Bathhouse is making waves.
What’s happening: The NYC-based thermal wellness company announced nationwide expansion, with eight social bathhouses opening in the next two years.
On the horizon. Mixing hospitality with sauna, soaking pools, and bodywork, Bathhouse will debut several large-format outposts this year in Philadelphia, Chicago, Downtown Brooklyn, and Berkeley Heights, NJ.
With additional projects underway in Minneapolis, LA, Nashville, and Stamford, CT, Bathhouse will apply a performance-minded ethos over relaxation, adding unique modalities for “maximum benefit,” like aprés ski-esque outdoor areas and “event saunas,” per co-founder Travis Talmadge.
Power players. Still heating up, modern bathhouses are meeting wellness-seekers’ desire for social self-care. While well-known outposts like Bathhouse and Othership (targeting its fifth location in 2027) are expanding rapidly, new players are also hitting the scene, including New York-based Lore and The Altar (opening later this year).
Of note, as NYC’s Flatiron District becomes communal bathing’s new epicenter, brands like Sauna House, FlowHaus, and others are scaling to other metros, underscoring growing demand.
Hospitality hype. Hotels, resorts, and health clubs are also investing in thermal therapies, with boutique operators like Hudson Valley’s Pocketbook and Connecticut’s Belden House integrating bathhouses. Meanwhile, Life Time’s upcoming Brooklyn club will feature “co-ed wet suites” with sauna and steam, and TMPL introduced TMPL Baths at one of its NYC gyms.
Looking ahead: The bathhouse craze isn’t slowing down. As hot and cold therapy continues to reign, bathhouses will expand their footprint beyond NYC, seeking fresh takes on modalities, layout, and locations.
