Float, soak and steam away your cares at the just opened Aire Ancient Baths

The Sound Bite: The Roman-inspired Aire Ancient Baths phenomenon is flooding the Western world, one legendary city at a time, from Copenhagen to Chicago and now… London!

The Spotlight: Spanning the former Charing Cross townhouse of Peter Pan author JM Barry, a series of sunken subterranean stone vaults give onto the labyrinthine aquatic relaxation chambers. Each bathing micro-zone is intriguingly distinct from the last, heralding a candlelit topaz pool fragranced with heady orange blossom and submerged in the transportive chords of chamber music.

The Highlight: Take a horizontal whirl on a bubbling jacuzzi bed, float away your cares in the embryonic saline floatation chamber then elevate your aqua ritual from the tepidarium to the caldarium before gliding through the maze of the templarium. There’s even an icy plunge pool submerged inside the aromatic steam room.

The Lowlight: The Aire Ancient Baths concept revives and is unerringly faithful to the ancient Roman concept. Romans frequented the baths for courtship among other practices… Old habits die hard, it seems, so check before entering!

The Limelight: Next level transcendency treatments take place on the upper floors, ranging from massages to Argan oil scrubs and a four hour vinotherapy ritual where you can bath like an emperor in a vat of red wine.