A New Kind of Bathhouse research that turned “going to the bathhouse” into an hour of recovery in the middle of the week
In brief
The client planned to open a new kind of bathhouse in Ukraine and came to us with one question: is this viable at all? We ran in-depth interviews, tested the hypotheses and mapped the market. The answer came as a set of conditions under which opening makes sense.
Key points
Steam is the tool.A change of state is the product.
People “hire” a bathhouse to switch off the noise in their heads and restore their body’s energy — within an hour, with no weekend required.
That is how the bathhouse moved from leisure to urban recovery infrastructure — an Urban Recovery Station.
Challenge
Test the viability of a new kind of city bathhouse, define its value for the customer and build the first go-to-market hypotheses. The format already had a frame: a one-hour slot, contrast therapy, a minimalist space free of the “men’s club” code. We had to find out whether people need it — and under what conditions.
Method
Qualitative research: we talked to people in depth. The interview data stays with the client — here we show only the approach and the scale.
- 22
- in-depth interviews
- 1–2 hrs
- per conversation — open talk, no questionnaires or yes/no answers
- 30+ hrs
- of recordings, transcribed and analyzed word for word
- 86
- report slides with findings and quotes
- 3
- JTBD audience segments
- 4
- competitor segments
Internal audit
From “entertainment” to functional recovery
- Duration 3–4 hours of “hanging out”60 minutes — like a workout
- Occasion beer, barbecue, feastingmental hygiene and biohacking
- Audience a “men’s” crowda gender-neutral space for everyone
- Core “a good steam”contrast therapy: heat and cold
- Space timber paneling, animal skins, leather sofaslight stone, minimalism, silence
- Booking a call to the front desk: “Hello?!”a slot in one click
- What to bring a heavy bag and wet towelsempty hands — everything is already there
The audit showed where the client’s format already breaks the category. The interviews had to test whether people need that break.
Core audience
Three “jobs” people hire a bathhouse for
Urban audience aged 30–40,
When I feel mentally drained from , I want a short session in a quiet space, so that “reset” my brain and get back to work without spending on it.
Triggers
- End of
- “Brain fog”
Success criteria
- A slot
- Leave
Fears
- Unpredictability
- Losing time on
Active people,
When my body after exertion, I want with the right , so that make recovery part of .
Triggers
- after a workout
- A planned
Success criteria
- Consistent
Fears
- “Dry”
- Drawn-out
Groups of 3–6 people,
When I want to share an experience , I want a modern space for , so that have a quality conversation in place of .
Triggers
- Looking for an alternative
- A regular
Success criteria
- A place for the group
Fears
- behind the wall
- No slots
Segments, triggers, success criteria and fears come from real conversations. The details that would let anyone replicate the model stay with the client.
Life scenario
The bathhouse as a “state-change station” between two modes of life
NoiseImpulseSlotHeat · Cold · SilenceClarity
- Weekdays, Tue–Thu60–90 minutes
A quick morning or lunchtime session — a biohacking tool
- Weekends3–4 hours
A deep ritual — the final note of a week of recovery and socializing
Hypothesis testing
We tested every hypothesis in conversations with people
Pick a hypothesis and test it in conversations with people.
H01 · Refined
Getting back to work after
The barrier turned out to be different from what we assumed: . The solution is .
H02 · Confirmed
Session length: vs
For a new market, yes: . The conservative core — and sits outside our audience.
H03 · Confirmed
Who the bathhouse really competes with
The real competitor is . So we sell .
H04 · Refined
Strangers nearby
The fear is about . What removes the barrier is .
H05 · Refined
Temperature contrast
It suits some people: . It needs and .
H06 · Confirmed
How people judge the price
People themselves compare an hour at the bathhouse with . So the price anchor is .
H07 · Confirmed
Expectations before the first visit
Before walking in, people need to know . The visit starts with .
H08 · Confirmed
Distance from home or office
The threshold is . Then the bathhouse fits into .
H09 · Confirmed
The first-try barrier
Understanding of the product comes . The main growth lever is .
H10 · Confirmed
Space design and the female audience
read as dirt and danger. Minimalism works as .
Market
Competitors fit on a map — and one corner of it was empty
Aesthetic escapism
High service and great views, yet it is a full-day event: an hour’s drive each way and slots booked months ahead. You can’t drop in between meetings.
Banquet bunker
A 1990s model: “Hello?!” on the phone in place of online booking, opaque prices, timber paneling, animal skins and a mandatory feast.
Utilitarian add-on
Quick after a workout — with zero aesthetics and zero privacy: crowds, no control over temperature, a wet bag to carry home.
Urban Recovery Station
Steam quality from authentic bathhouses, made controllable. Aesthetics from countryside retreats, minus the drive. Speed from gyms, plus premium cleanliness and ritual.
The real competition is for a 60–120-minute time slot. Indirect competitors: massage, bars and coffee shops.
Strategy
Five decisions that turn a bathhouse into a service
- 01
Sell a change of state
The market now
Sells “hot air” and hours in the steam room- The session ends with cold
- The key value is the guide
- Gentle temperature modes for first-timers
- 02
Arrive empty-handed
The market now
A bag of wet things and looking “unpresentable” afterwards- Robes, toiletries and professional hairdryers on site
- 15–20 minutes from business districts
- 03
Online in place of “Hello?!”
The market now
An old-school administrator on the phone- Online-only booking with visible slots
- A guide before the first visit
- Automated lockers and check-out
- 04
A safe bubble
The market now
Strangers and a “lads” vibe keep women and introverts away- Light minimalism in place of timber paneling
- No Phones / No Photos and zero alcohol
- Zones of “social solitude”
- 05
Price as an investment
The market now
Price competition with public bathhouses- Price anchor: a premium workout
- Loyalty built on hospitality, with discounts off the table
Decision point
Open or not? It depends on readiness to invest in service architecture on top of the building itself
0 / 6 conditions
Don’t open
Any trace of a “Soviet approach” or logistical friction will instantly drive your customer away.
Too early
Every gap gives the target audience a reason to choose massage or yoga.
Open
A blue ocean lies ahead, with a loyal audience that needs a regular “reset”.
Result
The client came with the question “is the format viable?” — and got the conditions under which the model works: a new Urban Recovery Station category, three audience segments, tested hypotheses and a market map with an open corner.
Plus five decisions for the product, service and space, and an honest “open or not” decision point before the first brick is laid.
What we’ll do for you
Research that tells you whether to launch — and how
When you have a business idea and no certainty that people need it. We talk to your audience, test the hypotheses and show the conditions under which the model works.
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01 In-depth interviews Conversations that reveal what people are willing to pay for. -
02 Hypothesis testing What was confirmed, what needs refining and what to drop. -
03 Positioning and decisions A market map, a strategy and the conditions for a launch worth making.
Team
- Agency
- DOGMA
- Client
- A new kind of city bathhouse project
