SaunaNews
Anna Virtanen
Wellness & Culture Editor, SaunaNews
Anna Virtanen explores the intersection of sauna culture, wellness science, and hospitality design. A former spa director with a background in integrative health, she joined SaunaNews to bridge the gap between the commercial side of the industry and the lived experience of sauna bathing. Her features on emerging wellness trends and resort programming are widely shared across the hospitality sector.
Articles by Anna Virtanen(3)
AnalysisWellness Trends
Cold Plunge Market Hits $380M as Category Creates New Sauna Buyers
The global cold plunge tub market reached an estimated $380 million in 2025, with brands like Plunge crossing $100M in revenue. But the bigger story is what cold plunge adoption does for the sauna market — data shows it's creating new sauna buyers, not stealing them.
Anna Virtanen·Jan 15, 2025·7 min read
AnalysisCommentary
How Japanese Onsen Culture Is Influencing Western Sauna Design
A new generation of sauna designers is drawing deeply from Japanese onsen and sento traditions — bringing concepts of wabi-sabi, natural materials, and ritualistic sequencing into Western thermal wellness spaces.
Anna Virtanen·Nov 15, 2024·8 min read
AnalysisWellness Trends
Bathhouse Brooklyn on Pace for $120M Revenue as Social Sauna Model Scales
Bathhouse, the Brooklyn-based social wellness club, told CNBC it expects to reach approximately $120 million in run-rate revenue by the end of 2026 — a milestone that validates the urban sauna social club as a serious business category, not a wellness fad.
Anna Virtanen·Jun 12, 2024·9 min read
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