Sweat, plunge, soak, repeat: How recovery spaces are changing Singapore’s wellness scene

SINGAPORE – The first time Ms Amy Tan tried a cold plunge in Singapore, she lasted just 30 seconds in the 8 deg C pool before leaping out.

“I couldn’t feel my feet,” she says of her first visit to The Ice Bath Club in River Valley in May. Her second dip was twice as long at one minute.

The 64-year-old hot yoga instructor had used ice baths while travelling in New Zealand and Iceland, but she reckons that the experience here was a shock to her system because of the higher ambient temperature.

A month later, she tried again at the brand’s Katong branch and managed to last six minutes by practising mindful breathing.

She grew to love the ritual of using a sauna, cold plunge and hot magnesium salt bath so much that she visits the brand’s new Duxton branch five times a week after teaching classes in the Central Business District.

Ms Tan likens the experience to having her “body, mind and soul reset” and has stopped buying packages at traditional Chinese medicine clinics and massage centres.

“I had been trying to get rid of my neck and shoulder stress for decades. It’s all gone now,” she says.

While contrast therapy – such as saunas followed by cold plunges – can be traced back to ancient times and elite athletes have long used ice baths for recovery, a new breed of recovery spaces is hoping to make such treatments a way of life here and tap the US$1.8 trillion (S$2.3 trillion) global consumer wellness industry.

At least 10 venues focusing purely on recovery have sprung up in Singapore over the last two years or so with a diverse range of offerings, from those that offer more performance- or health-focused modalities to those that are more spa-like. Some have long opening hours, from as early as 7am to as late as 10pm.

People are now searching for ways to alleviate stress and enhance recovery, not just from workouts but also modern life, says Associate Professor Emily Ortega, dean of the School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

“The mindset effect is also at play here – if you believe it will work for you, this mindset can influence our physiological symptoms and performance. Knowing that elite athletes use this strategy, more people would be willing to try it out,” adds Prof Ortega, who is also a sport psychologist.

The many faces of recovery clubs

One of the most aggressively expanding brands is The Ice Bath Club, which opened three branches here in 18 months and now serves 12,000 customers monthly.

Katong is its biggest location at 5,000 sq ft, while the other two are about 2,500 sq ft. Its Hong Kong outlet opened in October and it plans to expand into Thailand, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. Three more Singapore branches are on the cards too.

Having been frustrated when he could not book recovery facilities in the past, co-founder Andrew Collins says The Ice Bath Club is designed to provide a frictionless experience, from allowing drop-ins to providing swimsuits, towels, electrolyte drinks and lockers as part of the price. All its branches include cafes where customers can grab a healthy bite and chill or work.

Weekday off-peak prices start at $39 with no time limit, and a 14-day unlimited access trial costs $180.

About a third of its customers here drop in daily, and another third visit two to three times a week, says Mr Collins, 45, an Australian who ran a global sports media company based in China for over 15 years before selling it off in 2021.

His co-founders include Ms Sunnie Lee, 40, a Singaporean from the spa industry, and fellow Australian Derek Simpson, 50, who has a technology background.

The average Ice Bath Club member is aged 35 and there is a 60:40 male-female split among its clientele. About half of its customers are Singaporean and the rest are expatriates, including those from Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia.

“We don’t look at it as post-workout recovery but as life recovery,” says Mr Collins. “Our culture is more about recovery, then getting on with your day or building your best life.”

While The Ice Bath Club sports an upbeat and cheerful vibe, Shelter by ReFormd at One Raffles Link, on the other hand, feels more like stepping into a cocoon.

The scent of Beatrice Oil Burner Blend from Australian skin, hair and bodycare brand Aesop, which has an exclusive partnership with Shelter, greets customers as they enter. Sunlight filtering through a glass brick wall and indirect cove lights give an intimate feel to the 3,000 sq ft recovery space, which opened in October. It holds three cold immersion pools, a large warm salt pool, a dry sauna and a compression therapy lounge for tired muscles.

Membership starts at $65 a week for unlimited access (with a two-week commitment) and customers can buy credit packs starting from $450 for 10 sessions. Bathing suits, towels designed by Singaporean tattoo artist Maxine Ng and electrolytes and water are included in the fees.

Shelter is a step towards the ReFormd Group’s vision of an end-to-end fitness, recovery and wellness ecosystem, says founder Ari Gani, an Indonesian in his 30s who was born and raised in Singapore.

The group runs about 45 businesses in Singapore and the region, including ReFormd Personal Training and a number of Anytime Fitness and Body Fit Training branches.

“Shelter was created mainly for athletes and office professionals who push themselves daily, whether in training or at work,” Mr Gani says, adding that cold immersion sharpens alertness and focus for working adults, while the magnesium-infused pool helps them sleep better.

