24 Best Saunas in London for 2026: Rooftops, Cold Plunges, Banyas & More

Looking for the best saunas in London? The capital now has everything from affordable community sauna gardens and traditional Finnish löyly to rooftop cabins, wood-fired saunas, cold plunges and full banya experiences.

This 2026 SaunaSwim guide compares 24 London saunas across East, North, Central, South and South-West London. Rather than pretending there is one objectively “best” sauna, we have highlighted what each venue does particularly well, how much sessions start from, whether a cold plunge is available, and the kind of experience you can expect.

If you already know roughly where you want to go, you can also search saunas in London on SaunaSwim.

Quick note on prices: prices and session formats below were checked against SaunaSwim listings on 26 August 2026. Venues can change prices, schedules and facilities, so check the linked listing before travelling.

The best saunas in London at a glance

How we chose these London saunas

This is a curated guide rather than a strict 1–24 ranking. Every venue below has a live SaunaSwim listing, and we have focused on the information that is most useful when choosing where to book: sauna style, cold-water facilities, location, session format, price and what makes the venue different.

That matters because a £9.50 community sauna, a private rooftop cabin and a traditional banya are not trying to deliver the same experience. The aim is to help you find the best London sauna for you, rather than force very different venues into an arbitrary league table.

Best saunas in East London

East London has the densest concentration of sauna venues in the capital, with community sauna sites, traditional bathhouses, rooftop cabins and specialist contrast-therapy spaces all within a relatively small area.

1. Community Sauna Baths – Walthamstow

Best for: a large, affordable community sauna experience
Area: Walthamstow · Price from: £9.50 · Cold plunge: Yes

Community Sauna Baths' Walthamstow site turns a former industrial plot on Sutherland Road into something much more welcoming: a sauna garden built around shared heat, cold water and community.

The site has three electric saunas, a larger octagonal Aufguss sauna and four cold plunges, giving you plenty of choice during a hot-and-cold session. A garden and firepit make it feel more like somewhere to spend time than a quick stop at a gym sauna, while accessible changing facilities, toilets and hot showers make the practical side straightforward too.

If your idea of a good sauna is social, outdoor and reasonably priced, this is one of the strongest places to start.

View Community Sauna Baths Walthamstow on SaunaSwim →

2. arvo

Best for: a smaller, design-led sauna and cold plunge session
Area: Walthamstow · Price from: £15 · Cold plunge: Yes

A short distance from Community Sauna Baths Walthamstow, arvo offers a noticeably more compact take on the modern London sauna.

The indoor venue is built around two saunas and three cold plunges, with 60-minute sessions designed to give you enough time to settle into repeated heat-and-cold rounds without turning the visit into an entire afternoon. Private sessions and women-only sessions add useful flexibility.

It is a good fit if you want sauna and cold plunge in Walthamstow but prefer a smaller indoor setting over a larger communal sauna garden.

View arvo on SaunaSwim →

3. Revitalise Urban Spa

Best for: guided sauna, infrared heat and cold therapy
Area: Hackney · Price from: £20 · Cold plunge: Yes

Revitalise Urban Spa in Hackney sits somewhere between a traditional sauna and a dedicated modern recovery studio.

Alongside a traditional indoor sauna, the venue offers infrared sauna sessions and cold-plunge options, including guided formats for people who want more structure to their contrast-therapy routine. That makes it particularly useful if you are interested in experimenting with different kinds of heat rather than booking the same sauna session every time.

For anyone searching specifically for a sauna and cold plunge in Hackney, Revitalise is one of the more versatile options in the area.

View Revitalise Urban Spa on SaunaSwim →

4. Community Sauna Baths – Hackney Wick

Best for: one of London's biggest community sauna setups
Area: Hackney Wick · Price from: £9.50 · Cold plunge: Yes

Hackney Wick is the flagship Community Sauna Baths location and one of the clearest examples of how far London's community sauna movement has grown.

The venue has six wood-fired saunas plus an electric sauna, with cold plunges spanning roughly 3–15°C. That combination gives regular sauna-goers plenty of room to vary the intensity of a session rather than repeating the same heat-and-cold cycle.

The atmosphere is deliberately communal and informal. If you want polished spa treatment rooms, this is probably not the point; if you want wood-fired heat, cold water and a sociable crowd, it absolutely is.

