Every so often you come across the unique magic of a space that reflects a person’s vision – a kind of magic that no amount of high-end design or expert consultancy could ever hope to replicate. It's that special something you can expect to experience at the Banya – a meticulously styled bathhouse in the bohemian town of Mullumbimby – compounded when you learn the story behind the space.
When Brenden Lawless – owner of the town’s much adored community hub the Middle Pub – got the keys to a 1920s bank on Mullumbimby’s main street back in 2016, he wasn’t entirely sure what would come next. Having experienced personal transformations through spa retreats on the rare breaks he took from his busy working life (he has owned and run hotels and pubs across New South Wales including Surry Hills institution the Shakespeare), he knew he wanted to create some kind of bathhouse. But it was only after a trip to Russia to visit his partner’s family that the idea for the Banya (Russian for bathhouse) was born.
“In Russia, going to the banya is a social experience that’s in their blood. While we might go to the pub, they’ll go to the banya for a few hours: it’s food, it’s drinks, it’s socialising. Combining spas and hospitality feels natural for me because it’s combining a personal passion with a professional passion,” Lawless explained back in late 2021, long before the Banya opened its doors.
Sitting at a table at the Middle Pub, he described the vision for the Banya: a Roman-style dining hall lined with open fires and tables of friends catching up over plates of dumplings, a tiled bathing space wrapped in steam. It’s that very vision that’s come to life within the historic walls of the former bank.
On the ground level, you’ll move through a dining space lined with bare brick walls and art from local artists. Deep green booths flank marble tables, and low leather sofas sit beside the fireplace. The dining room opens seamlessly onto the plant-flanked atrium, where magnesium-enriched pools (one cold plunge, two hot mineral pools and one longer lap pool) bubble beneath strings of warm bulbs suspended between the roof. To the left, a sauna and steam room wait between wooden buckets that fill with cold water – waiting to be released with the tug of a rope onto heat-weary heads.
Up the terrazzo tiled staircase, you’ll find a sun-drenched rooftop space, home to plush leather daybeds beneath tasteful canopy umbrellas. The upper level is also home to five massage treatment rooms, where you can book in for one of three massage types (for relaxation, deep tissue or pregnancy).
On the menu, you’ll find dumplings (as per Brenden’s vision) alongside freshly shucked oysters doused in finger lime mignonette. Smoothies are loaded with superfoods and cocktails are spiked with local spirits and prepared with finesse.
The Banya is a place of beauty and pleasure, no doubt, but it’s also a place with heart.
You can plan your visit over here.