A second outlet is due to open in Tiong Bahru in the first quarter of 2026.

“The global fitness landscape has evolved rapidly, fuelled by the rise of strength training, group run clubs, Hyrox and pickleball. As people move more, they’re also learning the value of slowing down,” he adds.

New concepts from familiar brands

Some players in the wellness and recovery scene are also launching offshoots catering to different market segments.

Rekoop, a private wellness club that opened in 2024 in Robinson Road, recently launched Rekoop Flex in Joo Chiat.

Flex, which allows drop-ins, sees a younger demographic of busy professionals in their 20s to 40 who want “shorter, high-impact sessions that fit into their daily routines”, says Rekoop founder Yinon Vardi, 46, a French-Israeli serial entrepreneur in the retail and wellness industries.

Its 2,400 sq ft premises accommodate up to 20 people, with prices starting from $50 for an ice bath session. It is currently offering 25 per cent off on first trial bookings, according to its website.

The Straits Times reported in September 2024 that Rekoop’s 3,055 sq ft space and cutting-edge biohacking treatments – from a full-body cryochamber to oxygen pods – was a $5 million investment.

Membership then cost $495 a month, but Rekoop now says this is optional and it is adopting a flexible and curated system where guests receive personalised programmes based on their needs, time and goals. It has over 300 members across both locations.

Mr Vardi says Rekoop attracts executives, entrepreneurs and high-performing professionals who typically visit about three times a week.

Its most popular treatments across both locations are its red-light therapy, ice bath, cryotherapy and lymphatic compression.

“We go beyond offering ‘feel-good’ experiences to deliver measurable, repeatable outcomes for both body and mind,” says Mr Vardi, adding that members undergo in-depth assessments for personalised wellness protocols.

Rekoop plans to open five to seven locations within three years in Singapore.

“Our focus is on scaling a global community that uses data, artificial intelligence and education to help people manage stress, enhance performance and age intelligently.”

Members like Ms Judit Pach, 42, a former ambassador of Hungary to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, visits Rekoop thrice a week for a 30-minute oxygen session as well as three minutes of cryotherapy, which she likens to “a morning espresso”.

“They were integrating a lot of technologies which were otherwise separately available, like flotation treatments and ice baths,” she says of Rekoop’s appeal.

Now that she is in her 40s, she feels that eating clean and exercising are not enough, especially since she has a hectic lifestyle that includes a fair amount of travelling and evening appointments.

She also does other treatments such as lymphatic drainage, ice baths and saunas there or at Flex from time to time. She likes that she can see measurable improvement in her health markers over time and feels that the treatments have helped her recover from stress and calm her nervous system.

“When I sit in the oxygen chamber, I calm down and reset. Then I go into the cryo chamber which wakes me up. It’s the best start to my day,” says Ms Pach, who is now an adviser to a European energy company.

The Trapeze Group first offered recovery facilities in Trapeze Rec Club in Tanjong Pagar, which opened in 2021.

After attending martial arts, fitness and yoga classes within its 8,000 sq ft space, guests can wind down with a sauna and/or cold plunge. The club has a private suite, an infrared sauna room and two cold plunge tubs on a communal rooftop terrace. Prices start at $28 for a 15-minute outdoor plunge.

Over at River Valley, Hideaway, which the group launched in September 2024, blends recovery treatments with massages.

The 3,500 sq ft facility, which opened together with the New Bahru creative cluster, has a private suite with a cold plunge tub, infrared sauna and shower, as well as four individual sauna and cold plunge pods in a shared space.

Prices for recovery treatments start at $90 for a 60-minute session in a semi-private pod, and massages start at $58 for a 30-minute guasha head and scalp massage. Memberships and bathhouse packs are available.

“In the pursuit of well-being, Singapore offers many gyms, yet there was a gap for spaces that emphasise rest and recovery when we entered the scene,” says Mr Grant Wee, 31, founder and managing partner at The Trapeze Group and a grandchild of late UOB banking veteran Wee Cho Yaw.

Mr Grant Wee, who has spoken openly about his past mental health issues, adds: “I knew I wanted to build spaces and products that could help people prioritise their well-being and stay well long-term across all dimensions of wellness – not just the physical.”

Membership is in the “hundreds”, he says, and Hideaway attracts a wide spectrum of users, from shoppers looking to recharge to those from nearby fitness studios, as well as office executives.

He intends to take the Hideaway concept across the island and also explore “how else we can integrate wellness into consumers’ everyday lives”.

More than a fitness studio

More fitness centres are incorporating recovery facilities into their premises.

Athlete Mitchell Tan, in his late 20s, was inspired to start Solas Reformative after he underwent knee surgery and took up pilates for rehabilitation. He had noticed how difficult it was to find an affordable space that had gym training, pilates and recovery facilities under one roof.

