Southampton Spa

Pretty nice, relaxing spa. A good way to unwind and sweat out your troubles. Staff is very serious, but it’s a good place to spend an afternoon with friends!

Awesome time here! I had no expectations coming here except that my friends had come months ago and really enjoyed the place– I suggest you also come with no expectations unless you’ve already been to a Russian spa.
Multiple saunas, multiple heat levels, both dry and steam. Cold showers which I loved jumping under after a sauna– but also one of those showers that hits you from both sides.
Food and juice bar– all delicious. Pleasant service. People are talking in Russian and sometimes I didn’t fully understand what they were saying– but overall a fantastic experience. I went with a group of friends for a good bye party but it would be cute as a couple (I would get VIP for that).
And bring your own shampoo!
Enjoy :)

This place is really nice. The food is great. The old dude at the front desk is crotchety and insulting sometimes; don’t let him ruin your day. This place is also super sexist. If you can get past these two things then you will probably have a really fun time here.

Start away! This is an awfully dirty and unsanitary facility. You get 2 towels and a dirty robe. The water in the showers is cold only despite that this is good for after the sauna it’s not sanitary. I could not find one shower with a working soap dispenser and with hot water in the whole place. The Health Department should stop in here.

Love love love this place. If I’m ever having a rough week and I can get away for a few hours, this is where I go. They have wonderful borscht, great massages, steam showers, saunas, hot tubs, a pool and cold showers/​dunking pools. The service can seem a little abrupt at first if you expect super smiley american service, but the people who work here warm up when you’ve come a few times. I would definitely recommend Southampton Spa :)

My friend and I saw this Groupon a few months ago and decided it would be an interesting experience. That it was. We felt very out of place the entire time, however we tried to experience as much of it as we could and stayed for quite a while. That being said, even though we felt out of place, all the employees were very welcoming. When we walked in we were given a tour by an older gentleman who had us rolling with laughter. Tatyana, who seems to be a one woman show as far as the spa services go, was quiet but very nice. We felt very comfortable in that respect. I understand that the spa service aspect is not what they cater to, so that’s understandable. The food, even though I had recommendations from one of the employees, was inedible for me. I felt bad, but I just couldn’t get it down. I am very loyal to the spas that I have been to and go to, this felt more like a YMCA to me in a few respects. It wasn’t a clean facility, in my opinion so I struggled with trying to ignore that during the time we were there. I definitely would not return, just because it is really not my thing and it is over an hour away from my house. I would recommend it as an experience to try something new and broaden your horizons.

If you’re looking for an Americanized spa experience, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU. You have to be really open to try new things to come here. I’d also recommend coming with a few of your friends. If you’re on a tight schedule, I’d once again say that this is not the place for you. If you’re on the hunt for a different scene than what you’re used to, please read on & visit Southampton Spa.
I purchased a deal on Groupon; $ 100 for a spa day for 1. I also lucked out & on the day I purchased it, they had a 20% off coupon that I obviously took advantage of. The boyfriend is not a fan of such things & I couldn’t find a friend that was willing to go; they looked at the website and decided it wasn’t for them. What intrigued me, turned others off. Whatev, I digress. I still went ahead and bought it deciding that I’d go on a solo expedition.
The location isn’t exactly ideal. There was nothing sketchy about it or anything but it was 15 miles from my grandmas house but the drive felt like it took forever.
I got there two hours before my appointment time (suggested on Groupon and their website.) there was an older gentlemen who yelled for a woman (in Russian) who took care of me. I was given a key and a lock; she showed me to the ladies locker room. The locker was very spacious and the locker room was clean. I changed & put on a robe & clogs. The woman was waiting for me & showed me around the saunas and steam rooms. Unfortunately, no one explained the process so I was a little lost. Okay I lied — I was very lost. I went in the sauna a few times, then I went in the shower a few times. I ended up just sitting at a table & then I went in the jacuzzi. Thankfully, a young lady named Mel started talking to me. She with her sister & a friend to celebrate her birthday. Everyone ended up coming over and they explained the process to me. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. Repeat 3 times. I ended up hanging out with them for the next few hours. We did the circuit together and having a conversation to get you through the extreme heat was really refreshing. You stand under the water & pull the chain. Instead of a normal waterfall shower that you’re used to, your body is in shock because ice cold water is pouring down on you. You run into the hottest sauna first. You get a piece of wood to sit on & you stay in there as long as you can. After you cant stand anymore heat, you’re back standing under the ice cold water. Next, you go to another sauna that’s not as horrendous as the first. Once again, grab a piece of wood to sit on, stay as long as you can stand it & head out into the ice cold shower. Last is the sauna that’s really a steam room. Stay in, get out. Only this time instead of getting a cold shower for a few seconds, you’re going to get into the ice pool. Yes, you read correctly. ICE POOL. There’s literally a chilly thin layer of ice on top of the water. I went down the stairs backwards, let go, dunked my head under and hauled ass outta there. You go in the same sauna you were in last time; let me tell you, it’s the most welcomed warmth you’ve ever felt. I started feeling what I’ll describe as a pins and needles feeling. Sounds crazy but it felt amazing.
After that we decided to lounge around the jacuzzi /​pool area. We chatted and I really felt like we were new friends. We got in the jacuzzi first and then went into the pool. Once again, I experienced the pins and needles affect. Awesome. They left & I ordered something to eat while I waited for my massage. I got the borsch that was delicious. They weren’t skimpy with the portion either. I got a 30 minute massage; I wasn’t crazy about it. I definitely prefer a deep tissue «ah it hurts so good» massage instead it just felt like she was rubbing on lotion. She put more pressure into massaging my arms/​hands than my back. Eh, whatev. I digress. She then took me to another private room for a 20 minute oxygen steam sauna. It looks like a giant egg. The only part of your body that’s exposed is your head. It was kind of weird — but I liked it. You’re sitting in the egg while the light turns colors depending on how hot it is. Literally right next to the egg is the hydrotherapy tube. That was amazing, the next 40 minutes were pure bliss. You’re welcome to go back to the sauna circuits and/​or the jacuzzi and pool area.
As I stated earlier, this is not your regular American spa — it’s not supposed to be. I’d check out their website to decide if it’s something you’re interested in. I had a great time & if I had another Groupon or discounted rate (available at the front desk & on their website) I’d come again — with a friend or two.

