Aire Chicago: An Ancient Bath Retreat

Updated February 5, 2021

Bathe in salt, water, or wine.

If you’ve ever wondered where the steam is rising from at Halsted and Chicago, we’re here to solve that mystery.

Aire Ancient Baths, a Roman-inspired soaking hall, opened in Chicago’s River West neighborhood in 2019.

Covid update: Aire remains open but precautions are in place and steam rooms are closed. Please contact Aire with questions and to confirm availability.

While located in a large, historic building in downtown Chicago, the entrance to Aire Ancient Baths is easy to miss. Located in a back alley off of West Superior Street,   

If you've studied ancient Rome, you may have heard terms like frigidarium, calidarium or tepidarium. Each term corresponds to the temperature of the water Romans (and now you) would bathe in during a day at the baths - cold, hot, and warm, respectively.

Aire Ancient Baths offers experiences for individuals, couples, and groups.

One experience hiding behind a wall of glass bottles is the wine bath. For a mere $400, you can soak in a concrete tub of red wine. Massages are also available as an add-on to your Aire experience. During the Holistic Ritual treatment, green tea is poured onto your skin, and a green tea oil is used during the massage.