leaving everything behind, including your phone, you begin your experience at Ancient Aire Baths. I should state at this point I was there on a press visit so I was allowed to keep it. Yet within 10 minutes, it is one of the first times I really wanted to just ‘experience the experience’.
What is Aire?
Ancient Aire Baths are thermal baths of different temperatures. The exposed brickwork and lanterns only lend itself more to the historic ritual and traditions of Roman / Greek bathing.
There is something in the ‘air’, because you feel incredibly relaxed and calm within moments of walking out into the restorative space below the hustle and bustle of London street life.
I had never done anything like it, I went in without any preconceptions and within 10 minutes I had completely relaxed. I wasn’t anxious about time (something that is very relevant in my life) and I could feel my heart rate slow down.
We began in a room temperature bath, but from hot bath to steam room … to a cold plunge (mine was a 15 second dip), to the floating sensation. Each bath is incredibly relaxing and restorative. The jacuzzi pool, as an example was exhausting in a really good way.
In the middle of the experience, we were booked in for a 30 mins massage. Something I would highly recommend. We both said how beneficial it was to break up the bathing experience with something that worked into your relaxed muscles. My masseuse was Timo and if you like a strong massage, then he is your man. He took every single knot out of my neck.
I wasn’t so keen on putting my slightly damp swimsuit back on, but within moments we were back for our last 15 minutes. We steamed, we floated and we plunged. Our endorphins were on fire and mentally restored.
My summary | Ancient Aire Baths
I went with a friend, and I personally loved sharing the experience with her. I then went back with my daughter, who absolutely loved the time together. But this experience would work equally well for couples.
If you are very happy in your own company, it would equally be the most relaxing thing you could do. I cannot recommend this enough.. I now get what everyone was raving about. There wasn’t one specific thing that made it so relaxing. Yet in the busy world we live in, for two hours this was an oasis of complete and utter calm.
Ancient Aire Baths | What should I bring
I was a little naive in what I brought, so if you are planning a visit I’d take the following, because I’m so fussy about the products I use. They do provide everything, other than make up, so this isn’t absolutely necessary, but it will be in my bag for my next visit.
- Swimsuit (obviously) & bag. I’d take a spare swimsuit for after your massage if the damp swimsuit doesn’t appeal.
- Shampoo, conditioner & hairbrush.
- Face moisturiser and body lotion / deodorant
- Make up
Book a London Ancient Aire Experience here