How we check saunas

Step 1: a sauna must be confirmed before a stay is listed

We list a stay when a sauna appears in the facilities our booking partners publish for it, or when the owner names a sauna in the listing. Hotels that only mention a spa or pool are not listed as sauna stays until we have confirmed the sauna.

Step 2: we check the sauna itself

For each stay we check, we record:

• Sauna type: wood-fired, electric (Finnish), barrel, infrared, or bio
• Private or shared, and with whom
• Indoors or outdoors
• Temperature, only if the property publishes it or we measured it
• Opening times
• Fee, or included in the price
• Minimum age
• Swimwear or textile-free
• Cold plunge, and natural cold water within walking distance

We check these on the property's own website or with the owner, and show the month we checked them in the stay's Sauna Passport. Details such as opening times and fees change, so confirm them with the property before you travel.

Step 3: we keep checking

Guest ratings and review counts come from our booking partners; each stay page shows the month of the data (currently September 2026). Checked sauna details older than 12 months are checked again.

What we never do

• Show a temperature, opening time or fee we have not checked
• Call a sauna private because a stay is self-catering
• Copy descriptions or reviews from booking sites
• Rank a stay higher because it pays more commission