Solas, which opened in January 2025, occupies a 3,000 sq ft space in Lorong Telok, behind Boat Quay.

Its recovery aspect comprises a private room with a sauna and a cold plunge tub, and a rooftop terrace with two cold plunge tubs that Mr Tan thinks strikes a balance between privacy and community. Rates start at $25 for a 20-minute outdoor cold plunge.

“In most fitness environments, people often finish their workouts and leave without cooling down properly, which increases the risk of injury and reduces long-term performance. We wanted to change that culture,” says Mr Tan, who competes in the Singapore Floorball Premier League and coaches the sport in local schools.

“The market has become very competitive, especially over the past year,” he admits.

“But what sets Solas apart is that we don’t just offer recovery tools like saunas or ice baths, we also integrate recovery into the entire experience,” he says. He explains that some of its classes are designed to improve alignment, mobility and longevity.

Education is also a strong focus and Solas brings in guest coaches for breathwork and recovery workshops.

Similarly, Ms Sheryl Avery Tham, 34, incorporated recovery into The Palm Singapore, a newly opened fitness and wellness studio that holds mat-based pilates as well as yoga classes, because she felt her busy clients would benefit from a two-in-one concept.

The 2,100 sq ft studio in Katong has an infrared sauna and two ice baths. Rates start at $99 for two classes and two recovery sessions, each comprising one-hour use of the sauna and ice bath.

“I’m not going after places that do standalone recovery protocols. What we want to do is that when you go for a workout, your recovery shouldn’t be the afterthought. That’s what I think sets us apart, at least in East Coast Road, where there are many pilates and yoga studios,” says Ms Tham, a former communications professional in the cryptocurrency industry.

Recovery early adopters, like Virgin Active, are unfazed by the competition.

The brand, which has five locations islandwide, introduced recovery facilities such as zero-gravity sleep pods, Himalayan salt inhalation rooms, and ice and steam rooms when it opened its first gym in Raffles Place in 2013.

Since then, it has added hydrotherapy spa pools in its Marina One branch and Regeneration Zones to all branches, as well as cold plunges in 2024. Membership starts at $39 for the Once A Week package, which requires a 12-week minimum commitment.

Its Wellness Trends Survey 2026, which surveyed 1,000 Singaporeans aged 25 to 65 in September, found that sleep and recovery was a key wellness concern for 41 per cent of respondents.

However, 37 per cent struggle with it, creating a “recovery deficit” that can affect physical and mental well-being, says Mr Julien Bera, Virgin Active’s country director for Singapore and Thailand.

“We view the explosion of recovery spaces in Singapore not as a trend, but as a sign of progress in the way people approach wellness, one that we are proud to have pioneered,” he says.

“While we welcome the increased focus on recovery, we’ve observed that many of the new providers in this space offer single or specialised recovery treatments on a pay-per-use basis.

“Some Singaporeans have told us that they find this model less efficient, especially when their travel time takes longer than the session, which is often just 15 to 30 minutes, and when costs can exceed $50 a session.”

Sauna is the new conference room

Apart from the health benefits, social connection is a big element at some recovery spaces, making them a new addition to the concept of third spaces, which are community-driven spaces that people seek out to find belonging.

Networking in such clubs is not uncommon.

“Plunge Club is the new business social,” says co-founder Sylvia Lam, 39, who has nearly two decades of experience in fitness and wellness industries.

“We’re encouraging sober and authentic connections outside of the usual alcohol-fuelled circuit.”

Opened since May, the 2,500 sq ft social bathhouse in North Canal Road has a 35-person dry sauna and two cold plunge pools that seat eight each, as well as a recovery lounge. Rates start at $39 for a 90-minute off-peak session; packages and memberships are available.

Its core audience is working professionals in their 30s to 50s, and nearly half of its clientele are women.

Ms Lam says many members visit twice in a day, first at 7am after their run or cycle to work to start their day with a Morning Focus session, then at lunch with their clients. Its peak hours are 11am to 2pm during Lunch Social sessions.

“The sauna is becoming the new conference room,” she adds.

Ms Lam says Plunge Club’s programming and social elements set it apart from other recovery clubs. It holds regular community sessions, such as live music, sound therapy and 9D Breathwork. The latter involves nine dimensions, including auditory stimulation, breathwork and guided vocal coaching, and is said to rewire the nervous system. These are included in the fee.

In phase two, Plunge Club will add biohacking modalities such as compression boots and red-light therapy. It plans to eventually open three to five outlets here.

The Ice Bath Club has also noticed its users networking, finding jobs and building new relationships. One technology company used its branches 15 times over 12 months for team-building sessions because the boss is a fan, says Mr Collins.

