Ice Baths and Saunas: A Growing Wellness Trend for Glamping

As Americans, we never looked at a frozen lake and thought, I could really go for a dip right now. Well, after spending winter in Scandinavia and the Baltic States, and experiencing the wonders of ice bath and sauna culture, we realized how much we’ve been missing out. We stayed at five glamping camps across Sweden, Finland and Estonia, and this winter wellness treatment was at the core of their offering and the highlight of our trip!

The good news is that you don’t need to be on a Lapland lake or the Baltic Sea to tap into this wellness trend. Celebrities, from Joe Rogan to Wim Hof “The Iceman” (with his 3.5 million Instagram followers), have been praising the benefits of ice baths, no matter the locale, climate or setup. The market is ripe for this alternative wellness treatment, and we’re excited to share a variety of ways you can use fire and ice to increase your bookings and enhance the guest experience.

Why the Hot-Cold Treatment?

Athletes have long been doing post-workout ice-downs for muscle recovery and inflammation reduction. Plus, recent studies link ice baths to a slew of other health benefits…improved circulation, strengthening the immune system, boosting metabolism and mood enhancement. The shock of the cold water releases endorphins, increasing alertness, creating euphoria and aiding with sleep.

While some scientists are lukewarm on the benefits of ice baths, we can say from experience that they certainly give you a rush, a giggle and a sense of accomplishment. And if Finland, the Happiest Country in the World, regularly takes them…there’s gotta be something to it!

We can also tell you that we would not have jumped into a frozen river if we didn’t have a path to warmth in sight. That’s where the hot tub and sauna (even more well-known for its health benefits) come into play for a holistic wellness approach. Create an ice bath and sauna ritual, offering guests a way to experience the treatment in a relaxing, beautiful and convivial setting, and they are more likely to get out of their comfort zone and take home an unforgettable memory.

Guide the Wellness Journey

Not just tapping into a fringe wellness treatment, Arctic Bath in Sweden has built its entire hotel around the concept of cryotherapy, and the popularity of this Small Luxury Hotel of the World has soared because of it. Built over Lapland’s Lule River, a sculptural nest of logs frames their open-air swimming hole and encompasses the sauna, steam room and relaxation areas. To further entice guests to take the plunge, they offer guided sauna and ice bath experiences, with music, aromatherapy and meditation prompts.

After 10 minutes of blissing out in the intense heat of the cedar sauna, the wellness guide opened the door, and the cool air flowed in like a soft caress. “Follow me to the ice pool,” he said. With our core temp heightened and power in numbers, a dip into the frosty pool suddenly sounded like a good idea. (This is not to say there weren’t a few nervous murmurs and squeals upon entering, but there were just as many laughs.) We did this sauna-ice bath circuit three times, followed by a nice warm shower with Lapland herbal beauty products, and felt brand new.

Create a Social Scene

Saunas are typically a small room with a handful of people sweating in silence, who quietly leave when they’ve had enough. Not at Iglupark in Tallinn, Estonia. We actually first saw their saunas at Glamping Show Americas, and loved them so much that we made a point to experience them in the wild…and wild it was! The hotel has designed each of its three saunas as a social space, with an attached lounge area offering food and drink service that arrives with the literal press of a button.

While we were sipping champagne in our cedar cocoon and gazing out to the Baltic Sea, we saw a bunch of locals in bathing suits and Viking helmets merrily walking toward the icy waters. Five minutes later, their rosy pink bodies returned to the sauna, wearing even bigger smiles. The next time they headed from the steam to the sea, we decided to join them. Giving us tips and cheering us on as we inched our way into the 34°F water, we became fast friends and honorary Estonians.

Renting a sauna on the fridgid waters was the hottest thing to do in Tallinn on a Friday night, and it could be in your town too.

Inspire an Adventure

Snowmobiling across the frozen Råne River to Aurora Safaris’ basecamp, we passed a wall tent out on the ice. “What’s that?” Our host replied with a smile, “The sauna and ice bath.” After 10 days in Swedish Lapland, we should have guessed! To reach it, they recommended cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

This sounded like a fantastic idea, and it got even better when we arrived and the tent was surrounded by twinkling lanterns, a crackling campfire and a bottle of wine. With a bit of liquid courage, we dipped in their swimming hole (freshly cut with a saw) and warmed up in our private candle-lit sauna. Adventure, romance and delight…what every glamper hopes for!

The Setup

If your property is on a body of water that gets below 60°F, you already have the makings of an “ice bath.” Even if those waters might not look too inviting on grey winter days, when paired with a cedar sauna or hot tub, it becomes a wellness adventure. Add visual warmth with twinkle lights, lanterns, fluffy towels, robes, a hot beverage station and soothing music. To make the ritual more official, give guests a briefing or a printed guide on how to best experience your hot-cold circuit, or better yet, offer a guided practice like the one at Arctic Bath.

Many experts recommend starting with a 20-minute sauna, 3-minute cold plunge, 10-minute sauna and ending with 1 minute of cold to keep those endorphins going. That said, let guests know that there are no hard rules, just listen to their bodies, and enjoy themselves!

Note: While cryotherapy has its health benefits, it can be dangerous for people with certain heart conditions and circulation issues. It’s wise to create a waiver stating the potential risks to protect your guests, as well as your business.

Summer Ice Baths

While we love the thrill of ice-bathing in winter, hot summer days can make it just as appealing. Place a clawfoot tub in the forest or a wine barrel in a vineyard, and it only gets more intriguing. Buy bags of ice or, for a more whimsical and long-lasting solution, try colorful reusable ice cubes (they float like rose petals).

Create a cozy outdoor seating area with blankets and serve hot cocoa and fruit (fast carbohydrates help with recovery) so they can quickly restore their core temperature, enjoy the aftereffects and extend their experience in nature. Offer this spa treatment after a day of hiking, biking and physical activity, as a complement to outdoor adventure they already know and love.

Dive In

This summer is the perfect time to experiment with your ice bath setup. Without the need for a frozen lake or sauna to warm up your guests, there is minimal build-out or costs required. To build a bit of buzz and increase participation, advertise it as a special event like a summer solistice or full moon soak.

If you find this wellness offering is getting traction, then you can feel confident leveling it up in winter. Saunas and hot tubs make any glamping camp more desirable, and hopefully, adding an ice bath makes your guest experience even cooler.

About Mike & Anne Howard

To chronicle their journey around the globe and share their best travel tips, the Howards launched HoneyTrek.com and its social media channels, engaging over 400,000 followers. More than just online content creators, they have written National Geographic’s bestselling book Ultimate Journeys for Two and the first travel guide on glamping in North America, Comfortably Wild.

Earning a Lowell Thomas Journalism Award for their book, they are now working on a second edition about the best glamping destinations in the world. (Reach out if you have suggestions!)

Companies from budding glampgrounds to established tent manufacturers have partnered with HoneyTrek for their skills as photographers, writers, influencers and consultants to take their glamping businesses to the next level. Visit: HoneyTrek.com/GlampingExperts