View Community Sauna Baths Hackney Wick on SaunaSwim →

5. Community Sauna Baths – Stratford

Best for: an outdoor sauna garden in Stratford
Area: Stratford · Price from: £9.50 · Cold plunge: Yes

The Stratford branch of Community Sauna Baths is tucked into the Lighthouse and Gardens in East Village, which gives it a greener setting than you might expect from the surrounding skyline.

There are three saunas and three cold plunges, with plunge temperatures ranging from around 3–15°C. The site also includes a wheelchair-accessible sauna and dedicated accessible changing, toilet and shower facilities.

Visit after dark and the contrast between the garden setting and Stratford's illuminated towers gives this location a character of its own.

View Community Sauna Baths Stratford on SaunaSwim →

6. New Docklands Steam Baths

Best for: a traditional, no-frills London bathhouse
Area: Canning Town · Price from: £27 · Cold plunge: Yes

New Docklands Steam Baths feels very different from the newer generation of minimalist wellness studios.

This long-standing East London bathhouse combines a classic sauna, Hammam-style steam rooms and an indoor cold plunge. The emphasis is on heat, steam, bathing and community rather than a heavily styled spa experience, and refreshments are available on site.

Entry runs on a tiered system: £30 walk-in, £27 standard rate, £25 for over-65s and a generous £21 for over-75s — a nice touch that keeps one of London's oldest bathhouses genuinely accessible to its longtime older visitors, not just a token discount.

For people looking for an old-school London sauna and steam bath, New Docklands is one of the most distinctive entries on this list.

View New Docklands Steam Baths on SaunaSwim →

7. SweHeat Sauna

Best for: wood-fired heat beside Royal Victoria Dock
Area: Royal Victoria Dock · Price from: £15 · Cold plunge: Yes

SweHeat makes excellent use of its Royal Victoria Dock setting, combining an outdoor sauna experience with wood-fired heat, cold plunges and space to relax by the water.

What separates it from a simple sauna-and-plunge setup is the programme around the core sessions. SweHeat hosts sauna experiences influenced by traditions such as Aufguss and Lithuanian pirtis, alongside cultural and collaborative events.

If you want a waterside sauna in London where the ritual and social side matters as much as simply getting hot, SweHeat is well worth a look.

View SweHeat Sauna on SaunaSwim →

8. ARC

Best for: a polished urban sauna and ice-bath session
Area: Canary Wharf · Price from: £15 · Cold plunge: Yes

ARC sits beneath Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf and brings sauna, cold water and guided wellness into a purpose-built indoor space.

Its setup includes cold plunges and ice-bath facilities alongside sauna sessions, with hosted experiences and a strong communal element. The Canary Wharf location is also unusually convenient if you want to fit a session around work rather than travelling across London for an outdoor sauna.

This is one of the better options for anyone who wants sauna and cold plunge in Canary Wharf with a contemporary, structured feel.

View ARC on SaunaSwim →

9. The Finnish Sauna at Mile End Climbing Wall

Best for: low-cost Finnish-style sauna in East London
Area: Mile End · Price from: £7 · Cold plunge: Yes

One of London's more unexpected sauna locations is hidden inside the Mile End Climbing Wall complex.

There are two traditional Finnish saunas set at slightly different temperatures, so you can choose the intensity that suits you. Water can be added to the heated stones to create löyly, and a cold plunge gives you an easy way to add contrast between rounds.

With off-peak sauna sessions starting from £7 at the time of writing, it is also among the most affordable saunas in London.

View the Finnish Sauna at Mile End Climbing Wall on SaunaSwim →

10. Rooftop Saunas – Hackney

Best for: private rooftop sauna sessions in East London
Area: Hackney · Price from: £11 · Cold plunge: Yes

Rooftop Saunas' Hackney site sits at Netil Corner between Broadway Market and Victoria Park, putting the East London skyline directly into the sauna experience.

Private cabins make this a different proposition from London's busy communal saunas. You can book a shorter 30-minute session or stay longer, then use the outdoor cold plunges between rounds.

For couples, friends or anyone who prefers a more private sauna, this is one of London's most memorable options — especially when the view becomes part of the session.

View Rooftop Saunas Hackney on SaunaSwim →

11. Sauna & Plunge

Best for: sauna and cold plunge close to Shoreditch and Old Street
Area: Shoreditch · Price from: £30 · Cold plunge: Yes

Sauna & Plunge on Tabernacle Street brings a dedicated contrast-therapy venue right into the Shoreditch and Old Street area.

