Downtown Tulsa Hotel Starts Tradition Of New Year's Day Polar Plunge

The Brut Hotel in Downtown Tulsa is helping people dive headfirst into the New Year.

The boutique hotel hosted a Polar Plunge Monday morning at its outdoor pool. The event featured a DJ, drinks, and brunch afterward at the Brut's rooftop restaurant.

"We wanted to do something different as there is not a lot going on in the city on New Year's Day," said Kimberly Honea, Vice President of Hospitality and Development.

To sweeten the deal, the hotel offered a nightly special for guests to take part in the polar plunge and then stay the night. However, the event itself was free.

Venn Johns and Gabe Hansen came to take the plunge together, but it was not a first for these friends.

"We have been doing ice plunges and polar plunges every day at the gym and there is a lot of health benefits to it, too," Hansen said.

Johns added there is no better way to start the New Year.

"Anything in life you have challenges," he said. "So, if you can muster up the courage to come out here and do something like this, it just elevates your mental game and makes you a stronger person."

Jumping into the shockingly cold water can also alter a person's mood.

"It is just a nice fresh start and there is a big dopamine release, too, when you jump in and get out, so it makes me happy," Hansen said.

Not every one that attended had experienced cold plunging before. Josie Elliot, 8, said this was her first time.

"I think it was kind of fun," she said. "It was different though, really different. I have only got in water in the summer this is my first time to ever go in the winter."

She took the plunge with her dad.

"When I jumped in it felt so cold," Elliot said. Her bravery even inspired her sister Hazel, 6, to get in the water, who also said it was pretty fun.

Many people were content after the first jump, but others like Johns and Hansen took a few more flips and dives into the freezing water.

"The first time you jump in it is refreshing and then you get out and you get back in and it is worse," Johns said.

Hansen agreed.

"It is a big shock, really. It takes your breath away and you want to get back out as soon as possible. Then, I jumped back in and that second time you get a brain freeze like you just downed your Slurpee in one gulp."

The Brut Hotel plans to make this an annual tradition on New Year's Day. Many who attended Monday said they would do it again.