Sauna Benefits and the Australian Hotels to Experience Them In

There’s something almost primal about stepping into a sauna. The ritual has been adopted into countless cultures across the globe. Heat, sweat, a sigh of relief. Whether it’s a dry sauna in the Finnish wilderness or the steam sauna of a luxury resort, there’s a kind of unspoken therapy that happens when you allow yourself to be enveloped in a warm space without your phone.

In Finland, where saunas are generally considered to have originated, it's common to sauna at least once a week. There’s even a sauna elf, the Saunatonttu, which protects the sauna and looks after your sauna sessions. Just so you know, the Saunatonttu likes it when you leave a ladle of water and some firewood in the sauna for them, and they really don’t like swearing.

In Australia the sauna experience might be a little less frequent, and mostly elf-free, but the essence of the ritual is the same. Let’s explore the myriad sauna benefits and where you can best tap into this sweaty custom.

Before diving into specific destinations, let’s look at the top three variations of saunas you’ll typically find in Australia. The classic Finnish style is called a dry sauna. High heat (usually 50-90 degrees Celsius), low humidity, often lined with wood and mounds of heated stones that you can splash water on for a minor steam effect. These are popular for their intense, purifying heat. Dry sauna benefits include detoxification through perspiration, mental relaxation, and an overall sense of your body gently roasting out the nonsense it’s accumulated.

Steam saunas (or steam rooms) have lower temperatures but higher humidity, like stepping into a cloud of warm, soothing vapour. These are great if you’re battling dry skin or if you just need to soften up travel-weary muscles. Steam sauna benefits typically revolve around respiratory relief, skin hydration, and a sense of immediate calm.

Infrared saunas are the hot new thing, injecting ancient tradition with modern technology for maximum skin dewiness. Instead of heating the air, infrared panels warm the body directly. Infrared sauna benefits include deeper muscle penetration at a lower overall temperature, which can be gentler for newcomers or those recovering from intense physical activity. They’re also a fun visual, it’s kind of like being in a giant, wooden space heater.

Sauna bathing has the immediate feel-good factor of being warm in a calm space where it should actually probably be illegal for your work-mates to find you, but there are a lot of physical benefits reported too.

Detoxification: Sweating is, in many ways, the body’s version of taking out the trash. We do it naturally when we work out, but a sauna amplifies that process. You sit back, sweat profusely, and flush out toxins like a deep cleanse from the inside out.

Cardiovascular health: That elevated heart rate you feel? It’s not just your imagination or the questionable sushi you had at the airport. Saunas can mimic the effect of moderate exercise on your heart, potentially lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. Sure, it’s not a replacement for a brisk walk or a jog, but hey, it’s a step in the right direction.

Muscle and joint pain relief: If you’re trotting around on foot exploring a new city, or you’ve spent hours cramped on a plane, a good sauna session can be your saving grace. The heat helps relax stiff muscles, eases joint pain, and can even speed up recovery after a workout (or after hauling a suitcase the size of a Kia up a flight of stairs).

Skin health: That radiant, post-sauna glow isn’t just a figment of the mirror’s imagination. Sauna benefits for skin include increased blood flow, which can help clear clogged pores and deliver nutrients to the surface. Dry scrub skin before your sauna, then exfoliate again afterwards for super clean, soft skin. Finns use a special sponge with a handle called Karhea saunasieni, but any body brush or loofah will work.

Better sleep: Considering the havoc modern life can wreak on your circadian rhythm, anything that encourages a deeper snooze is worth trying. After a sauna, your core body temperature drops, which often signals the body to slip into relaxation mode. So if you’re battling jet lag or just the general stress of being a human in 2025, a sauna session before bed might help you drift off.

The holistic benefits of sauna sessions are ample, especially if they’re part of a well-rounded travel itinerary that involves a soft bed, good food, and, if you’re lucky, a decent glass of local wine afterwards. Not all hotel saunas are created equal so we found our favourite properties around Australia.

Sauna Type: Infrared sauna

What we love: If you’re racing through Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport for a late-night flight or a wickedly early conference, time is not on your side. But a 15-minute blast in a dry sauna can help you destress faster than a double espresso can rev you up. Here, you’ll get that intense heat, minimal humidity, and a quick, no-nonsense path to detoxification. Always remember the number one rule when it comes to sauna: if you start to feel nauseous, dizzy or panicky then hop out immediately.

Address: Novotel Melbourne Airport, 1 Grants Road, Melbourne Airport VIC 3045

Sauna Type: Dry sauna

What we love: Intimate and boutique, The Como Melbourne embraces the modern spa aesthetic. Finish off a day of high-end shopping or late-night cocktail sipping with a thoroughly hydrating steam. There’s just something downright decadent about being swaddled in perfumed steam before slipping into a plush robe.

Another tip: beauty editors swear by applying a deep conditioner to your hair before you sauna then rinsing after, for a DIY hair treatment.