One of the most unusual social connections he witnessed was that of a couple who met within two months of the first outlet opening. They have since married and had a child. They declined to be interviewed.

The brand has also held singles’ nights, which Mr Collins says always sell out, as well as family-friendly sessions every last Sunday of the month from noon to 2pm, where parents can bring children aged 10 and up for an additional $25. Fitness and wellness programmes are also scheduled regularly.

National swimmer Teong Tzen Wei, 28, a regular at The Ice Bath Club, says: “I think the social element is really good because it shows that a lot of people in Singapore are looking at health and wellness rather than going out late and drinking.

“I’d rather go out with my friends to The Ice Bath Club and then have a great dinner. Everyone can go home early, get a good night’s rest and be ready to tackle the next day.”

Reva Social Wellness, which opened in September at the Trifecta complex in the Somerset area, could well take social wellness to a new level with its expansive facilities.

Its twin cold pools hold 12 to 15 people each, while its 41 deg C mineralised hot pool can seat up to 30, all in a semi-outdoor space of about 2,800 sq ft that includes ample seating.

An outdoor sauna that can seat up to 50 people in three tiers will be completed by the end of November. Soft opening promotional rates start at $28 for drop-ins, and membership and access packs are available.

Co-founder Andrew Riady, 36, who is Indonesian, says he was inspired by the recovery clubs he visited in Bali, where he could chill out for an extended period. Reva customers can order food from Trifecta’s cafe, stay for hours and even bring their pets.

“It’s an oasis in the middle of Orchard Road. It has that Bali vibe which makes it a different experience from other recovery places,” he says.

Surf school owner and coach Arthur Kor, 42, a regular at Trifecta’s surfing pool, checked out Reva when it opened and got hooked on its recuperative benefits. His muscles ache less after workouts and he sleeps better, which is why he drops in every weekday.

“Everyone’s doing some kind of sport these days, so everyone needs recovery,” says Mr Kor, who also teaches surf skating, a form of skating that mimics surfing moves.

Reva’s large capacity has attracted groups such as run clubs which come in a group of 20 and order pizza and soak, as well as corporates looking for novel event venues.

RE+, which is slated to open in November in Amoy Street, hopes to find a balance by offering areas that encourage conversation as well as quieter zones for mindfulness, says Singaporean co-founder Charmaine Wang, 40.

The 2,000 sq ft recovery space will have a sauna, two cold pools, a mineral soak hot pool and a cafe-cum-compression boot area. It is a joint venture between Helios Fitness – a sports and wellness solutions provider and subsidiary of GB Helios, part of the Goldbell Group – and operating founders, including Ms Wang, who hold the master franchise of a functional fitness brand in Singapore.

Ms Wang says RE+’s founders want to “replicate the sense of connection and belonging they have built in their fitness community, creating a third space to recharge, connect and belong”.

What doctors say

Will there be enough islandwide demand for all these businesses to soak in the profits or will some sink? That remains to be seen, but those new to recovery protocols should do their research and adapt routines to their own needs and lifestyle, says a medical expert.

Dr Mizan Marican, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Orion Orthopaedic Surgery, says cold plunges once or twice weekly can help reduce soreness and inflammation in active people without impacting muscle adaptation.

“The benefits of a cold plunge and sauna treatment are not just physical. They have a clear benefit on stress-resilience and mental wellness as we take a time-out from our busy schedules,” he says.

A cold immersion is best done 30 to 45 minutes after an intense or long training session, but avoid it just before a strenuous activity as it can cause injuries. Bodybuilders who do cold plunges immediately after working out can also compromise their muscle gains.

Those who have not exercised that day can do shorter plunges of between one and three minutes at a time, two or three times a week. They still stand to benefit as they may be carrying chronic or low-grade inflammation in their body.

“If your goal is mood and alertness, mornings are ideal. If you’re using it for inflammation or sleep, evenings can work well. Avoid cold plunges immediately before bed as it can be overstimulating,” he says.

Seniors may respond slower to peripheral blood flow changes in a cold plunge and the sudden cold may trigger a spike in their heart rates and blood pressure, which is dangerous in those with uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmias (abnormal rhythms) or cardiovascular disease.

Dr Mizan suggests that they start a cold plunge treatment at milder temperatures and stay for about 30 seconds to one minute, exposing their lower limbs first. They can gradually adapt to lower temperatures and increase their immersion times as their tolerance improves.

He advises users to watch out for signs that they are overdoing contrast therapy, such as persistent fatigue, feeling cold all the time, getting sick easily or seeing a decline in their workout performance or recovery.

“It is important to listen to our body and assess how these interventions affect our physical and mental health as well as our performance in whatever sport we enjoy. If in doubt, start slow and easy and progress once you have got used to it,” he says.