DETROIT (WXYZ) — A new spot to sauna and cold plunge has officially opened on Detroit's east side. Islandview Sauna Club is a rustic sauna destination in the woods just off of E. Lafayette.
The rustic sauna camp includes three wood-burning saunas, outdoor cold plunges and a fire pit for people to hang around.
The saunas themselves are unique. There's a wood barrel sauna, a converted cattle trailer and a converted horse trailer, all of which seat anywhere from four to more than a dozen people inside.
When I visited on Sunday, the temperatures inside the saunas ranged from 160° to more than 200° in the converted horse trailer. There are also two large cold plunges for people to hop in after their sauna. They were at 38° on Sunday.
The wood-fired saunas were built in Minneapolis following research by the owners. Islandview Sauna Club is co-owned by Jacque and Christine Driscoll, who also operate Yellow Light Coffee and Donuts, Green Dot Stables and others. It's also co-owned by Tamas and Gail von Staden, who own von Staden Architecture in Royal Oak.
“We wanted to make sure that when guests cross into the sauna grounds, they feel like they are in a Northern Michigan camp with wood smoke in the air, a fire crackling at the entrance, and heat rising from our handcrafted saunas,” Jacques said in a statement.
Guests can change inside a canvas tent, where you also check in for your sauna session. You feel as if you're transported to Northern Michigan while being just two miles from Downtown Detroit.
The one-hour sessions cost $25, and appointments are necessary. You can book your session at islandviewsauna.com. When you book your session, you're encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before to get settled, change and hear safety guidelines.
Guests should also bring a robe or towel to wrap in, a bathing suit, a towel to sit on and flip flops or slides. After your session, you can hang around the bonfire or in the basecamp tent where you've changed.
Currently, Islandview Sauna Club is open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It's located at 1000 Beaufait, just north of Lafayette and across from Brewery Faisan. They are also offering private bookings on the website.
