SPAB Alba Review: A Guided Spa Experience in Alba
Introducing Funny Wellness
The neon sign outside SPAB says “Funny Wellness,” which sounds a bit, well, funny to me as an English speaker. I’m not sure what to expect, as my sister-in-law Raffaella has brought me here. All I know is it’s a guided spa circuit.
Our AssoSauna trained Spa Master, Daniele Mei, welcomes us into the reception area and shows us to the changing rooms. Swimsuits on, he leads us to our first stop: a Mongolian yurt decorated with photos of the Langhe throughout the four seasons.
Daniele serves us herbal tea and burns cedar incense while he explains the concept of the spa: “Instead of wandering around doing whatever you want, we take care of everything so you can experience total relaxation”.
The Langhe and Roero’s UNESCO World Heritage status creates a thread that ties together the whole experience, linking the surrounding landscape to the Nordic sauna tradition’s UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. You see it everywhere in the spa: from cork-lined saunas and walls made of wine crates to the Russian Banya inside a Barolo barrel.
We’re here for the Langhe Wine Wellness Path, which includes 10 rituals across roughly three hours, following a heat-cold-relax-repeat pattern.
First up: the welcome ritual.
Visiting Alba this autumn? Get my truffle season 3-day itinerary.
Victoria Peel-Yates
The Experience: Langhe Wine Wellness Path
The Mongolian Yurt: Welcome Ritual
Still in the yurt, Daniele gently hits us with bundles of sticks to release tension in our necks and shoulders. It’s surprisingly relaxing, and I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, feeling my body shift into relaxation mode.
Daniele then instructs me to stand in front of the huge gong hanging on one of the walls. He begins striking it rhythmically, and I feel the vibrations surging through my body. Behind my closed eyes, I see visuals of waves crashing against rocks. When Daniele stops playing, I open them, and it’s like my body’s still vibrating. It’s the perfect way to transition from the buzz of daily life into the bubble of the spa.
Round 1: The Finnish Sauna
Daniele then leads us to the Finnish Sauna, recommending that we remove our swimsuits to prevent toxins from the synthetic fibres entering our skin (and sensitive areas). We do—Raffaella enthusiastically, me slightly more hesitantly.
Once inside, Daniele gives us a brief history of the Finnish sauna tradition and the role the sauna master played in the community. As he does this, he uses a towel to fan us with the enthusiasm of a bullfighter.
This is the "Spectacular Sauna Show"—one of the signature rituals in the circuit, and I wonder if this is meant to be the “funny” part. Once he considers us warm enough, Daniele leaves us to relax for a few minutes while listening to a cover of “The Sound of Silence”.
He then returns to escort us to the showers, which are decorated with vine leaves, instructing us to use cold water to counteract the heat.
To complete the circuit, he leads us to the outdoor Kneipp path: a stone path designed to stimulate circulation when you walk on it barefoot. This is fine in June, but I wonder what it might be like in the depths of Piedmont’s freezing winters.
The first part of the circuit ends in the relaxation room, where Daniele leaves us with more herbal tea, hot stones on our solar plexuses, and chamomile masks over our eyes.
Round 2: The Crutin Hammam
Daniele gently wakes us after we doze off in the relaxation room and takes us to our next stop: the Crutin Hammam. A “crutin” in Piedmontese is a small underground cellar or cave used for storing cheese and wine. Here, it’s combined with a Turkish hammam steam room, where wine is infused into the traditional savonage ritual.
After steaming for a few minutes, Daniele instructs us to scrub with a salt and wine mixture and leave it on for ten minutes. He then returns with a bowl of soapy water, which he proceeds to whip as though trying to make meringue. This turns the soap into a silky foam, which he then pours over us to remove the salt scrub, leaving our skin smooth.
The hammam is followed by another cold shower, after which Daniele leaves us in the outdoor hot tub, returning a few minutes later to serve us glasses of Prosecco. He calls this “bolle nelle bolle” (bubbles in bubbles). Since SPAB is a portmanteau of “spa” and “pub”, I wonder if this is the pub element.
Round 3: The Russian Banya Barolo Sauna
The final circuit is the climax of the experience: a traditional Russian Banya built inside a Barolo barrel, featuring a wood stove filled with heated stones. Daniele places a ball of ice on top of them, and the room fills with the hoppy smell of beer—and extreme heat.
He explains that in Russian Banya tradition, bathers drink beer in the sauna, throw the dregs in the snow, then form it into snowballs to place on the hot coals, releasing more steam.
Daniele works the stick bundles again, this time on our backs for a traditional Venik massage meant to stimulate blood flow. Then he leaves us to sweat, but by this point, I’m struggling with the heat, and “cheat” by stepping outside a couple of times.
He returns brandishing hot honey, instructing us to rub it on our skin. Then comes the grand finale: the Dragon’s Breath ritual. He pours water onto the superheated stones, then uses an enormous wicker fan to waft the scorching air over our bodies. I feel like my skin is melting off, and when it ends (which is probably no more than 30 seconds later), I stagger out of the barrel feeling lightheaded.
Luckily Daniele is on hand to guide us to the plunge pool behind the Banya for our last cold plunge. It’s a hot day outside, so Daniele throws a few more balls of ice into the pool for good measure, and I can feel the blood pulsing through my head and wrists as my body starts cooling down.
Wind-Down: Himalayan Lodge & Sound Bath
Once we feel slightly cooler, Daniele leads us to the last stop, the Himalayan salt lodge, for the closing ritual.
After a few minutes relaxing in stillness, with a gentle heat warming our lower backs, Daniele returns and closes out the experience with a sound bath with Tibetan bowls, leaving us tired, red-faced, and blissed-out.
Heading for dinner after your spa experience? Discover the hidden Alba neighbourhood where locals go to eat.
Victoria Peel-Yates
SPAB Alba: Practical Information
Planning a trip to SPAB during your stay in Alba? Here’s everything you need to know.
- Getting there: Corso Piave 219, Alba. Part of the Alba Village complex, ample parking near the entrance
- Duration: 2.5-3 hours
- Group or private: Shared circuit up to 10 people; exclusive booking available for couples, groups, hen dos, birthdays, etc
- What to bring: Swimwear, two towels, flip flops, biodegradable sunscreen
- Not suitable for: Under-16s (under-18s get an alcohol-free drink during the sensory tasting), pregnant women, people with heart conditions, wheelchair users
- Languages: English and Italian spoken
You can book directly at www.spab.it, or if you prefer a platform you already use, the experience is also listed on GetYourGuide, and includes transport to the venue. [affiliate link]
SPAB Alba: Is It Worth It?
SPAB is definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for a different kind of spa in Alba that integrates local ingredients, culture, and heritage. Bear in mind that parts of the spa are outdoors, so spring and autumn are ideal—although cold therapy enthusiasts might enjoy the plunge pool during Piedmont's winter.
What really makes SPAB stand out is the guided circuit: your spa master takes care of timing and sequencing so you can fully relax and just enjoy the experience, instead of wandering from one steam room to the next until your toes feel wrinkly enough.
Book your visit via the SPAB website or Get Your Guide (affiliate link).
