Bad Sauna

I love sauna and cold plunge culture... from the Thai spas in Vegas to the local bath house in Germany. Saunas are one of my go-tos. Visiting PA from VA where I hold a weekly membership to a strictly sauna and cold plunge business, I convinced my brother (a local) to try this experience with me. Scheduling: the website isn't user friendly. Two hour visits are advertised and priced, however, we weren't able to schedule it. I looked for their phone number and contact info online and on social media without luck. So I purchased a gift card for two and we drove 45 minutes hoping we would be able to get a spot. One star ⭐ Location: Convenient, tons of parking, you walk into a rock climbing gym and learn that this business is in a shed in the backyard. Kind-of a vibe, right? Three stars ⭐⭐⭐ V

I love this sauna! Very hot, very steamy. They offer a variety of sauna experiences. For the open sessions they do aufguss - intense aromatic steam created by mixing essential oil with snow balls - once an hour, which is a must do experience. The cold plunges are lovely. I love the thoughtful little touches like the wood burning fire pit on the deck, the ambient dj sets. They also do collaborations with local Pittsburgh businesses like brothmonger and jackworth ginger beer. It’s more than a sauna, it’s a little community!

Overcrowded sauna unfortunately. They should cap the amount of people allowed in at a time to half the amount they’re allowing right now if they truly want to provide a relaxing environment. There was a lot of talking in the sauna. Trans friendly thank sheesh. Fire pit area would be nicer if it were closer to the sauna and it didn’t smell like burning plastic 😷 footwear required outside but not provided was frustrating. Bring slides/flipflops and an extra towel. The person who checked me in was friendly. Tea was delicious! It’s pronounced “aufguss” not “aufGOOSE”. All in all would come again just hope they tweak some things to make it more relaxing and cleaner.

I like that Bad Sauna focuses more on relaxation and finding a moment of peace instead of optimization and physical wellness. Bring some snacks, book a two hour session, and enjoy.

Bad Sauna is the best sauna in town. (Sweaty) hands down. It's spacious, comfortable and hot. The culture there is welcoming and chill. Safe space for folks of all backgrounds, ways of life, genders, etc... And sometimes, the sauna is so good there, I look up through the light polluted sky, and see the stars, and remember that we're all just saucy bags of cosmic dust and water. Yeah. That's how good it is there. 10/10, highly recommend.