New York’s latest wellness obsession has officially arrived and it involves voluntarily alternating between extreme heat and feeling like you accidentally fell into the Hudson in February.
Lore, a new members-based thermal bathing club opened yesterday in NoHo, bringing the increasingly trendy world of contrast therapy to downtown Manhattan in a setting that feels less like a medical spa and more like a very chic Scandinavian cave. The 6,200-square-foot space spans two floors and centers around a massive 700-square-foot dry sauna, a 46-degree cold plunge, an infrared sauna and a series of softly lit communal spaces designed for lingering and decompressing.
Unlike some of the city’s more touristy spa experiences, Lore is positioning itself as something people actually build into their weekly routines rather than a once-a-year “treat yourself” moment. The founders describe it more like a social club organized around bathing rituals, with memberships designed to encourage repeat visits.
“We were drawn to this practice for the social elements, but stayed for the health and felt benefits,” co-founder James O’Reilly said in a statement. “While it’s been around for millennia, science now confirms what tradition always knew: regular sauna and cold water immersion sessions enrich health.”
Photograph: Courtesy of Lore
The club arrives right as New Yorkers collectively enter their annual wellness era ahead of summer, joining a growing wave of social bathhouses, saunas and recovery clubs opening across the city over the past couple of years.
Lore’s interiors lean heavily into natural materials and sensory design. The cold plunge area is wrapped in warm travertine and textured flooring, while the sauna uses rich alder wood and deep chocolate tones intended to emphasize the transition between hot and cold environments.
“Living in the city, it’s easy to become disconnected from ourselves,” co-founder Adam Elzer said. “Lore is designed to be a place to reconnect.”
The founders themselves come from very New York résumé territory: O’Reilly previously co-founded coworking brand NeueHouse and later helped expand Life Time’s coworking business nationally, while Elzer previously co-founded restaurant group Everyday Hospitality.
Lore officially is now open at 676 Broadway and will operate daily from 7am to 11pm.