Temz Floating Saunas opened late last year, right on the Thames at Teddington, bringing a floating contrast therapy experience to frazzled Londoners. The retreat, which offers panoramic river views, was created by former professional rugby player Amy Wilson-Hardy and her fiancée Eddy Fogg, a sports charity sector worker. “We’ve personally used contrast therapy for sports recovery for years,” Fogg tells Broadsheet, “but in recent years, sauna and ice became a body-mind wellness ritual for us, too.”
Sitting side by side in a sauna on January 1, 2025, the couple decided to take the plunge and build their own. They loved the concept of floating saunas, which they had experienced in Scandinavia. “Gently rocking to the natural pulse of the water enhanced our feeling of peace and serenity, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we bring what we love to our community?’” Wilson-Hardy says.
Finding a home for the concept wasn’t straightforward. But they eventually found the perfect partner in The Lensbury Resort, a hotel and members’ club in Teddington where Wilson-Hardy had trained many years earlier. Securing a business licence and insurance also proved a challenge. “The water agencies didn't want to know because they thought it was land registration and vice versa. It required patience and persistence, but ultimately, when people understood it, they were passionate about it too,” Fogg says.
For 11 months the couple worked with professional boat builders and marine engineers on the thorny task of creating a platform that not only met regulations and could withstand extreme flood levels, but which was also visually appealing. They opted for a clean, modern finish, using Thermospruce wood to hide the complex infrastructure that powers the sauna and ice bath from view. The sauna itself is an eight-person cedar cube that was imported from Finland.
The result is a design that complements the natural surroundings: the trees, wildlife, and, of course, spectacular river views. Its large glass walls means it’s easy to feel outdoors (and close to the water) while sitting inside the sauna.
Temz offers traditional Scandinavian sauna sessions (bathing suits are required – “Britain’s far too prude for nude sauna culture,” Wilson-Hardy says, laughing). It’s also partnered with local charity The Woodpecker Project to deliver free mindfulness sessions for locals facing mental health challenges.
In the future Fogg and Wilson-Hardy hope to expand to other sites along the Thames, ideally using larger saunas that can accommodate experiences like traditional European aufguss ceremonies (when a “sauna master” pours scented water on hot stones in the sauna to create a multisensory experience). But for now they’re focusing on developing their wellness programme, while also caring for their four-week-old daughter.
“With everything life throws at us, we all deserve somewhere to pause and breathe,” Wilson-Hardy says. “With Temz we hope to provide space for people to step away from everything else in life, to reconnect with themselves, with friends and with nature. To just be.”
Temz Floating Saunas
The Lensbury, Broom Road TW11 9NU
07303176659
Hours:
Mon 7am–midday, 4pm–8pm
Wed 7am–midday
Thu to Sat 7am–midday, 4pm–8pm
Sun 8am–midday
