Why Hotels with Saunas See up to 22% Higher Occupancy Year Round
The aroma of cedar, the glow of soft light, and the steady rhythm of breath in heat — a sauna creates a space that is both restorative and memorable. For hotels across Australia, offering a traditional sauna is no longer just a luxury. It is fast becoming a wellness necessity, with properties that install saunas seeing up to 22% higher occupancy year round.
The Wellness Travel Boom in Hotels
Wellness tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in global travel. According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism is projected to exceed USD $1.3 trillion by 2025, with travellers prioritising health-focused amenities in their choice of accommodation (Global Wellness Institute, 2023).
In Australia, this demand is visible in the way guests seek out nature-connected and restorative experiences. For many, a hotel stay is no longer about a bed and breakfast. It is about access to rituals of recovery — the sauna session before dinner, the slow breath in heat after a long day.
Why Saunas Outperform Other Amenities
Hotels already understand the value of amenities like pools, gyms, and spas. Yet many of these features have become expected, not differentiators. A traditional Finnish sauna offers something more:
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Low running cost — operating a sauna session costs around $2.50 in electricity, far less than heating a spa or maintaining a pool.
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Proven health benefits — studies have linked sauna bathing to cardiovascular health, reduced stress, and improved recovery. A landmark Finnish study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found frequent sauna use associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (Laukkanen et al., 2015).
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Sensory experience — unlike a treadmill or pool, a sauna engages all senses: the smell of cedar, the gentle crack of wood, the enveloping warmth, the moment of stillness.
Guests value this more deeply, which translates into both higher nightly rates and loyal return bookings.
Case Study: Hotels Adding Saunas to Boost Guest Retention
In Europe and Scandinavia, saunas are an integral part of the guest experience. Hotels with private or shared sauna spaces consistently outperform similar properties without them, both in average daily rate and repeat guest bookings.
Australian boutique hotels are beginning to see the same results. A regional wellness retreat in Victoria, for example, reported a significant increase in bookings after installing a cedar barrel sauna with guests citing the sauna as a deciding factor in their reviews.
For many hoteliers, the numbers make the case clear:
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Average Daily Rate (ADR) uplift: +$70–$120 per night.
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Occupancy boost: up to 22% year-round.
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Return on investment: most saunas pay for themselves within 12–18 months through higher room rates and increased occupancy.
Bringing the Glow to Your Hotel Guests
At Glow Saunas, we design traditional Finnish saunas with smart control, crafted from sustainably sourced cedar and built to Australian safety standards.
For hotels, the Glow Estate Sauna is the ultimate choice — a spacious 6–8 person sauna designed for larger groups, retreats, and high-end accommodation. Its cedar build and refined design make it a centrepiece in any spa or wellness suite. With smart app control, guests can enjoy effortless convenience while your staff maintain oversight of temperature, lighting, and energy use.
Explore our full sauna collection to find the model that best suits your property.
Ready to Increase Occupancy and Guest Loyalty?
Adding a sauna is more than a design choice. It is an investment in how guests feel, return, and share their stay. By creating space for recovery and ritual, hotels can lift occupancy, increase nightly revenue, and stand apart in the growing wellness travel market.
If you’re ready to elevate your hotel experience and boost year-round occupancy, we invite you to book a discovery call with Glow Saunas today.
Calm, confident, and considered — let’s bring wellness to your guests.