Urban Sweat Lodge Trend Spreads in Seattle

The latest path to Zen works up a sweat.

Dee Alams’ business is the Seattle outpost of a trend: urban sweat lodges, where one perspires to boost the body’s detoxification, and maybe shed some water weight to boot. Her original City Sweats location in Madison Park opened in 2014. Her second location in Wallingford recently expanded to a 1,600-square-foot location.

Start your session with a facial, massage or lymphatic drainage (imagine a spacesuit-like contraption that squeezes the body, pushing out toxins). Then it’s on to the spa’s signature infrared sauna cabin. Unlike a communal outdoor sweat lodge, the cabin is indoors and can hold you and as many as two invited friends.

A curtained-off changing area provides total privacy, so you can pop in and out of the cabin (where it can reach 140 degrees) for hydration breaks throughout the session ($1 per minute for 45 minutes). Afterward, jump into an alkaline shower, wrap up in a soft robe and unwind in the sand-floored relaxation room with a plate of oranges and a glass of cool “72 Trace Mineral” tonic to replenish the minerals lost during your sweat. You’ll emerge feeling shiny and new.