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Welcome to Vogue’s first-ever spa guide—a compendium of the 100 best spas worldwide, pulling from the expertise of our global editors. There is a lot out there in the world of wellness, and we are here to sort the cryo from the cold plunge, the infrared light treatment from the IV infusion. Or if your path is a more holistic one—there’s something for you here as well.
Why go here?
When I step through the gilded gates of Biân (pronounced “be-on”), there is a choice to make: Go right, and there’s Biân Beauty, a medi-spa featuring laser technology, luxury facials stacked with Epicutis innovations, and injectibles like Botox and Daxxify for the taking. Go left, and a members-only spa with Eastern medicine therapies, an infrared sauna, and Thai bodywork massages await, along with the most beautiful steam room and cold plunge I’ve ever seen.
The space operates as a private club offering a little bit of everything. There’s a fitness center and studio with dozens of classes, reformer machines, soundbaths, and nutrition counseling (complete with food sensitivity blood panels), a coworking lounge, two restaurants, and even a vinyl listening room filled with records, which can be booked in 30-minute slots.
What’s the vibe?
Light-filled with a soft, neutral color palette and plenty of stonework, the aesthetic says “relax.” There’s plenty of room to roam, and rather than feeling like I’m squeezed into a see-and-be-seen club, this is a place to chill at my own pace. “Like walking into a luxurious and serene retreat in a faraway land, away from the bustle of the city, where you actually feel yourself taking a deep breath,” is the intended feel, according to cofounder and chief wellness officer, Mar Soraparu.
Guests surrounding me include local news executives, publicists and plastic surgeons grabbing green juices and grain bowls, jewelry designers, and influencers discussing Dyson hair tools in the locker room. Escape for a moment in the Hästens bed nap room or spend an entire day sending emails between personal trainer appointments and deep fascia release sessions.
The history?
Perched directly on the edge of the Chicago River, the historic Montgomery Ward and Company Catalog building was built around 1907, redeveloped into a tech destination two decades ago, and reimagined as Biân in 2020 (at least part of it, as the entire structure spans 1.25 million square feet). Soraparu calls the new club “a 35,000-square-foot sanctuary in the heart of Chicago,” and through the fitness center windows, I see ferry tours floating beyond riverfront patio seating.
What should you try?
Within the Biân Beauty medi-spa, I go for laser technology with a BroadBand Light session (the original BBL) with Samantha Gatewood, a board-certified nurse practitioner. For fair skin types like mine, it has the power to blast away hyperpigmentation in a single appointment. I recline as I’m coated and uncoated in numbing cream before Gatewood covers my eyelids and passes the laser over my face and neck. It does not hurt, and faster than a business lunch, I emerge with minimal redness and no downtime. Dark spots on my face and capillaries around my nose have already disappeared. They’ll come back eventually, which means I’ll also return. In the meantime, I pre-book an Epicutis Hydrate and Renew Facial for the end of the month.
For my next experience, I go left (to the members-only area) for an acupuncture session that instantly relaxes the tension in my shoulders. As a bonus, I top it up with a few ear seeds (my favorite) that my practitioner applies to my knees (which she says can benefit from acupressure). Making my way through the spa locker room, I enter the steam room and lay on a giant stone slab between cold plunges, and friendly members marvel at my ability to stay in the chilly water for more than a few seconds. It is a perfect afternoon.
How environmentally friendly is it?
The space relies on nontoxic and environmentally friendly cleaning products, and paper products are swapped for cloth hand towels in the bathrooms. Glass bottles from the juice program are recycled, says Soraparu, adding that glasses and cups at hydration zones throughout reduce the need for any plastic water bottles.
What else do we need to know?
Access is everything. “Biân and its services, aside from Beauty, are all for members only (or their guests with a guest pass), to maintain an intimate community,” Soraparu explains. For example, the Eastern Medicine program with cosmetic acupuncture, medical qigong, and special programs for pre- and post-natal support fall into the members-only realm, while a Biân Beauty HydraFacial can be booked by anyone (though members get special pricing).
Who can go?
While Biân Beauty (the entrance to the right) is fully open to the public for all skin-care, aesthetic, and product needs, Biân (the left entrance) is a private club, not open to the public. “However, its members are able to purchase guest passes for any of their out-of-town guests to take advantage of the complete ecosystem, including the steam room, cold plunge, classes, workspace, restaurant, and all ancillary services,” Soraparu tells me. In layperson’s terms, you may need to tap a member or sign on the dotted line to try the full experience!
Booking details for Biân
Address: 600 W Chicago Ave, Suite 001 Chicago, IL 60654
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
