Gentle energy from Höyry
- The story of Saunalaituri Höyry began with a dream: to dip into an ice hole straight from the sauna whenever it suited best. Minna Vainio and Ville Laiho decided to turn the dream into reality, and less than two years after the idea was born, people are already enjoying the sauna in Janhuanniemi – in full steam.
Minna Vainio and Ville Laiho sit contentedly in the heated changing room of Saunalaituri Höyry. After nearly two years of planning and development, the sauna is now complete and open to all.
The idea for a business offering sauna and cold-water swimming services started from the entrepreneurial couple’s own needs.
“We’re enthusiastic winter swimmers, and we longed for a spot near the center of Uusikaupunki where we could enjoy the sauna and a dip in the ice hole at times that suited our own schedules,” says Minna Vainio.
Gradually, the couple envisioned a cold-water swimming location with a range of services – until, at the last moment, the concept shifted: could an automated sauna be the better starting point after all?
“We started to feel like the time slots we had originally planned for sauna use were too limited. We really wanted to offer the opportunity to use the sauna and swim flexibly, almost any time, and broad services with on-site staff didn’t quite fit that vision,” Minna explains.
The concept became clear last autumn: Saunalaituri Höyry would be open at least twelve hours every day, nearly year-round. The sauna would heat up according to reservations made in an online booking calendar, and Minna and Ville would handle maintenance alongside their day jobs.
The foundation of the business would be a highly automated basic service, which could be expanded gradually over time.
“The basic structure of Höyry turned out just as we hoped: a great sauna, heated changing rooms, a toilet, and a pier. It was important to us that the benches are wide enough, the windows large, and the stove of high quality. All of this came together,” Minna says happily.
A suitable location for the sauna was found at the end of Pilssitie in Janhuanniemi.
“We started scouting the shoreline, looking for a place that could provide a great sauna experience
This was one of the first spots we looked at,” Ville says.
“At first, we dreamed of a spot further out on the cape, but zoning that area for this kind of use would likely have been a long and difficult process.”
Now, a few weeks into operation, Minna and Ville are already planning what’s next. There are plans to expand Höyry with a traditional wood-burning sauna and larger washing and lounge facilities.
“And this area is zoned for tourism, so at some point, we could even offer accommodations – maybe even a guest marina,” Ville envisions.
They’re even thinking about a small sauna for the nearby island.
“We’ve got no shortage of ideas,” Minna laughs.
Despite their ever-spinning minds, Minna and Ville also find moments of relaxation at Höyry. The mood during the first test sauna session, just days before opening, was blissful. The evening sun painted the horizon, and the brand-new stove released a gentle heat that met skin cooled by the sea.
“This part of town is a bit of a forgotten gem. It’s a beautiful place, the sunsets are stunning, and even the industry – so characteristic of this city – is present here,” Minna says. “We want to keep developing the whole area.”
The name Saunalaituri Höyry also harks back to Janhuanniemi’s history, to a time when a local steam power plant supplied energy to the sawmill and nearby residents.
“Now we have Saunalaituri Höyry here, which also produces energy – in its own way – for the people of the city,” Ville says
“Hopefully, Höyry can also offer a sense of community. That’s something I’ve been missing myself in these uncertain times.”