Should You Offer a Sauna as a Paid Add-On for Airbnb Guests? A Host’s Guide

Offering a Sauna as a Paid Add-On

Offering a sauna as a paid add-on for guests is a perfectly reasonable idea, provided it is presented clearly, easy to book and safe to use.

It can make your property stand out, and it lets you cover the electricity, cleaning, maintenance and wear and tear without building the cost into every night’s accommodation.

The main thing is to think beyond the price. A sauna brings extra considerations around safety, access, guest expectations, insurance and how you manage the experience.

The Key Things to Think About

1. Safety and liability

This should be your first priority, especially if guests are unfamiliar with sauna use.

• Provide simple instructions covering temperature, session length, hydration and cooling down.
• Explain that guests use it at their own risk, but don’t rely on a disclaimer to replace proper safety measures.
• Make sure guests know when not to use it, including when feeling unwell or after drinking alcohol.
• Set clear rules for children, supervision and maximum occupancy.
• Provide emergency contact details and make sure the sauna can be exited easily from inside.

2. Insurance and permissions

Check with your insurer before offering it to paying guests. Don’t assume ordinary holiday-let cover includes sauna use.

• Confirm your public liability and holiday-let insurance cover the sauna and guest use.
• Check whether your insurer requires particular safety features, servicing or signage.
• Check any applicable planning, building, electrical and fire-safety requirements.
• If the sauna is wood-fired, consider chimney safety, clearances from buildings and combustibles, ash disposal and carbon monoxide risks.

3. Access, privacy and setting

Think about the guest’s journey from the front door to the sauna and back.

• Is the route safe, well lit and non-slip, including in rain, frost and darkness (if the sauna is outside the main building)?
• Can guests change privately, and is there somewhere to hang towels and robes?
• Is the sauna screened from neighbours and overlooked windows?
• Is there a safe, practical place to cool down afterwards?
• Do guests have clear instructions for bad weather or icy conditions, if relevant?

4. Cleaning and hygiene

Guests should feel the sauna has been prepared specifically for them.

• Clean the benches and contact surfaces between bookings.
• Set rules about showering beforehand, footwear and wet swimwear.
• Supply clean towels, or clearly explain what guests need to bring.
• Check the floor, drainage, ventilation and any water bucket or ladle.
• Decide who checks the sauna after use and how you handle damage or excessive mess.

5. Booking and managing expectations

The simpler the arrangement, the better it works for you and your guests.

• Make it clear the sauna is an optional extra, not included in the accommodation price.
• Explain the price, session duration, capacity and how to book.
• State whether it is preheated for guests or whether they operate it themselves.
• Set opening hours and quiet-hour restrictions.
• Explain how much notice you need and what happens if guests cancel or the sauna is unavailable.

6. Costs, wear and tear, and reliability

The add-on should be profitable without becoming a management headache.

• Work out the energy or firewood cost of each session, including preheating.
• Allow for cleaning time, towels, laundry, maintenance and replacement parts.
• Set a maximum number of people and a realistic session length.
• Have a procedure for faults, overheating, power cuts and equipment failure.
• Keep a simple inspection and maintenance log.

How to Structure the Paid Add-On

Make the experience feel premium, but keep the process straightforward.

• Pre-booked sessions: Guests request the sauna before arrival or during their stay, subject to availability.
• A fixed session length: Perhaps 60–90 minutes, so guests can enjoy it without feeling rushed.
• A clear price per session: Charging per session rather than per person encourages couples or small groups to share. Make the maximum occupancy clear.
• A prepared or self-service option: Preheating feels more luxurious but costs you time and energy.
• A simple instruction sheet: Put it inside the property and at the sauna itself.
• A clear cancellation policy: Explain what happens if guests change their minds, or if weather, equipment failure or another issue prevents use.

Also decide whether the sauna is exclusively for guests staying at the property, whether children can use it, and whether it can be used after dark.

What to Include in Guest Instructions

Keep them short enough that people will actually read them. Cover:

• How to switch the sauna on and off, or how it is prepared.
• The intended temperature and recommended session duration, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• How to use the heater safely, and whether water may be poured on it.
• Drinking water, taking breaks and cooling down gradually.
• No alcohol or drug use before or during sauna use.
• No unattended children, and no use beyond the stated capacity.
• What to do if they feel dizzy, faint or unwell.
• How to report a fault or an emergency.
• Where towels go and what to do with the sauna after their session.

UK Checks Before You Launch

If your property is in England, start with the government guidance for self-catering holiday lets and fire safety for small paying guest accommodation. These cover the wider responsibilities around fire safety, electrical safety, insurance and planning. The exact requirements for your sauna will depend on its installation and how it is operated.

In particular:

• Get written confirmation from your holiday-let insurer that guest use of the sauna is covered.
• If it is electric, have a suitably qualified electrician check the installation, earthing and protection.
• Review your fire risk assessment and any manufacturer-specific safety requirements.
• Check with your local planning authority if the structure or its use raises planning questions.
• If it is wood-fired, get appropriate advice on the stove, flue, clearances and fire precautions.

Commercial Details Hosts Often Overlook

Who operates it? If guests operate it themselves, you need robust instructions and controls that minimise misuse. If you operate it, you can manage heating and safety more closely, but you need to factor in your time and availability.

What happens if something goes wrong? Have a process for shutting it down, reporting a fault, refunding a booking and preventing use until it is safe again.

How do you avoid complaints? Make sure the advertised price, session length, availability, heating time and privacy arrangements are all clear before guests pay. Don’t advertise it as available whenever they want if it needs advance preparation.

A Recommended Approach

Start with a simple, controlled offering:

1. Offer one private sauna session as an optional paid extra.
2. Require advance booking, with a clearly stated session length and price.
3. Prepare the sauna yourself at first if practical, so you can control the temperature and inspect it between uses.
4. Provide towels and straightforward instructions, with safety rules displayed at the sauna.
5. Review the first few bookings to see how much time, energy and cleaning each session actually takes.

That lets you test whether guests value the experience before committing to a more complicated system.

Thinking of adding a sauna to your property? Leave a comment below with your setup (electric or wood-fired, indoor or outdoor) and I’ll point you to the safety and cost considerations that matter most.