Insider trading ring: splish splash, they were taking a bath...

This is where it all allegedly started -- at Russian day spa "Wall Street Bath & Spa (Spa 88) -- in November 2004. Goldman Sachs' fixed income analyst Eugene Plotkin introduced ex-Goldman employee David Pajcin to Merrill analyst Stanislav Shpigelman and the insider trading plans were off and running.

We didn't even know that Russian bath houses existed;  the only ones we had ever heard of were of the gay variety (and no, not from experience!).  So we thought we'd check the scene of the crime out....

A site devoted to Russian Baths describes the spa:

Wall Street Bath & Spa (Spa 88) on Fulton Street in Manhattan, New York
Pros: Located in Manhattan, plenty of space, big pool, great stove.

Cons: A bit more expensive than the rest. Shvitz replaced Finnish sauna.

Conclusion: Recommended. High quality Russian banya.

Hours:
Coed: Mon,Wed,Thu,Fri 11am to 11pm; Sat-Sun 9am to 11pm; Tue 11am-9pm;
Men only: Tue 9pm-11pm
Admission: $30
1 hour massage: $80-$90
Venik treatment / Platza: $30-$40
Facial: $40-$100

Facilities: Big pool, Russian bath, steam room (Turkish), Shvitz, Jacuzzi, cold plunge, Tanning salon, gym, Restaurant
Wall Street Bath tries to position itself more as a club and a spa than just a Russian bath. Never mind that, they are still a great Russian bath. They have an authentic Russian room with a stove made with 16 tons of rock heated overnight to radiate intense heat.

Fragrant steam room is available for those who like to suffocate themselves. A nice Swiss sauna was recently replaced by a Jewish shvitz.

Shvitz is similar to Russian banya, but in the same room where people sweat they douche themselves with buckets of cold water. Because of so much water, steam becomes heavy and unpleasant. But since you can pour cold water at any moment, it seems to be preferred by non-Russian visitors.

Other facilities of Wall Street Bath include a cold plunge, an impressively large though shallow pool, Jacuzzi for chlorine-lovers, a spacious and usually empty "Turkish" steam room. The spa offers a variety of treatments like massage, facials, body wraps and waxing. The bathhouse was built in the late nineties and recently renovated, but still shows some slight signs of wear.

The resting area in Spa 88 has high ceilings and to some it may lack coziness. The place can get quite busy on weekends. The on-site restaurant serves various Russian foods with reasonable by Manhattan standards prices. Remember to keep track of those uncounted pots of tea though - the totals can quickly build up higher than anticipated. The service sometimes has an old-Russian school influence - lack of smiles and attention.

We note that they have a 'men only' time, but do not give women equal opportunity....

Note: it's a Macromedia Flash site (gawd, WE HATE FLASH), and therefore annoying slow as molasses; it also has sound.)

Wall Street Bath & Spa (Spa 88)