Aqua Ignis Bathhouse — Local services in Blackheath

Aqua Ignis needs to seriously review the discrepancy between advertising and experience. They lost me at reception where I was asked to take off my shoes and leave them at the front, with me having to stand on freezing tiles, being briefed. Air temperature inside was about 12-15 °C. Underfoot temperature was much less. There are 4 change rooms to cater for people coming in and people leaving. Queues on both sides ( which is really unpleasant waiting 10mins when wet and cold) Before booking, I called to check accessibility-I was told the property was 2 storey- with just the stream room upstairs- decided that was ok. The reality: -Threshold step in from street -Step from reception to change rooms -High step over into pool -3x tiles steps into the pool.The step tiles multi shades of blue, same as the pool -Nil delineation of steps- so dangerous -Very poor hand rails on walls. No rail into pool -Low door frame into pool area- our 6foot tall guy banged his head- dim lighting while ambient, potentially caused this incident. -Pool temperature very low I estimate 30-32° -Pool depth was less than 1 meter High surface area to depth ratio -excessive cooling of water -Side door to pool area open to the outdoors- day temp 10° -The lounge upstairs had low beanbag furniture which is not ideal for arthritic hips knees -The tiles in the lounge were freezing, as was the air temperature. -There was no tea available. On request I was told it was being made. After 20 mins I re-enquired and 4 cups were brought out and the other guests were told that more was on the way. It did not manifest. -The tea was not identified. I had to ask what it was. -Nowhere to sit and relax downstairs. No tea available downstairs. -Of the two showers upstairs, one door was being repaired-out of action for 20 mins -Ladder maintenance done upstairs making passage inaccessible for 15 mins. At least we were informed of that. -There were at least 20 guests in the centre on a Tuesday morning. -Queued to get into my locker- locker area very confined for the number of lockers in situ. -queued to change the passageways are narrow and difficult to pass others (strangers) without brushing bodies throughout the centre -The best part of the centre is the sauna and steam room. Steam room capacity 8 people. Sauna capacity can accommodate 10-12 no warning signs in sauna or advice on maximum exposure

Not zen, not healing. A pretty disappointing experience.

It could be a different experience with a lot fewer guests, heated flooring, increased air temperature and an accessibility review.

Perhaps the owners could visit Native State in Coolongatta to see how to deliver...

As someone who lived in Japan for years and fell in love with the bathing culture there, I've longed for a similar experience in Australia since returning... This place is one of the better places to have tried to emulate the quiet contemplative aspects of bathing culture in order to relax and take some quiet time for yourself or with others (with some Western nuances thrown in for good measure, this being Australia afterall). The only minor drawback is that it's tiny and I'm not sure how many people are allowed in for each booked and timed session, but I think any more than around 12-15 people there at the same time might start to feel a little crowded and uncomfortable (I think there were roughly around 8-10 people when my wife and I were there and this was nice - everyone respected the quiet and serene atmosphere so there was no drama). But that aside, they have used what little space they have really well to deck the place out with a nice bath (felt like around 38 degrees although I'm not 100% sure as there wasn't a sign, at least that I saw), a beautiful sauna (which was on the hotter side at around 94 degrees), a eucalyptus steam room upstairs if that's your thing, as well as two pins and needles inducing cold plunges and a nice outdoor area with water, fruit and comfy chairs to relax and recover. It definitely reminded me of some of those smaller onsen places in Japan in small towns (although those places charge $5 for an all day visit... They're a dime a dozen in Japan)... But in Australia, this is still a pretty rare experience so of course the price point is going to be higher... If you value a nice bathing experience and are happy to pay, this is definitely worth it. I'm looking forward to returning, next time taking a nice soak and sauna after completing one the awesome hikes around Blackheath... Kudos to you guys for...

This is a beautifully designed bath house where you can really feel how much thought, detail, and love has gone into its creation. The facilities are fantastic — rock sauna, cold plunge baths, magnesium pool (amazing), and herbal steam rooms. I also love that they use filtered water with no chlorine, which makes a huge difference, as many other bathhouses rely on chemicals that can spoil the experience. The energy of the place is wonderful too, with staff who are relaxed, warm, and very helpful.

It’s a truly healing place, and that becomes most evident after leaving — the balance and sense of restoration you feel for the rest of the day/evening is incredible. It’s also an awesome experience to share with friends and family.

I’m local and have visited this bathhouse many times since they opened, both on my own and with friends. Some of these visits have been during very busy periods — including their opening weekend, which also happened to be the Easter long weekend — and even then it never felt overcrowded. At most, you might wait a few minutes for the change rooms during peak times, but nothing unreasonable.

Bathhouses naturally get busy, and I understand concerns if too many people were being let in beyond capacity — but that has never been my experience here. They’ve managed this space incredibly well, and even at their busiest it is an incredibly restorative and enjoyable experience.

There’s a beautiful sense of community here — everyone is polite, friendly, and easy to connect with. It really reflects the welcoming vibe and spirit of the Blue Mountains.

Myself and many friends who visit absolutely love and appreciate it. Highly...