Recovery Guide · RE:UP Altrincham
Sauna and Ice Bath in Altrincham: Your First Session
The sauna and ice bath at RE:UP Altrincham are open. An 8-person Finnish sauna at 90–110°C and two cold plunge ice baths at 4–7°C, at 20 Huxley Street, Broadheath, on the south side of Manchester, in a 90-minute session from £20. This guide covers what a sauna and ice bath session looks like, what to wear, what to bring, how long to stay in the first time, and how to book.
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A sauna and ice bath in Altrincham, South Manchester
RE:UP Altrincham opened its sauna and ice bath on 2 September 2026. There is one 8-person Finnish sauna, two cold plunge ice baths, Normatec compression and a mobility zone, all in the same room at 20 Huxley Street in Broadheath. The sauna is a dry Finnish design, not infrared, and it is kept between 90 and 110°C. The ice baths sit at 4–7°C, cold enough for a real cold plunge rather than a cool dip.
The sauna is not sold on its own. It is part of a 90-minute Recovery Session, which costs £20 for a guest and is capped at five people so the sauna never feels crowded. You can move between the heat, the plunges and the compression as you like for the whole 90 minutes.
Sessions run seven days a week from 7am to 9pm. Most people book the early slots before work or the evening slots after training. Altrincham sits on the south side of Manchester, on the Cheshire border, so RE:UP is the nearest sauna and cold plunge for Hale, Sale, Timperley, Wilmslow and Knutsford as well as the town itself. The address is on the A56 side of Altrincham, a few minutes from the town centre, with free parking on Huxley Street.
THE SESSION
What a sauna and ice bath session looks like
There is no fixed routine and staff will not march you round. This is the shape most people settle into after a visit or two. On your first visit, do less than this and see how you feel.
Arrive and change
Come in a few minutes before your slot. There are four private changing rooms, so you change on your own, not in a shared room. Swimwear is worn in the sauna and the plunges. Staff will ask a couple of health questions if it is your first visit.
Sauna, 10 to 15 minutes
The Finnish sauna runs at 90–110°C with dry heat. The lower bench is cooler, the upper bench is hotter. Sit where you are comfortable and step out when you have had enough. Ten minutes is plenty for a first round.
Cold plunge, 2 to 3 minutes
Two cold plunge baths sit at 4–7°C. Get in up to the shoulders, breathe out slowly and let the first 30 seconds pass. Most people find the second plunge much easier than the first. You do not have to plunge at all on your first visit if you would rather build up to it.
Repeat, then finish warm
Three or four rounds of heat and cold fit inside 90 minutes with time to spare. Finish with Normatec compression or some time in the mobility zone, then a hot shower. Drink water throughout. You will sweat more than you expect.
FIRST TIME IN A SAUNA
First time in a sauna: how long to stay in
A Finnish sauna at 90°C or more is hotter than most people have sat in before. The heat is dry, so it feels sharp at first and then settles. For a first time in a sauna, 8–10 minutes is the right length, and 10–15 minutes per round once you are used to it. The mistakes first-timers make are the same every time: staying in too long, going in dehydrated, and treating it as a test. None of that helps recovery.
Start lower and shorter
Sit on the lower bench for your first round and aim for 8–10 minutes. You can always add time on the next round. Nobody is timing you, and leaving early is normal.
Drink before, during and after
A hot sauna pulls a lot of water out of you in a short time. Arrive hydrated, bring a bottle in with you, and keep sipping between rounds. Skip alcohol before a session.
Do not eat a big meal first
A light snack an hour or two before is fine. A full meal straight before the heat tends to leave people feeling sick or sluggish, and it makes the cold plunge less pleasant.
Listen to the early warning signs
Dizziness, a pounding head or feeling faint means step out now, sit down somewhere cool and drink water. These are common in first-timers who stay in too long. They pass quickly once you cool down.
WHAT TO WEAR AND BRING
What to wear in a sauna and cold plunge, and what to bring
Swimwear is what you wear in the sauna and the ice baths at RE:UP, the same as any public sauna in the UK. Beyond that, a towel and a bottle of water cover it. Flip-flops or sliders are worth bringing for the wet floor between the sauna and the plunges. We usually have towels on the day, but that is not something to rely on, so bring your own.
Take jewellery and watches off before you go in. Metal heats up fast at sauna temperature and can burn. Glasses fog and get uncomfortably hot too, so leave them in the changing room if you can manage without them.
