A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships
Your definitive guide to sauna + cold plunge in the Berkshires and surrounding regions
Last updated: Dec 2025
The Good Ol’ Days
When I started HUHT, I found myself thinking back to 2012 and my weekly visits to the Russian & Turkish Baths on 10th Street in the LES (Shoutout to Boris!). This was before Instagram wellness influencers, before everyone could cite studies on heat shock proteins and norepinephrine. Nobody called it "contrast therapy" back then.
I went during the most stressful chapters of my life. Sometimes alone with my thoughts, sometimes with friends, sometimes to hash out business deals in the steam. Whatever brought me there, I needed it. The baths filled my social cup without requiring a single word. More importantly, I always—always—left feeling better than when I walked in.
Fast forward to today: NYC has multiple options for thermal wellness, while the Berkshires—despite our farmers markets, yoga studios, and hiking trails—remains largely underserved.
But here's what excites me: opportunities for sauna and cold plunge are growing throughout our region. Just as I'll drive 90 minutes for amazing food in the area, I'll do the same for quality thermal wellness. If Great Barrington can support multiple cannabis dispensaries and coffee shops, why not multiple thermal wellness options?
Collaboration over Competition
“Business is cooperation when it comes to creating a pie, and competition when it comes to dividing it up.”
—from the book Co-Opetition
So Let’s Make Pie!
Drawing wisdom from the concept of "co-opetition," I believe our collective success depends on collaboration, not competition. When one thermal wellness business thrives, it validates the market for all of us. When someone discovers the benefits of contrast therapy at any location, they become part of a growing community that supports us all.
This is why I'm sharing everything I know about thermal wellness options in our region. These aren't competitors—they're colleagues in a shared mission to democratize access to these transformative experiences. My presence in this space isn't about domination; it's about giving others the confidence to create their own thermal wellness offerings, knowing there's room for all of us to succeed.
By supporting each option listed below, you're not just getting a sauna session—you're voting for more accessibility, more innovation, and more community wellness infrastructure in our region.
something like this
LET'S GET SWEATY
LET'S GET SWEATY
How To Support the Movement
Look, here's what I'm asking: Try different experiences—each operator offers something unique. Share and tag us all—help spread the word. Book regularly because consistent support helps us all improve. And please, provide feedback. We're all learning together.
I believe the Berkshires deserves accessible thermal wellness that matches our values: authentic, community-centered, welcoming. Not everyone needs luxury spa pricing. Sometimes you just need to sweat, plunge, and leave feeling better.
As HUHT expands, I remain committed to transparency and collaboration. Are you thinking about starting your own thermal wellness business? Seriously, reach out. Let's grab coffee (or better yet, a sauna session) and talk about how we can support each other.
Because at the end of the day, this isn't about fighting over slices of pie—honestly, I can't eat a whole pie by myself anyway. It's about making sure anyone who needs that feeling I found at the Russian & Turkish Baths can find it here in the Berkshires.
—Andy
Chief Sweat Officer
Offer sauna and/or cold plunge in the Berkshires? Email me to be included