13 Weeks of Adventure: Week 6 - World Spa

Brooklyn’s newest bathhouse and wellness club.

Welcome to Love + Travel, a chronicle of adventure for people who aren’t afraid to explore new landscapes within themselves and the world.

As an ode to the summer season, the 13 Weeks of Adventure series highlights experiences that embrace possibility.

Explore Week 5 - Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, and the rest of my work, here.

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Two announcements:

1. A heartfelt thank you to ✨Arielle R.✨, my latest paid subscriber! Your support is a huge encouragement to me. I’m grateful our paths crossed years ago and again earlier this month.

2. Summer’s midpoint arrives next week (wild, right?), and as an intermission for the series, I will share a piece I am so excited for you to read.

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Now, ya’ll know I love a sauna.

Well, it should come as no surprise that I’m a huge fan of all bodywork, including aromatherapy, salt floats, and especially massages. Over the years, I’ve learned that working on the body is completely different from working in the body, but both can serve to release tension. Most importantly, moving stagnant energy reduces the risk of it being misdirected. It’s a discipline that allows the fostering of healthy relationships, most notably the one I have with myself.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Nothing says, “I ain’t doing a damn thing,” like a robe.

Needless to say, I was eager to discover all World Spa had to offer.

Billed as Brooklyn’s newest bathhouse and wellness club, this retreat offers 50,000 sq. ft. of relaxation. From its Midwood location, the building both stands out and fits in amongst neighboring repair and manufacturing businesses. This is a credit to the site’s designers, as style meets you at the front door and throughout. Since opening in December 2022, they’ve offered a sampling of holistic care from around the globe, including banyans, saunas, hammams, and steam rooms. There’s a handful of pools, a cold plunge for the daring, and halotherapy complete with padded loungers. Oh, and there’s an ice room, too!

You’d be hard-pressed to visit and not walk away with a favorite, especially since it’s rather easy to spend the majority of your day on site. With the availability of day passes, cabana rentals, and a visit to the World Spa Lounge to refuel, all of your creature comforts can be met in an instant. For larger groups – like a baby shower or bachelorette party, guests can not only reserve private treatment rooms for their gang but have a choice between private event lodges or the buy-out of the entire upper floor.

They’ve mostly made great use of the space, even having an upscale kosher restaurant, Ren, on the premises. However, the cabana section, with its central location, seemed like the opposite of privacy to me. The positioning came off more as an afterthought.   

No complaints on the size of the room.

As this was my first visit, I didn’t want to spring for a VIP pass or an extended stay before knowing what I was getting myself into. Thankfully, once confirmed for a massage, guests receive at least an hour afterward to enjoy the facilities. There was much see.  

As always, it’s the staff, that made the difference.

From wiping down door handles, keeping water from pooling on the ground, or handing out scrunchies to those in need (it's me, I was in need), it’s evident there is a standard of care for the facility and guest experience.  Even when entering the locker room, there was someone helping patrons find their way amongst the rows of cabinets. No one gets a bigger thanks for their service in my book than the masseuse Olga. In addition to coming out thoroughly relaxed, this was my first time experiencing a heated massage table and bolsters. It’s really the little things that make all the difference.

Next, it was on to the amenities. Bouncing between the varying climates was a real treat.  My favorite was the Moroccan hammam. With its stunning archways, ornate tiles, and soothing eucalyptus scent, it cleared both my mind and sinuses.  The clay and hay sauna runs a close second, especially after watching one basket of hot stones get switched out for another.

A precursor to the wood and stone features inside.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit, but here’s why World Spa won’t be my go-to for R&R in NYC: there are no windows.

The massage area and changing rooms reside on the lower floor and on the second level where most time is spent; there’s no view outside. Now, from their website, it appears the Birch & Oak Club, their third-floor lounge and dining area, has access to a smoking balcony for those with a membership or a VIP pass.

I will not be upsold for sunlight.

Especially when a similar luxury spa lies across the Hudson River and offers an abundance of outdoor spaces at no additional charge. I recognize this as a reality of doing business in New York City—real estate is at a premium.

However, this is a deal breaker for me.

While I applaud them for using the space to maximize offerings, even creating a room where it snows(!) indoors, I adore spaces that blur the line between inside and out with lots of opportunities to linger and take in nature. Sunlight is a crucial part of healing in any culture, and lacking it leaves too much to be desired, for me.  If I were to return, I would follow the same routine: enjoying a massage and then taking advantage of the facilities during the complimentary hour afterward.

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LET ME KNOW

How important is wellness to you, and what steps do you take to prioritize it in your daily life?

Do you prefer traditional saunas, infrared saunas, or steam rooms, and why?

Have you ever done a cold plunge? What did you think of it?

What do you look for in a perfect spa day?