Spa Spotlight: Relax Float Spa - Doylestown, PA

"And now for something completely different!"

Craig Rudzenski is the ever-smiling owner of Relax: Float Spa in Doylestown, PA. I get the sense that he doesn't take most things in life too seriously. For instance, I could hear the smile in his voice as he helped me "frantically" book two last minute Sauna & Float appointments the day before we wanted to come in! It must be the tranquil environment he chooses to surround himself in that leads to his upbeat good nature.

As you step through the entryway of his peaceful spa oasis on the north side of Doylestown, you are instantly immersed in balance. You are greeted in a cozy, round room full of elemental flair --fresh, vibrant green flowers and plants, reminiscent of a morning out in nature, sunshine streaming through stained-glass accents. Gentle light highlighting the warming glow of the salt lamps along the wall. Vaguely, in the distance, drifts the soothing sound of a fountain tinkling over smooth stones. At the center of the room, a beautiful table features internal elements that rotate airily at its depths.

It is tranquil, and I am entranced.

I am lucky enough to share this experience with a friend, which always makes a Float Day sweeter! Since its our first time here, we get a tour and quick orientation. The folks at Relax always want to make sure that their guests are comfortable with the floating practice, which may be a bit mystifying to some at first.

This facility is the first I've been to that features custom made float tanks. Guests can choose between the 4 fun and distinct, charismatic cabins:

◘ The Floating Forrest

[[ green » earthy » arcadian ]]

◘ The Zen Garden

[[ tantric « centering « ethereal ]]

◘ Bon Bini

[[ airy » beachy » bubbly ]]

◘ Blue Rocks

[[ solid « grounding « powerful ]]

Craig credits Tom Bazis as the local visionary / artist / engineer behind these beautiful custom-made cabins. I'm lucky enough to visit Tom's spot, FLOAT SNJ next week, so keep an eye out for that cosmic & colorful feature.

To accompany the unique rooms, Craig has also added beautifully crafted infrared saunas right inside two of the float suites. This ends up being such an amazing perk, because @divinefemininede and I are able to meditate together before retreating to our floats.

Afterwards, we come back together in the lavender glow of the post-float lounge. As with every other room, this area has its own personality. Craig and his team really know how to play with the power of color and lighting in this space. The cocooned lounge is a patch of violets in the soft sunlight of dawn...or a sacred chamber within your own heart cave...or watching the moonrise from an alien planet, depending on the dimension you're trying to wake up into. It is beautiful, and the perfect continuation of our float experience before we are ready to re-emerge into our normal day.

• • •

Craig & I had a follow up call the next day so he could check in on my experience. He's such an open book that he let me ask him some questions about how he came to this point. Here's a little of our conversation:

What got you into floating? And how did you decide to go from a Float Enthusiast to Spa Owner?

My back was really messed up and I was constantly looking for therapeutic methods to relieve the physical pain. I started going to Halcyon Floats in Philadelphia and it changed my life. [He says the proprietress of Halcyon, Keri McGinn is his *Float Angel* and she has always acted as a kind and giving mentor on his journey.] I'm from South Jersey, and with a family and pretty demanding job, it was hard to get to Philly as often as I wanted to. Then Tom opened Float SNJ in my town and it got so much easier to go!

I used to work for Playstation, so I was constantly travelling all over the Tri-State . I would talk to 20 & 30-year-olds in the Tech and Electronics industry. It was so obvious that they were all constantly SUPER connected and plugged in, and I felt like the needed to know there was a way to disconnect and reset. We all need just an hour to unplug. I would tell them "You have no idea how much it will help!!" I knew I wanted to create this space for people to come. I really think the world would be a better place if everyone was able to float

We opened our doors in 2018 and haven't looked back since!

Your space is so unique! What made you decide to go the custom-built route?

I would go to Float SNJ a lot before we had our own location. Tom was like a mentor to me, and really showed me how it could be done in a different way. He had built his tanks himself, so we were able to consult and design Relax together. I wanted a warm, welcoming environment. Some of my clients that experience physical pain have to go through some pretty intense physical therapy and medical procedures -- They don't want to come here to see hard lines and sterile, harsh white walls. Nothing about this space is "clinical". It is warm and vibrant and alive. [He's right. His clients seem to really appreciate it. The spa has been a winner on the Bucks County's Best Happening List the last two years. The spa also recently won "Best Day Spa in Bucks & Montgomery Counties" from the Intelligencer Newspaper!!} Custom building also allowed me to make the tanks bigger than standard. At 5' x 9' you can stretch out very comfortably. You can also schedule a 2-person float if you want to.

That's awesome that you care about your members' experience to such great detail. Do you get to interact with the community regularly?

We absolutely love being a part of the Doylestown community. There are such great people here. Before COVID flipped the world upside down, we were out at every event. We know floating is great for athletes, and we'd sponsor a softball team and support the local sports organizations. [Ooo, Floating for Athletes, you say? Reminds me of a little blog post from not that long ago ---> Floating For Athletes: A Warrior's Secret Weapon] When everyone pivoted during the pandemic, we were able to run a special "Buy a Float, Give a Float" promotion where we were able to donate a bunch of floats to local essential medical frontline workers. We're really looking forward to doing more things like that to give back and stay connected!

[This guy has such great energy.]

Anything else you really want people to know??

Floating is something that anyone can do. You don’t have to be scared! We used to love giving tours all the time. Right now, because of COVID precautions, we recommend that you visit our Facebook page for a virtual tour. It is more important than ever to take a moment to just RELAX!!

THANK YOU, Craig, and your helpful, often-hilarious team. Can't wait to see what else is in store for this spot.

And thank YOU for reading :) I'm working on evolving the site a bit, and would really welcome your feedback. If you care to leave a comment, just scroll down to the box at the bottom. I read everything you send! ♥ Have a lovely week!

-A

Spa At A Glance

Owner: Craig Rudzenski

Location: 807 N Easton Rd #100, Doylestown, PA 18902

Contact: www.relaxfloat.com // 215.345.1100

relaxfloatationspa@gmail.com // @relaxfloatspa

Services Offered: 90-minute sessions of Float and Sauna

Quality CBD products also available for purchase.