SATAMA Sauna Resort & SPA

Sauna Park at Scharmützelsee instead of Thermal Bath

The SATAMA Sauna Resort is located at Strandstraße 12 in Wendisch Rietz, directly on the shore of Lake Scharmützelsee and a few kilometers from Bad Saarow. By car, it takes a good hour from Berlin via the A12 to the Storkow exit, and about an hour and a half by train to Wendisch Rietz station. The establishment itself clarifies that it is not a thermal spa: there is no thermal brine and no bathing program; the focus is entirely on sauna and spa. The facility was built between June 2001 and March 2002 on the site of a former GDR youth and recreation center, initially with five saunas. It was founded by René Kowatsch, then 29 years old. Today, around 80,000 guests visit annually. The facility is among the venues that hosted the Infusion World Championship in 2013, 2016, and 2018. Surrounded by forest and water, the town itself is small, and the complex is accordingly shielded from through traffic. The grounds stretch along the shore, so the paths between the sauna houses are outdoors, and the lake is visible from many points.

Seven Saunas, a Steam Bath and Lake Access

The SATAMA Sauna Resort features seven saunas and a steam bath. The SATAMA Theater, at 80 to 85 degrees Celsius, accommodates up to 160 guests simultaneously and serves as the stage for the house’s show infusions. The Maa-Sauna is built into the earth, heated by a fireplace, and reaches up to 120 degrees Celsius. The Tuli-Sauna is hexagonal, constructed from pine logs, and has a glass fireplace in the center. Additionally, there is the SATAMA Kotona ritual house with a hot tub and wood-fired oven, a Siberian Banja with Wenik rituals using birch whisks, the fairy-tale themed Traumzauberbaude in a witch’s house style, a Tyrolean Stube sauna with a tiled stove, and the Dampfgeflüster steam bath at 45 degrees Celsius. Cooling off options include natural showers, an ice grotto with an ice crusher, or directly in the lake, to which the facility has its own access. The outdoor pool in the sauna garden is heated to up to 32 degrees Celsius during the colder months and is used exclusively without swimwear. Day admission starts at 49.90 Euros. For relaxation, there is a theater lounge with a circular fireplace, a library with a reading lounge, and a fireplace restaurant. Overnight stays are possible in lodges and holiday homes located a five-minute walk away. Access for those under sixteen is only permitted when accompanied by an adult.