Homeplunge Wants To Solve Hotels’ Cold Plunge Problem

There’s an abundance of pain points that come with cold plunging. HomePlunge’s H3 alleviates them for consumers, operators and owners of all kinds.

The staff at the Four Seasons in San Francisco, CA couldn’t help but sigh each time they saw an NBA team staffer haul another bag of ice into the lobby and up the elevators. As the go-to accommodations for the Golden State Warriors’ opponents each week, the hotel managers needed a better way to provide a proper recovery experience.

“They’d just go down the street, grab bags of ice and give it to the players in the room,” said Christopher Francis, founder and CEO of HomePlunge. “That works for the players, but that really sucks for the hotel.”

When an icy mess, or investing thousands of dollars in a space that requires its own staff, constant oversight and specialized maintenance are your only two options, it’s a choice between cleanup headaches and costly upkeep. The Four Seasons staff knew there had to be a better, third option. 

In 2024, Francis launched HomePlunge to solve just these types of dilemmas. The brand delivers cold water therapy easily and efficiently in any room with a bathtub through its flagship product, the H3, as well as the lighter chiller called the Bella.

“This is the first time hotels have a real opportunity to do cold therapy in the most optimized way,” Francis said. “It can wheel in and wheel out easily. There’s no plumbing. All you have to do is plug a nine-foot cord into an outlet.”

The Current Plunge Problem

Entering a tub of frigid water is a daunting task. Setting up a designated space to do so is no different. Francis estimated that all-in-one cold plunge machines can cost anywhere from $10K to $30K. That’s not including the additional staff to monitor usage. 

The initial expenses, however, are only a small part of the total time and monetary investment.

“You have to go through all these approval processes, which include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, engineering, design, remodeling and drainage,” Francis said. “Most importantly, the water has to stay clean, because you always have the same water in here. That takes OZONE, chlorine and pH testing after every single guest use.” 

Maintaining these cleanliness standards are mandated by city ordinances and laws. 

“There are all sorts of hoops to go through,” he added.

The HomePlunge Product

While consumers still have to brave the cold, HomePlunge removes all the other hindrances in the plunging experience. It’s easy to use: simply plug it in and place the hose into a filled tub. The water temperatures will begin to plummet in a matter of minutes. All users need to do is adjust the temperature to whatever level they desire, plunge and then drain the tub. 

“If they’re an avid cold plunger and know they like the temperature set to a certain degree, they can make that selection,” Francis said. “At the spa, they have to use whatever the spa has it set at. This gives them more control.”

In addition to being simple to assemble and start, HomePlunge does not require any specialized staff, which makes it an attraction at luxury venues where users want a more personal experience. 

“People with wealth, athletes and celebrities generally don’t want to be mingling in the spa with other guests,” Francis said. “This gives them a more exclusive, private experience in their room.”

Francis argues that lowering the barrier to entry for cold plunging is crucial to adoption in general. A traditional setup with limited temperature control, assembly and maintenance needs, a lack of privacy or even attire requirements only increase the risk of low utilization and a poor return on investment.

“Cold plunging is already very hard to do, so if it requires you to go outside and put on a wet bathing suit from the day before, or if it’s cold outside, you’re not going to do it,” Francis said. “If it’s in your bathroom, no one’s watching and you don’t have to put on that bathing suit, it’s quite nice.”

Where Hotels Really Benefit 

This added level of convenience presents hotels with an opportunity to turn an in-demand concept into a sustainable, new revenue stream, as they can easily supply it to members as an add-on charge. 

“It becomes an upsell, or another spa treatment on their menu,” Francis said. 

An analysis byHomePlunge found that high-end spas typically charge between $125 and $175 for weekend and weekday spa services. Based on those rates, Francis says HomePlunge pays for itself in just 22 uses.

To provide hotels with a low risk way to test the product, HomePlunge offers a pilot package that allows them to purchase as few as one to five units. 

“Nobody wants to buy 500 units and then find out it doesn’t work for them, and we understand that,” Francis said. “You want to try different assortments of rooms, the suites, the regular rooms and king suites to make sure it works.”

After that, Francis insists scaling up to increase profits comes with ease. 

“Once they prove the test works with anywhere from one to five units, they can offer HomePlunge in every room and at every check-in,” he said. “That’s potential for upsells on every single guest.”

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