You’re hot, then you’re cold. You’re in, then you’re out. It appears Katy Perry was ahead of her time in 2008. Because contrast therapy has finally firmly secured its spot on the UK’s wellness scene (sorry it took us so long to catch up, Scandinavia).
Whilst this hot-and-cold ritual has a somewhat cult-like following all over the world (you’ve probably seen it popping up everywhere from NYC’s best bathhouses to Singapore’s best wellness clubs), some still hesitate over the simple set-ups and wild swimming sites of certain locations. So, for those who want to sweat and shiver in more luxury surrounds, here are our five favourite locations in the UK that are both high-contrast and high-end.
arc, London
Best for: community-focussed classes in the city
London life is faced-paced at the best of times. Which makes Canary Wharf – its corporate nucleus – a full-on frenzy of suits, spreadsheets, and stress. So where better to put the city’s first community-focussed contrast therapy destination? arc levels up the traditional sauna and ice bath combination with sound healing and holistic practices that slowly swap your cognitive clutter for somatic stillness. With its class-based approach, there’s something for everyone – from energising ‘morning warrior’ sessions to ‘arc after dark’ sauna parties. Look out for a new Marylebone location coming soon.
arc-community.com
1 Crossrail Place, E14 5AR
Lakes by YOO, Cotswolds
Best for: bucolic bliss backed by Blue Zone science
If its name isn’t enough of a giveaway, The Lakes by Yoo is a latticework of 11 freshwater lakes across 850 acres of Cotswold countryside. But whether you cold plunge in nature or in the state-of-the-art spa’s ice baths and cryotherapy chamber (that plummets to a bone-chilling -80°C) is up to you. And when you need to turn the heat up, the infrared saunas and warm pools await. Top tip: end with a massage to aid tissue movement and recovery, before drifting back to your luxury lakeside cabin.
thelakesbyyoo.com
Coln Park, Nr Lechlade, GL7 3DT
Glen Dye, Scotland
Best for: a double whammy of wild wellness
Inhale for four, exhale for eight. That’s ‘whisky breathing’ – a technique to try when submerging in cold water (and because its name just makes sense when in Scotland). In the woodlands of this family estate is a Scandi-style wood-fired sauna where guests can move freely between the steam inside and the cold-water tanks outside. For a double whammy of wellness, treat it as a forest bathing-inspired break, too, by getting lost in the sight of the pine trees through the sauna’s glass door. This is as off-grid as it gets.
glendyecabinsandcottages.com
Bridge of Dye Steading, AB31 6LT
Rebase, London
Best for: shared classes in a seriously serene space
Rebase calls itself the Home of Social Wellness – and once you’re bouncing between ice baths and saunas with strangers-turned-friends, you’ll understand why. Its real home, however, is a ridiculously serene space in Marylebone. The signature contrast immersion classes here aren’t for the faint-hearted. It’s a deep dive (literally) into rounds of extreme cold and heat, alongside guided breathwork and yoga to get you prepped and present. And on the days you don’t feel so social? Simply book one of the luxury private contrast suites catered by the concierge. Sorted.
rebaserecovery.com
1a St Vincent Street, W1U 4DA
Bracken Hide Hotel, Isle of Skye
Best for: an Estonian-style sauna experience
Estonian sauna culture has officially landed in the Highlands – and at The Bracken Hide, it’s been done properly. Twin sauna pods sit quietly against Skye’s cinematic backdrop, ready to soothe tired muscles post-hike (or post-whisky). Once you’re roasted, it’s time to rinse – either in the wild plunge pool or the icy Highland air. Finish the ritual in The Bracken’s whisky bar, watching storms roll in across the Cuillin hills, before retreating to your private Hide – one of just 27 scattered across 52 acres of moorland.
perlehotels.com