I would have loved to bring my sister here. When I called to inquire about their spa packages this afternoon, the man who answered the phone was unable to answer my questions («how much will this cost» «what services do you offer») and literally yelled at me for several minutes. He then called me rude (?). I will not be spending my money here

The service is horrible. My massage appointment was scheduled for two and they couldn’t do it until an hour later and didn’t even bother to tell us. When we first came in at 11, they said they could do the massages then (I bought the groupon), but when I finished changing, they told me to follow my appointment which was at two. Not fancy at all. I don’t recommend at all. A waste of money.

I really like this place. A simple, no frills relaxing spa. The variety of spas/​hot rooms make this place unique and there’s no pretentiousness to be found. Bring a small bottle of stoli and you’ve got yourself an afternoon of leisure. The lamb is pretty good too.

This place is definitely an adventure! I felt I had to write this review because I got the groupon and I do not see that it has been reviewed here.
While I enjoyed the spa itself, I would not purchase the groupon again. It was $ 170 for two people. This included access to the baths, a 30 minute massage, 30 minutes in the hydrotherapy tub, and 30 minutes in the oxygen steam bath. I could have done without the massage (30 minutes is only your back, not a full body massage) the hydrotherapy tub (in a separate room, it’s the size of a bathtub and has a lot of jets… not worth the extra money) and the oxygen steam (looked like a large egg and steamed your body… again, not worth the price). My boyfriend and I went into the separate room together for the hydrotherapy and oxygen steam and I did the hydrotherapy first, and then we switched. It might have been worth it if we could have relaxed and enjoyed it together, but the attendant sat inches from our heads the entire time, making it very uncomfortable.
The food was very good, but I wish we had known we could bring our own water! At $ 1.85 per bottle, we both got dehydrated.
We would go again because we enjoyed the saunas and pools, but we could do without the $ 100 worth of add ons that come with the groupon. We noticed that none of the Regulars went into the hydrotherapy room, you get plenty of soaking and relaxing with your entrance fee.

Was a great fun lol this place Mr. Alex was very professional, food excellent, everybody friendly! Next time will have a party with my
friends.
Mrs. Zilberg

Well my first review was deleted because I told the truth about what a crappy place this! It’s unbelievable that rather than make changes to improve the way they do business they’d rather delete all the negative reviews. We enjoyed ourselves the first time we went BUT on our second visit we were treated HORRIBLY and will never return. The person at a he front desk that day was rude, belligerent, condescending… just downright awful. We had left our wallet and phones– everything valuable in the car which we were told to do the first time– this time the asshole at the desk told us we HAD to leave ALL our valuables in the lockers at the front desk or we couldn’t enter– this was after we had paid $ 70 for the two of us to go in. Prices have gone and service has gone way, way down. Oh, and I hear they are running a prostitution ring behind the scenes. Go ahead, keep deleting my reviews. I’ll just keep on writing. This place deserves ZEROS stars.

