Othership Flatiron — Local services in New York

Alright, for those wondering "should I go, or nah?" I hope you find this review useful. My friend visiting out of town and I went to the Deep Stretch class for our first class ever. I live in the area (kinda, on the NJ side) and had been wanting to try it out with someone. It was a pretty full class and our instructor was Priya and her assistant was Michael. If you're someone who is into things like yoga or pilates you'll very likely enjoy this class. It's not intense like yoga/pilates but the focus was on stretching out those muscles in the sauna where its held, including some sitting yoga stretch positions, and some mindfulness/positive meditation sprinkled in for good measure. A quick shower/rinse off, the 2 min cold bath plunge, a quick 5 minute break to refresh on some water, a 10 minute sauna wind-down session, and then a 5-10min optional time in the communal area for more water or complimentary hot herbal teas (very tasty). A perfect class for someone who is looking to try but maybe is worried that they'll accidentally pick one that is perhaps too "hippie" or too "fufu" for them. Both our instructors were AMAZING! Before my friend left we also signed up for a Sound Immersion class (we loved our first class so much) three days later. This one was lead by Ether and I forget the girl who was the assistant but both were also super awesome! Ether is very talented, he played multiple soothing instuments for us in the class and overall was an excellent leader. This one was a bit more "hippie" in the sense that it was basically a meditation sauna session (no stretching) with different sounds, musical instruments performed by the instructor, and more of a mental journey. The instruments included a sort of chinese bamboo flute, a gong, a drum, the crystal bowls that hum, and little bit of slow acoustic guitar at rhe end. Then after a rinse off, cold plunge, etc. I really enjoyed both frankly but I found the stretching based class a bit more beneficial for me, everyone is different though! I talked to Michael by chance after my 2nd session and he told me about Unwind, a class he does that's also a deep stretch style class. And I'll be signing up for a membership solely for this class (offered twice a month at 7:15pm)! Wish it was offered closer to 6:45pm, but oh well. And I do wish there were more stretching based classes offered after 6pm work hours (I work until 9am-6pm) and on the weekend afternoon or evenings ☹️ management: please consider adding more 🙏 until then I'll sign up for a twice a month membership so I can attend Michael's tuesday 7:15pm Unwind class so I can jump in after work before heading back to Jersey. Us office workers need the stretching classes! Overall, a warm welcoming non-judgemental environment for those of all walks of life and body sizes. There's a style of class...

Othership Sauna is an absolute gem that deserves all the praise it can get! I cannot stress enough, how much I appreciated the world-class hospitality provided by the amazing team members Amanda, Ashley, Maia, Rhonda, Lindsey, Stella, Aralys, Harry and Shakee. From the moment you step foot into Othership, you are greeted with warm smiles and a genuine desire to make you feel right at home. Their dedication to creating a warm (pun intended) welcoming and comfortable atmosphere is truly remarkable.

One thing that immediately stands out about Othership is the spotless and impeccably clean interior. It's evident that great care is taken to ensure a pristine environment for guests to enjoy. But it's not just the cleanliness that is impressive; it's the attention to detail in every aspect of the space. The aromas and essential oil blends are exquisitely crafted, creating an ambiance that transports you to a state of deep relaxation. The mood, textiles, and the Bedouin/futuristic design immediately sends you to another world. It's a sensory experience that’s totally unique but not at all overwhelming or obnoxious! Well done!

One thing that really sets Othership apart is their guided sauna experiences with a host. Complete with curated soundtracks and ambient lighting effects, these sessions are perfect for those new to sauna culture or anyone feeling a bit nervous about temperature contrast therapy. The hosts are knowledgeable and create an environment that is both educational and enjoyable. It's a fantastic introduction to the benefits of sauna therapy offer people who “hate saunas” a fantastic opportunity to change their mind.

But Othership doesn't stop there. They also offer free-flow social evenings that are nothing short of incredible. Picture an amazing party on the BM playa, with incredible DJ sets, a sober environment, and a crowd that exudes a chill and cool energy. It's a refreshing alternative to loud, dirty nightclubs where the smells are nasty and people are getting messy, trashed and wasted. Othership's social nights provide the perfect opportunity to connect with like-hearted individuals while enjoying the benefits of intense heat and invigorating cold plunge.

All in all, I very much endorse Othership Sauna and encourage everyone to check it out. The combination of world-class hospitality, a spotless interior, exquisitely crafted aromas, guided sauna experiences, and unforgettable social nights make Othership a must-visit destination. Whether you're a sauna enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of wellness, Othership will leave you feeling rejuvenated, relaxed, and eager to return. Don't miss out on this...

Premium pricing for a basic experience.

I have an equinox membership $315 a month for global access. It's pitched as a social club with a gym, at Hudson yards at the rooftop pool I've made lifelong friends, and in all the classes, cold plunges, and all of the gym classes too.

Equinox has everything othership wants to boast and othership is $300 a month.

I blog about spa experiences and have gone to over 155 spas and rate them and rank than with each other. Othership is a 1/10 and the worst of them all.

In terms of value I'd rate it at $25.

Here's why.

The water is chlorinated, with someplace calming to be heath focused this is ridiculous and with healthy options like salted and oxygenated pools this is an absurd cheap out that harms your hair, skin. Leaving a drying and sticky feeling!

They have sessions up to 40 people I believe and two showers in the men's lockers....I had a long wait for the shower and then was asked to hurry up by the waiting men. If you split men and women 50:50 and 20 men waiting to use two showers, scrubbing the chlorine out of your hair for two minutes, then washing for 1, it might take you 30 minutes to have a shower if you're last and everyone only is taking 3 minutes.

In every sauna I've been to, my entire life, even retreat at the blue lagoon, or Siberia spa all of the saunas have buckets where guests may water the rocks. In othership you are not permitted to ice or water the rocks.

The seating in the community area is worn and ratty, the edges of multiple seats have holes in them. The opposite of a luxury experience.....

Also in most spas/pools/equinox they have a spin dryer for your swimsuit. This allows people to wear their trunks in and leave in them comfortably. Of course othership does not so I wore sopping wet trunks, and as I did not want to soil my leather seats I am walking home with water dripping into my socks and shoes.

I could go on about other things for twenty more minutes but I'll end it with this. They have many instruments in the room with the chlorine baths, they do not permit anyone to touch anything. They could take a deposit or have you agree to pay for them if you break them if people really are breaking them left and right but maybe have instructions or instruments that do not break. I grew up with 8 other siblings and we were a rambunctious group. We played with rain sticks, a gong, heavy duty tuning forks, and plenty of other things that would be well suited to your chlorine room and us as kids never broke them.

I would have no complaints at $25 a session but if you charge they way you do, you'd probably experience a...