GOTHAM’S THERMAL UNDERWORLD

Ancient Rome in New York City? Yes, that’s the idea the Spanish-based company Aire is betting on. Aping the Romans temples of relaxation and hygiene, Aire Ancient Baths, located in the bowels of Franklin St. in Tribeca, is a candle-lit, decadently cavernous thermae bathhouse fit for a God—or supermodel.

The 16,000 square foot space, deep under the cobblestone hustle-and-bustle of Gotham, has taken bathhouses to a new level: From soaking in private tubs filled with wine, milk, and cava to azure hot baths/cold pools and, yes, a glass-encased steam-filled hammam, all lit by imported lanterns from Morocco, is a pure catacomb of 97 degrees Fahrenheit bliss that would even make Dionysus blush.