Oliver Behnke
Apr 2026
★★★★★
This sauna has definitely seen better days!
When I first visited this sauna over 30 years ago, it was called the Bathhouse at the Roman Tower, and back then it was a real highlight compared to the other saunas here in Cologne.
In recent years, I've been going to Babylon more often, and even after a break of over eight months, I have to admit that I'm really not as happy anymore.
For the past three weeks, there's only been one French toilet available because the other one is being renovated.
A suggestion: Why don't you simply add another flushing station in the basement (the restroom in Area 51) and then renovate the ones upstairs? And instead of just replacing tiles, you could have easily converted the existing two flushing stations into four with a proper renovation.
Last year, an area in the basement was retiled, and it was done so perfectly—without water pooling in certain spots.
Last year, an area in the basement was also retiled, and it was done so perfectly—without water pooling in certain places.
... In the dry sauna, it would be nice to sand the wood again to show guests that the €28 entrance fee actually covers some maintenance.
Here's a suggestion: Talk to a sauna in Berlin; despite heavy use, it always looks very well-maintained and tidy.
The smells on the lower level are sometimes truly unbearable. It smells of practically every kind of human bodily fluid. That's not exactly erotic, and it doesn't turn me on at all.
A possible solution: A room fragrance system for a few hundred euros a month could transform the entire sauna into a haven of well-being. Additionally, regular cleaning with water on peak days could help.
Speaking of cleaning: During the regular trash checks, it would be good to also wipe down the loungers and remove the grime from under the slings. And the disinfectant in the French toilets should be checked and refilled.
In my opinion, the renovation of the old darkroom wasn't worth it. This room is still being used, but not as much as it was two years ago. The bed that's there is much too high for activities involving the bed (one person on the bed and the other in front of it)! I also wish the BDSM bench would come back.
The jar of condoms at the bar is nice, but it also makes me feel a bit self-conscious; I always feel like I'm being watched when I take two or three condoms out. The condom dispensers on the lower and upper floors are still there (they haven't been refilled in ages), so why aren't they being reactivated or simply removed?
Regarding age discrimination: Last year, I overheard younger guests calling a guest over 60 or even over 70 a "gnome." Of course, as a sauna owner, you can't always do something about your guests. But I would really appreciate more sensitivity. A similar incident happened to me, where I was verbally attacked in front of the bar staff simply for looking at a guest for a few milliseconds too long… And unfortunately, nothing came of it!
Now, let's talk about the service: Some Babylon employees are very, very friendly and attentive, but there are also those who are quite the opposite. For example, on Sunday, I encountered an employee I used to recognize as a regular. He didn't even greet me when I was a guest, even though we were talking to the same people or sitting at the same table. To continue doing that as a server is quite strange behavior.
In conclusion, I have to say: The day when you go to Babylon and nothing is broken or makeshift is probably unheard of. Unfortunately, they only ever react, not proactively. Sure, things break unexpectedly or due to vandalism, but a makeshift wooden door on the steam and dry sauna for weeks on end is really not a good advertisement.
In conclusion, I have to say: The day when you go to Babylon and nothing is broken or makeshift is probably never going to happen. And now I'm curious about the operator's comment, which is sometimes quite snide.