Straight Talk: There’s No Sauna at Planet Fitness
You’re probably thinking about signing up for Planet Fitness because that $10 price tag is crazy tempting, but you’re wondering: does Planet Fitness have a sauna where you can chill out after leg day?
Alright, here it is: Planet Fitness doesn’t have saunas. Not the traditional dry ones, not steam rooms, not even those trendy infrared ones everyone’s obsessed with lately.
I remember when I first joined, I actually asked the front desk person about it. She kind of laughed and said, “For ten bucks a month? We’d have to charge a lot more for that.” And you know what? She had a point.
Think about it this way—they’re barely charging you enough to cover the electric bill for the treadmills. Adding saunas would completely mess up their whole business model. They’d either have to jack up prices or start cutting corners somewhere else.
What You Actually Get at Planet Fitness
Before you bounce and look for another gym, hang on. Planet Fitness isn’t totally bare-bones. Let me walk you through what’s actually there.
The Basic Stuff (Around $10-15/month)
Your standard membership gets you:
- All the cardio machines you could want (I’m talking rows of treadmills, bikes, ellipticals)
- Weight machines for every muscle group
- Free weights up to about 60 or 75 pounds
- Locker rooms that are honestly cleaner than you’d expect
- Showers that actually have decent water pressure
Nothing fancy, but everything works. I’ve never walked in and found broken equipment sitting around for weeks.
Black Card Perks (About $25/month)
Now this is where it gets more interesting. For an extra fifteen bucks, you get:
- HydroMassage beds – and these things are legitimately amazing
- Massage chairs that actually work (not those junky mall ones)
- Tanning beds if you’re into that
- Access to every Planet Fitness anywhere, which is clutch when you travel
- Bring a friend anytime for free
- Half-price drinks at the cooler
That HydroMassage thing? I was skeptical at first. Thought it would be gimmicky. But after a brutal deadlift session, I tried it and basically melted into that bed for twenty minutes. My lower back felt incredible afterward. It’s not a sauna, but it does help with recovery.
Why Planet Fitness Said “Nah” to Saunas
I’ve thought about this a lot, and their reasoning actually makes sense when you dig into it.
Saunas are expensive as hell to install. We’re talking anywhere from a few thousand to thirty grand or more for a commercial one. Then you’ve got:
- Electrical work that costs a fortune
- Plumbing modifications
- Special ventilation so everyone doesn’t suffocate
- Monthly utility bills that go through the roof (heating a room to 180°F all day isn’t cheap)
- Constant maintenance and cleaning
- Extra insurance costs because liability
- Staff who need training on safety protocols
When your whole thing is charging ten dollars a month, those numbers just don’t work. The math falls apart.
Most people don’t actually care about saunas. Planet Fitness knows their audience. They’re targeting regular people who just want to hop on a treadmill, maybe do some light weights, and leave. Soccer moms, college students, people working on New Year’s resolutions. Most of them aren’t asking about saunas—they want convenience and low prices.
If You Really Need a Gym with a Sauna
I get it. Maybe sauna time is part of your whole routine. Maybe you’ve read about all the health benefits and you’re sold on it. The research is actually pretty solid:
- Your heart health improves
- Muscles recover faster after training
- Stress melts away (this one’s real—I feel noticeably calmer after sauna sessions)
- You sweat out a bunch of junk your body doesn’t need
- Some studies even suggest you might live longer
If that’s your vibe, here are gyms that usually have saunas:
LA Fitness – Pretty much every location I’ve visited has both dry saunas and steam rooms. You’re paying around $35-50 monthly though.
24 Hour Fitness – Hit or miss depending on which one, but most have them. Runs about $30-60 a month.
Equinox – This is the fancy option. Their saunas are gorgeous, the whole place feels like a spa. But brace yourself for $200-300 monthly.
YMCA – This depends heavily on your local Y. Some are super nice with great saunas, others are more basic. Usually $40-70/month.
