Cold plunges, Finnish saunas, and red-light therapy are everywhere right now. Inside Hotel X's massive 10XTO athletic complex, the new Contrast Zone brings that whole recovery circuit under one roof. I checked in for an afternoon to test the hot-and-cold setup firsthand
The Experience
My flip-flops clap against my heels as I tread through Hotel X’s hallways, finally rounding a bend and arriving at 10XTO. I stop abruptly, mouth agape — I’ve never seen anything like it.
The 90,000-square-foot athletic club connected to Hotel X is massive, completely encased in floor-to-ceiling glass. As I stand there, clutching my plush white robe, I spy two full-size tennis courts, gyms, ping-pong tables, squash courts, a hot yoga studio, a golf simulator and ongoing group classes. For athletes who need a snack between workouts, bowls piled high with fresh fruit are everywhere.
After soaking in the wellness wonderland, I attract a few amused looks, as I shuffle towards 10XTO’s newest addition: the Contrast Zone, a new sauna, cold plunge and red-light therapy lounge designed to help with athletic recovery. Even though the most strenuous physical activity I’ve done today is lugging around a suitcase, I’m excited to refresh my muscles.
After signing a waiver at the front desk, I push through the door. The noise of guests thwacking tennis balls abruptly stops — the space is completely soundproof, and empty during my visit. While there are a few wall sconces, everything is brightly lit from overhead lighting. The decor is minimal, with pops of colour from sage-green chairs and a few plants and trees scattered about. I’m drenched in sweat after 10 minutes in the dark, quiet Finnish sauna.
I rinse off with an icy shower, then — after several minutes of mental preparation, indecision and dipping my pinky toe in — plunge into the 9–10 C individual cold bath. After I defrost and dry off, I strap on some goggles and sink into a lounge chair for a red-light therapy session. I’m booked for an overnight stay at Hotel X after the experience — and good thing, too, because I’m both relaxed and exhausted from the hot-and-cold cycle.
The Features
Opened late last year, the Contrast Zone is 10XTO’s newest wellness offering inside Hotel X — and a welcome addition to the already impressive athletic club. Though compact, the space packs in a full recovery circuit. Sweat out your woes in the cozy, wood-lined SaunaFin Finnish dry sauna, a dark, quiet space designed to help relax tight muscles after a hard workout.
There’s also a private shower, a fridge stocked with cold face cloths and two spigot jars filled with fruit- and electrolyte-infused water. Nearby, Coldture plunge tubs offer two levels of chill: a gentler 9–10 C and a frosty 2–3 C.
Four lounge chairs fitted with panels from Canadian light-therapy brand Kala round out the 10XTO space. The red-light therapy is designed to support skin health, reduce inflammation and promote cell repair.
The Hotel
Even if you aren’t planning an intense workout, the Contrast Zone is an easy way to elevate a relaxing stay at Hotel X. 10XTO is a private members’ club, but it also serves as an amenity for hotel guests — just book your Contrast Zone experience for when you arrive.
Guerlain Spa was voted Canada’s Best Hotel Spa at the 2025 World Spa Awards, and a treatment there pairs perfectly with a visit to the Contrast Zone. A delicious meal at Roses Social or the swanky rooftop restaurant Valerie rounds out a wellness-focused stay at Hotel X.
Rooms from $332 per night; Experience Wellness add-on, $50 per hotel guest; hotelxtoronto.com
