http://www.kotisauna.com/, http://www.kotisauna.com/booksauna

Koti Sauna, 4128 SE Jefferson Street, Milwaukie, OR (2026)

05/01/2026

This might be one of the cutest groups I’ve had here 🥰

They booked a “sweat-sixteen,” a play on a sweet sixteen, but with sauna and a lot more sweating. This group of moms started getting together when they all had babies, and 16 years later they are still showing up for each other. They came to celebrate their kids turning 16, but without the kids, because they need their own time too.

We’ve had morning of wedding groups, gym parties, birthday celebrations, a 70th, and so many other ways people have made the space their own.

In the spring and summer, this space transforms into something unique. The sauna is still there, but it doesn’t have to be the main event (if you don’t want it to be). Cold plunges, outdoor showers, laying out in the sun, spending time together. It starts to feel more like a backyard hang with a wellness component. The time feels really sweet when you’re moving slow and actually enjoying the time in between hot and cold rounds.

If you have a reason to gather, or just want an easy way to spend time together, this space is a really really good place to do it.

04/16/2026

I like to go through my photos to remind me of the small things that bring me so much joy.
Like a visual gratitude journal.
April, in little moments:

1) Hosting the 👯‍♂️🇫🇮
2) A really good sunset 🌅
3) Snuggling my dog between customers 🐕
4) Someone paying in $2s (my grandpa used to send me these) 💵
5) The yard in serious bloom 🪻🌸
6) My mom enjoying Koti 🥹
7) Evidence of people taking care of themselves 👣
8) Evidence of me taking care of myself 🧖‍♀️
9) New plants my mother in law brought me 🪴
10) Taking a moment to soak in the sun ☀️

04/13/2026

Some people think sauna is just a winter thing, but I’d like to offer a different perspective.

In Finland, we don’t stop sauna-ing when the weather warms up. We’d go for a long walk and then relax in the sauna, or grab a bite to eat on a patio afterwards. My favorite? I’d go for a run and meet back at the sauna with friends. It becomes a simple way to spend time with people while doing something that’s good for you.

If you’re wanting more Koti time this spring and summer, there are a few ways to make that more accessible.

We offer two membership options: a fully unlimited membership, and a once-a-week option (4 sessions per month that you can use whenever).

We also have punchcards that lower the cost per session: a 5-pack, and a 10-pack (10 sessions for the price of 8).

Don’t let the warm weather stop you from coming in :)

04/12/2026

Have you found yourself in a session with a Finn yet? They naturally gravitate to the top bench and throw A LOT of water. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend.

My husband tells people that when I walk in to the sauna I need a caution sticker that says beware of the Finnish woman holding the ladle 😂 I sort of nicely force it upon people. The steam (löyly) is a huge part of the experience. We add birch to our water here at Koti, so give it a try next time.

Lovely afternoon hosting the 🇫🇮❤️

04/09/2026

Swipe to the end for the ultimate ‘why you should try a sound bath and sauna’.

Some people show up for the sound bath, some for the sauna, and then most go woahhhh you can do these two things together?!

The energy in the room changes with each sound bath. While you can’t always see it, you can feel it. Everyone in here is going through something that can’t always see on the outside but on some level can be felt. There is a moment at the beginning of every sound bath where everyone is settling in, still carrying whatever they walked in with. Over time it shifts. The room feels softer, safer.

Gabi, our sound bath queen, has shared a lot about her journey with sound baths and how much they help with anxiety, stress, and becoming more present in your body. I had never done a sound bath before I met her, but I knew when she walked in this space that I would fall in love with the practice. My mind often races at first, but last night was different. It was my 4th one, and I finally felt that peace and ease she often talks about as I layed there. I also had an insane sleep score, the best in 6 months.

What feels extra special about this collaboration is that after the sound bath, there’s no rushing back out into the world. You get to stay and go outside. There’s a fire, the sauna is hot, the air is cool, the sun is setting. You can be around people or just be by yourself, but you get to continue being a part of something.

