After years of frequenting saunas and discovering the benefits of contrast therapy, Bathhouse co-founders Travis Talmadge and Jason Goodman saw an opportunity to rethink the traditional experience for a modern audience.
Rather than replicate the small-scale sauna studios already popular around the U.S., they envisioned a place where the "rituals of heat and cold could become as much of a social experience as a personal one." That vision is at the center of their latest Bathhouse location, which just opened in the former Tiffany & Co. space in the Bellevue Hotel.
“There's really nothing at the scale we're doing—and I think scale is a big part of the experience,” explains Talmadge. “You have multiple saunas and tools to explore. You get the environment of being in a fun social place, kind of like going to a great restaurant where it feels good to be in a lively room. But I would say our trademark is our design standards and the quality of our systems.”
Bathhouse first launched in New York City and came to the City of Brotherly Love for its first iteration outside of the Big Apple. The brand’s opening came with reports that Bathhouse locations use Bitcoin mining to help power their facilities. Talmadge did not comment directly on that notion for this current location, but a spokesperson from Bathhouse noted, “It was a fun experiment that worked well, but it’s not a focus for the company.”
As for why Philly, the city's spirit sealed the deal as much as the space did for the co-founders.
“This isn't just a New York thing. This is a deeply human experience that has a tangible benefit. I don't think that's necessarily limited by geography. Also, Philly is really just a wonderful city—it's as authentic as a city can be,” Talmadge explains.
“I was there on opening day here in Philly and I'm a [sauna] master as well. To sauna…it’s kind of difficult inherently. 180 to 200 degrees and you're voluntarily choosing to sit in it for 15 minutes to get all this benefit. So a lot of times you get people that are in there for 15 minutes and they bail out. I think Philly just being Philly, which is probably in its DNA—very much like New York, a city of hardworking people that don't mind stepping up and embracing challenges—I was blown away. People were there to really sauna and get into the spirit. That was really cool.”
As aforementioned, Bathhouse’s newest location sits inside the Bellevue, a landmark property whose storied past lends to part of the experience. The communal baths act as central to the layout, with the saunas, steam room and cold plunge sprinkled around the perimeter.
Creating that social atmosphere comes down to the details. Lighting, in particular, plays a central role in shaping the experience, from the illuminated mesh structures above the pools to the shifting colors and carefully placed illuminations inside the saunas.
“The space kind of feels like it's been there for a hundred years, [it's] magical. We actually use a design ethos and guide: Joseph Campbell's 'The Hero's Journey.' It's this literary template with all these great stories and adventures where you have a hero that goes on this journey of transformation. So we actually use that as a design guide for our interiors,” explains Talmadge.
“A lot of the lighting is meant to embrace that, because really what you're doing is you're having a transformative experience. So anything we can do to kind of enhance that experience, we do.”
Bathhouse day passes start at $29, while massage treatments range from $149 for full-body and prenatal massages to $378 for couples pro massages. There's also a cafe on-site for small bites and fresh sips. Anyone can additionally score discounted parking by getting their parking validated at Bathhouse for the Bellevue’s garage.
“Our massages are very different. It's real bodywork that's meant to fix what's broken and it's meant for improvement," notes Talmadge. "Our therapists are incredible. We target the top tier of town in the market, and then we put them through rigorous training. They're real experts in understanding the body and how to add value on the table.”
Bathhouse Philadelphia also has a few future plans set in motion for this location, with outdoor features like a pool and sauna on the horizon.
“Anyone should sauna frequently because it gets better for you the more you do it," finishes Talmadge. "So I would say grab a day pass and come check it out... just see how you feel when you leave."
To learn more about Bathhouse Philadelphia (1418 Walnut St.), visit bathhouse.com.
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