AIRE Ancient Baths, Charing Cross

For atmosphere, nothing comes close to AIRE. Tucked beneath Charing Cross in a candlelit warren of stone chambers, it’s more Roman bathhouse than traditional sauna, but the heat is very much part of the appeal. Move between thermal pools, steam rooms and plunge baths at your own pace, dialling the intensity up or down as you go.

Visit BeAire.com

Banya No. 1, Hoxton

For a more hard-edged experience, Banya No. 1 embraces Russian-style sauna culture. Expect serious heat, ice-cold plunges and the signature parenie treatment – a vigorous, leaf-based massage that’s both brutal and brilliant. 

Visit GoBanya.co.uk

Porchester Spa

An old-school London institution, Westminster council-owned Porchester Spa trades in heritage charm rather than trend-led wellness. Set inside a Grade II-listed Art Deco building, it offers a classic line-up: sauna, steam room and traditional Turkish baths. Pair a visit with a swim in the adjoining pool and you’ve got a routine.

Visit PorchesterSpaTreatments.co.uk

Rebase Recovery, Marylebone

Rebase Recovery is designed for busy schedules and high-output lifestyles. Alongside cryotherapy, breathwork and IV infusions, it offers infrared and traditional saunas in slick, contemporary surrounds.

Visit RebaseRecovery.com

Community Sauna Baths, Hackney Wick 

Set around a ramshackle, canal-side garden, you’ll find a mix of wood-fired saunas, ice baths, plunge barrels and open-air showers. It’s deliberately low-polish, and sessions are affordable.

Visit Community-Sauna.co.uk

Rooftop Saunas, Hackney

Perched above Netil Corner, the appeal of these timber-clad saunas is simple: private cabins, solid heat and a panoramic view of east London while you sweat it out. It’s best done with a group – book a slot around sunset and you could head next door to Netil360 afterwards.

Visit RooftopSaunas.co.uk

Arc, Canary Wharf

Arc frames the sauna as a full-blown social wellness experience. In a slick, subterranean space, sessions here are built around guided contrast therapy – rotating between a large communal sauna and multiple ice baths. Breathwork and music also feature. 

Visit Arc-Community.com

Sauna & Plunge, Shoreditch

Compact but considered, Sauna & Plunge focuses on the essentials: heat, cold and consistency. Inspired by Scandinavian practices, it pairs a high-temp sauna with short, sharp ice-bath sessions designed to build tolerance over time. Sessions are priced to encourage repeat visits.

Visit SaunaAndPlunge.Life

Parliament Hill Lido Sauna, Hampstead Heath

Few things wake you up quite like a cold outdoor swim followed by a blast of heat. At Parliament Hill Lido, start with a few open-air lengths, then head straight into the sauna to warm back up.

Visit Better.org.uk

Finnish Church Sauna, Rotherhithe

Low-key and authentic, the Finnish Church sauna is small, unfussy and focused on the essentials – high heat and a quiet atmosphere. This is the original no-nonsense Finnish sauna experience.

Visit MerimiesKirkko.fi

The Lanesborough Club & Spa, Victoria

The refined sauna and steam facilities at the Lanesborough sit within one of London’s most polished spa environments, where everything – from the lighting to the service – is carefully dialled in. A sauna session here can slot neatly into a longer afternoon of treatments, lounging and general switching off.

Visit LanesboroughClubAndSpa.com

Sweat Lounge, Chiswick

Sweat Lounge focuses on infrared sauna therapy, which promises a gentler yet more penetrating heat. The setup is good for longer, solo sessions – there are private pods as well as shared cabins, with added extras like red light therapy available.

Visit SweatLounge.co.uk

Brockwell Lido Sauna, Brockwell Park

A south London staple, Brockwell Lido nails the classic hot-cold formula. The contrast between the unheated outdoor pool and the steady warmth of the sauna will leave you feeling properly reset. 

Visit Better.org.uk

Sauna Social Club, Peckham

The Sauna Social Club lays on guided sessions, ambient lighting and occasional DJ-led evenings that shift its mood from meditative to social. The sauna and ice bath set-up is solid, but it’s the atmosphere that sets it apart.

Visit SaunaSocialClub.co.uk