Moki Sauna Somerville

Let me start by saying that I came here to check it out on one of the first days it was open, and I instantly grabbed the monthly membership. I knew I would be back here regularly while they are here. Yes, it is rustic and its utilities are a bit limited BUT you don't come here for the shower or a massage. You come here for the pleasure of finding a chance to unwind in a hot sauna and a cold plunge - to step away from your day's travails, warm your weary bones, and share in the joy of a few exhilarating hours at a place you least expected to find. Logistics are great, this couldn't be more centrally located. I have stopped in several times already and I'll list the main reasons why I love this place. 1. The sauna cabins are small but they pack a punch. You get an authentic heat experience that is unlike the tepid and useless 'sauna' at your average fitness center or Y 2. The camaraderie of the clientele is instant. You realize quickly that you are among those who truly share your conviction that the strong hot/cold contrasts are key to one's wellness 3. The staff is phenomenal in introducing folks to a powerful experience most Americans have little knowledge or understanding of. This is a great place to learn what a sauna experience is really about 4. I am not gonna lie, I love the smell of a wood fired stove and the heat that envelopes you from it. It taps into that prehistoric lizard part of our brains that is all feeling and no thinking. So, leave your judgemental, driven, and harried ego outside, step through the portal into this quirky world, and enjoy one of the most unusual and arguably spectacular sceneries you will ever find in a sauna. I second Anna's encouragement to become familiar with common etiquette and follow some basic rules. Sit on a towel to soak up your sweat, shower when you come in, coordinate with those around you whether they are ok with some water on the rocks, and use your inside voice in a small place like this. There are a good portion of patrons I have met already for whom this experience is not new. You will find a great opportunity to learn how humanity in far flung places has devised different traditions to use alternating heat and cold challenges as a source of health, emotional balance, relaxation, and wellbeing. The atmosphere is welcoming and folks are willing to share. Treat yourself to the MOKI experience and join in on the pleasures of simply BEing - as you step into one of the most unexpected and incongruous places in a popup sauna camp in the green ribbon park next to the Boston Harbor Hotel. Glad we had this little chat ...

Love this place! We were skeptical because we can be sauna snobs, but from the first visit we were hooked. If you are looking for a relaxing and welcoming space to get some wood fired heat in a convenient location, def check it out! All the employees have been gracious and helpful, even when it's busy. We went so often in such a short time that we decided to get monthly passes which we used at least 2 times a week for all of January and February. This *is* a pop up, not a permanent location, so it's not like a hotel spa or Icelandic lagoon. It's kind of like if you complained about a food truck not having tables, well, yeah, it's a food truck not a restaurant. Moki is a pop up, not a brick and mortar business. That said, it's delivering above expectations- nice big waffle towels, slides, and a sitting towel. I recommend bringing a robe with you, but they are available there for $5. The changing area has private lockers to keep personal items safe, and a convenient water refill station. There are 3 saunas, one small, one medium, one large. The medium one can get REALLY hot and there's a great outdoor shower just outside for cooling down and rinsing off. The big one is always friendly and social, and the little one is good for a cozy hang. There are water buckets for a good steam and they often have an appealing aromatherapy scent like birch or eucalyptus. There's also a little fire pit to hang out at in between sweat sessions and 3 cold plunges for the brave. I've brought my mom and friends from out of town who have all really enjoyed it. I hope they find a permanent spot or at least come back next winter!

Love the concept! We took the opportunity to make it a date night and it was great! It felt like most visitors were sitting in the sauna vs the cold plunge. Disappointed that one of the sauna was broken - the door would not close all the way therefore the other 2 saunas were packed. I would suggest that a staff member be present in the cold plunge area to offer advice and tips on how to properly experience the cold plunge part of the sauna. We definitely made it in but were not able to stay in for the recommended 1-3 minutes. Also, we were unsure about the rules on footwear. Most people took off their slides but the staff also kept spreading snowmelt around which stuck to your feet. That stuff was going in the saunas and in the tub. Kind of grossed me out. The others suggestion is perhaps limiting the number of people when 1 sauna is not working properly. We experienced a few moments of standing in the cold waiting for the sauna. It wasn’t horrible because we just got out of the cold plunge so the outside temperature were “warmer” than the plunge. All in all, we would be open to trying it again. We have heard of the benefits but feel like we need to educate ourselves on how to make the most out of there offering. Or maybe they will address that with more staff 🤷♀️

I went today with 2 friends and I want to first preface this with the staff were excellent: super accommodating and helpful. However, a there are a few reasons I cannot give this more than 3 stars: -To start, the bathroom I used was lacking hand soap so I had to use the body soap left in the shower. -The water bottle filling station (aka a bubbler) was empty when we arrived and we were told it would be refilled, but it never was so we had to buy excess water, which the staff graciously comped. -My 2 friends and I had tickets for 11am, which we asssumed meant there was a timed entry thing to slow down the number of people using the faculties at once. However, it seemed like there was too many people there to handle the number of saunas/cold tubs/ seating areas. Everyone was very chill about it, which is appreciated, but it felt crowded for sure. -It is unclear what the rules about sandals are here. Are we wearing them in the sauna? Leaving them outside? What about when cold plunging? as there seemed to be some debris in each tub from feet or otherwise. All in all, a unique experience but overpriced for what it actually was. I’d consider it again if it were more attended to for details (like hand soap!) with less people at one time.

Moki has been a life changer in so many ways! I’ve loved the community aspect, the mental health benefits, the improved sleep, and the recovery after a workout. The owner, Mark, has worked hard on both the major and minor details, making someone who’s never been to a Scandinavian country feel as close to being in Denmark as possible (for a pop-up that’s outside of Aeronaut Brewery 😊 in Somerville). It’s unlike “SweatHouz” and the like because the plunges are outside, the saunas are wood-fired (not infrared), and the space is communal. The staff is always quick to resolve any issue, big or small, and I couldn’t recommend checking it out any more!