Banya Chiswick: The Russian Spa Experience in London

Article by guest Author Peter Brooker

Being Chiswickians we're quite lucky to have a plethora of antique shops, vegan cafes, independent clothes stores and we're even spoiled to a different market on the high street every Sunday. On rotation, food markets, flowers, cheese and antiques. The pubs all seem to be doing well and each offering its own entertainment; live music, quiz nights, one even has a Thai restaurant at the back.

Today I'm going to add one to that list, the Banya Russian Spa. The other half and I have recently become members for £145 for two people every month. It entitles you to one visit a month on any day & any time. Each visit includes a 3-hour session and Parenie treatment for each guest.

One of the things I like the most is the relaxing element. There are no kids running around, no riff raff. Three hours can just coast by as you can go into the spa at any time. I normally cook for about 10 minutes then dunk under the cold buckets. After that it's a dunk in the plunge pool for a 1 minute or so. Their tank is 14 degrees, but that varies. Trust me it's cold enough.

Afterwards we sat down and ate some Vinegret; traditional boiled root veggie salad. Beets, carrots, potatoes, peas, oil. Pickled Herring and Dumplings. Olivier; Festive potato salad. Boiled root veggies, eggs, tuna, pickles, peas, mayo.

We'll get through 2litres of Homemade kvass; homemade rye bread soft drink. To finish a Seabuckthorn Berry Tea; a superberry with 4 omega 3, 4, 7 and 9 oils and tons of vitamin C.

The wife tells me you can't get this berry in the UK. I imagine it's imported.

The Parenie treatment consists of a ten minute session. You're instructed to lie down flat on your stomach for five minutes in a prepared steam room, whilst the therapist uses Venik (leafy branches of birch, oak and eucalyptus all bundled together. After soaking, they are used to both circulate the steam in the treatment room and also to massage the body) to waft hot steam down onto, and around, your body. The Venik is also used for massaging the body by brushing, and is an amazing treatment for the skin.

The process is then repeated for five minutes once you switch over and lie on your back. It's simultaneously relaxing, and something of a mild torture test. You have to mentally believe you're not going to get scorched or beaten up. I've done it countless times now and I've learned to enjoy every minute of it. But the first time was a bit hairy and my toes nearly cooked.

We have also enjoyed hiring the private room for my wife's birthday where we had 8 friends fly in to help us celebrate. Our only regret was we didn't join the Banya spa sooner. We are now members, and happy to be regulars.