We traded Fashion Week chaos for calm at AIRE Ancient Baths

Fashion month had just wrapped its final runway show when the BRICKS editorial team headed to AIRE Ancient Baths for a well-deserved post-Fashion Week decompress, and a very necessary technology detox. Ironically, we didn’t need to travel far from the British Fashion Council show space at 180 The Strand; tucked away behind the bustling high street, the majestic Georgian building has a long-standing connection to escapism, once belonging to Peter Pan author JM Barrie, with a first-edition copy displayed at the check-in desk.

It was clear this would be the luxurious respite our exhausted bodies were all craving as we were led underground to the baths. The interiors are designed to evoke a traditional Greco-Roman bathhouse, complete with arched chambers of exposed brick, giant amphoras, and soft candlelight that transport you into an ancient space of relaxation, while also echoing the sets and atmosphere of fashion shows we’d recently attended. Or, perhaps that’s just my brain still being stuck on the latest Di Petsa show and its Grecian goddesses floating down the runway in wet looks and draped translucent fabrics.

But at AIRE, my brain was firmly switched off (no more talk of runway garments or industry gossip) as we were shown through the changing rooms and baths. No talk at all, actually, as we came to learn about the rule of silence throughout the space. This would usually prove to be a challenge for a yapper like me, but I gladly welcomed it on this occasion, given the levels of social burnout I’d officially reached this September. There’s an almost surreal calm to the place, with the stillness of a sacred space. The staff were softly spoken, reassuring and attentive, calmly talking us through everything from setting the code on our personal lockers to pulling on the compulsory water shoes.

Perhaps the biggest luxury, though, was being completely unreachable. With our phones safely tucked away, there was no checking emails between baths, documenting every detail for Instagram or keeping one eye on whatever was happening outside. Time became strangely difficult to measure underground, with only the warmth of the water, the candlelight, the scent of orange blossom and the occasional gong marking its passing. After a week of constantly consuming, creating and communicating, having nothing to scroll, post or respond to felt like a genuine reset.

With our phones safely tucked away, there was no checking emails between baths, documenting every detail for Instagram or keeping one eye on whatever was happening outside.

We started easy with a soak in the Tepidarium, or warm bath, a gentle embrace of comfort that invited our tense necks and exhausted ankles to unwind. Then we stepped into the thick steam clouds of the Vaporium, where everything immediately became softer and quieter. The warm steam surrounded us, and with so little to see or hear, I found it much easier to switch off. We sat there for a while, breathing deeply as the steam filled our lungs and enjoying a rare moment of having absolutely nothing to do. The steam room also included its own Frigidarium, or cold plunge, that delivered a jelly-like sensation as we dipped into the 14 degree pool while still engulfed in heat.

The Balneum brings a little more movement back into the experience, with the power of 1000 jets directed across the body. I found myself instinctively positioning my shoulders and back over the streams, allowing angry knots to ease as the motion pressed up against my skin. Next up was the Caldarium, where the heat really turned up. It takes a moment to get used to the temperature of the water, but once I settled in, the warmth started to feel wonderfully soothing. Within minutes, we were melting into the water, with shoulders dropping and any remaining tension slowly disappearing.

After a glass of champagne, we surrendered to the saltwater of the Flotarium, which holds up the body effortlessly; there’s no need to swim, sit upright or even think while floating. At the water’s edge, a mound of salt is provided as a natural, DIY body scrub, leaving my skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth and adding an unexpected spa-like treatment to an already relaxing experience. By the time I settled back into the water, I felt completely weightless.

Getting out suddenly felt like a very unnecessary chore, but the gong warned us our ninety-minute Ultimate Baths experience had come to an end. Reluctantly, we dragged ourselves back to the changing rooms where we cuddled up in soft towels, making use of the extensive range of hair tools and beauty products, including for curly and Black hair types.

As we re-emerged, skin glowing from underground, the BRICKS team had officially regenerated. And thanks to its range of locations across London, Europe, America and beyond, this oasis of luxury relaxation is available for all to enjoy when rest and reset is essential.

Discover the relaxation of AIRE Ancient Baths at a location near you.

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