On Sunday, I spend an hour hopping in and out of wood-fired saunas and cold plunges in an industrial corner of the city, before scoffing down a warm pie and a coffee on up-and-coming Trade Street – like this is all completely normal. And it was kind of perfect.
Hikitalo’s new city centre Sauna Village
Hikitalo have just opened their Cardiff Sauna Village at Meanwhile House (Curran Embankment / Williams Way). Known for wood-fired sauna experiences in South Wales, the Cardiff site is positioned as their first urban sauna space, built from what they’ve learned travelling through sauna cultures, and from their beachside sites in Rest Bay and Sandy Bay.
It’s just a short walk from Cardiff Central train station, but it really feels like you’ve slipped behind the scenes of the city. What it is (and why it’s so good):
- Three communal wood-fired saunas – with varying degrees of heat (the one with the pitched ceiling is not for wimps, let me tell you). There’s a silent sauna in the mix too.
- Three communal plunge options – a hot tub, a 12 degree plunge pool and a 9 degree plunge pool.
- It’s communal and social – but not in a cringe way; more everyone’s doing their own thing and very happy about it.
- One hour sessions – runing 7am – 9pm, Monday–Sunday, with space for up to 36 people per hour.
Price-wise, Hikitalo ranges from Early Bird £13, Off Peak £11, and Peak £16 per hour.
My favourite thing about it is the freedom: you pay for a session, and you can move between hot and cold spaces as you like. It’s choose-your-own-adventure, type scenario – no rigid ‘do this, then do that’.
A few practical notes:
- Bring flip flops / sliders if you’re funny about walking about barefoot (you’ll be in and out of water).
- Bring water for the sauna or you’ll dehydrate fast.
- Bring a padlock for the lockers if you are concerned about valuables (though mine were fine).
Around the corner: Donald’s new Trade Street site
After all that sweating (and shivering) I was starved, and I could not think of anything better than shoving a warm pie in my face.
Enter: Donald’s and their new Trade Street location (their second city-centre site) – in a very convenient position for post-sauna hunger.
Donald’s is one of those businesses that people can’t help but love; Cardiff-born, fast-growing, a bit cult-y, and delivering exactly what it promises – great coffee and delicious pies and baked treats in a quick and easy ‘grab & go’ format.
I went straight for the Butter Chicken Curry pie. Tender chicken in a rich butter-chicken style sauce, wrapped in flaky pastry. It’s as comforting as it sounds.
The combo you didn’t know you needed
So it turns out, a city-centre sauna and cold dip, followed by a warm pie and a coffee in the sun is weirdly, the dream.
Cardiff is getting increasingly good at wellness-with-personality – I’m definitely here for it.
Okay, so this all sounds AMAZING!!!