Address: The Como Melbourne, 630 Chapel Street, South Yarra VIC 3141

Sauna Type: Mixed saunas

What we love: Tucked away in Melbourne’s showy Southbank precinct, Shadow Play’s state-of-the-art steam and sauna rooms rehydrate your entire being (body and spirit). If you’ve spent the day dodging crowds or sampling too many single-origin coffees, let the warm mist cradle you. They have both a steam room and a dry sauna just steps away from the heated outdoor lap pool on level nine.

Address: Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers, 308/320 City Road, Southbank VIC 3000

Sauna Type: Dry Sauna

What we love: Set by the Yarra Ranges, Peppers Marysville is known for its serene environment, tall trees, and crisp air. Their dry sauna suits that vibe: step in for a short, sharp dose of intense heat after a day of bushwalking or winery-hopping. The rustic wooden interior pairs beautifully with Marysville’s mountainous surroundings. If you want to dial it up a notch you can also indulge in their range of holistic spa treatments which include delicious things like personalised facials and a full-body massage.

Address: Peppers Marysville, 32/34 Murchison Street, Marysville VIC 3779

Sauna Type: Mixed saunas

What we love: Overlooking Botany Bay, this hotel is your go-to if you like to dabble in both worlds. The light and airy hotel offers a dry sauna for those after intense heat therapy, and a nearby steam room so you can do a quick bounce between the two if you’re feeling particularly adventurous. The generally agreed stay time for a dry sauna session is 20 minutes.

Address: Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach, 2 Princess Street, Brighton-Le-Sands NSW 2216

Sauna Type: Dry sauna and a steam room

What we love: The Blue Mountains region is all towering cliffs, lush valleys, and fresh air. After a day of bushwalking, head to the large Finnish sauna at Fairmont Resort and immerse yourself in an ice-cold plunge after a dose of ‘Löyly’ (the steam plume that comes from pouring water over the hot rocks in the sauna) and recover by an indoor wood fire.

Address: Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, 1 Sublime Point Road, Leura NSW 2780

Sauna Type: Dry sauna

What we love: The Playford channels a modern art nouveau aesthetic, so it’s only fitting that its sauna exudes a bit of extra flair. The sauna, gym and pool area is open 24/7 and the beautiful in-house restaurant, Luma, pours the perfect example of that aforementioned post-sauna glass of good wine. You can also still access the sauna after check-out, perfect for preflight prep.

Address: The Playford Hotel, 120 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000

Sauna Type: Mixed saunas

What we love: Just outside Adelaide, spread out across 30 acres of the beautiful Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty House wins our award for most picturesque sauna space. Submerge yourself in a cedar clad hot tub, move between their two saunas (one steam and one infrared) and possibly brave the chilly ice bath for an extra invigorating experience. They also have a menu of wellness treatments at the Gatekeeper’s Day Spa, which overlooks the impressive grounds.

Address: Mount Lofty House, 1 Mawson Drive, Crafers SA 5152

Sauna Type: Dry sauna

What we love: This beautifully crisp and modern sauna set up is open all day, every day. All clean lines and blonde wood, the temperature is just enough to coax a healthy sweat without turning you into a puddle. Especially useful is you’re feeling a bit knackered from the time difference (hello, cross-country flights). Try to remember to gently stretch your muscles in the warmth. The heat can make your joints more limber, which might help release tension. But don’t push it, this isn’t the time for advanced hot yoga.

Address: Novotel Perth Murray Street, 388 Murray Street, Perth WA 6000

Sauna Type: Dry sauna

What we love: The dry sauna at Novotel Canberra offers a straightforward path to relaxation. To truly reap the sauna health benefits, always make sure to hydrate. You’re about to sweat out a small ocean so drink plenty of water before and after. Another big thing in saunas, especially in somewhere as proper as our nation’s capital, is etiquette. Every hotel sauna will have guidelines and you should also always read the room when you enter. If it’s already pretty full don’t be the guy that makes it overcrowded. And it should go without saying, saunas in Australia are not clothing optional. Keep ya togs on!

Address: Novotel Canberra, 65 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra ACT 2601

Sauna Type: One infrared sauna, one steam room

What we love: Sofitel Adelaide gets a lot of attention for their well-equipped steam and infrared saunas in each changing room. It’s a great place to experiment with the lower-heat, deeper-penetrating warmth of an infrared sauna if the traditional high-heat environment isn’t your cup of tea. Also save time for a few laps in their gorgeous indoor swimming pool. A quick shower post-sauna helps rinse away toxins and leaves your skin refreshed, and some sauna pros say that showering beforehand makes them sweat faster and more.

Address: Sofitel Adelaide, 108 Currie Street, Adelaide SA 5000

Saunas are as much about mental wellness as they are physical. Sure, you’ll glean sauna benefits for skin, muscles, and overall cardiovascular health, but there’s also an intangible sense of calm.
 

Maybe it’s the quiet hush of the heated room, or the fact that you’ve given yourself permission to do absolutely nothing else but breathe and sweat. Either way, saunas can turn a perfunctory hotel stay into an indulgent mini-retreat.