Wellness Villa Design in Bali: Sauna, Cold Plunge and Outdoor Living

Wellness as part of the villa, not an afterthought

In Bali, a private sauna, a cold plunge and a shaded deck have become some of the features owners, guests and buyers look for in a villa. Many villas advertised for sale or rent now list a sauna next to the pool. When these elements are added at the end, they often end up in the wrong place: in full sun, in view of the neighbours, far from the pool or without the power and drainage they need.

Antonio Rutilio is an Italian architect based in Bali who designs villas, resorts and residential developments across Indonesia. In our projects, the wellness area is planned together with the architecture: where the sauna stands, how you walk from the pool to the cold water, where you rest in the shade and how the whole area looks from the house. For the sauna itself, we work with our partner Wellnessway, which makes mobile Finnish saunas in teak in Bali.

Where to place a sauna in a tropical villa

A good position is decided by the plan of the villa and by the climate, not only by the space that happens to be free. These are the points we look at on every plot:

• A short path from the pool: wet feet, a few steps and non-slip surfaces between the pool, the sauna, the shower and the cold plunge.
• Shade and rain: a canopy, a pergola or trees to protect the timber and the rest area from the midday sun and heavy rain.
• Privacy: saunas with a glass front should look onto the garden or the view, not onto a neighbouring villa or the street.
• A firm base and good drainage: the sauna needs a level surface, and water from the shower and the plunge must run away from it.
• Power and air: the heater needs a suitable electrical supply, planned before the finishes, and the cabin needs air around it in the humid climate.
• Guests and family: in a rental villa, the wellness area should be easy to reach from the common spaces without crossing the bedrooms.

The wellness circuit: sauna, cold plunge, shower and rest

A sauna works best as part of a small circuit. Heat, then cold water, then rest: this is the classic Finnish routine, and in Bali it fits naturally into outdoor living around the pool.

• Sauna for two people in a small villa or up to six in a large villa, guesthouse or retreat.
• Cold plunge or the pool itself, a few steps from the sauna door.
• Outdoor shower between the sauna and the water.
• Deck in teak, ulin or stone, with loungers in the shade.
• Canopy, lighting and storage for towels, so the area also works in the evening and in the rainy season.

You can see this approach in our White Residence project in Pandawa, a collection of tropical villas where the private pool, an outdoor shower and the loungers sit in a planted garden.

Mobile teak saunas by our partner Wellnessway

Wellnessway makes mobile Finnish saunas in teak in Bali, built for the tropical climate. The walls are teak boards and a base of ulin, Indonesian ironwood, lifts the sauna above the ground. On a firm, level surface the mobile sauna needs no foundation, and on soil it stands on piles. It comes apart into up to ten parts, so it can be moved and reassembled in a new place.

• Mini: 1 to 2 people, for couples, a private home or a small villa.
• Medium: 4 people, for families, a villa or a guesthouse.
• Comfort: up to 6 people, for a large villa, a guesthouse, a hotel or a retreat.
• Fixed saunas: for hotels and scenic sites, Wellnessway also builds saunas on site to a design, with glass walls and two-tier benches.

Wellnessway handles the survey, the estimate, delivery anywhere in Bali, assembly and the warranty, which covers the structure for one year. It can also add a plunge pool, a shower, a deck and a canopy. Current models and prices are on the Wellnessway website.

Wellnessway is an independent company and a partner of Antonio Rutilio Design. Its saunas are designed, made and guaranteed by Wellnessway. The images of the saunas are computer-generated product visualisations provided on the Wellnessway website.

For villa owners, rental villas and developers

• Private owners: a sauna and a cold plunge in the garden, placed where they are pleasant to use every day.
• Rental villas and guesthouses: a wellness corner next to the pool that guests notice in the listing photos and use during their stay. A mobile sauna is assembled on site without major building works.
• Developers: a wellness area designed into the villa from the first drawings, with the space, power and drainage already in place.
• Resorts and retreats: recovery areas with saunas, plunge pools and decks, as part of the hospitality project. See also our page on wellness retreat design.

How we work

1. Brief: who will use the wellness area, how many people, and whether it is for the family or for guests.
2. Site and plan: we study the plot or the existing villa: orientation, views, privacy, levels, power and drainage.
3. Layout of the wellness area: position of the sauna, the cold plunge and the shower, the deck, shade, paths and lighting.
4. The sauna with Wellnessway: when a client wants a sauna, we introduce Wellnessway, which surveys the site and prepares its own estimate and contract.
5. Design development: materials, details and drawings for the rest of the outdoor area, in line with the architecture of the villa.

To discuss a villa or a wellness area in Bali, contact our studio. You can also read more about our work as an architect in Bali, browse our projects or see the Innovation & Ventures page, where Wellnessway is presented among our partners.

Frequently asked questions

Can a sauna be added to an existing villa in Bali?

Yes, in most cases. A mobile sauna needs no foundation on a firm, level surface and stands on piles on soil, so it can be placed in a garden or on a terrace without major works. We check the position, the access, the drainage and the power supply first.

Does a sauna make sense in a tropical climate?

Many owners and guests in Bali use a sauna after surfing, during the rainy season or on cool evenings in the mountains, usually together with a cold plunge or a shower. The choice of timber matters in heat and humidity: Wellnessway builds its saunas in teak with an ulin base.

Who supplies and guarantees the sauna?

Wellnessway. It surveys the site, prepares the estimate, delivers and assembles the sauna and gives a one-year warranty on the structure. Antonio Rutilio Design works on the architecture of the villa and on the outdoor area around the sauna.

Can you design wellness areas for resorts and retreats?

Yes. Saunas, plunge pools and recovery decks can be planned as part of a resort or retreat project. For hotels and scenic sites, Wellnessway also builds fixed saunas on site to a design.

Do you work outside Bali?

Yes. Antonio Rutilio designs villas, resorts and residential developments across Indonesia and abroad. Wellnessway delivers anywhere in Bali and to other parts of Indonesia on request.