Developed for those who want to step out of a steaming sauna and plunge straight into an ice bath, these therapies combine the Vikings’ approach to health with today’s travel habits.
One of the emerging trends in the travel world is “Viking wellness.” This experience, believed to be rooted in the health practices of Scandinavian people, makes use of the contrast created by sauna or thermal baths and ice baths. As part of the growing interest of Gen Z in wellness travel, the primary aim of this approach is to feel good and to heal.
Many recent studies suggest that regular sauna use may improve cardiovascular health and reduce stress levels; some research on ice baths—cold water immersion—indicates that the practice may have short-term positive effects on mood and circulation.
Viking wellness experiences, also known as contrast therapies, draw from traditions such as sauna use, winter sea swimming, and alternating between hot and cold water in Scandinavian countries like Iceland, Finland, and Norway, and are currently influencing travel preferences in a significant way. Interest in hotels and centers that have added these therapies to their offerings is also steadily increasing. Here are some we have selected for you:
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Sant Roch, Paris
Opened in Paris in recent weeks and boasting the largest sauna in France, Sant Roch transforms cycles of heat and cold into a purifying, ritualistic, and even slightly seductive experience. The main attraction of this unusual wellness center is contrast therapy; the body moves between intense heat and freezing cold until it surrenders to a trance-like calm. While pores open in the sauna, they are immediately closed again by plunging into icy pools. All of this is done to promote renewal, healing, and a sense of vitality. In this two-story urban sanctuary, in addition to a massive sauna and five cold plunge pools cooled between 3°C and 8°C, breathwork sessions, sound therapy, and meditation sessions are also offered.
Laugarás Lagoon, Iceland
Iceland’s relationship with water runs deep. From ancient hot springs to modern wellness rituals, bathing in geothermal waters is woven into the fabric of healthy living. Laugarás Lagoon is the newest geothermal destination in the Golden Circle, where this tradition transforms into an immersive wellness journey rooted in Iceland’s natural beauty, combining thermal bathing, forest walks, and nourishing food.
Located 94 km from the capital Reykjavík, between Geysir and Gullfoss, the property features 1,000 m² of healing geothermal waters (37–40°C), fed by a natural geothermal source in the region and cooled with glacial water from the nearby Hvítá River, flowing across two levels. Sessions take place not in buildings but in the heart of nature: guests experience hidden caves for silent meditation, saunas tucked among trees overlooking the river, a forest pool that flows 2 degrees warmer than the main lagoon (39–40°C), and a cold plunge pool (5–10°C) for contrast therapy.
Sky Lagoon, Iceland
Also in Iceland, near the capital Reykjavík, Sky Lagoon is one of the world’s leading thermal hotels for contrast therapy. Here, a seven-step ritual takes place. Guests move through geothermal pools heated to approximately 38–40°C before plunging into cold water, followed by a sauna, a cold mist room, an Icelandic sea salt scrub, and a steam room.
Finally, they dive into ice pools and then have the opportunity to relax after a shower. Designed to reflect the dramatic contrasts of Iceland’s unique landscape and climate, this very special experience is said to strengthen the immune system.
Forestis, Italy
Located in the South Tyrolean Alps between Mount Plose and the Dolomites, Forestis is a rustic yet elegant hotel that stands out among wellness hotels in the region with its entirely natural setting. Although the hotel features a standard ice pool indoors, the experience becomes far more natural and magical in the outdoor forest sauna, where a wooden conduit placed along the mountainside fills the adjacent ice pool with glacial water. This remarkable spa hotel also offers four different saunas and an indoor-outdoor heated swimming pool.
Rosewood Mayakoba, Mexico
Contrast therapy, actually an ancient health practice with counterparts in many cultures, is derived from the numerous benefits of exposing the body to hot and cold temperatures in short intervals. Typically performed in bath form, this practice is known to improve blood circulation, reduce tension, strengthen immunity, and support mental well-being. Rosewood Hotels, a collection of award-winning spas and wellness centers worldwide, is among the establishments offering this important therapy to its guests.
At Rosewood Mayakoba in Mexico, the Healing Fire and Ice Therapy— inspired by ancient Mayan medicine—uses hot and cold stones to relax muscles and create a deep sense of relaxation. Through the combination of stone therapy and massage, circulation is improved, muscle tension is reduced, and guests are made to feel more refreshed and energized. Rosewood Mayakoba also features a traditional Mayan sweat lodge integrated into various treatments and ice pools that guests can combine with other experiences to benefit from contrast therapy.