Swimwear
Worn in the sauna and both plunges
Towel
Bring one. We usually have some on the day
Water bottle
Keep it with you between rounds
Flip-flops
For the wet floor. Optional but useful
Leave behind
Jewellery, watches, glasses if you can, phones
TIMING
Sauna before or after a workout, and before or after the cold plunge
After a workout, not before. Sauna before training leaves you dehydrated and flat, and your power output drops. After training, the heat pushes blood into tired muscle and helps you wind down for the night. The Broadheath gyms are a short walk from Huxley Street, so most members come straight from a session.
Sauna first, then the cold plunge. Being warm makes the cold easier to get into and gives the bigger contrast between the two. Ten to fifteen minutes in the sauna, two to three in the ice bath, then back to the heat. Finish on whichever you prefer. Ending cold leaves you alert. Ending warm leaves you relaxed.
BOOKING
Sauna and ice bath session cost, and how to book
A single sauna and ice bath session at RE:UP Altrincham costs £20 for 90 minutes, and you can book it as a guest without an account. Online booking stays open until 10 minutes before the session starts, so a same-day slot after training is realistic. Book at reupaltrincham.co.uk/book.
If you expect to come in more than twice a month, a membership is cheaper. Essential is £50 a month for four sessions. Unlimited is £65 a month. Unlimited Plus is £100 a month and adds a sports massage each month. Full details are on the membership page.
Sessions are capped at five people, so popular evening slots do fill. If a slot you want is full, the early morning sessions from 7am are usually quiet.
Related guides
- Sauna Benefits: What the Evidence Says
- Contrast Therapy for Beginners
- Sauna for Heat Tolerance
- How Much Does an Ice Bath and Sauna Cost?
For the sauna itself, temperatures, hours and directions, see sauna in Altrincham. The full Recovery Session, with the ice baths and compression, is on the recovery page.
FAQ
Questions people ask before their first visit
Yes. RE:UP Altrincham has a sauna and ice bath under one roof at 20 Huxley Street, Broadheath, WA14 5HH, on the south side of Manchester near the Cheshire border. The 8-person Finnish sauna and two cold plunge ice baths opened on 2 September 2026 and are open seven days a week, 7am to 9pm, in a 90-minute session from £20.
No. Anyone can book a single Recovery Session as a guest from £20. Memberships start at £50 a month for four sessions and usually work out cheaper for people who come in more than twice a month.
A Recovery Session at RE:UP Altrincham is 90 minutes with access to the 8-person Finnish sauna at 90–110°C, two cold plunge ice baths at 4–7°C, Normatec compression and the mobility zone. Private changing rooms and a hot shower are on site. Sessions are capped at five people.
Swimwear. In the UK, public saunas and ice baths are used in swimwear, and that is the rule at RE:UP Altrincham. Bring a towel and a bottle of water, and flip-flops for the wet floor. We usually have towels on the day, but bringing your own is the safe option. Leave jewellery at home as metal heats up quickly in the sauna.
For a first time in a sauna, 8–10 minutes on the lower bench, where it is cooler, is enough. Then step out and cool down. Most people build up to 10–15 minutes per round over a few visits. There is no benefit in pushing past the point where you feel uncomfortable, and you can leave the sauna whenever you like.
Sauna first, then the cold plunge. Warming up in the sauna first makes the cold easier to tolerate and gives the bigger contrast. Most people at RE:UP do 10–15 minutes of sauna, 2–3 minutes in the ice bath, and repeat three or four times. Do the whole session after training rather than before it, as sauna before a workout leaves you dehydrated and flat.
A 90-minute sauna and ice bath session at RE:UP Altrincham costs £20 as a guest, with no membership needed. Online booking closes 10 minutes before the session starts. Memberships are £50 a month for four sessions, £65 for unlimited, or £100 for unlimited plus a monthly sports massage.
People with uncontrolled heart or blood pressure conditions, a recent cardiac event, a fever, epilepsy, or who are pregnant should not use the sauna without speaking to their GP first. If you are on medication that affects blood pressure or heart rate, check with your GP before booking. RE:UP staff ask every first-time visitor about this before the session.
Try the sauna and ice bath at RE:UP Altrincham
The 8-person Finnish sauna, two cold plunges and Normatec compression are open seven days a week, 7am to 9pm, at 20 Huxley Street, Broadheath, Altrincham, WA14 5HH. A 90-minute Recovery Session is £20 for a guest, no membership needed.