For a truly unique adventure that combines relaxation and ethnic food, consider a drive north and east of the city to the Southampton Russian Bathhouse. During the week, the space is open from 11am until 11:30pm (closed Mondays). Admission is $ 35 which allows you access to the different sauna and steam rooms, tanning bed, Swiss showers, a cold plunge bath, a pool, and a jacuzzi. The balcony restaurant will serve you lunch or dinner without needing to pay the entrance fee, however we ate poolside and were able to leave our snacks at our table to nibble at in between sauna sessions.
First, we warmed up with two hot soups; an overly simple borsch, and a cilantro flecked karcho ($ 6 each). I have had far better at other Russian restaurants close by, but they were in no way bad.
The cabbage, carrots, and pickles on the pickle platter ($ 9) were quite good, but the tomatoes tasted very very off.
A giant plate of fried potatoes and mushrooms is great to share. Just a touch greasy, it helps revive you after lots of sweating.
My favorite bites were of the meat pelmeni ($ 7), plated simply with a little pool of butter. Dip these Russian dumplings in sour cream.
Southampton is BYO and vodka is what you should be bringing if you want to fit in. A pitcher of fruity kompot is a great mixer. Another option is a huge mug of the fermented drink Kvass, with about 1% ABV, its a safe thing to chug when going in and out of 200 degree rooms.
A quick break down of the spa experience for nervous first timers:
Pay $ 35 at the desk and leave an item as «deposit.» Get a locker key, change into a bathing suit in your designated locker room. Grab a towel and robe by the pool. Mark your table, try not to laugh at the Russian spa «hats». Drink some vodka (but not too much), order some snacks. Move towards the saunas and do a round or two at each with cold showers in between. Come back for snacking and repeat. Chill out in the jacuzzi, one of the staff will turn the jets on for you. Pay for all your food at the desk on your way out.
Looking for a state of the art, pristine spa experience? This isn’t that. But I will definitely be going back.

An authentic Russian experience

I had a great time. the people treated me very well. the kid working the juice bar hustled. I loved the turkish bath. it was a little different than the ones in istanbul, but the heat was the same. jumping into the cold pool was exhilarating! I am going back next Tuesday.

I have never EVER been treated so badly as a customer in my entire life.
I went to a Russian/​Turkish Bath House in NYC with my Russian friends and it was a great experience. Naturally, I was excited when I found out about the Southampton Spa.
I took a random Wednesday off from work so that my boyfriend and I could have a relaxing day together. I checked out their website far in advanced to find out about hours of operation, specials, prices, etc. We were fully prepared to spend the day together.
When we arrived on that Wednesday, I quickly glanced at a few paper signs hung up on the front door and with my credit card in my hand, we walked into an unoccupied front lobby. I observed my surroundings and thought to myself how nice the facility was so far. My boyfriend and I waited and chatted a bit while watching a news report on the big TV in the lobby. Finally, after 10 minutes or so, I walked around to find someone to help us. I retrieved an tall, older man, who shuffled his feet and grunted as he made his way behind the register. I asked for admission for two, then asked about the sign on the door, which mentioned something about new prices. I couldn’t get a full sentence out, asking about the sign, before the crap hit the fan. In one breath, the man went on and on about it, claming, «Youaskedaquestion, Iansweredyourquestion, Whatdoyouwantareyoutryingtoconmemaybeyoudon’tevenlikeithere…»
I was taken back by his rudeness. He then tells me, «Maybe you don’t even like it here, maybe you don’t want to be here. Let’s go on a tour and then maybe you’ll see if you like it here or not. Hurry quickly, let’s go. I can’t leave the register alone.» (Even though he was lounging away from the register just a few minutes before.)
We hesitantly sped walked behind the man on his «tour,» while he kept telling us to «hurry hurry quickly quickly.» After returning to the lobby about 60 seconds later, I looked at my boyfriend in astonishment and shook my head. We didn’t say anything to him, and exited the front door. He then yells from inside, «You could have at least said thank you!»
Yes, thank you for treating me like garbage.
I will never support a business that treats their customers with so much disrespect.

