Perched on the Coaling Jetty just beneath the looming silhouette of Battersea Power Station, DRIP Sauna brings a distinctly Scandinavian kind of calm to one of London’s most recognisable industrial landmarks. What could easily feel like another wellness pop-up instead lands as a surprisingly atmospheric escape: wood clad saunas suspended above the Thames, ice baths cooling at 4°C, and the steady hum of the river setting the tone for an experience built around heat, stillness and reset.
The set-up is simple but intentional. DRIP offers three wooden saunas, each with large windows framing the Power Station’s towers and the slow movement of the water below. You can book an individual seat or reserve the entire cabin for up to eight people, which makes it feel equally suited to solo decompression or a cosy small group ritual. Sessions run for 90 minutes (£36pp) or express 60 minute versions (£30pp), long enough to settle into the rhythm of the heat without feeling rushed.
What elevates the experience is the guided contrast between hot and cold. Step out of the warmth and a row of three ice baths waits, held at roughly 4°C. It’s a bracing plunge, the kind that snaps your attention straight back into your body, but the combination leaves you clear headed, softened around the edges and quietly energised. Regulars of cold water immersion will feel right at home; first timers may surprise themselves with how addictive the reset becomes.
While the facilities are intentionally minimal (this isn’t a traditional spa with sprawling lounges or treatment rooms), the charm lies in its simplicity. You’re here for heat, cold, recovery and the novelty of doing it on a floating jetty with panoramic views. As several reviewers have noted, it’s less about luxury and more about ritual: slow breathing in a cedar scented room, stepping out into open air, watching the sky shift over the Thames. It’s an experience that feels especially atmospheric in winter, when the Power Station’s lights glow over the water and the contrast between warmth and the crisp evening air becomes part of the pleasure.
For Londoners looking for a reset that’s accessible, design led, and a bit out of the ordinary, DRIP Sauna is a welcome addition to the capital’s wellness landscape. It offers a refreshing pause from the city, not by removing you from it, but by placing you right in the middle of it, suspended above the river, heat rising, cold waiting, and time slowing just enough to breathe again.
Reservations are open via dripsauna.co.uk and ClassPass, and the space remains open until January 2026.
