Why Kontrast has become one of Leeds' coolest wellness spaces

Wellness has officially arrived in Leeds, and after visiting Kontrast, we completely understand why everyone is talking about it.

Hidden beneath the railway arches in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is the city's first dedicated sauna and ice bath café, bringing together contrast therapy, speciality coffee and a real sense of community under one very cool roof.

Following the success of its Manchester site, the Leeds space features traditional saunas, an infrared sauna, ice baths ranging from 3°C to 13°C, plus a café and chill-out space designed to make wellness feel part of everyday life.

From the moment we walked in, it felt like we'd escaped the city for a while.

The space is beautifully designed, with calming lighting, exposed brick, natural materials and a relaxed atmosphere that immediately encourages you to slow down. It doesn't feel intimidating or overly serious either. Whether you're a seasoned cold plunger or trying it for the very first time, everyone is made to feel welcome.

We spent our session moving between the sauna and ice baths, and while stepping into freezing cold water will probably never become easy, the feeling afterwards makes it completely worth it. You leave feeling refreshed, re-energised and somehow a little lighter than when you arrived.

One thing we really loved was that you can shape the session however you like. Some people were chatting with friends in the social sauna, while others were quietly enjoying the slower pace in the silent sauna. It's truly somewhere to completely switch off for a few hours and for us, it was the perfect Sunday reset.

After our session, we headed into the café, and it was the perfect way to round everything off.

I ordered the Blueberry Matcha, which was really good, and I'm serious about my matcha. Alongside that we had an excellent flat white and an ashwagandha tea, which kept the calm post-sauna feeling going long after we'd left.

The vibes are so on point and it's all the little touches like the calming smells, candles lit and cosy nooks that make Kontrast feel like so much more than somewhere to come for a sauna and ice bath.

What impressed us most is how naturally everything comes together. It's not just somewhere to exercise or recover - it's somewhere to spend time. Whether you're catching up with friends, starting your morning differently or simply taking an hour out for yourself, it feels like one of those places you'll find yourself returning to again and again.

Well we'll definitely be back.