So many things can be said about the Russian & Turkish Baths--both good and bad--but the bottom line is this: it should be experienced at least once. This is "no frills" all the way, but if you go in with an open mind (and a bathing suit and thongs) and treat it like theater, you should find yourself entertained. On a Sunday afternoon in August, it was busy but not horribly so. The crowd was mostly 20-30-something tattooed men, a few middle-aged Jewish men, and a handful of young lesbians. All the clients were friendly and relaxed. The staff? Not so much, but whatever. Just get into your own space and take your time in the various sauna rooms. Watch, listen and enjoy the vibe.

Been going here for years now, and it's feels like something from a Russian gangster movie, namely it is a very authentic experience. It's not the cleanest place in the city, but you get a great mix of people, and come out totally relaxed and refreshed. If you want the full experience, have the platza (oak leaf scrub) but watch someone else first, and get cooled off before having yours. It's a massage, a scrub, and an amazing experience. Your skin will glow and you'll have aigret story to tell

Excellent place to relax and chill in New York. Bring your bathing shorts, some days are only for woman, check in advance. Very packed in weekends, and they fill up the place - belive you me!

The place looks a bit old, but the saunas are excellent. Many of them, and good massage upstairs.

CAUTION! They have 4-5-6 "therapist" offering "massages" in the sauna area. They will rip you off, just as another Tripadvisor member wrote; they do not give you a massage, but a "scrub" and ja-da-ja-da for a high price. The only massage that is decent is to BOOK in the reception before entering, and is upstairs. These guys are very agressive, indeed, so take caution - just say no.

However, this place is a worth a visit if you enjoy saunas and steams; this place have several different. Would most def given this place a four or five star, but it doesnt seem that the managment really cares about the hustling that their therapist are doing downstairs; therefore only 3 stars from me.

First, let me start this review by saying that I never get any body work here. My girlfriend and I have been going for years for the various saunas and loving it.

Specifics
It costs $25 to stay at the baths as long as you want. It is always coed except for Sunday morning when it is men only and Wednesday morning when it is women only.

You are supplied with sandles, shorts, a robe, and plenty of towels. People wear all sort of things from swimsuits to the robe to the shorts to a complex wrapping of towels. Most wear swimsuits. While you can go nude at single-sex times, you are required to wear "shorts" on coed days. This is taken literally as women sometimes go topless on coed days and the staff does not seem to mind.

Things to Do
There is a traditional cedar sauna (small) a "Turkish Room" which is pretty large and quite moist with a cold shower inside, a steam room which is pretty small and the "Russian Room." The Russian Room is the center of the baths and is VERY hot. There are faucets with cold water running into buckets which permit you to dump the water on to your head for relief.

There is also a (very) cold dipping pool and a roof deck.

All in all, I highly recommend the baths for the relaxing, history, and interesting mix of New Yorkers!