The concept is intentionally simple: sauna heat, cold-water immersion and a modern social setting that can fit into a normal working day. The timetable includes standard sessions and dedicated women-only options.

If proximity matters and you are searching for a sauna and cold plunge in central East London, the location is a major part of the appeal.

View Sauna & Plunge on SaunaSwim →

12. Banya No.1 Hoxton

Best for: a traditional banya rather than a conventional Finnish sauna
Area: Hoxton · Price from: £50 · Cold plunge: Yes

Banya No.1 Hoxton is for anyone who wants to explore a different bathing tradition from the standard dry Finnish-style sauna.

The Hoxton venue combines a hot banya environment with cold-water facilities, private-session options and a social lounge-style experience. Longer access sessions make this somewhere you can settle into repeated rounds rather than rushing through a quick 30-minute visit.

For people specifically searching for a banya in London, it remains one of the capital's best-known dedicated options.

View Banya No.1 Hoxton on SaunaSwim →

Best saunas in North and Central London

North and Central London have fewer dedicated sauna venues than the east of the city, but the range is broad: guided contrast therapy, a sauna boat, an outdoor sauna village and a premium Belgravia banya all appear within this part of the guide.

13. Reset

Best for: breathwork and guided contrast therapy
Area: Islington · Price from: £24 · Cold plunge: Yes

Reset on Upper Street puts sauna, ice baths and cold plunges into a modern recovery-focused setting.

The venue's emphasis on breathwork and hosted experiences makes it a good fit for people who want more guidance than a completely self-directed sauna session. It also fills a useful geographic gap for anyone based around Islington who does not want to travel east every time they want contrast therapy.

View Reset on SaunaSwim →

14. SOAK

Best for: one of London's most unusual sauna experiences
Area: Regent's Canal · Price: check current listing · Wood-fired: Yes

SOAK takes the London sauna concept onto the water.

The off-grid, wood-fired sauna is built on a canalboat and moves along London's waterways, with locations changing over time. That means the setting is part of the experience rather than simply the address you travel to.

If you want something more memorable than another fixed indoor wellness studio, a floating sauna on a London canal is difficult to make feel ordinary.

View SOAK on SaunaSwim →

15. Lowlu North London Sauna Village

Best for: a wide choice of saunas and cold plunges
Area: Kentish Town · Price from: £10 · Cold plunge: Yes

Lowlu's Kentish Town venue earns the “sauna village” name with five Finnish-style saunas and six cold plunge pools.

That scale gives you more flexibility than a venue with a single sauna and one plunge. You can vary your rounds, choose how sociable you want the session to be and spend time outside between heat exposures.

For anyone looking for an outdoor sauna in North London, this is one of the most substantial dedicated setups available.

View Lowlu North London Sauna Village on SaunaSwim →

16. The Bath House

Best for: a premium banya experience in Central London
Area: Belgravia · Price from: £75 · Cold plunge: Yes

The Bath House in Belgravia sits at the luxury end of London's sauna and banya market.

The experience combines an oak-lined banya, icy plunge pool, lounge space, traditional treatments and food and drink, with packages designed for longer visits. Private banya hire is also available.

It costs considerably more than the community sauna venues on this list, but it is aiming at an entirely different kind of visit. If you want to make sauna the centrepiece of a special occasion or longer spa-style experience, The Bath House is one of the strongest Central London options.

View The Bath House on SaunaSwim →

Best saunas in South London

South London has developed a strong sauna cluster of its own, with community sites around Camberwell, traditional Finnish-style heat in Rotherhithe and Old Kent Road, creative social sessions in Peckham and two very different options in Brixton.

17. Urban Heat

Best for: choosing between social, quiet and guided sessions
Area: Camberwell · Price from: £16 · Cold plunge: Yes

Urban Heat in Camberwell combines an electric sauna and cold plunge with a timetable that recognises people want very different things from the same space.

Mixed-gender, same-gender, quiet and guided sessions give you more control over the atmosphere of your visit. That is useful if you like communal sauna sometimes but want a calmer session at other times.

For a dedicated sauna and cold plunge in Camberwell, Urban Heat is a straightforward option with a flexible format.

