MILWAUKEE — Introducing one of the hottest new businesses in Milwaukee, Hot Spell Sauna.
It's an urban pop-up spa at the Zócalo Food Truck Park in Milwaukee's Walker's Point neighborhood. It's the perfect way to warm up during the cold Wisconsin winter. But don't worry, when you finally go outside it won't be bad at all.
"It’s 160 degrees in there. You will get hot and five degree weather will feel good," Jaime Meyer, the owner said.
Meyer opened the sauna in the beginning of November. She was inspired after a solo trip through northern Europe. She said the sauna culture was so common and popular there that she wanted to bring it back to Wisconsin.
"It’s novel, you know. It doesn’t exist here, but I would like to make it less novel and more normal,” she said.
Plus, she said once she stepped foot inside one, she immediately felt the benefits.
"I was physically and mentally restored in a way that I was completely unprepared for," Meyer said.
Saunas are good for helping blood circulation, stress relief, and so much more.
"It's just a very quiet, calm, meditative thing," she said.
This isn't just your average gym sauna or steam room experience. Meyer said this is based off more traditional Nordic saunas.
Rather than going into a sauna for an extended period of time and leaving, people will go in and out multiple times. Meyer said that she recommends people go inside for about 10 minutes and then cool off outside or in her heated greenhouse for about five minutes. People can repeat that process as much as they'd like or make any variation to it.
There is a bench to sit on just outside the sauna. The greenhouse has lockers and four chairs for people to sit in. Meyer said to bring flip flops too. You can bring your own towel and robe. But if you do forget, you can rent a towel and robe for a small fee.
Each session is 75 minutes and the sauna can fit about six people. A single reservation costs about $75. However, if you sign up with six people, the price is $125 or about $21 per person.
Go to the website to book your reservation. It is usually open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Given that the sauna is at a food truck park, you might want to grab a bite to eat or something to drink during your 75 minute session. It's important to note, you can not drink any alcohol during your session. You can't bring food inside either.
Meyer's ultimate goal is to open a larger sauna facility one day.
"You would go in (and) there would be locker rooms. There would be multiple saunas. There would be either a cold plunge or cold showers to cool off with. An outdoor seating area. My dream would be to have a pool that would be heated."
