The L枚yly Floating Sauna in Kelowna is a big hit for its first year of business and there are just a couple of weeks left to try it out before it's docked for the summer.
The business opened in December 2023 at the Downtown Kelowna Marina and remained there until April. With the success of the business and the lake still frigid, owners Nick and Jessica Rastas moved the business to the docks at McKinley Beach until the end of June.
During past travels to Tazmania, the couple discovered the relaxation of the floating sauna. Jessica, born and raised in Kelowna, felt it was something the Okanagan would enjoy and together the couple turned the dream into a reality.
"I know what winters are like here," Jessica said. "Unless you're a skier there's not much to do. It's pretty grey and cold and miserable sometimes. We started talking about it, then seriously started talking about it, then started making business plans."
L枚yly became a family effort with Jessica's father helping construct the floating sauna. The name, L枚yly, came from Nick's Finnish heritage meaning 'the spirit of the steam'.
"When you put the water on the rocks, the steam that comes off of them is l枚yly," Nick said.
The couple stepped back from their career paths of being a social worker and a chef to launch the business.
"Doesn't everyone long for something more than the nine-to-five?" Jessica said when asked about the massive job shift.
Nick and Jessica are excited to work opposite the traditional tourism season and have summers be their own.
The couple had a wild 2023, eloping in Tofino in October and opening the business a couple of months later. Once the sauna is docked for the summer, the Rastas will be taking a much-needed vacation and honeymoon.
Don't fret if you didn't have a chance to try it out this year. L枚yly will reopen in downtown Kelowna in October.
Learn more about the business or book a time by visiting .
