Portland Best Saunas & Spas

Embrace sauna culture and warm your bones in Portland

Autumn ushers in that infamous Portland grey and a constant drizzle of cold rain. Dark and cold winter days are ahead -- which makes this the perfect time to go inward, rest and indulge in sauna bathing! 

The practice has been around for centuries. It’s straightforward, accessible to all walks of life, provides long-term health benefits like stress relief, and leaves you feeling like a melting pad of butter on a stack of hot pancakes. Entering a sauna means stepping away from the world into your own little warm sanctuary. It’s an opportunity for mental retreat, meditation, and a healthy amount of sweating. Saunas are traditionally enjoyed in silence, and even in communal public saunas it’s frowned upon to talk about controversial subjects. And while there are plenty of known benefits of a sauna’s heat immersion - don’t skip the cold plunge! The benefits at the icey end of the thermometer are equally as potent as high temperatures, especially when paired together.

While the benefits and general functions are universal, there are different ways to enjoy sauna bathing. Here in Portland we have a sauna for every taste: You’ll find solo and communal saunas, clothing mandatory and optional saunas, saunas paired with massage and saunas paired with exercise. Here are the best saunas in Portland based on their different styles and offerings.

Finn’s call the steam produced by water added to hot sauna rocks “löyly.” And this is the embodiment of a traditional Finnish sauna. The clean, minimalist design creates an airy, open atmosphere free of distraction and worry for a day of relaxation, pampering and self care. Northeast Löyly has two cozy-yet-spacious saunas, one silent and one communal. Southeast has one sauna and one steam room. Both locations have a cold shower. Pair your sauna with an aromatic foot soak, body scrub, facial treatment, or massage. Bathing suits are required for co-ed hours but optional for womens/mens/LGBTQ+ only hours. Visits are by appointment only.

*Löyly is currently only accepting private sauna reservations for groups up to 6. See website for details.

If you prefer to use sauna bathing as a reward or rehabilitation after a good workout, check out one of the many fitness options at this posh gym-meets-spa oasis. Nestled in the heart of the Central Eastside, Knot Springs offers a full gym with an array of group fitness and yoga classes, as well as personal training, foot rubs, and massage. After your workout, relax as you take in the panoramic view of the city at the springs, which includes a communal sauna, steam room, soaking pools and a cold plunge. Bathing suits are required at all times, and visits are by appointment only.

For more than 30 years, the Everett House has been a staple for Portlanders seeking a tranquil retreat within the city. Located within two neighboring residential houses, these quaint and cozy dwellings allow you to feel as if you’re at home in your own backyard (if your backyard was a zen garden). Everett House is clothing optional, has two separate sauna areas dedicated to silent and communal bathing, and also features a silent steam room, outdoor soaking tub, cold tubs, a fire pit and tea bar. Make a day of it by adding a massage, acupuncture, or a float tank session. Visits are by appointment only.

Alma has two beautiful wood-fired, solar-powered saunas capable of operating completely off-the-grid and on wheels that can be trailered just about anywhere. Public pop-ups are on hold for the time being, but the traveling saunas are available for private events. Alma delivers the sauna(s) to your location and enhances your experience by providing towels, drinking water, wood, outdoor shower, and a tent with chairs to create a chill out zone for relaxing between rounds.

If you live in Portland and appreciate the benefits of spa bathing and co-op membership (which most of us do), consider becoming a member at Common Grounds. Members enjoy reduced spa-and-wellness service rates, and have the privilege of being involved in a democratic, member-controlled, intentional community dedicated to wellness. The spa features a silent cedar sauna, a large outdoor communal soaking pool and cold shower. They offer a range of wellness services including acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, nutrition and coaching. Non-members are welcome, of course, and still enjoy reasonable rates. The spa is clothing optional, and visits are by appointment only.

The Spa at the Society Hotel in Bingen, WA is a gorgeous, sprawling cedar-and-glass bathhouse overlooking the scenic Columbia Gorge--an experience both inspiring for the eyes and soothing for the body. Featuring an indoor saltwater soaking pool, an outdoor hot pool, a cold plunge pool and a cedar sauna, there are a wide variety of options are available to melt your muscles. Just over an hour from downtown Portland, it’s the perfect day escape to rejuvenate the body and mind. Or you can stay the night! They offer accommodations from bunk rooms to private cabins to fit every budget. Bathing suits are required in the bathhouse, and visits are by appointment only.