March 17, 2025

The Current State of Sauna: A Global Awakening

The Current State of Sauna: A Global Awakening

It’s late. The fire is low, embers glowing in the quiet. Outside, the world is cold, but in here, the warmth lingers.
 

Sauna isn’t something new. It’s ancient, woven into the fabric of cultures that have long understood its power. But something is happening now, something different. Sauna is waking up again. Not just in the quiet corners of Nordic forests or tucked away in gym basements, but out in the open, alive, thriving, and evolving.

A shift like this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s been building a pulse beneath the surface, gathering momentum as people search for something real. Something meaningful away from the constant distractions in life. In 2025, sauna isn’t a wellness trend, it’s being fully integrated into the new culture of the U.S. 

And this is just the beginning.

A Shift in Social Wellness: Sauna as the New Third Place

Sauna is stepping into a role in a way that bars and gyms no longer can.

 

In Oslo, waterfront saunas line the fjords, filling up at all hours of the day with friends, colleagues, even first dates. In New York and Toronto, modern bathhouses are booming, packed with guests who would rather spend a night cycling through heat and cold than at a bar. Aufguss performances (ritualized, theatrical sauna sessions)are drawing crowds across Europe.

 

Hotels and resorts that understand this shift are not just installing saunas, they’re building destinations. They’re designing spaces that pull people in and keep them there, longer, more often.

A lobby bar is an expected luxury. A sauna space that leaves guests feeling reset, and fully alive again? That’s unforgettable.

Sensory Design: The Unseen Luxury of Sauna Spaces

Great hospitality is a science. It’s why high-end hotels use warm lighting in the evenings, to trigger melatonin production and ease guests into relaxation. It’s why textured natural materials, like stone and wood, feel more luxurious than sterile high-gloss surfaces.

 

Sauna operates on these same principles.

Lighting matters: Soft, warm glows mimic the golden hour, guiding guests into a deeper state of relaxation.

Sound matters: The gentle hiss of steam, the quiet of a naturally insulated space, creates a sense of grounding. Silence, done wrong, can be unsettling. Done right, it’s transportive.

Texture matters: The grain of the wood beneath your hands, the way a heated bench feels against your skin, these are subconscious cues of quality, of care.

The best saunas make you feel something.

And that feeling, when done right, becomes brand loyalty.

Why Sauna? Why Now?

Beyond the cultural rituals, Finnish saunas are revered for their numerous health benefits. Regular sauna use has been linked to improved cardiovascular health, reduced stress levels, and enhanced detoxification through sweating. The heat stimulates circulation, relaxes muscles, and promotes a sense of overall well-being. For many Americans, embracing sauna bathing represents a return to natural therapies and a counterbalance to the stresses of modern life.

Design & Innovation

Sauna delivers, not just the first time, but every time. And the numbers are here to prove it.

 

Global Wellness Institute(GWI) reports:

 

- U.S. Wellness Market Value: $2 trillion (largest in the world), representing 32% of the entire global wellness economy.

 

-Growth Rate: Expanded 37% beyond pre-pandemic levels (2019-2023), with an annual growth rate of 8.3% (compared to China’s 4.9%, Germany’s 5.9%, and Japan’s 3.1%). Thats $137 million projected for the U.S. from 2024 to 2028.

 

-Consumer Spending: Americans spend more than $6,000 per person annually on wellness, with wellness tourism leading the way.

 

-In LifeTime’s 2025 Wellness Survey: 69% of respondents said they plan to increase their sauna use or try it for the first time this year.

 

And those are not the only numbers worth noting.

 

The science behind sauna and contrast therapy is becoming common knowledge. Regular sauna use has been linked to a 60% reduced risk of dementia, 62% lower risk of stroke, and improvements in cardiovascular health, immune function, and mental well-being.

 

This is no longer a niche practice. It’s mainstream, and it’s only growing.

What This Means for Hotels & Resorts

The current market value of wellness tourism in the U.S. is valued at: $300.6 billion

 

The Global Wellness Institute reports that wellness tourism now accounts for 7.8% of all tourism trips, representing 18.7% of all tourism expenditures. Guests are looking for places that offer more than just a bed, they want restoration, ritual, and something they can talk about when they leave.Some are already leading the charge:

 

  • Sauna-focused bathhouses are opening in major U.S. cities – From New York to Seattle, modern bathhouses with sauna and cold plunge are becoming social hubs, proving demand is widespread and growing.

     

  • Luxury wellness groups are expanding into North America – Major European spa brands have publicly announced their entry into the U.S. and Canadian markets, setting a new benchmark for high-end wellness experiences.

     

  • The expectation has shifted – Guests know someone raving about sauna and cold plunge. What was once an underground trend is now a staple of modern hospitality., and properties that offer premium sauna experiences are standing out.

For hotels and resorts looking to stay ahead, sauna is an investment in longevity. A chance to create something that keeps guests coming back, something that draws people in and leaves them with a truly memorable experience.

United States Sauna Culture Is Rising

The Time Is Now

The next five years will define sauna’s place in U.S. hospitality. The demand is growing, the culture is shifting, and the hotels moving on this now are the ones setting the new standard.

It’s not a question of if sauna will become a cornerstone of high-end hospitality.

It’s a question of, who’s moving first?

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