AIRE Ancient Baths New York · Upper East Side

A 50% pleasant and 50% not-so-pleasant experience. The place is very beautiful, cozy, and above all, extremely clean. The staff is attentive and kind. I arrived 25 minutes early for my massage scheduled at 3:00 PM, as I was instructed to arrive on time or risk having my 60-minute massage reduced. However, I ended up waiting until 3:25 PM because they were not ready for my appointment. When I was finally about to enter the massage room, I asked to use the restroom to be more comfortable. At that point, the therapist informed me that 5 minutes would be deducted from my massage time due to the time spent in the restroom. I did not feel this was fair, considering I had already waited 25 minutes for the massage despite arriving on time. This situation made me uncomfortable and affected my ability to fully relax. Additionally, I was aware that I needed to leave the spa on time because I had a restaurant reservation at 6:00 PM. The therapist suggested that I speak with the manager after the massage to see what could be done, but at that point there was nothing I could change. In the end, she was told I would receive the full 60-minute massage, but this was only clarified at the very end. I am not complaining about the 5 minutes themselves, but rather about the unfairness of the situation, especially after waiting 25 minutes ( in this 25 min i didn feel to go to the bathroom btw) for my appointment despite arriving early. Lastly, aside from everything else, it is not pleasant to receive a massage with plastic gloves. Thank you.

We were gifted a couples massage and it was such a great way to test out a new spa in NYC. I’m so glad we did because the experience was everything. We went there on the day of my birthday and spent about 3 hours there, the spa is small but very dim for a relaxing experience. There was only two other people when we were there which made it even more relaxing. It was clean, we were greeted in every area of the spa, and because phones are not allowed I felt like we were truly able to disconnect. I 10/10 recommend and will be definitely going back.

we were gifted the escape 60 experience and had a good time overall. the baths were quiet and private and the locker rooms were very clean. the staff were overall attentive. i'd recommend coming earlier in the day to avoid crowds. however, i agree with others that the massage was very lackluster for the insane price and my therapist had a few coughing fits without wearing a mask, which is appalling in 2025. i would return for the baths only and skip the mediocre massages

I went on a solo date and had such a peaceful, restorative time. I felt like the staff was wonderful and kind. The ambiance was BEAUTIFUL and the vibes were perfect. The staff was sweet, knowledgeable, and accommodating. The complimentary mint tea and flavored water is a lovely touch. Just the relaxation and luxury quiet time I needed! 10/10

I've been a couple of times. I was running a few minutes late so my only reservation is that I felt for the price point the pool area time was cut short since I was a later evening appt so it felt rushed since they closed the pool after the massage . I got 10 more mins at the end thanks to the woman at the front although I didn't make the steam room, etc. as I would've liked. Highly recommend KRISS and JASON for massages. Kriss was 100% accommodating, kind and hospitable. Out of all the experiences I've booked, the massage with Kriss was the best by far over other places I've been. I will be definitely booking with them again! Maria in the female locker rooms has been incredible making sure I have everything I need and more, making the experience super comfortable along the way and creating a very high quality accommodating concierge experience. Definitely 10/10 for Maria as well and part of the reason why I'd go back is the level of quality service and kindness she has given both times I was there.

We had a lovely time at Aire Ancient Baths UES. We booked the Love Connection experience, and while there were some highlights, a few details left us feeling a bit disappointed. The positives: - The massage was fantastic, we both really enjoyed it. However, it was deceiving that during a full-body massage, my hands and feet were completely skipped. - The locker area was excellent - The space itself is beautiful - The salt bath was absolutely amazing. The downsides: - The air felt chilly, which made moving between baths uncomfortable. - While they emphasize keeping voices low at the start, this rule wasn’t enforced. During our hour in the baths, two guests were speaking loudly enough that we could hear them from the steam room while they were in the jacuzzi. Overall, it had the potential to be a perfect experience, but for the price, we left feeling a little let down.

