Why this one made the list
Co-working + sauna hybrid; evening decompress sessions for members and walk-ins; the same freelancers cycle through 3-4x a week.
Practical
- Address
- Unit 46, Minus Level, 1 Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AR
- Postcode
- E14 5AR
- Cost
- £49 for 3-class intro pack
- First visit
- Bring swimwear and flip-flops; towels are provided. Book your first class online — the 3-class intro pack is the cheapest way in.
- Website
- https://arcclub.co
What you'd want to know
Communal contrast-therapy club on the Minus Level concourse of Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf — a deep-level retail volume under the glulam timber roof of the station's upper level. Below grade, a single dimly lit lounge in dark concrete and steel, anchored by a monolithic altar of stacked stone and a circular tiered seating ring built around a cedar centrepiece sculpted by Simon Gaiger. The 65-person sauna opens off one side — a vast cedar-lined chamber with tiered bleacher seating, soft amber glow from low-level lighting, and a 300W sound system mounted overhead. A separate ice-bath room sits in near-darkness with deep individual plunge tubs lit only by recessed cold light. Concrete floors throughout; nightclub atmospherics over a bathhouse plan.
Overheard
- it's class-based, not drop-in. book a guided round — a coach paces the sauna and ice for you so you stop second-guessing how long to stay in.
- you need swimwear. towels are provided but bring a robe if you don't want to walk between the sauna and the ice room in just your kit.
- the sound system in the 65-person sauna is loud and the lighting is low — it's closer to a club than a spa. don't come for a peaceful afternoon.
- start with one of the intro sessions before committing to the multi-class packs. three rounds is enough first time.
- weeknight after-work sessions pull the regulars; same faces three or four times a week. you'll notice.