Seaside Sauna Plan Could Transform Summer Visits to Portelet Bay

Image credit: Socrates Architects.

A visit to Portelet Bay this summer could soon offer more than sun and sea, with proposals that may allow visitors to enjoy pizza, drinks, a swim - and even a sauna.

Portelet Bay Café has submitted plans seeking permission to install a sauna just west of its elevated premises. The structure would feature windows facing the beach, the ocean, and the iconic Ile au Guerdain.

According to the application, the sauna would be housed in a timber-clad cabin and fitted with an electric heating system. It is intended to sit on an existing concrete base, removing the need for additional groundwork or excavation.

Co-owner Piers Ostroumoff described beachside saunas as a growing trend with lasting appeal, rather than a passing craze. He believes the addition could help extend the café’s operating season beyond the traditional summer months.

Planning documents describe the proposal as a modest, single-storey development designed to complement the existing café while respecting its location within the island’s Coastal National Park.

The statement adds that the sauna would provide a low-impact wellbeing experience for the public, supporting the long-term viability of the site without causing significant disruption to the surrounding landscape, transport access, or marine environment.