The trendy Tribeca bathhouse is the fi rst
international property for Spain’s Aire Group
A WELCOME RESPITE JAK PHILLIPS, HEAD OF NEWS, LEISURE MEDIA
Despite New York City’s stunning skyline, it’s fair to say that after navigating its famously feeble infrastructure and traipsing around the shabby sidewalks that characterise parts of the city, there’s an urge to seek solace – even in trendy Tribeca. Thankfully, Aire Ancient Baths is on hand to offer a welcome respite. On entering the candle-lit
welcome area, you’re met with walls that feature Greco- Roman pillars sandwiched by panels of dark wood, while flashes of exposed brickwork lend a pleasantly modern Williamsburg finish. Down in the communal bathing area, the salubrious surroundings of marble and more stone columns evoke an
air of Alexandrian opulence, complemented by the soft sounds of Hellenic strings. First port of call is the
spacious steamroom in the centre. Fabulously fashioned – with the glass panels offering panoramic views of the surrounding baths – the room is somewhat lacking in terms of function. The steam vents
are inexplicably aimed straight into the air, meaning occupants need to stand upright on the bench and waft the hot air back down with their arms if they want to work up a sweat. After a baptism of lukewarm
steam, it’s on to the floatation pool for the first of six bathing experiences. The high salinity makes buoyancy easy and though males should take care if they’ve recently shaved – the salt leaves a slight sting on a shorn face – it’s altogether an enjoyable experience. Guests are then free to
meander through a jet bath, caldarium, two plunge pools and finally an extended chillout pool – offering neatly chiselled alcoves in which to retreat. As well as offering diversity to the user,
the array of pools provide plenty of sparsely-populated sections in which to bask, even though our bathing session was fully booked. For those who want more
than just a soak, the spa offers a number of upsell treatments and I enjoyed a reassuringly assertive 45-minute full-body massage and exfoliation. The only drawback was that the unisex (and not just couples’) treatment room leads to a few awkward moments as you change from your swimsuit into a towel – behind a hastily drawn curtain in my case – but this doesn’t distract from the overall experience. For me at least, Aire Ancient Baths provides a much needed slice of serenity in the core of the Big Apple.
©CYBERTREK 2015
spabusiness.com issue 2 2015 91
PHOTOS: ©AIRE ANCIENT BATHS NY
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