Have you thought about adding a sauna to your existing business or creating a new business in its own right?
For many, the idea of owning a sauna begins at home. But there is another side to sauna ownership that is becoming increasingly popular, its potential as a business.
A sauna can add another dimension to an existing accommodation or wellness business, or become the foundation of something entirely new. From a sauna overlooking a lake at a luxury lodge, to a recovery space alongside a Pilates studio, or a mobile barrel sauna travelling between some of New Zealand’s most beautiful locations, the possibilities are endless.
And perhaps most appealing is the relative simplicity of the business model.
Creating a commercial sauna business doesn’t necessarily require a purpose-built wellness facility or extensive fit-out. With the right sauna, an accessible location and somewhere to cool down between sessions, the foundations of the experience can be remarkably simple.
Start with the setting
A beautiful sauna experience can begin with little more than the right piece of land in the right spot.
For a permanent location, models such as the Neptune, Orion and Hudson lend themselvesparticularly well to commercial applications. They can sit independently within the landscape or become part of an existing accommodation, hospitality or wellness business.
For a sauna operating across multiple sessions throughout the day, insulation becomes a valuable addition. Insulating the floor, walls and roof improves heat retention and efficiency, helping the sauna maintain temperature between sessions and perform efficiently throughout the day.
Position the sauna beside a lake or other natural cold-water source and the landscape provides the contrast experience. Alternatively, an outdoor shower can create a simple way for guests to cool down between rounds. Add a plunge, changing space or somewhere to sit and reset, and the offering can evolve further.
It doesn't need to be elaborate.
Or make it mobile
Not every sauna business needs a permanent address.
A Panoramic or half glazed barrel sauna can be installed on a trailer, opening up an entirely different business model — one that can move between locations, events, retreats or seasonal destinations.
A wood-burning heater lends itself particularly well to this type of setup, reducing reliance on permanent electrical infrastructure and allowing the sauna to operate in more remote locations.
Imagine a barrel sauna arriving at the edge of a lake for winter, moving to a coastal location for summer, or becoming part of a weekend retreat or event.
With a mobile sauna, ratherthan waiting for people to come to the sauna, the sauna can go to them.
Where could it work?
The answer is almost anywhere that wellness, accommodation and outdoor experiences intersect.
A boutique gym, Pilates or yoga studio could introduce sauna as an extension of its existing wellness business, giving clients somewhere to recover and creating an additional bookable service.
For an Airbnb, luxury lodge or boutique hotel, a sauna can elevate the guest experience while creating another reason to choose — and remember — the property.
A campground or accommodation business could create one shared sauna experience for guests rather than incorporating wellness facilities into every individual accommodation unit.
A beautiful location, a quality sauna and a straightforward booking system can form the beginnings of a standalone sauna business, with revenue generated through individual sessions, private bookings, memberships, multi-session passes or exclusive group hire.
A small footprint with significant potential
The simplicity of the setup becomes particularly interesting when considered alongside its revenue potential.
Take a six-person sauna operating 55-minute sessions from 7am until 9pm. Across 15 sessions, that provides capacity for up to 90 individual visits in a day.
Full occupancy isn't required for the numbers to become meaningful.
At an illustrative 50% occupancy at $35 per person, 45 guests across the day would generate $1,575 in daily revenue, or $11,025 over seven days.
And there is room to adapt the model as demand changes. The shoulder-season example in our model assumes just 20% occupancy at $25 per person, equating to $450 per day or $3,150 per week.
These figures are illustrative revenue examples rather than projections of profit. Every operation will have its own costs, demand and circumstances. What they demonstrate is the potential for a relatively compact asset to generate meaningful revenue without requiring the extensive fit-out and overheads associated with a larger wellness facility.
There are also opportunities to build recurring revenues with multi-session passes, private group hire, guest packages and exclusive sessions can all extend business beyond a single casual booking.
The experience is what brings people back
People aren't only booking the heat - they're booking the ritual around it.
The first wave of heat when the door closes. Stepping outside into cold air. Walking down to the lake.Standing beneath an outdoor shower between rounds. Sitting somewhere quiet afterwards before going back in.
It is the combination of the sauna, its surroundings and those small moments in between that can turn a simple setup into an experience worth seeking out.
And that is where the opportunity becomes particularly exciting.
For an existing business, a sauna can become another layer of the experience you already offer. For someone with a beautiful piece of land and an idea, it could be the beginning of something entirely new.
It doesn't have to start big. Start with a quality sauna, a considered setting and a simple experience —and build from there.