Rose Kennedy Greenway cold plunge, sauna brings Finland to downtown Boston
BOSTON – A pop-up on the Rose Kennedy Greenway has been turning heads and getting lots of attention. It's designed to look like a remote cabin in Finland, complete with saunas and cold plunges right in downtown Boston.
Mark Peloquin runs the Winter Sauna Village on the Greenway.
What is mökki?
Mökki in Finnish means remote cabin, and that's the vibe of Boston's new temporary village.
The setup includes three saunas and a very cold plunge.
"So it's a great place to try the Nordic tradition of hot-cold therapy," Peloquin told WBZ-TV. "I really wanted it to be in an urban center where people, it wasn't a huge decision to go out of your way to try this."
What are the benefits of hot-cold therapy?
Hot-cold therapy has made headlines for its health benefits.
"There's muscle recovery, inflammation, there's an immunity boost," Peloquin said. "A lot of people have mentioned that after doing it consistently, they're more mellow and they're able to deal with the daily stressors of life a little bit easier."
So this WBZ-TV reporter brought a bathing suit to try the experience firsthand. First with a 15-minute stint in a 200-degree sauna and then, after some stalling, a plunge into the frigid water.
There are different techniques. Peloquin recommends gradually getting into the cold tub while you slowly exhale, rather than jumping right in.
A sign in the village says cellphones are not allowed. Peloquin said it's all part of the experience.
"A hidden thing that we try to do is try to foster an hour of your time when you're very present, alone with your thoughts," he said.
How long will Winter Sauna Village be open?
Peloquin said he has been pleased with how people have responded to the pop-up.
"I think of this as a portal. You can leave your daily life behind and enter our oasis," he said.
Winter Sauna Village will be open through March 31 in Boston. Peloquin is planning to open something similar in Mashpee this summer.
