8 of the best Bathhouses and Saunas in Sydney

When a venue wins Australia’s Best Day Spa four years in a row, you’ve got to pay attention. Opening its first spa in 1992, Nature’s Energy now boasts three Sydney locations, each offering personal services such as massage, facials and reiki as well as their shared bathhouse experience.

A 60 or 90 minute session here grants access to all the essentials of a world-class spa experience such as infrared sauna and steam room, mineral pool, ice baths, sea salt scrubs and, get this, access to medical-grade red light therapy which is proven to restore mental clarity, improve skin tone and elasticity and cell production. It’s no wonder they’re known to offer one of the best sauna experiences in Sydney.

A newcomer to the Sydney wellness scene is Escape Bathhouse, founded by the incredible power couple behind the award-winning getaway (and Well Traveller favourite), Sierra Escape.

Their vision? To make wellness part of everyday life, not just something saved for a holiday. Opening its doors just a few weeks ago, the iconic North Shore landmark invites you to slow down and disconnect. Sink into the large communal mineral pool, plunge into an ice bath, or sweat it out in the infrared sauna and steam room. Afterwards, linger a little longer at the non-alcoholic bar, where you can sip on a wellness cocktail or kombucha and share a wholesome charcuterie board.

Based in Sydney’s West, Moroccan Hammam Spa brings the ancient tradition of Hammam to Parramatta. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be swept away by the beautifully styled interiors enhanced by the exotic scents of Morocco.

This women’s only traditional bathhouse is designed to pamper, with treatments using traditional ingredients such as mineral-rich clay, argan oil and the famed Moroccan Beldi soap to wash away every stressor. For the ultimate indulgence, opt for the Royale Hammam with Moroccan Massage which includes a full-body, face, and foot scrub for the complete Hammam experience.

While an extravagant spa day is a treat every now and then, how do you unwind on the daily? Most of us don’t have the time (or the budget) to swan off to a secluded bathhouse whenever we need. Until now.

In a bid to make relaxation more accessible and affordable, the new Soak Bathhouse in Alexandria is the kind of place you can just pop into whenever you need to switch off and reset. Starting at just $39, drift between the beautiful, greenery-lined communal mineral baths, hot spas, cold plunge pool, steam room and traditional cedar sauna. Afterward, stretch out on the sundeck and marvel at the fact that hitting the bathhouse in Sydney can be so easy.

Nimbus Co has one mission. To do hot and cold therapy and do it well. With multiple locations across the country, they have solidified themselves as the gurus of temperature contrast therapy in Australia.

Alternating between hot and cold has been proven to reduce inflammation, increase blood flow and detoxify the body, and with Nimbus Co’s beautiful and tranquil sanctuaries, it’s never been more enjoyable. For long-lasting effects, sign up for their membership program and reap the rewards of multiple sessions per week. So, if you’re after an infrared sauna in Sydney, you now know where to go.

It’s hard to believe, but tucked beneath the buzz of Bondi lies a place of silence and solitude. Slow House is a sleek, ambient and modern bathing sanctuary attracting those in need of a break from the chaos above.

Here, R&R takes many forms from a soak in the magnesium thermal bath, a detox in the Finnish salt sauna or letting yourself succumb to the curated soundscapes and guided meditations that sound track the infrared sauna. After your 90 minutes of bliss, we like to add a personalised facial or massage to really dial up the wellness but hey, that’s just us.

If you’re looking for a fun day out with the girls, we’ve found the perfect place - The Bathhouse in Douglas Park. It’s pink, it’s pretty, it’s Palm Springs inspired(!!) and it’s for those who want to kick back, have a laugh and not take their spa day too seriously.

This communal bathhouse features a sauna, steam room, magnesium plunge pool and three hydrotherapy spas. We love the Holiday Reset Package with a 2 hour soak session, 60 minute float, LED treatment and a massage or facial. You’ll feel like you’ve been on vacay without having to leave the city! They also have a delicious range of cocktails and snacks to enjoy while you soak and gossip with the gals. Perfection if you ask us.

Wellness Afloat offers Sydney Harbour’s first luxury floating sauna and cold plunge experience aboard The ARK, a floating eco-sanctuary crafted from more than half a million recycled plastic milk bottles.

Your private two-hour escape begins with a serene eco-cruise transfer from Campbells Cove to The ARK, offering uninterrupted views of Sydney icons like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. With no crowds and no noise, the journey sets a calming tone for what’s ahead.

Anchored in a secluded cove, The ARK becomes your personal floating sauna retreat. Here, the “heat, plunge, repeat” ritual unfolds - warm the body in the timber-clad sauna, refresh with an invigorating dip straight from the deck, and drift between hot and cold as intuition leads. Between rounds, relax on the sun deck, sip herbal infusions, and savour the surrounds of the harbour. We love that every visit is carbon-negative, with a mangrove planted in your name through a partnership with Ecobel.