My friend present me gift card. So I can say for some who want massage with some extra ritual(mine was salt scrab) and spend some time in pools and sauna it’s a great place. I don’t like feeling that time is limited after massage because spa it’s for relax and in this place with limits that stuff reminds kept me thinking of it. Clean place and you’ll have everything you’ll need in dressing room after procedure. So I can say it’s mostly fancy massage place with extra rituals then spa. But I had good experience. Thank you

My wife and I came here after our wedding to decompress, and it was exactly what we needed. We spent a couple hours moving between the different temperature pools and steam room at our own pace, which was the perfect way to unwind. The couples massage was incredible—honestly the best massage I've ever had. The therapists were skilled and the setting added to the whole experience. The staff were attentive without being intrusive, and everything felt thoughtfully designed for relaxation. We left feeling completely refreshed and reconnected. Highly recommend for couples looking for a peaceful escape in the city.

My spa experience was pretty good, the highlight for me was the baths and the mint sauna room. They have a no phone policy so I couldn't get any pictures or videos inside. The massage was fair I've had better massages that cost way less but my masseuse Zeel was very gentle. Customer service was pretty good, Claudia was amazing helping the ladies in the bathroom. It's worth it if you care mostly about soaking in the baths or doing a plunge. Overall nice experience

Absolutely amazing experience. Extremely relaxing and full of tranquility. Lots of staff (who know you by name) to guide you and point you in the right direction. Very dark, with candles and the illuminated baths being the light sources. Quiet, and has a whisper- only policy to preserve tranquility. The float pool was really neat. I also appreciated the different temperature baths, including the cold plunge, hot tub area, and steam room. The steam room had peppermint/ eucalyptus aromatherapy. Water and mint tea was readily available, along with cold pressed juices if you pre purchased them. The 60 minute massage was nice. It could've been deeper and more thorough. It was a very standard massage, but relaxing, nonetheless. I appreciated the locker room amenities, such as hair products, Dyson hairdryers and straighteners, hair ties, hair clips, shower caps, makeup remover wipes, combs, nail file, cotton swabs, deodorant, swimsuit dryer and ziplock bag, etc Overall, a very nice and relaxing experience. Self guided. Very luxe.

AIRE Ancient Baths offers an unforgettable experience. I went with one of my good friends on a Saturday evening. Evening spa experience? YES Please! The service was exceptional, with warm, welcoming staff who made me feel so comfortable the entire time. The massage I had was deeply relaxing, and the entire space is serene and beautifully designed. This was truly a rejuvenating escape in the heart of NYC!

Today was opening day for the general public, and I must say that the staff did a good job of communicating with us guests and making us feel like our experience and input was valuable. Fun fact: this location was previously a storage facility for the Museum of Modern Art. This newer venue has a different layout than the one in Tribeca. Either way, I could write a love song about the Floatarium, my favorite feature in BOTH NY locales. The branding, robes, lighting, baths, menus and ambiance are consistent with Tribeca and I suspect, the other national and international Aire Ancient Baths. Hearing about the body painting simulation of the "Monet" experience body treatment- offered exclusively at this location- has peaked my interest... maybe next time. Nearby: Roosevelt Island, Trader Joe's

Had a 10a reservation for a 60-min experience. AIRE is beautiful! From the moment you walk in, you can just feel that you're in for a treat. You're given a few bands that assist the employees in identifying which experiences you reserved. We started with the baths -- dimly lit, quiet with just the sound of the waters, and absolutely no cell phones! I was only able to grab pics of the entrance because they have a strict no phone policy beyond the changing room. The baths were so soothing and relaxing. I absolutely loved it. After our bath experience was over, the next stop was our 60-min massages. While the massage was almost perfect, my gripe is the order of events. I expected the massage first and then finishing off my morning in the baths. Imagine, you're soaking wet -- yes, you dry off before you lie on the table -- but it's still an icky feeling that I didn't like. It would have been good to know during the booking process that one has the option to choose the order. Anyway, that aside, I would definitely visit again. Very relaxing and a beautiful establishment.