One of the reasons I created this space was for people to show up and feel truly at ease. There is a lot of performative wellness out there. I’ve been in those spaces and they make me want to run. We don’t need more places to perform, we actually need the opposite. We need places where you can show up carrying a lot, and walk feeling seen by others for the right reasons.

We hope you’ll join us for the next one (we’ll be sharing the date soon)!

03/27/2026

I want you to experience this place without the noise. I’m tired of short form, of making things catchy because our brains move on too quickly. I want you to get lost in the story and hear the details. I want you to slow down and not think about what’s next. I want this space to inspire a little creativity.

Koti is a community sauna and plunge space in a cozy Milwaukie neighborhood (in a backyard!) We’ve lived here for 8 years, and we opened Koti in June of 2025. We are nearing one year of being open, and it still feels wild that this little dream came true.

Our Finnish sauna is the gathering spot, the heartbeat of the space, with three levels of benches, birch scented steam, and views overlooking our small garden. Eventually you can pick some blueberries when they grow in. We have two cold plunges (40 + 50 degrees), two outdoor hot/cold showers, two fire pit areas (one covered, one not). Inside is a lounge with tea, coffee, water, showers stocked with shampoo/conditioner/body wash, and lockers.

We are a social space, meaning the sauna is not quiet (unless we have designated hours). We ask everyone to be thoughtful of neighbors and other sauna-goers. Some people show up to connect with others, some to connect with themselves.

Community sessions are $40 for two hours. You don’t have to stay the whole time, but we really hope you do. Walk through the grass, look up at the sky, lay on a towel, drink tea around the fire. Get lost in a book. Bring a robe, blanket, whatever makes you comfortable here.

We are open Thursday - Monday for community sessions, and 7 days a week for private rentals. We require reservations because the sauna takes time to heat (45 minutes on a good day). We also require swimsuits as we are an outdoor space with close by neighbors.

If it’s your first time, we’ll give you a tour and make sure you feel comfortable here. Then the rest of the time is yours. We’ll support you when you want it, and step back when you don’t.

Come experience a Koti session when you’re ready.

03/08/2026

Happy International Women’s Day! I woke up today thinking about the strong lineage of Finnish women who came before me.

My Finnish grandma Irja (who we called Mummi, meaning grandma in Finnish) spoke no English and was a spicy lady. She spoke her truth, worked hard, and had very little materially. But I didn’t love her for what she had. I loved her because even though life was not easy for her, she was the most giving and hardworking person I knew.

Mummi made everyone feel so cared for. She fed us constantly, always saying “ota lisää, ota lisää” at the dinner table, meaning “take more, take more.” We spent summers on her rural Finnish farm, and she pushed my brother and me around the property in a rickety wheelbarrow while she worked (2nd picture). She chopped wood, cleaned, tended her garden, cooked and baked endlessly, and started the outdoor wood sauna. She gave birth to my mom, Maritta, on that sauna bench because that was life.

My mom Maritta also had a tough life. She grew up without electricity or running water, skied to school, worked on the farm, and later immigrated to the U.S. away from everything she knew.

She now carries the torch as the strongest and most loving woman I know. The Finnish word “sisu” means unwavering determination to do hard things in the face of adversity, and no one embodies it more than her. She worked nights as a nurse while raising two kids to make sure we had everything we needed. Now she helps me run my business and often picks every last leaf from my yard because she loves working 😂

We are stubborn, opinionated, and bossy. But the love we have for others has no end.

These women taught me to be someone people can always call on. Even on the hardest days of running a business, I know I’m capable of doing this because of the women who came before me. They taught me that hard work, empathy, love, and respect are how we truly connect.

I am in awe of women. Friends, family on both Finnish and Swedish side, mother in law, sisters in law, my customers, neighbors, women in the community. All of you nurture, love, build, create, grieve, and make life. For that, women are everything. Happy International Women’s Day.

02/19/2026

Last night was lit 🔥 10 humans coming together to take care of themselves and each other. This is what we need more of in this world right now.