Casual but solid and great cultural experience. Also, fairly kid friendly

As a Russian native, and an American — an Americanized Native, so to speak — you need to trust me. There have been plenty of good reviews and descriptions so far, so I’ll stick to some advice for first timers:
Guiding Principles:
1) Go with someone who knows what they’re doing. Grab a Russian friend (or an experienced bath-​goer) and ask them to spend a few hours at the banya — a curated experience can make all of the difference.
2) Manage your expectations, and suspend cowardice. This is not a frou-​frou day spa, and anyone expecting a manicure, facial, etc. will be sorely disappointed. Take the advice outlined here below and you won’t be disappointed
3) Relax. Don’t worry about how stupid you look or don’t look as an American, outsider, etc. I also wouldn’t worry about body image — you’ll see all kinds of shapes and sizes there. You’re there to relax, enjoy yourself, and maybe learn about another culture, so don’t worry about what people think. That said, be respectful as you would be anywhere.
Tactical Advice:
1) There are essentially four treatment rooms, with varying degrees of heat and humidity. The Steam Room, Finnish Sauna, Turkish Sauna, and Russian Sauna. Think of your first pass through the rooms as a journey — start with the Steam Room and make your way to the Russian Room. Take 3 – 5 minutes in between.
a) The Steam Room — Spend 5 minutes. Heat — 100 – 110 degrees F, Humidity 100%. Turn on the knob at the entrance to the room about two minutes in advance. Take a lukewarm shower afterwards.
b) The Finnish Sauna — Spend 5 – 8 minutes. Heat — 155 – 175 degrees F, Humidity 5−10%. This is a standard sauna you will find anywhere. Recommend you bring an extra towel to sit or lay on. Take a cool shower afterwards.
c) The «Turkish» Room — Spend 4 – 5 minutes. Heat — 170– 195 degrees F, Humidity 10−25%. This is my favorite room and the most common room for the veniki, or «platza treatment» (an essential part of the Russian bath experience, and not for the meek). Take a dunk in the cold pool 34 – 40 degrees F (adjacent to all 3 saunas), and a cold shower to follow (especially to cool your head down). Note — this is not truly a «Turkish» room — as their traditional Hammam is very different. This is more of a wetter, milder version of the Russian Room.
d) The Russian Room — Spend 3 – 4 minutes. Heat — 190– 220 degrees F, Humidity 5−10%. It’s hot and dry — you’ll know when to leave when your skin feels uncomfortable and dry. Take a dunk in the cold pool 34 – 40 degrees F (adjacent to all 3 saunas), and a cold shower to follow (especially to cool your head down).
Remember that especially in the Turkish and Russian Rooms — use a cold wet towel (or a felt hat, if you have one) to keep your head temperature in check. Also — it is not a competition, so don’t try to see «who can last longer». That makes you not just a neophyte, but just plain stupid.
Steps A through D are 1 «round». You can do whatever you want after that, but that’s a solid 45 – 50 minutes. I like to do 2 – 3 rounds, with food /​massage breaks inbetween.
Massage:
The perfect time to get a massage is after you’re done with your first round. Keep in mind that for an entrance fee of $ 35 (cheap) — this has been a pretty reasonable experience. The massage, at 1 – 2 hrs will cost you about a dollar per minute? You decide whether it’s worth it. Here’s my guidance — I go 4 times a month, and one of those times I’ll get a massage. Don’t forget to tip the staff.
Overall — the massages are worth the money, but not the best I’ve ever had.
Food:
The food at Southampton is definitely authentically Russian, and I give it an A minus overall. Especially given the prices, which are very fair. Top dishes are the pickled platter (especially with vodka), Pork or beef Shashlik (kebobs), and Borsht. If you’re in the mood for something lighter (and cheaper) — try Kompote, or tea, and a fruit platter The pelmeni are decent but not the best… if you’ve never had them I recommend trying them, but their variant of pilmeni is a «B» in my opinion. Don’t forget to tip the staff.
Alcohol:
BYOB, BYOV. It’s common to drink at the banya — usually after the treatment rooms (or your first round). Half the time I drink, half the time I don’t. In any case — cap yourself at ½ the normal amount you normally drink and feel comfortable driving. The heat and cold combination will amplify intoxication, and over-​drinking can be extremely dangerous (which is clearly stated in every single treatment room). This is where it helps to have a friend/​guide :). Also — the treatment will cure hangovers like nothing else.
I like to spend 3 – 4 hours there at a time, often go with friends –newbies and old pros, as well as just by myself to relax after a taxing week.
Hope this was helpful!
Nazdarovia!

I wanted to write a cool review of this wacky spot and accompanying experience — after all, where else can you go for a day that feels like you’ve been transported to the old country? Where you can, if you are brave and the locals like you (which they will, everyone was super friendly) be beaten on your body with a fibrous switch in a 175 degree room, and then have ice water thrown on you? Where you can sit around in a tattered cotton robe and drink beer (which you can bring yourself no matter what it says on the website and no matter how potentially unsafe it might be to drink beer in this setting) with old friends and new?
Just ignore that that when the bubbles are turned off, the water appears a bit dirty, perhaps like old soup — like ‘human-​soup’. I also ignored that a Cheznyen man tried — and was partially successful — in planting a lip– lock on me near the ice-​shower. I loved the oddness of this place. I loved that it felt like the 70’s. I loved that people were passing around a hookah with non-​tobacco smelling stuff in it in the smoking lounge. I wanted to come home and write this all up for you in hopes that you would make the drive out there to this inauspicious spot (it looks like a bowling from the parking lot) and experience this all for yourself.
But I had to wait several days to write this up for you because almost immediately upon returning home, I was slammed with a nasty case of sinusitis a (plus flu for extra fun!) and have been bedridden for several days. I cant help but wonder if something from the human-​soup swam up my nose.