I came to AIRE expecting a peaceful birthday experience. Instead, I was deeply disturbed by religious music played during my massage, including a Hindu funeral chant that triggered personal grief. When I politely asked for the music to be changed or lowered, I was told it wasn't possible and the masseuse put a towel over my ears, which was a very strange and insensitive reaction. Religious music, especially when not understood or curated with cultural sensitivity, has no place in a spa. I've never encountered this at high-end spas like Mandarin Oriental or Bathhouse in NYC. AIRE's refusal to respond compassionately in the moment made the experience feel careless and alienating. This is not what I expect from a luxury wellness space.

I never received my booking confirmation via email. For such an expensive service, that is absolutely unacceptable. Without it, I was left wondering if I needed to contact my bank. I spent over 40 minutes on the phone, waiting for someone -- anyone -- to answer. No one ever did. At the same time, I tried using their online chat service. I watched my place in line go from two to one... and then the agent went offline. I tried again, reached number one in line, waited another 10 minutes -- and again, the agent went offline. I took screenshots. Out of options, I called their Tribeca location -- the phone situation there was exactly the same. No one picked up. For a business that only opened three months ago, with just a handful of global locations and a large staff-to-client ratio, they are already demonstrating an extremely lazy approach to communication. I've also noticed that across several of their locations, they do not reply to negative reviews -- a red flag that they are not managing customer feedback or protecting their reputation. To be clear, I've visited their London and Chicago locations. I had a similar issue at the Chicago location, where the online agent was also unreachable -- though after several tries, I was at least able to get someone on the phone. I did not experience this problem at all in London. Perhaps this is an issue with the U.S.-based staff -- I can't say for certain. At this point, I strongly suspect the staff here have a "not my job, not my problem" mindset -- which is incredibly disappointing for a brand trying to position itself as a premium service. Based on how my interaction with them tomorrow goes IF I do have the appointment I booked I will leave a separate review on the facilities and service however, this one will remain as a fair warning to those who like to plan ahead and like communication options in the event you have issues of any kind.

I booked a massage and some time in the baths at 8 a.m. I really appreciated Ellen, the locker room attendant, because she answered all my questions, and walked me through everything. The baths themselves we're not super busy, which I like because it gives this aura of exclusivity. The steam room was my favorite! Love the no cell phone policy. I also ordered a juice and would prefer if it was fresh pressed instead of store-bought. The staff were friendly and excellent and I also appreciated the woman with the blonde hair with a braid (sorry, don't know her name) because I asked her how many minutes are left and she politely told me that my time is up, but she wouldn't ask me to leave, which was a nice way to say that my time was up. The massage was also solid and all three floors are very clean. Highly recommended.

Avoid. Weirdest spa/massage experience I've ever had. The time you book for your massage may not actually be the time at which they massage you. They may send you to the baths first which means you actually can't plan your day around this. No idea why they wouldn't do it like a normal place and your appointment time is your appointment time, and you can either come early or stay after to enjoy the baths. They make you arrive 15 minutes early but then just leave you in the lobby until a few mins before your start time so then you're rushed trying to get ready even though you've been there for over 10 minutes already in purgatory. There is no explanation about the lockers and how to lock them unless you ask. The person who showed me to mine opened someone else's by mistake and their stuff was completely on display, and then I was given the locker next to it knowing that this person's locker was unlocked next to mine. So many design flaws. The stairs are all open on the bottom meaning if you're nude after a massage and wearing a robe and someone is walking under the stairs while you're walking up them, then they can get a full view. Also the walls in the massage rooms are paper thin, I could hear every word and noise coming from the next room. The massage table itself was the strangest. There is a tiny hole for your face, nowhere near what normal massage tables look like. The masseuse asked multiple times "if I could breathe" because it seems many people are unable to actually breathe comfortably through the hole, which seems like a pretty big issue? Lastly my massage was bad. There is a big difference between rubbing someone's body and actually massaging them, and since I've seen other reviews complain about the actual massage as well, I suspect they need to retrain many of these masseuses. I also asked mainly for one area to be concentrated on and the person only spent about 5 minutes lightly touching that area before moving onto all the secondary areas I'd asked for and did each of those areas twice rather than ever going back to where I needed the most help. Confused about how this place can ethically charge the prices they do.