View Urban Heat on SaunaSwim →

18. Finnish Church

Best for: traditional Finnish sauna culture
Area: Rotherhithe · Price from: £12 · Finnish-style sauna: Yes

For people interested in Finnish sauna tradition rather than the latest wellness trend, the Finnish Church in Rotherhithe is an obvious place to look.

The sauna is part of the Finnish Church itself, with public and private sessions available and traditional löyly created by adding water to heated sauna stones.

There are flashier sauna venues in London, but that is not what makes this one interesting. Its appeal comes from being closely connected to the culture that made sauna an everyday ritual in the first place.

View the Finnish Church on SaunaSwim →

19. Old Kent Road Sauna

Best for: a large Finnish-style sauna with three cold plunges
Area: Old Kent Road · Price from: £11 · Cold plunge: Yes

Old Kent Road Sauna centres on a large Finnish-style sauna with room for around 20 people.

Outside the main hot room you will find hot and cold showers plus three cold plunges, giving the venue a proper contrast-therapy setup rather than a sauna-only experience. Filtered chilled sparkling water is available on tap, and private hire can turn the whole venue over to a group.

With social sessions starting at £11 at the time of writing, it offers a lot of sauna infrastructure without premium-spa pricing.

View Old Kent Road Sauna on SaunaSwim →

20. Sauna Social Club

Best for: sauna as a social and creative experience
Area: Peckham · Price from: £14.99 · Cold plunge: Yes

Sauna Social Club in Peckham deliberately pushes beyond the idea of sauna as a solitary recovery tool.

Its programme includes essential sauna sessions as well as longer social, ambient and wellbeing formats, with features such as Aufguss-style sessions and breathwork appearing in the mix.

If you are interested in the growing overlap between London sauna culture, community and events, this is one of the venues doing something more distinctive with the format.

View Sauna Social Club on SaunaSwim →

21. Community Sauna Baths – Camberwell

Best for: outdoor sauna sessions beside Ruskin Park
Area: Camberwell · Price from: £9.50 · Cold plunge: Yes

Community Sauna Baths Camberwell sits beside Ruskin Park and feels greener than its London postcode might suggest.

Bamboo and willow around the site help create separation from the surrounding city, while three saunas and two cold plunges provide the core hot-and-cold circuit. One sauna is accessible, and the site also has accessible changing, toilet and hot-shower facilities.

The venue is particularly appealing around sunset, when the outdoor setting becomes a big part of the reason to choose this branch over an indoor sauna.

View Community Sauna Baths Camberwell on SaunaSwim →

22. BlocFit Climbing Wall

Best for: one of the cheapest sauna sessions in London
Area: Brixton · Price from: £6 · Sauna type: Electric

BlocFit proves a sauna does not need to come with an elaborate wellness concept or premium price tag.

The Brixton climbing gym has an indoor electric sauna with mixed sessions listed from £6. It is a much simpler setup than the dedicated sauna villages and bathhouses elsewhere in this guide, but that simplicity is exactly why it earns a place.

If you want a cheap sauna in London, particularly around Brixton, BlocFit is difficult to ignore.

View BlocFit Climbing Wall on SaunaSwim →

23. Rooftop Saunas – Brixton

Best for: private sauna cabins with London views
Area: Brixton · Price from: £11 · Cold plunge: Yes

Rooftop Saunas Brixton takes the same private-cabin idea as the Hackney venue and lifts it 11 storeys above South London.

The cabins sit on top of International House, with outdoor cold plunge pools close by and a broad London skyline beyond the glass. Sessions are available in 30, 60 and 90-minute formats.

If you want a rooftop sauna in London for a date, a small group or simply a more private session, Brixton offers one of the best settings in the city.

View Rooftop Saunas Brixton on SaunaSwim →

Best sauna in South-West London

24. Lowlu Wandsworth

Best for: choosing between social and quieter sauna sessions
Area: Wandsworth · Price from: £9 · Cold plunge: Yes

Lowlu Wandsworth brings the brand's Finnish-inspired sauna-and-plunge format to South-West London inside The Padel Yard.

The venue is outdoor and combines Finnish-style sauna with cold plunge and ice-bath facilities. Private sessions are available too, which makes it useful for people who want more control over the atmosphere of their visit.

With off-peak sessions listed from £9, it is also one of the more affordable dedicated sauna options in this part of London.

View Lowlu Wandsworth on SaunaSwim →

Sauna and cold plunge in London: what should you look for?

