It’s official, a one-of-a-kind outdoor spa experience, THAW, The Winter Spa Garden, has opened its doors in Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow city centre. The Scandinavian-inspired experience offers an outdoor spa experience in the five-star hotel’s secluded courtyard, and we cannot wait to try it.
The outdoor spa has opened at the beginning of November, offering guests a unique experience in the heart of Glasgow. The pop-up wellness spot invites guests to soak in an open-air hot tub and a Scandinavian sauna and steam room.
The outdoor sauna should take guests back to a time in Oslo city centre, where the steam of freshly heated saunas by the water warmly greets them in the winter breeze. Both residents of the hotel and non-residents are able to indulge in this health-boosting activity, with non-residents having to book in advance.
Alongside the rejuvenating amenities, hotel guests will receive a 55-minute treatment menu, and those wanting to book can opt for a treatment only or Unwind & Dine package during weekends with dinner included.
What are the benefits of saunas?
What is more, the true appeal of Scandinavian saunas is not only a thrilling hot & cold therapy that indulges the senses. According to experts, saunas provide both mental and physical health benefits, such as boosting heart health, relieving depression, stress, anxiety and loneliness, as well as clearing and moisturising the skin.
Hannah Jackson from UK Saunas shared: “Saunas have many physical and mental health benefits. But beyond this, sauna traditions have long been linked to social interactions and building community; something which has been in place since their invention in caves in Scandinavia. The fact that Glaswegians and visitors to the city will be able to have access to these benefits during the winter period – when less daylight hours and colder temperatures have been linked to increased physical ailments; heightened mental health issues; and loneliness and isolation – is brilliant.”
Guests are also encouraged to drink plenty of water and to avoid alcohol while ramping up the heat and steam, as well as timing their sauna sessions to up to 20 minutes per session.