8 essential factors to create an authentic Finnish sauna experience

Sauna from Finland has defined eight crucial values which contribute to the creation of a typical Finnish sauna experience.

For Finns, wellness means saunas. Spa customers all over the world demand Finnish authenticity! The Sauna from Finland network has defined eight crucial values which contribute to the creation of a typical Finnish sauna experience. We list these values below.

The Sauna from Finland « Authentic Finnish Sauna Experience Quality Handbook » guide

The members of the 200-strong Sauna from Finland network have pooled their expertise to create a guide to help spas optimize their customers’ sauna experience. Published in January 2021, this very new guide helps professionals create authentic, typically Finnish, sauna experiences based on the 8 values listed in this article.

This guide is complementary to the Sauna from Finland certificate awarded to spas providing top quality services and typical Finnish sauna experiences meeting all the criteria specified in the Quality Handbook.

Discover this new quality handbook

Guarantee authentic sauna experience

No sauna experience would be typical without equipment meeting Finnish sauna standards. This authenticity is as present in the traditional saunas, which remain the biggest trend, as in saunas with resolutely modern designs!

Make the sauna experience multisensorial

All five senses must contribute to the experience. Top quality saunas must reflect the individual preferences of each user (the fragrance of the wood, the savors and flavors of the snacks, etc.), and everything must be in harmony.

Focus on the moment and relax

Saunas are about forgetting the outside world and finding your inner being. A successful Finnish sauna experience necessarily involves peace and quiet to effectively counter users’ stress!

Gather the right conditions for wellbeing and health

To guarantee the effectiveness of saunas in promoting wellbeing, the first step is to ensure they are top quality, well designed, clean and safe. To maximize health benefits, users must take regular sauna baths naturally without feeling any sense of obligation—saunas are all about balance and harmony!

Create a contrast with daily routines

Users will best remember surprising experiences which get them out of their daily routines. Creating a contrast with “everyday life” is vital to stand out from your competition and keep your customers, for example by giving them a set of nicely packed cosmetics after their sauna session. More difficult, but essential, personalize the experience for each client as far as possible!

Ensure absolute cleanliness

A Finnish sauna experience includes impeccable hygiene, especially as cleanliness is the first thing customers see when they enter a sauna — and this criterion is even truer during the COVID-19 crisis. Ban unpleasant odors in cloakrooms, slimy floors and mold on walls!

Keep everyone safe

An unfortunate slip in a shower or an accidental burn on a stove can ruin the sauna experience! You must check the conditions in the sauna regularly and add safety equipment like ramps, non-skid floors, etc. and keep users fully informed about the safety rules. In fact, safety is even one of the top sauna trends now.

Propose an eco-responsible experience

Last but not least, users are sensitive to the environmental, social and economic impacts of their leisure activities. This trend affects all sectors, including saunas. Ecological saunas which consume less energy and the construction of saunas contributing to the local economy are all positive factors which boost the image users retain from their personal experiences.

Insight of wellness trends over the next few years

These key values apply before, during and after each sauna experience. To find out more about Finnish saunas, get the new « Authentic Finnish Sauna Experience Quality Handbook » guide of Sauna from Finland now and check out our wellness news.