If the cold-water side matters as much as the sauna, London now has plenty of dedicated sauna and cold plunge venues.

Start by looking at the number and temperature range of the plunges. Community Sauna Baths Hackney Wick offers multiple cold temperatures, Lowlu North London has six plunge pools, and Old Kent Road Sauna has three. A venue with several plunge options lets you vary the intensity rather than committing to the coldest water every time.

It is also worth thinking about session style. ARC, Reset and Revitalise Urban Spa offer more guided or structured experiences, while Community Sauna Baths and Sauna Social Club put more emphasis on the social side.

If you want privacy, Rooftop Saunas is a strong option; if you want traditional bathing culture, the Finnish Church, New Docklands Steam Baths and London's banyas offer something quite different from a modern recovery studio.

What is the best rooftop sauna in London?

London currently has two standout SaunaSwim-listed rooftop options from Rooftop Saunas: Hackney and Brixton.

Hackney works particularly well if you want East London views and easy access from London Fields, Broadway Market or Victoria Park. Brixton's 11th-floor setting gives you a wider skyline and is one of the most visually distinctive sauna locations in South London.

Both use private cabins and have cold-water facilities, making them good choices for couples and small groups.

Where can you find a traditional Finnish sauna in London?

For the clearest connection to Finnish sauna culture, start with the Finnish Church in Rotherhithe.

Other Finnish-style options include the Finnish Sauna at Mile End Climbing Wall, Old Kent Road Sauna, Lowlu North London Sauna Village and Lowlu Wandsworth.

If traditional löyly matters to you, check the venue rules before booking so you know whether water can be added to the sauna stones and how the session is run.

How much does a sauna in London cost?

The price of a London sauna session varies enormously depending on the kind of venue.

At the budget end, BlocFit currently lists mixed sauna sessions from £6, Mile End Climbing Wall starts from £7, and several Community Sauna Baths locations start from £9.50.

Dedicated contrast-therapy venues tend to cost more, while premium banya experiences can reach well beyond £50. The Bath House, for example, currently lists entry-level banya access from £75.

That means there is no single “normal” London sauna price. The most useful comparison is whether you are paying for a simple hot room, a sauna-and-plunge circuit, private access, guided rituals or a longer bathhouse experience.

London sauna FAQs

What is the best sauna in London?

There is no single best sauna for everyone. Community Sauna Baths is a strong choice for affordable social sauna sessions, Rooftop Saunas stands out for private cabins and views, Lowlu North London offers a large choice of saunas and plunges, and the Finnish Church is a good place to experience a more traditional Finnish sauna.

Which London saunas have cold plunges?

Most of the dedicated sauna venues in this guide have cold-water facilities. Community Sauna Baths, arvo, Revitalise Urban Spa, SweHeat, ARC, Rooftop Saunas, Sauna & Plunge, Banya No.1, Reset, Lowlu, Urban Heat, Old Kent Road Sauna and Sauna Social Club all list cold-plunge facilities on SaunaSwim.

Are there outdoor saunas in London?

Yes. Community Sauna Baths has several outdoor London locations, SweHeat sits beside Royal Victoria Dock, Lowlu North London is an outdoor sauna village, Lowlu Wandsworth is outdoors, and SOAK operates a wood-fired sauna on a canalboat.

What is the cheapest sauna in London?

Of the venues in this guide, BlocFit Climbing Wall currently has the lowest listed starting price at £6, followed by the Finnish Sauna at Mile End Climbing Wall from £7. Prices can change, so check the live listing before booking.

Are there private saunas in London?

Yes. Rooftop Saunas specialises in private cabins, while venues including Lowlu and several other London sauna operators offer private-session or private-hire options.

What should I bring to a sauna in London?

Requirements vary by venue, but swimwear, a water bottle, suitable footwear and a towel are sensible basics. Some venues ask you to bring an additional towel to sit on inside the sauna. Check the individual SaunaSwim listing and the venue's booking instructions before travelling.

Find more saunas in London

London's sauna scene now stretches far beyond hotel spas and gym changing rooms. You can spend an evening in a Walthamstow sauna garden, book a private cabin above Brixton, try traditional löyly in Rotherhithe or sit in a wood-fired sauna beside the docks.

The best venue depends on whether you care most about price, cold water, privacy, ritual, location or community.

Explore London saunas on SaunaSwim →