Extremely disappointed with our visit to AIRE Ancient Baths. For the $800 price tag on a couples massage, we expected a true luxury spa experience -- but the reality was far from it. We originally booked the Tribeca location a week and a half in advance, and were emailed just a few days before our appointment that it was closed for renovations. We were moved to the UES location instead. After rebooking, we immediately emailed to request a female massage therapist, which we did for personal reasons -- something that should be a reasonable and standard accommodation, especially at this price point. When we arrived, we were told no requests could be honored, despite female therapists clearly being available and waiting. For a spa that claims to offer a premium, personalized experience, this was incredibly disappointing and felt dismissive. The atmosphere was also far from relaxing. The space is extremely dark, to the point where it's hard to see where you're walking - would not recommend for safety reasons and the bath area has a strong chemical smell that made us both feel lightheaded. It felt more awkward than luxurious. We waited awhile before our massage with no communication or updates. I had to ask the staff for information, which broke any sense of calm or relaxation the space was meant to provide. Finally, when we reached out afterward to request a refund due to a number of issues, we were told they could not accommodate us. They told us we would be able to rebook at the desk downstairs but no one approached us or talked to us for 15 minutes as we waited on the couch, we just ordered our car and left. Overall, the experience did not live up to expectations or the price tag. AIRE may look beautiful online, but the service, atmosphere, and responsiveness were not at all reflective of a luxury spa. We won't be returning and wouldn't recommend it.

Highly recommend!! I'll be back. The atmosphere is tranquil, peaceful, and deeply restorative--the moment you step inside, the outside world fades away. The space feels safe, serene, and beautifully designed, with every detail adding to the sense of calm. The staff were incredibly accommodating, anticipating needs without ever interrupting the quiet flow of the experience. From the variety of thermal pools and steam rooms to the thoughtful amenities, it's clear how much care and effort goes into creating a truly stress-free escape. The design of this location is stunning.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a day at Aire Ancient Bathhouse, and it was truly a phenomenal experience from start to finish. Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by the staff, who offered me a refreshing glass of virgin sparkling champagne and a piece of decadent chocolate, such a thoughtful and luxurious touch that immediately set the tone for the day. The ambiance of the bathhouse was serene and calming, with soft lighting and soothing music creating the perfect atmosphere for relaxation. The different temperature pools were a highlight of the experience. I especially enjoyed moving between the hot, warm, and cold pools, each providing a unique and rejuvenating experience. The hot pools eased my muscles, while the cooler ones invigorated my senses, and the contrast between the temperatures felt incredibly therapeutic. Throughout my time at Aire, every staff member was exceptionally kind and attentive, ensuring I had everything I needed while respecting my space. The attention to detail and the overall quality of the spa experience made it feel like a true escape from the everyday. From the peaceful atmosphere to the luxurious treatments and thoughtful touches, my time at Aire Ancient Bathhouse was an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking a relaxing and rejuvenating day of self care. The perfect place for couples mostly. By the way, this was at the new location on the Upper East Side, on its opening day! There's nothing better than being among the first to use the space, without having to worry about cleanliness or hygiene concerns!!! Lastly the staff member May, was excellent. One thing to note is that phones aren't allowed, which can be a bit stressful, especially if you're a parent like me with a child who calls every second and causes you to panic. However, May was so thoughtful and kind to provide my daughter with her phone number, just in case she needed to reach me while I was away from my phone. Thank you for the amazing time and experience. I forgot to add, it's a bit pricey, but definitely worth the price for the experience and peace of mind!!

Incredibly overpriced for the quality (lack therof) service that you receive. I was expecting to receive a luxury spa experience after spending $800 for a couples massage. They hire minimum wage quality staff who do not help create a relaxing spa experience. You cannot request a specific gender therapist, so guys, be ready to have your girl massaged by a man for an hour. The bath area smells strongly of chlorine. You spend way too much time in the bath (basically just hot tubs) area while waiting for your massage. You wear booties the entire time which was unpleasant but I understand that they do it for sanitary reasons. I've had wayyyy better experiences at other spas with much higher quality service and staff. I originally booked the Tribeca location 1.5 weeks in advance and they emailed me two days prior to my appointment that it was being renovated.