A long walk, an afternoon working on the garden or a day spent keeping up with the grandchildren can leave you longing for a deep, warm bath. Add somewhere peaceful to sit and a friend to share the experience, and it’s easy to understand the appeal of a bathhouse.

Across Europe, people have been making time for this ritual for centuries. The Romans built communal baths where washing and socialising went together. In Budapest, thermal pools remain gathering places, while in Finland, the sauna is a part of everyday life.

There, a spell in the heat might be followed by a bracing dip in a lake, even in winter. Finnish sauna culture is so cherished that UNESCO recognised it as intangible cultural heritage in 2020.

Australia’s contemporary bathhouses draw on these traditions, bringing warm pools, saunas and cold plunges together under one roof. For those of us thinking about how to feel well as we grow older, their appeal is easy to see. There’s the prospect of easing tired muscles, but also something less tangible: putting your own needs first for a couple of hours.

Making time for yourself

Between work, family commitments and caring for others, finding that time can take practice. Even retirement doesn’t necessarily deliver the empty diary you once imagined.

For Freya Berwick, owner and director of Sense of Self in Sydney, a bathhouse offers somewhere to pause without needing to achieve anything.

The bathhouse occupies the former Sydney Antiques Centre in Surry Hills, and it took four years of design and construction, working with architecture practice RITZ&GHOUGASSIAN to shape a space intended to become a lasting part of the suburb.

Mineral pools, saunas and cold plunges sit within the old warehouse, and there’s plenty of room to simply soak, or even just rest in a quiet corner.

“We hope this becomes a place people make their own and return to whenever they need it,” Freya says.

Her interest in wellbeing began with food, movement and time in nature. She initially studied nursing before moving into biology, majoring in botany. Science gave her an appreciation of how living systems find balance. Freya then spent time in Norway,  which led to her thinking more deeply about social health, through the way people lived together and connected with their surroundings.

Water, and swimming has been a constant throughout her life. “Being in water has always given me a sense of freedom, contentment, and perspective,” she says.

Looking after the body you have

Refined Recovery and Wellness in Coffs Harbour was created by Marty Kelleher and his brother Cameron, after they set out to make recovery part of ordinary life. An internship with the Newcastle Jets had introduced Marty to recovery practices in professional sport, and he wondered why access to those experiences should be associated so strongly with elite athletes.

“You don’t need to be a professional athlete to invest in your health and recovery,” he says.

He says that whether your week includes swimming, bushwalking or getting back into exercise after a break, making time to recover can be part of finding a manageable routine.

Living in Europe also influenced Marty’s approach. He saw people using saunas and bathing facilities regularly, enjoying the company as much as the opportunity to unwind. “I liked the idea that people could take time out, look after themselves and socialise at the same time,” he says.

Refined combines a traditional sauna with hot and cold magnesium pools. Yoga and physiotherapy have joined its services as the original recovery concept has developed.

For Marty, the satisfaction comes when someone finds a routine that helps them manage everyday stresses, or discovers a place where they feel connected to others. “We want people to see recovery as something proactive, rather than something they only think about when something goes wrong,” he says.

Warmth without the pressure

If the thought of an ice bath has you reaching for another cardigan, a gentler visit may hold more appeal. Enjoying a bathhouse needn’t involve making the cold plunge your goal.

Warm water and buoyancy can help relax muscles and reduce pressure on joints. For someone feeling stiff after exercise or gardening, that can be a welcome sensation.

Cold immersion offers a different experience. Blood vessels near the skin narrow in response to cold, while heat encourages them to widen. Marty also values the attention cold demands and the opportunity to relax afterwards.

However, the evidence behind some widely promoted benefits is still developing. A 2025 systematic review found potential benefits for aspects of wellbeing, while highlighting the limited studies available and a lack of diversity among participants.

Freya is careful about the claims made for bathing. “We’re careful not to overclaim: research links regular sauna use with some health benefits, but evidence for ice bathing and alternating hot and cold is still developing.”

She also points out that, although magnesium supports normal muscle function, the benefits of absorbing it through pool water are not well established.

For older bathers, particularly anyone managing a heart condition or blood pressure problems, medical advice matters before trying extreme temperatures. Heat and sudden cold place demands on the body.

Before booking, ask about pool access and handrails, as well as places to sit between bathing sessions. Knowing what’s involved can help you choose an experience that suits your comfort and mobility.

A different way to catch up

There’s also something appealing about planning time with a friend around an experience that encourages you both to slow down.

For couples, a bathhouse visit might offer a change from the usual lunch out. For friends navigating retirement or caring responsibilities, it could become a regular reason to make time for each other.

At Sense of Self, treatments extend that restful approach. Relaxation massage uses Swedish-style techniques, mindfulness and aromatherapy, while deep tissue massage balances supportive pressure with comfort.

Freya describes treatments as an extension of listening to the body. Feeling deeply rested is the aim.

Marty, meanwhile, stresses that recovery starts with everyday foundations: sleep, nutrition, hydration and regular movement. Strength and mobility work can play a role according to individual needs, with physiotherapy or massage offering support where appropriate.

“The key is finding a routine that supports your goals and that you can maintain consistently,” he says.

That leaves plenty of room to decide what works for you. Perhaps it’s an occasional treatment, a shared soak with your partner or a quiet visit after a busy week.

After years of organising life around other people, making an appointment for your own wellbeing can feel unfamiliar, but there’s a lot to be said for going somewhere peaceful to simply to settle into warm water and soak.