Local independent gyms – Sometimes small health clubs have awesome saunas because it’s how they compete with the big chains. Worth checking out what’s near you.
How to Get Your Sauna Sessions Without Switching Gyms
Maybe you’re like me and you want to keep that cheap Planet Fitness membership but still get sauna access. Totally doable. Here’s what I’ve figured out:
Buy Day Passes
Some nicer gyms will sell you a day pass for $15-30. You could hit Planet Fitness for your workout, then pop over to the fancy gym for their sauna once or twice a week.
Spa Memberships
Korean spas are incredible for this. Russian bathhouses too. They often have monthly deals where you can come in and use all their facilities. I have a friend who pays $60/month for unlimited access to a Korean spa with like five different sauna rooms.
Get a Home Setup
The home sauna market has gotten way more affordable. You’ve got options like:
- Portable infrared saunas that fold up ($200-500)
- Sauna blankets you wrap yourself in ($150-600)
- Outdoor barrel saunas if you’ve got the space and money ($2,000-8,000)
- DIY kits if you’re handy with tools
I actually bought one of those portable infrared saunas off Amazon for about $400. Set it up in my spare bedroom. It’s not the same experience as a traditional wood sauna at a nice gym, but it works. I use it while watching Netflix.
Check Your City Rec Center
This is honestly the most underrated option. My city’s recreation center has a legit sauna and steam room, and membership is only $25 a month. Way cheaper than commercial gyms. The facility is a bit older, but the sauna gets just as hot.
Getting the Most Out of Planet Fitness (Even Without Saunas)
Since does Planet Fitness have a sauna is answered with a hard no, let’s talk about working with what they’ve got.
Become best friends with HydroMassage. I’m serious about this. The heated water jets combined with massage really do help your muscles recover. I schedule it right after every leg workout now. My quads thank me.
Actually use those massage chairs. Don’t just sit there for two minutes and bounce. Stay for fifteen or twenty minutes. Move around and position different body parts under the rollers. My shoulders and neck get so tight from desk work, and those chairs actually help.
Get creative with the showers. Try alternating between hot water and cold water for a couple minutes each. It’s not a proper sauna and ice bath combo, but you’re playing with similar temperature therapy concepts. Some athletes swear by contrast showers for recovery.
Spend real time stretching. Most Planet Fitness locations have mats and foam rollers in a designated area. Put in a solid 15-20 minutes of stretching after your workout. Won’t give you sauna benefits specifically, but it’s crucial for keeping your body healthy.
My Final Thoughts on All This
So yeah, does Planet Fitness have a sauna? Nope, and honestly I don’t think they’re adding them anytime soon.
But here’s the thing—they never claimed to be that type of gym. They’re completely transparent about being the affordable, no-frills option. And they do that job really well.
I’ve kept my Black Card for over three years now. I also bought that home sauna I mentioned. This combo works perfectly for my life. I get cheap access to good equipment plus HydroMassage (which I genuinely look forward to), and I handle sauna stuff on my own schedule at home.
Could I just pay more for one gym that has everything? Yeah, definitely. But I’d be dropping an extra $600 to $1,200 per year for bundled amenities I might not use that often. And honestly? I like having control over my setup.
Your situation is probably different from mine. Maybe you’re the type who hits the sauna every single day and it’s absolutely central to your wellness routine. If that’s you, then paying extra for a gym with sauna access just makes sense. Do it.
The real question is figuring out what you actually need versus what just sounds nice. Before I got my home sauna, I thought I’d use it daily. Reality check? I use it maybe three or four times weekly. Would that justify paying an extra thousand bucks a year for a gym membership? Not for me personally.
Does Planet Fitness have a sauna? No, but now you know exactly what they’re offering instead, why they skipped the sauna, and how you can still get your sauna time if it matters to you. Whatever you decide, make sure it actually fits your budget and your real-life routine—not just what sounds good in theory.
Also Read : https://thenaturalbeautylife.com/what-is-esporta-fitness/