KOS Sauna Brings Floating Nordic Bathing to Upstate New York

Kate Butchart didn't set out to start a sauna business. She moved to Oslo in 2018, and floating saunas became part of her weekly routine. After more than a decade abroad, she returned to the U.S. with an idea: bring authentic Nordic sauna culture to Upstate New York. KOS Sauna, a floating sauna on Saratoga Lake, is the result.

The Build

Butchart worked with Norwegian architect Bjornar Skaar Haveland to design the sauna, incorporating Finnish construction principles: multi-level seating for proper heat distribution, dedicated ventilation, a curved ceiling to improve loyly (steam) circulation, and high-quality materials throughout. It's a small operation, but it's built right.

Sessions book out weeks in advance. The demand surprised even Butchart, who initially expected a slower ramp-up in a market without an established sauna culture.

Saunas are not a trend chasing attention. They are a return to something deeply human.

Why It Matters

KOS Sauna is part of a broader pattern: individuals with firsthand experience of Nordic or Finnish sauna culture returning to the U.S. (or Canada, or Australia) and building authentic sauna experiences in their local communities. These aren't venture-backed rollouts. They're passion projects that happen to be excellent businesses because the demand is real.

Butchart attended the World Sauna Forum 2024 in Finland, which deepened her understanding of Finnish sauna construction standards. She's focused on "meaningful growth" rather than rapid expansion, with potential for additional saunas and new locations down the line.