An Inside Look At Manhattan’s Wellness Hub

07.05.2024 - 16:37 / forbes.com

New Yorkers know how to brave the cold. Five inches of snow? Twenty-mile-per-hour winds? The challenges are met with a shrug, a grimace and an extra layer. Here, life keeps moving no matter the weather. I try to remember this as I’m standing before Forbes Travel Guide’s Four-Star The Spa by Equinox Hotels’ cryotherapy chamber, but find, faced with three minutes in a negative 150-degree chamber, my mask of Manhattan blasé is slipping.

Shrugging off my gray hooded robe, I feel like a boxer stepping into the ring as the spa attendant hands me my gear: a pair of heated Champion socks, slippers, a fleece headband and gloves. I am told to pick a song to play through the sealed chamber’s speaker and notice the last person chose the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo.” Clever, but I go with Lana Del Rey’s “Off to the Races.” Curious and stalling for time, I ask what’s the most popular selection and learn that guests typically pick their go-to hype songs, but some surprisingly opt for no music.

My “valet” remains in the room, reassuring me that the cryotherapy chamber door will stay unlocked. As I enter the chamber, I’m greeted with a rushing blast of frigid air, a personal polar vortex. I stand, frozen to the spot, in the middle of the chamber. For the next three minutes, I scream, curse and sing, but my willpower, steeled by thoughts of the countless times I’ve waited outside in the freezing rain for a restaurant table and every block I’ve trudged down in half-melted snow, wins out. My time is up. I emerge from the tundra victorious.

According to the Global Wellness Institute, cryotherapy has grown more popular in recent years as a wellness treatment. Aside from a mega endorphin rush, cryotherapy promises muscle recovery from post-workout soreness (like one giant ice pack) and improved sleep. However, if your dream of a good night’s rest has nothing to do with the cold, there is no need to worry — the Four-Star Equinox Hotel New York has you covered there as well.

The words “well-being” and “lifestyle” frequently get tossed around, but this Manhattan marvel integrates wellness into every facet of the property. It makes sense, given the brand behind the hotel is largely responsible for launching the concept of luxury gyms for the modern day.

Equinox Hudson Yards gym seamlessly leads into The Spa by Equinox Hotels, a haven dedicated to personal transformation. Like the fitness center, the spa aims to deliver results. Individual goals provide the treatment menu’s structure, offering distinct options for beautifying, healing, temperature therapies, inner bodywork and improved sleep.

You can choose your own adventure, selecting a service from each category. Say you’re looking for a quick collagen boost. Start with a 30-minute