What I should bring with me to Banya 5?
Bring shower sandals, a bathing suit, a robe or sarong, and any toiletries you need.

Are there any health restrictions?
As with any new experience, use common sense and if you aren’t sure, ask your doctor. Please stay home if you are infectious, have open sores or any obvious skin disorder.

How much time should I allow?
To fully experience the banya experience with several cycles of heat, cold, and rest, two hours should be sufficient. However, a shorter experience is better than none and you are free to spend as long as you'd like.

How do I know Banya 5 is clean?
Cleanliness is one of our highest priorities. Our staff is constantly cleaning with products that are as effective and non-toxic as possible. We change the water in our pools frequently and do a major deep disinfection weekly.

Do you offer gift certificates?

Yes.  We sell gift certificates for entries, all of our additional services, or in $50 and $100 denominations.  Please stop in or call during our regular business hours.  We also occasionally offer gift packages.  Sign up for our e-mail list to receive notice of the latest packages.

Are swimsuits required?

Swimsuits are required for all days.

Are reservations required?

If you just want to come and use the facility, no reservation is ever necessary.  If you're interested in receiving a salt scrub or massage, we recommend making an appointment at least a day in advance.  Salt scrubs are best done at the end of your stay.  Massages should be done at least 1/2 hour after your arrival, so you have time to heat up.

What are Veniks?

Our Veniks are bundles of oak branches 1 - 1.5 feet long with the leaves still attached, that were harvested in the late spring and dried flat.  (Veniks can also be made from other kinds of trees, such as birch.)  We soak 2 overnight for the general use of all our patrons each day.  We also have some available for purchase if customers want them for their exclusive use.

When the Veniks are soaked, the leaves release tannens, or tannic acid, which is a mild astringent.  You take the venik inside the Parilka (dry sauna) and spritz yourself with the water out of the leaves, and can lightly beat yourself (or fellow consenting bathers) with it.  There is also a technique called platza that is usually done by a platza master with the client lying down on a bench.  It involves fanning and sweeping the heat down from the top of the Parilka, brushing and light flagellation.  This is an ancient Russian tradition.  Many of our Russian male patrons use a much simpler and considerably more aggressive technique on each other, and we've seen a few couples seemingly work out domestic issues in the same fashion.