Soul Water Sauna on Portobello promenade highly commended at the UK Sauna Awards 2026

Portobello's sauna community has something to celebrate. Soul Water Sauna has been named Highly Commended in the Best Ritual Programme category at the UK Sauna Awards 2026, run by the British Sauna Society.

The category recognises venues that show creativity, quality and commitment in their sauna programming. The judges' citation for the category praised programmes that change with the seasons and draw on the expertise of skilled sauna masters, rather than sticking to a fixed timetable.

Soul Water Sauna opened Edinburgh's first wood-fired sauna on Portobello promenade in 2022. Founded by Kirsty Carver, it quickly built a loyal following of regulars who combine a sauna session with a dip in the sea. By the end of 2024, the business said it had provided more than 13,000 hours of sauna sessions to nearly 10,000 sauna goers.

In December 2024 it opened a second site next to Granton Beach, beside The Pitt market on West Shore Road. That site has two Siberian cedar saunas and cold plunge pools on the banks of the Firth of Forth, with fire pits for warming up between rounds. The business describes it as a wild spa, with an emphasis on slowing down: no social media and no timers, just the warmth of the sauna, the fire and the sound of the waves.

The Granton site sits alongside the street food vendors, makers and community projects at The Pitt, so a sauna session can easily turn into an afternoon out. Whether guests come to spend time with friends, to focus on their health or to warm up after a cold swim, the team's aim is that everyone feels welcome.

The Portobello sauna remains the original. It sits on the promenade of the beach, offering a warm escape from the sea breeze, and the business describes its saunas as places where conversations flow and connections deepen. Kirsty has said the aim is to share the benefits of sauna with people from all walks of life.

For Portobello regulars, the award is a nod to something they already know: a sauna and a sea swim can be a very sociable way to start the day, whatever the weather.

Sessions at both the Portobello and Granton saunas can be booked on the Soul Water Sauna website.