Embrace a new season of self-care and restoration at these Durham spas and saunas
By Leah Berry | Photography by John Michael Simpson
A renewed focus on wellness and relaxation takes center stage as a new year approaches. Spa and sauna experiences are evolving in the Bull City, blending therapeutic practices with modern luxury to create havens for those seeking warmth, rejuvenation and a fresh take on self-care.
Shine Bright
Beem Light Sauna Durham, led by owner Kiesha Harding, offers a holistic escape for body and mind through advanced light and heat therapies designed to promote healing and relaxation. Kiesha was drawn to the benefits she experienced as a member at Beem Light Sauna in Huntersville, North Carolina, which offered her a respite from her job at a law firm. “It was more so the solitude of 40 minutes for me,” Kiesha says. “Because in there, I am not mom, I am not a wife, I am not a paralegal – I’m not anything except Kiesha.”
She discovered franchising opportunities were available and embraced the chance to pivot toward a more health-focused and mindful career. Kiesha relocated to Durham, opening her own Beem Light in March 2024. “The community is very supportive,” Kiesha says. “I felt like it was home.”
The sauna provides red light therapy, which aids in cellular repair; infrared light therapy, which induces a more intense sweat at lower temperatures to detoxify, improve circulation and provide pain relief; and chromotherapy, an innovative treatment that balances the body through colored light frequencies. Customers can choose from drop-in sessions, memberships and packages.
“Most places have one infrared or one red light,” Kiesha says. “I offer both private ones and social options as well.”
Beem Light Sauna is open seven days a week and includes spa-like amenities. It utilizes “luumi,” its intuitive wellness assistant, to personalize sessions based on individual goals. “She’s like our virtual assistant [that helps us guide clients] to where they ultimately want to be,” Kiesha says. She notes that interest in the infrared saunas picks up as cooler temperatures arrive, with benefits like detoxification, calorie-burning, and metabolism and immunity boosts. To align with the winter season, Kiesha is planning events through February to educate locals on infrared therapy and spotlight other Bull City businesses in the process. “I’m big on giving back to the community,” she says. “Durham has given clarity to me on the path that I need to walk.”
Cool Down, Warm Up
Sauna House Durham brings a fresh take on wellness to West Geer Street. The spa offers contrast therapy in the form of saunas and cold plunges, as envisioned by founder and CEO Andrew Lachlan. Its flagship brick-and-mortar launched in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2019, and, as of press time, the Bull City location was slated to open its doors in November.
“Expanding to Durham was a natural progression,” says Sauna House Chief Digital and Marketing Officer Gavin Jocius. “The response in Asheville showed us that there’s a growing desire for accessible, wellness-focused social spaces. Durham is a wonderfully diverse city that we feel deserves a social wellness space where everyone is invited.”
The team built strong support from the Durham community through mobile pop-ups downtown, prelaunch sales and activation at Festival for the Eno before opening its doors. “The response has been amazing,” Gavin says. “Durham has been overwhelmingly supportive.”
The oasis offers a public bathhouse, private hot-cold-relax rooms and infrared saunas. “[We’re] not a luxury spa,” Gavin says. “We offer a simple, powerful contrast therapy experience with traditional saunas, large stainless steel cold plunges and heated lounge chairs. Our focus is on creating an accessible social environment, where friends can come together for relaxation, recovery and connection.”
Another key to the business’s identity is its architecturally compelling spaces. “We operate in adaptive reuse buildings, transforming them into modern wellness hubs while retaining their historic roots,” Gavin says.
Sauna House’s hot-cold-relax circuit provides wide-ranging benefits for both physical and mental health, including improved circulation, reduced inflammation and stress relief. “People often report feeling calmer and less distracted after a session, and regular use has been linked to improvements in overall mental clarity and emotional well-being,” Gavin says.
The spa is centered on a minimalist approach to technology, emphasizing that wellness should be a human-centered experience. It promotes a phone-free environment, encouraging bathers to be truly present during their visit by offering a space to disconnect from the outside world. “That said, we ensure that the technology we do use enhances our convenience,” Gavin says. “Our booking system is seamless, our check in process is fast, and our locker and facility operations are designed to be intuitive and simple.” The business is also integrating solar power into its locations and using energy-efficient commercial-grade filtration and sanitization systems to reduce water usage and ensure cold plunges remain clean and sustainable. As a 1% for the Planet member, Sauna House donates 1% of its total revenue to support local organizations like the Eno River Association.
“We would love for West Geer Street and the surrounding blocks to become a health and wellness hub in the city,” Gavin says. “With neighbors like Courage Fitness, the Salt Cave, Virge Yoga, Bull City Running and the Downtown YMCA, to name a few, there are so many great options for staying healthy and building community.”
Sauna House plans to open a Charlotte location before the end of the year and one in Raleigh in 2025. “Durham is just the beginning,” Gavin says. “We plan to bring Sauna House to other cities that share a similar appreciation for health, wellness and community connection.”
A Little R&R
Healing meets hospitality at Recovery & Rehabilitation Wellness Spa, where a dynamic husband-wife duo is redefining what it means to unwind. Casondra Littlejohn and Bryan Littlejohn have transformed their vision for comprehensive care into a vibrant oasis, where recovery feels less like a chore and more like a revitalizing escape.
The spa, which opened in December 2022, was inspired by the pair’s other venture, PerforMax Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation. “PerforMax is about holistic care when it comes to physical therapy,” Casondra says. “It was important to us to give our patients alternative care, and that’s how R&R started.”
R&R offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere where personalized care is a priority. “When you walk in the door, you’re greeted with the spirit of everyone who works here,” Casondra says. “We personalize every single encounter … we want everyone to feel like they are part of a family.”
The spa’s treatments cater to diverse needs, with services including an infrared sauna, compression therapy, cryotherapy, float tanks and massages ranging from lymphatic and trigger-point release to deep tissue. Massages and floating are particularly popular, and the latter can provide lasting mental and physical benefits. “Floating helped me decompress during a stressful time in my life,” Casondra says. “I was able to sleep and reset.”
Casondra enhances each visit with small touches like chocolates, bubbly or mocktails, especially to celebrate special occasions. “Our services may not be traditionally ‘posh,’” Casondra says, “but we aim to make everyone feel pampered.”
R&R continually adapts to keep up with new wellness techniques, primarily driven by community input. “We’re always open to new modalities, especially with our physical therapy background,” Casondra says.
The spa offers a 15% discount to health care providers and hosts events for corporate groups and nonprofits. Casondra envisions more wellness-centered community events, from book clubs to couples’ Pilates. “One of my priorities is to bridge the gap between other businesses by establishing more wellness events within the spa,” she says. “I want to help people and find ways my purpose can touch generations.”
Looking for more local ways to practice self-care? Read Durham Magazine‘s December 2024/January 2025 issue.
