Smack bang in the middle of Surry Hills might not be top of mind when you think of when you hear ‘bathhouse’ yet a team of architects, ceramicists, and art collectors are set on changing all that with their newly opened Capybara Bathing.

Capybara Bathing is as much a business name as it is a state of mind (we see you, #capybaratok), offering a sanctuary for when your inbox can wait. Inspired by the almost universal tradition of communal bathing – onsen, sento, banya, hammam, temazcal, mikveh, jjimjilbang – Capybara brings together earthy tones and architecture designed to encourage community, eliminate the sterile nature of at-home bathing, and to bring beauty to an often rushed daily act.

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Instead, the bathhouse on Commonwealth Street is a ritual of relaxation where you are forced to unwrinkle your forehead and check in with your body thanks to the soothing medium of water. Not to be confused with a day spa, Capybara Bathing isn’t the place for massages, facials or aromatherapy. It is, however, the place for pore-cleansing steam rooms, the intense dry heat of saunas, soothing magnesium soaks, and bracing ice baths. Rinse (literally) and repeat.

And because relaxation is for everyone, accessibility is built into the Capybara design both literally and figuratively. Low-sensory sessions can be booked for the neurodivergent or overwhelmed, support people can attend bathhouse guests free of charge, and the space knows no gender.

Take a dip, have a chat, and leave your phone and worries at the door.

Capybara Bathing is located at 235-239 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills.
For full details and to book your session, head to the Capybara Bathing website.

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