Is a cozy Finnish sauna in a Milwaukie backyard the new best spa in Portland?

Koti is located adjacent to the owner's private residence in Milwaukie. After quitting her corporate job, Erickson perused her dream of opening a sauna to the public.

“Koti” means “home” in Finnish, which makes it a perfect name for the Finnish sauna that is literally in Kristina Erickson’s backyard.

Erickson grew up in Oregon, but she spent almost every summer on her grandparents’ farm in Finland.

It was there, on a trip to Finland, when she finally decided to bring a taste of that life to Oregon.

She’d been dreaming for years about opening a sauna, but in 2023, she reached a breaking point.

“I was just so burnt out from a corporate job,” Erickson said. “I worked in the corporate space for 10 years.”

Koti is located adjacent to the owner's private residence in Milwaukie. After quitting her corporate job, Erickson perused her dream of opening a sauna to the public.

After a long sauna session, she said, she finally gave in.

“I was like, ‘I gotta do this in Portland,’” she said.

Once that decision was made, the next steps were a little more complicated. Most importantly: Where would this sauna be?

Then, another epiphany.

“I actually have a very vivid memory of standing out here,” Erickson said, standing next to the massive sauna in her backyard. “And my husband was like, ‘Why don’t we do it at our house?’ And I was like, ‘You’re crazy. How is that going to work?’”

Koti offers complimentary showers, lockers and beverages.

She started with permitting, then building, and now, on a quiet street in Milwaukie, what could be Portland’s sweetest little sauna is gaining steam.

Koti isn’t the only Finnish sauna in Milwaukie. SaunaGlo, which opened in late 2024 in downtown, is also a lovely and affordable place to go warm up.

But Koti has something that SaunaGlo doesn’t: Outdoor space, which Erickson felt was crucial based on her experience on the farm.

While the space is technically in an outbuilding of her house and her backyard, Koti feels private and professional. Erickson is the spa attendant, owner, cleaner, PR person and designer, and she seems to be doing a bang-up job at each.

Koti owner, Kristina Erickson, spent her summers growing up on her grandparent's farm in Finland. She always dreamed of having her own Finish-inspired sauna of her own.

The whole place – including the entry, the sauna, the changing area, indoor and outdoor showers, the cold plunges and the outdoor spaces – is immaculately clean.

Koti offers complimentary showers, lockers and beverages.

At our visit, we got in about 30 minutes before a group session began, so we could take photos without impinging on people’s privacy, and had a chance to try out those cold plunges and the massive sauna before anyone else arrived.

Koti offers complimentary showers, lockers and beverages.

But as soon as the public session began, friendly people started showing up. Then it became clear that the beautiful space was also creating good feelings in the neighborhood and beyond.

Koti costs $40 for a two-hour session. Memberships and passes are also available.

Koti is located adjacent to the owner's private residence in Milwaukie. After quitting her corporate job, Erickson perused her dream of opening a sauna to the public.

As far as amenities, there is tea and water, two cold plunges with a third coming soon, an electric fire pit, plenty of chairs for hanging out, plus a wide, green yard.

Koti offers complimentary showers, lockers and beverages.

The space opened in June, Erickson said, and the cold plunges and outdoor space made it welcoming even in the hot season.

Koti is small, sure, and new, but already it is one of the best saunas in the area. It’s the details that take Koti to the next level – that massive sauna with a bucket nearby so you can toss water onto the hot rocks, the twin outdoor showers that can be hot or cold, the quiet and clean outdoor space.

This is a place that you can sink into, where you can imagine spending an afternoon with your friends in almost any weather. And maybe that’s what makes it so great. Koti isn’t focused on luxury or wellness or novelty. Instead, it’s focused on comfort and community. And it really does feel like the best version of home.

Koti currently offers two cold plunges at different temperatures. They plan to soon offer an even colder third plunge.

Koti owner, Kristina Erickson, spent her summers growing up on her grandparent's farm in Finland. She always dreamed of having her own Finish-inspired sauna of her own.

The sauna offers memberships as well as 2-hour passes.

Koti owner, Kristina Erickson, spent her summers growing up on her grandparent's farm in Finland. She always dreamed of having her own Finish-inspired sauna of her own.

Koti is located adjacent to the owner's private residence in Milwaukie. After quitting her corporate job, Erickson perused her dream of opening a sauna to the public.

Koti owner, Kristina Erickson, spent her summers growing up on her grandparent's farm in Finland. She always dreamed of having her own Finish-inspired sauna of her own.

Koti is located adjacent to the owner's private residence in Milwaukie. After quitting her corporate job, Erickson perused her dream of opening a sauna to the public.

The sauna offers memberships as well as 2-hour passes.

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