5 Ways Hotels and Glamping Sites Can Add Revenue with Mobile Sauna
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Wellness tourism continues to influence how hotels, glamping sites, retreats and hospitality businesses develop their guest experiences. Across Ireland, guests are increasingly encountering outdoor wellness experiences alongside traditional accommodation — from saunas and cold-water swimming to hot tubs, yoga and outdoor relaxation areas.
For hospitality operators, a mobile sauna can provide an additional guest amenity while also creating several potential ways to develop paid experiences, packages and group offerings.
The commercial potential of any sauna will depend on factors including location, demand, pricing, capacity, operating costs and how the experience is marketed. However, for the right property, a well-planned commercial mobile sauna can become a distinctive part of the overall hospitality offering.
Here are five ways hotels, glamping sites and accommodation providers can explore that potential.
1. Create Premium Wellness Packages
One of the simplest ways to incorporate a sauna into a hospitality business is to include access within a dedicated wellness package. Rather than selling accommodation alone, operators can create experiences combining an overnight stay with private or shared sauna sessions.
Possible packages could include:
- Couples' wellness breaks
- Sauna and accommodation packages
- Winter wellness weekends
- Sauna and cold-water experiences
- Group wellness stays
- Extended check-out packages
- Private evening sauna sessions
A 6–8 Person Mobile Sauna, for example, can provide enough capacity for couples, families and small groups while remaining suitable for many hospitality settings. The appropriate package price will depend on the property, location, guest profile and overall experience being offered.
2. Offer Sauna Sessions to Day Visitors
A sauna located at a hotel, glamping site or retreat does not necessarily have to be limited to overnight guests. Depending on the location and operating model, businesses may choose to offer bookable sauna sessions to local residents, day visitors or groups.
Potential customers could include:
- Local wellness groups
- Sea swimmers
- Sports clubs
- Fitness communities
- Couples
- Birthday groups
- Corporate groups
- Visitors looking for an outdoor wellness experience
Operators can decide whether to charge per person, per session or for exclusive use of the sauna. For properties in scenic, coastal or rural locations, this can create an additional service that operates independently from accommodation bookings.
3. Develop Corporate and Group Wellness Experiences
Corporate retreats and group bookings can provide another potential use for a commercial sauna. Hotels and hospitality venues already offering meetings, retreats or group accommodation may be able to incorporate sauna sessions into their existing packages.
For example, a venue could develop an experience combining:
- Accommodation
- Meeting or event facilities
- Outdoor activities
- Sauna sessions
- Cold-water experiences
- Food and refreshments
- Guided wellness activities
Larger units such as our 10–12 Person Commercial Sauna may be worth considering where higher capacity or group use is an important part of the intended operation. The appropriate sauna size should always be considered alongside expected demand, site conditions and how the sauna will actually be operated.
4. Build Additional Experiences Around the Sauna
The sauna itself can also form part of a broader outdoor wellness area. Depending on the property and target market, operators might combine sauna access with complementary experiences such as:
- Cold plunges
- Outdoor showers
- Relaxation areas
- Yoga sessions
- Massage or treatments
- Guided breathing sessions
- Robe and towel hire
- Wellness refreshments
- Branded merchandise
Hospitality businesses can then decide whether these elements are included within the accommodation price, offered as upgrades or sold as separate experiences. For some properties, the greater value may come from creating a memorable guest experience that helps distinguish the business from competing accommodation nearby.
5. Develop an Off-Peak Wellness Offering
Autumn and winter can present challenges for some tourism and accommodation businesses, particularly those operating in seasonal destinations. Outdoor sauna experiences can be particularly appealing during colder weather, giving hospitality operators another experience to promote outside the traditional summer season.
Potential ideas include:
- Winter wellness escapes
- Sauna-under-the-stars evenings
- Cold-water swimming and sauna packages
- Autumn retreat weekends
- New Year wellness breaks
- Group sauna evenings
A sauna won't automatically increase off-season bookings, but it can provide an additional reason for prospective guests to consider a property during traditionally quieter periods. For hotels and glamping operators already developing an autumn or winter offering, it can become part of a broader seasonal marketing strategy.
Why Consider an Irish-Made Mobile Sauna for Your Hospitality Business?
For a hospitality operator, investing in a commercial sauna involves more than choosing how the finished sauna looks. The intended capacity, site access, heating system, ventilation, guest flow, operating model and exposure to the Irish climate should all be considered during the design process.
At Irish Sauna Company, our mobile saunas are designed and manufactured at our facility in Corr na Móna, County Galway. Building locally also gives prospective customers the opportunity to visit our workshop, see units under construction, examine materials and discuss their project directly with the people involved in building it.
A mobile format can also provide useful flexibility for some hospitality businesses. Depending on the individual site and installation, a unit may potentially be positioned or relocated as operational requirements change. However, the fact that a sauna is mobile does not automatically remove planning, licensing, insurance, safety or other regulatory considerations. Requirements can vary according to the property, location and intended commercial use, so operators should confirm the requirements applicable to their individual project with the appropriate authorities, insurers and professional advisers where necessary.
Choosing the Right Mobile Sauna for Your Property
There isn't one sauna size that suits every hospitality business. The right choice depends on expected usage, available space, guest numbers and the type of experience you want to create.
Boutique Hotels, Guesthouses and Smaller Properties
A smaller sauna can work well where the emphasis is on private sessions, couples or small groups.
Glamping Sites and Country Retreats
A 6–8 Person Mobile Sauna can provide a balance between guest capacity and operational flexibility.
Hotels, Resorts and Larger Wellness Venues
Where group sessions or higher guest numbers are anticipated, a larger commercial sauna such as our 10–12 Person Mobile Sauna may be worth considering. Capacity figures should always be considered alongside the desired guest experience rather than simply choosing the largest possible unit.
Could a Mobile Sauna Work for Your Hotel or Glamping Site?
A mobile sauna can be much more than an additional amenity. For the right hospitality business, it can become part of a wider wellness experience incorporating accommodation, outdoor activities, group bookings and seasonal packages.
The important question is not simply "Can we put a sauna on our property?" — it is: "What experience do we want to create for our guests?"
Once that is established, the sauna can be designed around the site, anticipated capacity and intended use. If you're also thinking about the broader business model, our guide on starting a sauna business in Ireland is worth reading.
Visit Irish Sauna Company in Connemara
If you're considering a mobile sauna for a hotel, glamping site, retreat, resort or hospitality business in Ireland, you're welcome to visit our manufacturing facility in Corr na Móna, County Galway. You can see our saunas being built, examine the construction and materials, and discuss your proposed site and intended use with our team.