Improving the overall customer experience is always one of the main priorities of a wellness centre or spa, as well as offering services that provide relaxation, health and well-being.
New innovations have led to developments that are increasingly present in certain wellness facilities such as steam baths, cold plunge pools and the very popular Finnish saunas.
Many of these facilities take advantage of a contrast treatment philosophy in which temperature changes bring both physical and emotional benefits. It is in this context that snow cabins are born.
Snow cabins, also known as snowrooms, consist of a space that is capable of producing natural snowfalls at ambient temperatures of up to 45°C. They usually include walls covered with a layer of thin but solid ice, which keep the cabin at a temperature of approximately 3º C.
Those who enter after being enveloped by the heat of the sauna, discover an incredible environment where the realism is accentuated by the presence of a snow generator designed to perfectly simulate a natural snowfall from the roof of the cabin.
Customers usually spend around 3 to 8 minutes inside the cabin where they rest, breathe deeply and even rub snow into different areas of the body.
In a thermal spa, this unique experience is complemented with 15 minutes of relaxation and then repeated once or twice, before finally enjoying a warm space to recover liquids and maintain that level of well-being and relaxation.
Snow cabins offer multiple benefits for those who use them. Here are some of the most important:
- They help eliminate toxins, burn fat and improve the condition of the skin.
- They help strengthen blood vessels, especially by combining dilation when applying heat and contraction when applying cold.
- The application of snow is an effective treatment for muscle and joint pains.
- They improve the cardiovascular system.
- They stimulate the metabolism and the immune system.
- They reinforce the nervous system and reduce stress by infusing a feeling of deep relaxation.
Snow cabins have proven to provide remarkable benefits and are an enormous attraction for the potential users of wellness centres. The snow simulation and the design of the cabin, which can normally be seen from the rest of the facility, encourage everyone to come and discover what it has to offer.
It is also perfect for temperature contrast treatment without applying thermal shocks. The transfer from a sauna to a snow cabin is a relaxing process that is totally adapted to the preferences of visitors. It is much smoother than the contrast afforded by a cold plunge pool which is far more extreme.
Furthermore, as the ice walls have adjustable temperatures, this solution provides economic savings to the operators of these facilities compared to other services with higher maintenance costs.
Another factor that encourages the installation of snow cabins is their compatibility with other systems. In the projects we develop at Fluidra, for example, we recommend the installation of chromotherapy systems to further improve the overall experience.
You can also opt for a starry sky, evoking for those inside a magical night surrounded by snow in a natural environment.
It is also advisable to install an ice fountain. The ice can then be used to rub against the skin to achieve the maximum possible thermal contrast.