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Published on October 15, 2019
Curious about cryotherapy? Here's a DC spa to sample the hottest trend in workout recoveryPhoto: Capital Cryo/Yelp

Cryotherapy is a hot topic with celebrities, especially celebrity athletes. As a recent Today show story notes, the likes of Mark Wahlberg, Steph Curry, LeBron James and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Lisa Vanderpump are all fans of the icy-cold therapy, which immerses clients into a sub-zero chamber for a few minutes to ease recovery from sports injuries and soothe muscle pain. Some proponents even tout its benefits for anxiety and youthful skin.

That likely explains why searches for "cryotherapy" in the DC area have soared 50% over the past year, according to Google Trends data. So where can you try this trendy therapy for yourself?

Hoodline scoured data from the fitness subscription service ClassPass to find the most popular spot for cryotherapy sessions: Capital Cryo.

If this spa piques your interest, here’s a tip: Joining ClassPass gives you access to thousands of studios, gyms and wellness offerings where you live, where you work and where you travel.

Whole Body Cryotherapy at Capital Cryo

3301 New Mexico Ave., NW, Cathedral Heights and 4912 Hampden Lane, Bethesda

PHOTO: CAPITAL CRYO/YELP

The 30-minute sessions — you’re in the chamber only 1-3 minutes — are offered multiple times every day at Capital Cryo’s two locations. Those sessions starting at 5:30 p.m. and after are peak times, so booking might be tougher, according to ClassPass data. The spa suggests arriving 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled session to complete any necessary paperwork. 

The city’s Yelpers give Capital Cryo positive ratings, with 80% of its reviews coming in at five stars.

In September, reviewer Lori D. wrote, “They are very accommodating with scheduling sessions and providing a calm, clean space.”

In May 2018, reviewer A.M. noted, “at the end of the session one staff was a little too pushy trying to book the next appointment. She kept asking us over and over and making it very uncomfortable. We'll be back tho.”

If you're ready to take on the challenge, you can sign up on ClassPass. To learn more about the venue, visit Instagram (capitalcryo), Twitter and Facebook.

Does cryotherapy have a place in your weekly workouts, or do you walk another fitness path less-traveled? Tell us about it in the comments!


Hoodline, a Nextdoor company, offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities and neighborhoods. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.