The best sound baths in London
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First, there was yoga, then came acupuncture, reiki, breathwork, cryotherapy and the Headspace app. But now, busy Londoners seeking respite from the chaos of city life are increasingly turning to sound baths for some much-needed zen time. First thing first: there's no actual bathing involved. This new wellness trend is a fully clothed experience in which expert sound therapists work with various instruments to guide you into a meditative state. The different frequencies emitted by gongs, chimes and Tibetan bowls work to soothe the mind and heal the body, stimulating the brainwave frequencies associated with total relaxation and switching on the nervous system's repair mode.
The ‘bathing’ element refers to immersing the body in harmonious sound – all you need to do is to lie down, get comfy, listen, and let the feeling of peace wash over you. Little wonder it's become so popular. But beyond forcing you to slow down and relax, this ancient practice has numerous physical and mental health benefits too, including better sleep, improved mood and reduced stress.
Below, we've rounded up the definitive list of the best sound baths in London, from the big names to know (and follow religiously) to ultra-spoiling private sessions in luxury hotels, intimate experiences in boutique fitness studios and group events in some of London's most spectacular venues.
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane
If you’re looking to take your spa day to the next level, book in for the just-launched two-hour-long sound bath healing experience at the Four Seasons Park Lane. It’s as luxurious as they come, starting with a welcome drink and time to enjoy the spa facilities (sauna, vitality pool, crackling fires et al) before you’re ushered into a private treatment room for the main event. The set up is glorious, with cushioned mats to sink into, the warm glow of candlelight and epic London skyline views to boot, while the soothing harmonics come courtesy of Sahana Sound; a bespoke mix of crystal singing bowls, crystal pyramids, gongs and chimes to restore your inner harmony and create a lasting sense of calm.
Website: fourseasons.com/london/spa
Cloud Twelve
Only Notting Hill could be home to somewhere like Cloud Twelve, a wellness and lifestyle hub spanning an indulgent spa, salon, cutting-edge wellness clinic and members-only kids club. It’s pretty genius: a one-stop-shop for those needing some ‘me time’ – with the added benefit of childcare just downstairs. Leave the little ones in safe hands and escape for a spoiling, hour-long sound bath with in-house expert Svetlana. She uses a combination of bells, percussion, Tibetan singing bowls and gongs to create deep, resonating vibrations and guide you into a state of meditation that will do wonders for your physical and mental health.
Website: cloudtwelve.co.uk
The Mandrake
Luxury London hotel The Mandrake is the first in the world to offer a ‘Spiritual Wellbeing Concierge’ service, providing guests with a curated selection of rituals to be enjoyed from the comfort of their rooms. Happily, their ‘Soundscape Alchemy’ programme is available to book for non-residents too and features a variety of sound bath experiences – from individual ‘Sound Frequency Alignment’ sessions to a cosmic sound journey that uses ancient gongs and healing instruments to ‘awaken dormant energies’. The hotel also regularly hosts well-known practitioners including Urmi Sound and Maria Lodetoft, for public sessions combining Reiki, crystal healing and sound therapy.
Website: themandrake.com
Bodyism
The exclusive wellness club in Notting Hill has recently refreshed its membership offering to include weekly sound healing events as part of its commitment to holistic health. Set in the soothing downstairs classroom, in-house expert Juliet Cohen uses crystal alchemy bowls to gently lead members through a blissful movement, breath practice and full-body listening experience, teaching them how to use music as a therapeutic and restorative tool. Wellbeing specialist and best-selling author Jasmine Hemsley has also joined the Bodyism fold, hosting hour-long evening crystal sound baths once a month ‘to create a grounding experience within the rush of daily life’. Can’t make it down? You can also download Jasmine’s pre-recorded sound baths from her website.
Website: bodyism.com
Akasa
Based in trendy Hackney Wick, Akasa is ‘a community hub for wellness, creativity and connection’ founded by one of London’s foremost sound therapists, Sunita Kaur. The space offers everything from yoga and breathwork to the more niche kambo (Amazonian frog medicine) and ecstatic dance ceremonies, but it’s the bi-weekly Gong Baths led by Sunita herself that are the hottest ticket. Prepare for a seriously transformative experience: Sunita’s unique Gong-playing style is akin to ocean waves, washing over the body to enable deep relaxation, healing and exploration of the inner self.
Website: akasaspace.com
Third Space
Luxury health club Third Space might be best known for its cutting-edge fitness classes, whip-smart interiors and top trainers, but having noticed a shift in members looking to incorporate more restorative practices into their routine, the brand has now introduced weekly sound baths, too. Initially launching at the Canary Wharf, Moorgate, Islington and City locations, each 60-minute session has been exclusively developed by sound healing pioneer Tim Wheater and sound artist Cherub Sanson to provide a much-needed escape from the noise and stimulus of city life. Think gongs, crystal bowls, chimes and percussive instruments combining to create a unique soundscape that lulls you into a therapeutic, meditative state – AKA, exactly what you (and your body) need after an intensive workout.
Website: thirdspace.london
The Wellness Foundry
Set up by fashion designer-turned Tarot master and psychic artist Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, The Wellness Foundry specialises in spiritual guidance in all its forms. Most recently, the London-based company has added sound healing expert Zsofia Nyakas to its roster of global practitioners. Offering private sessions both in the brand’s new Vauxhall studio and as bespoke home visits, Nyakas draws on her wellness and yoga background to deliver ‘intuitive’ sound baths specifically tailored to each client’s needs – whether that be energising, healing, pain relief or therapeutic relaxation, achieved through a combination of crystal Himalayan singing bowls, chimes and tuning forks as well as breath work and meditation.
Website: wellnessfoundry.co.uk
180 Health Club
London’s buzziest creative hub 180 The Strand is well known for its exhibitions, co-working space and regular glitzy events, but less for its health club. Open to members only, it offers a packed timetable of fitness classes, the latest wellness tech such as cryotherapy and ozone saunas, and weekly sound baths. Held by the ethereal Lauren from Saiki or Jasmin of Emerald + Tiger on the peaceful top floor of the club, the ‘Unplugged’ sessions are a wonderful mid-week evening treat that use gongs, singing bowls and chimes to lure you into a deep, meditative state – and prep you for a good night’s sleep.
Website: 180thestrand.com
Crystal Sound Lounge
With workplace stress at an all-time high, many companies are trying to combat it by offering wellbeing experiences to employees – including sound baths. The name to know? Crystal Sound Lounge, London’s leading private sound meditation brand that helps clients ‘lie down, listen and let go’. They’ve worked with everyone from Chanel and Soho House to big banking firms, setting up their qualified practitioners in office spaces and private venues all over London, gongs included. You can book private group sessions, which make a great (and unique) birthday gift for a stressed-out loved one, or even a Sunday treat for when you’re feeling too lazy to leave the house.
Website: crystalsoundlounge.com
Leo Cosendai
Swiss-born Leo Cosendai is the veritable OG of London’s sound bath scene and undoubtedly the man responsible for its recent boom. An author, teacher and celebrity favourite, he is all about combatting stress and making meditation accessible through the transformative power of sound – whether via in-person events or his hugely successful ‘Third Ear’ app (a commuter favourite). Naturally, he’s very in demand and constantly travelling around the world – gong collection in tow – to host seminars and retreats everywhere from Six Senses hotels to the Sahara desert, but keep an eye on his Instagram for the occasional London-based event. Think spectacular 100-person sound baths in the Natural History Museum, as well as more intimate experiences at OM, a ‘sonic meditation chamber’ with the UK’s largest gongs at The Other House in South Kensington.
Website: leocosendai.com
Simone Salvatici
A talented composer, multi-instrumentalist and classically trained musician, Simone Salvatici has an innate understanding of the sonic arts, which led him to specialise in sound therapy almost a decade ago. He has been hosting immersive sound bath meditations all over London (and beyond) ever since, racking up a loyal coterie of followers thanks to his unique combination of hypnotic singing and trance-like gongs in particularly epic locations. Think full moon sound meditations in evocative North London churches, invigorating yoga, breathwork and gong bath combos beneath the Natural History Museum’s iconic blue whale skeleton, and even overnight back-to-back sessions lasting from 9pm through to the morning (with breakfast at the end).
Website: sselvatico.com
ARON_KLEIN WWW.ARONKLEIN.CO.UKRe:Sound at Re:Mind Studio
Calm comes naturally at Re:Mind, London’s first meditation-only studio hidden away in Victoria’s chic Eccleston Yards enclave. Bathed in natural light and filled with plants, Himalayan lamps, plush cushions and herbal tea on tap, the space is perfectly decked out for a much-needed escape from the frenetic capital. There are multiple 50-minute ‘sound healing’ experiences on the timetable each week, so you can explore the transformative effects of everything from Himalayan bowls and tuning forks to traditional gongs in one place. Each class is limited to an intimate 15 people, and there are private, one-to-one sessions on offer too. Expect to leave feeling warm, fuzzy and deeply relaxed.
Website: remindstudio.com
Sound Awakening
Louise Shiels, founder of Sound Awakening and seasoned sound healer, is one of those rare people that you instantly trust. Her soothing demeanour, desire to nurture and intuitive skill with various instruments mean her sound baths are some of the most special around – not to mention the fact that they are regularly held in Stoke Newington’s ultra-chic Soma Studio. Sessions begin with a short Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) practice, as you are encouraged to ‘simply rest and receive’ – while some also make use of cacao to help disperse blockages around the heart and allow the sound vibrations to penetrate deeper. Shiels also hosts ‘afternoon nap’ sessions each Wednesday via Zoom (as divine as they sound), as well as restful retreats in Norfolk and the Cotswolds.
Website: soundawakening.co.uk
BLOKsound at BLOK London
A small collection of boutique luxury gyms in Clapton, Leyton and Shoreditch in East London, BLOK aims to strengthen both body and mind by offering a variety of fitness classes alongside yoga, Pilates and sound baths. California-born David Tran is the brand’s resident ‘Gong Guy’ who leads hour-long BLOK sound sessions weekly to ‘stimulate the alpha and theta brainwave frequencies associated with meditative, clear and peaceful states of mind.’ Even better, Tran often teaches a yoga class beforehand too, so you can double up and take care of both body and mind in one go.
Website: bloklondon.com
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
One of London's finest and most spoiling spas, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park boasts a vast wellness menu that now includes treatments with sound therapist Leah Powell. Day visitors and in-house guests can book private sessions with the certified practitioner, who is renowned for creating transformational and profound healing experiences. Powell uses ancient gongs and crystal singing bowls to ease even the most sceptical clients into deep meditation, altered states of consciousness and cellular regeneration in luxurious settings.
Website: mandarinoriental.com
The Wellness Clinic at Harrods
Some of the finest remedial, aesthetic and wellbeing specialists come together under one roof at the Wellness Clinic at Harrods, including the recent addition of sound healing resident Harriet Emily. Softly spoken, calm and confident, her presence alone is enough to melt away the day’s stresses – but it’s her one-to-one and small-group sessions lasting a blissful 75 minutes that instil a lingering sense of zen. Emily fills her private ‘Sound Sanctuary’ with cloud-like mats, soft blankets, candles and cosmic-inspired lights to create the perfect environment to switch off and enjoy the vibrations she creates using singing bowls, chimes, gongs and rattles.
Website: harrods.com