Soundbath by

Next one is on Wednesday, April 8th from 6-9pm!

01/30/2026

We take a stand. 100% of our operating profit from tomorrow’s sessions will go to

With love,
Kristina

01/24/2026

People have been asking about the West Coast Sauna Summit I attended last weekend, so here is a quick-ish recap. It’s hard to be concise because it was unique and there is so much I want to share.

1) The .saunasummit was in Loon Lake, Canada (although up until 2 days before the event I had not checked the actual address and almost drove 5 hours farther north. Not my finest moment). They brought in 12 unique saunas ranging from luxury, to tents, to see through greenhouse style saunas. We spent three days enjoying nature walks, breathwork, yoga, tea tents, whisking sessions, fireside chats, and industry talks that were never dry.

2) This was a life-changing event. Sauna and sacred bathing are not about performative self-care. They are simple yet profound. As operators, our job is to create spaces with intention, use thoughtful language, avoid appropriation, and provide hospitality that honors trust.

3) Stay true to yourself. Sauna culture is coming to North America. Authentic spaces have soul. Shout out to my fellow Portland(ish) sauna businesses that were there .glo . Each of them brings something very unique to the table, and that is what makes this industry special. I encourage everyone to go visit as many sauna places as they can, not just mine, because you’ll find what you like and you’ll like different places depending what you’re in the mood for.

4) Protect your peace. As a woman-run operation, boundaries and life outside work are essential. I went into the weekend exhausted and almost skipped going, but so many people held space for me to grieve, vent, and recharge.

5) Keep it simple. Growing up sauna-ing from six months old, I’ve seen how the US complicates everything, including sauna. Create safe spaces people want to return to. True sauna culture is not here yet. Go to the source: Finland for sauna, Russia for banya, Norway for badstu, modern day Mexico for temazcal.

Thank you to the whole operations team of WCSS who made the weekend so special. Special shoutout to my roommate who kept me up laughing a lot. I miss you all and cannot wait for next year!

01/07/2026

Our first sauna + sound bath was so fun we’re hosting two more!

Join us for a 3-hour experience, starting with a 75-minute sound bath led by Gabi , followed by sauna, cold plunge, and time around the fire with others. This is more than a wellness ritual—it’s a full-circle experience to awaken your senses, reset your energy, and leave feeling grounded, renewed, and connected.

📅 Wednesday, Jan 21st: 6-9pm
📅 Wed, Feb 18th: 6-9pm

Space is small and intimate so spots will fill fast. Book online at www.kotisauna.com/booksauna.

01/01/2026

2025 was the year that shook me.

The first half of the year was spent finishing our building project. The last half of the year we opened Koti. This year tested me in ways I have yet to fully process.

I felt confusion, despair, loneliness, determination, proudness, love, and so much joy. Kind of in that order. Ending the year, I feel clearer than I have in a while. I wouldn’t say I thrived this year personally, but I grew a lot, and am ending the year truly soaking in how important people are above all else.

Thank you to each of you who made this year everything from more bearable, getting us through our build, to making it unbelievably fun, watching you all be in this space. Thank you for showing up, supporting us, and getting very real with us. There is something about being in the sauna in a swimsuit, to cheering others through a painful cold plunge, to vulnerable convos on the sauna bench that help tear down walls we’ve created around ourselves. Each of you helped me be more real, more myself, and more honest in so many ways. I woke up today feeling a little guilty for loving this work and this space so much, and I owe it to each of you.

Remember to love your people hard, because at the end of it all, we aren’t getting out alive without our people around us. Also, don’t take yourself too seriously. I tried and it got me nowhere. Being your authentic weird self is more fun anyways.

Happy end of 2025, and I hope you all have a beautiful start to 2026.

Koti Sauna

05/01/2026

04/16/2026

04/13/2026

04/12/2026

04/09/2026

03/27/2026

03/08/2026

02/19/2026

01/30/2026

01/24/2026

01/07/2026

01/01/2026

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