Meet Luxury Escapism—a Relaxation Experience Unlike Anything You've Ever Heard of
Luxury Escapism is a new immersive art and technology experience designed to relax your mind and inspire your senses.
At first glance, Luxury Escapism doesn’t look or sound anything like your typical spa—and it’s not meant to. With rainbow waterbeds in lieu of massages and a sonic sauna instead of a steam room, the recently-opened hot spot in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood offers an innovative approach to relaxation.
Co-Founders Tyler Pridgen (who is the company’s CEO) and David Lobser (who is also Lead Creative Technologist) have combined immersive technology, ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), and tactile stimulation to create a uniquely relaxing and playful environment. Experiences offered include:
Rainbow Waterbed: This treatment uses an adjustable strobe light with bioacoustic harmonics and audible frequencies to put users into a deeply meditative state.
Sonic Sauna: The intimate audio space is designed for rotating organic ASMR-inspired sound baths and focuses on the five elements, helping guests enter a deep dream-like state guided by audio moments of tension and release.
Senscape: This collection of meditative, passive virtual reality vignettes helps users feel calm and focused.
Celestial Flow: A virtual reality particle sandbox tool where users manipulate over a million particles using just their hands to help them achieve a creative flow state.
We chatted with Pridgen, who shares all the details about this innovative new experience that is changing the future of relaxation.
A visit to the spa lasts up to two hours and offers various relaxation stations which use immersive technology, ASMR, and tactile stimulation to create a uniquely relaxing and playful environment.
What is Luxury Escapism and what inspired the concept?
Luxury Escapism is a first-of-its-kind relaxation space that uses immersive art and technology, as well as ASMR and tactile stimulation to create a uniquely calming, perception-bending experience for each guest. The concept was developed as an antidote to social media addiction and digital anxiety as a way to reclaim technology as something that can benefit our mental health.
When did it launch?
Our spa started as a pop-up in 2018 and has since found a permanent location in DUMBO, Brooklyn. We opened our doors to a beta launch in October and have been open to the public since the beginning of November.
What is a visit to Luxury Escapism like?
A visit to Luxury Escapism as we currently have it structured is experienced in intimate groups of up to 20 guests for two hours at a time. Visitors enter, put away their phones, and don robes and slippers. As we guide individuals into the main spa space, we enforce our whisper-only policy and explain all of the different technologies that are available to our guests.
We have eight different virtual meditations in various spaces, including the fur-covered Fuzzidarium, a 16-minute ASMR sound bath in our Sonic Sauna, a vibrating strobing waterbed experience called Rainbow Therapy, a virtual sandbox designed to ease users into a creative flow state, and a few more surprises to delight and inspire.
The experience is designed for free exploration, meaning there is no specific structure to the evening. This is intentional as we believe the process of discovery and exploration helps to create a play state within our guests. Every guest will have a slightly different experience based on their own preference and intention, however, everyone has access to the same experiences within the space.
Experiences include Celestial Flow, which is a virtual reality particle sandbox tool where users manipulate over a million particles using just their hands.
What are the benefits of a Luxury Escapism experience?
Luxury Escapism guests have reported feeling a wide variety of benefits. For those with an interest in new media and immersive visual art, our experience is the least stressful of all events featuring virtual reality. For those who want a break from media, we have a variety of analogue experiences that allow people to immerse in simple pleasures and rediscover child-like modes of creativity. For those who are seeking a therapeutic experience, our experiences are new and unique.
Can people go in groups or is it a solo experience?
The spa works really well for any number of visitors! We have a great balance of social and individualized experiences, so the session will feel nice and personal whether you come as a group or solo. I also must say it makes an amazing date night, so if you are looking to get cozy with a special someone this winter, consider Luxury Escapism!
What does a session cost?
A spa session currently costs $40.
How long is a session?
Up to two hours, however, guests are free to leave at any time during their visit.
Sonic Sauna is an intimate audio space for up to six people designed for rotating organic ASMR-inspired sound baths.
Future plans?
We have only been open for a few months, so give us some time, but we plan to open up new locations throughout the U.S. In some situations we may focus on a pop-up experience to test the market before diving into a permanent retail space. For now, though, DUMBO is the place to visit :)
Anything else we should know?
This is not a traditional spa, so if you are looking for a sauna, massages, and skin treatments, I suggest going somewhere else. If you are looking to expand your mind and experience relaxation in a totally reimagined way, then come on in!
For more information and to book your next Luxury Escapism experience, visit the website and follow them on Instagram: @luxuryescapism
Luxury Escapism
218 Plymouth St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
[Images courtesy of Luxury Escapism]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk