Entry No. 30 — the Boston file — filed under: banya
Kelo Spa & Steam
A banya built from kelo timber — dead-standing pine logs harvested in Finnish Lapland, prized for their dense, resin-hardened grain — where a birch-whisk platza and honey-and-salt glazing sit alongside a cold plunge and steam room.
The story
Tucked into an unassuming stretch of Centre Street in Newton Highlands, Kelo Spa & Steam looks like a typical suburban storefront until you step inside and smell the pine resin. Opened in March 2023 by Ukrainian-born sauna enthusiasts Klim Gotovkin and Alex, the banya was built around authentic timber imported straight from Finnish Lapland. The walls are constructed from kelo—naturally dead-standing pine trees that spent decades drying in arctic cold, creating a dense, resin-hardened wood that holds deep heat without synthetic treatments.
At the heart of the hot room sit twin Kuuma wood-burning stoves loaded with heavy rock mass, engineered with automated fresh-air intake fans to deliver sustained, humid steam without feeling stale. Beyond the main kelo sauna, the facility houses an herbal steam room, rain showers, and cold plunge barrels iced down to around 34 degrees Fahrenheit. The traditional rituals aren't watered down here: visitors can sign up for platza treatments involving rhythmic beatings with soaked birch and oak whisk bundles, followed by skin glazing using honey and sea salt.
What it's like
Expect a strictly divided schedule: public general admission operates on a single-gender rotation (men on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays; women on Fridays and Saturdays), with co-ed access reserved exclusively for private sauna rentals. Once inside, phones and cameras are strictly banned, and flip-flops are required. Because the untreated Lapland pine logs can bleed natural resin in intense heat, wearing a wool sauna hat and laying down a towel aren't optional style choices—they protect your skin and hair from warm sap drops. Between sweat sessions and ice plunges, grab a robe and chill out in the small lounge over tea, fresh juices, or light snacks.
The move: Book the 3-hour general admission ($69 online), alternate the kelo sauna with the cold plunge as a pair, then splurge on the signature platza scrub together before the lounge's tea and snacks.
- 📍 Newton Highlands, MA
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: 1639 Centre Street, Newton Highlands, MA 02461
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Prospect Hill Forge — Trade the wood-fired steam of Kuuma sauna stoves for the intense coal forge heat of a one-man blacksmithing smithy four miles away.
- Larz Anderson Auto Museum — Pair an ice plunge and sauna session with a short trip to inspect vintage motorcars in an 1888 carriage house in Brookline.
- Coolidge After Midnite (Coolidge Corner Theatre) — Follow an afternoon of birch-whisk platza scrubbing with late-night cult cinema inside an Art Deco movie palace.
- Botanica San Miguel — Contrast Eastern European banya heat and honey-and-salt glazing with the ritual supplies and cleansing herbs of a working Jamaica Plain botanica.
Good to know
How much does general admission cost and what does it include?
General admission is $69 online for a 3-hour session, which grants access to the kelo sauna, herbal steam room, ice cold plunges, showers, and relaxation lounge. Platza whisking, body scrubs, and glazing services are available as separate add-ons.
Is Kelo Spa co-ed?
Public sessions are strictly single-gender (men on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays; women on Fridays and Saturdays). Co-ed sessions are only available if you book a private group rental.
What should I bring and wear?
Bring swimwear, anti-slip flip-flops, and a towel. You must cover sitting areas in the sauna with a towel to guard against natural residual tree sap, and wearing a sauna hat is recommended to protect your head from heat.
Are food and drinks served?
The lounge area offers tea, water, fresh juices, and light snacks, as well as beer, wine, prosecco, and champagne for purchase. Outside food, BYOB, vaping, and smoking are not permitted.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · saunatimes.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20