The 7 Best Hotel Saunas in Europe

As the winter months approach, there are few better ways to warm yourself up than by spending some time inside a sauna. Originating in Finland approximately 2,000 years ago, the sauna has since become a staple of most luxury hotels, high-end gyms and wellness centres. Not only are they great for warming up after a day of exploration, but they are also excellent for recovering after a workout.

So if you’re into both travelling and wellness, then you’ve come to the right place. These are the 7 best hotel saunas in Europe.

Steam, Serenity and Stunning Views: Europe’s 7 Best Hotel Saunas

1. Järvisydän Hotel & Spa – Rantasalmi, Finland

Given that Finland is the home of the sauna, it will come as little surprise that a Finnish hotel sauna kicks off this guide. Järvisydän Hotel & Spa in Rantasalmi in southern Finland is easily one of the best in Europe.

In fact, it’s not just one sauna that they have, either – their sauna complex is known as Sauna World, with bookable saunas for two people up to groups of 45. Thanks to their large range of saunas, it means that wild swimming in the nearby lake is available year-round, provided it doesn’t completely freeze over during the winter months.

There is also a traditional smoke sauna onsite, perfect for those icy-cold winter days in Finland, and for those who want to experience sauna at its most authentic.

2. The Machrie – Isle of Islay, Scotland

Islay, the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides off Scotland’s northwest coast, is home to one of Europe’s best saunas at The Machrie Hotel.

The hotel itself offers unspoiled views of the rugged Scottish landscape, and the blue waters of the North Atlantic, which lap up against the white sands – you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was actually in the Caribbean.

The sauna can be found in the Wild Garden area of the hotel, tucked away in a cosy corner, complete with a hot tub, ice-cold plunge pool and the wood-fired sauna.

After a day of exploring the island, whether through 18 holes or simply by hiking across the terrain, end your day as the sun goes down with a session in the sauna to relax your weary muscles, followed by an invigorating dip in the plunge pool.

With views like this in a calm and peaceful setting, there are few places better to experience the delights of a wood-fired sauna than here.

3. Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel – Tallinn, Estonia

Found just across from the main Port of Tallinn and on the outskirts of Tallinn Old Town, the Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel is a great place to stay for those wishing to explore Estonia and maybe even take the ferry over to Finland.

In addition to its convenient location, the saunas (yes, plural!) on offer at the hotel are some of the best in the country.

With seven different saunas in the hotel, from traditional Finnish saunas to steam-room style saunas, there are lots of opportunities for guests to experience full relaxation, whether you wish to book a private sauna or experience a traditional group sauna like in Finland.

The private sauna service gives guests the chance to enter the adults-only area of the relaxation centre and have two hours in their own private water area, too, including an ice bath and private swimming pool.

Thanks to its convenient location in the Estonian capital, the Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel saunas are the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring Tallinn.

4. Aqua Dome – Tirol, Austria

Going from a city centre sauna to a remote Alpine sauna, the next hotel sauna on the list is Aqua Dome, found in Tirol, Austria.

Combining a traditional thermal spa with a luxury hotel set deep in the Austrian Alps, Aqua Dome is a unique and incredible sauna.

And there is not just one sauna either: there are seven, which means that guests all have the chance to visit the saunas without them seeming overcrowded.

Looking out across dark green forest and the snow-capped peaks of the mighty Alps from SPA 3000, the sauna area of the hotel, takes some beating, especially in the icy-cold winter months, where temperatures of -10℃ and below are not uncommon.

After a day of skiing or hiking, enjoy relaxing in one of the hotel’s seven saunas, feeling the warmth course through your veins before taking a dip in one of the thermally-heated swimming pools. Swimming outdoors while it snows never gets old!

5. Arctic Bath – Harads, Sweden

Found in the heart of Swedish Lapland, few places on earth are more perfect for the ultimate sauna experience than Arctic Bath in Harads.

A unique spa retreat that is open year-round, offering different packages for different seasons, is the ultimate hotel sauna getaway.

Whether you want to relax in a steaming pool, admiring the midnight sun in the heart of summer, or stave off the freezing temperatures inside a cosy traditional Swedish dry sauna in the winter months, the choice is yours.

There is a natural pool outside which can freeze over in the enter months, but staff ensure that there is always room to plunge into this pool – a truly invigorating experience before or after you step foot into the sauna (a real-life Arctic bath!), which is decorated with jagged branches sticking out of the roof making it look like a truly wild retreat.

If peace, quiet and relaxation are on your holiday list, then a visit to Arctic Bath is a must.

6. Hotel Union Øye – Norangsfjorden, Norway

It will be no surprise to see another Nordic country on this list, but Hotel Union Øye, found in Norangsfjorden in Norway, is easily one of the best hotel saunas in the world.

Open since 1891, this hotel offers the very best of Norwegian sauna culture. We’re talking fjords, mountains, snow, ice and sauna – the ultimate combination.

Set on the banks of the fjord, Hotel Union Øye’s sauna sits on the very end of a pier, offering guests the chance to jump into the cold waters of the fjord for a quick dip, a great way to get the blood pumping first thing on a morning, before enjoying warming back up inside the soothing heat of the sauna.

And while you’re in the water – or the sauna – you’re blessed with some of Norway’s most magnificent views of the mighty fjord in front of you, and snow-capped mountain tops in the background.

Combine this with the quiet, peaceful nature and clean, crisp air of Norangsfjorden, and you might just have found the most perfect hotel sauna in Europe.

7. The Omnia – Zermatt, Switzerland

Overlooked by the mighty Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest mountains, the Swiss town of Zermatt is one of the best Alpine towns in Europe, and The Omnia might just be the best sauna hotel, too.

In fact, there are two distinct saunas at the hotel – a traditional Finnish sauna and a bio sauna.

The Finnish sauna is what you would expect from a classic sauna – a wood-fired building with incredible warmth, offering unparalleled views of the Matterhorn and the town of Zermatt.

The bio sauna has been engineered with health and well-being in mind, combined with modern technologies. Gentle lighting illuminates the sauna, changing between colours to awaken your senses, and quiet, relaxing music is played in the background for the ultimate sensory experience.

The hotel also has an indoor and an outdoor pool, both of which are open year-round. The outdoor pool is an excellent place for a quick dip in the winter months (if you’re brave enough!) before enjoying warming back up inside either one of the hotel’s incredible saunas, while admiring unspoiled views of the Swiss Alps.