Terms & Conditions

Hikitalo Ltd: Terms & Conditions

These terms apply to everyone who books, buys from or visits Hikitalo at Cardiff Sauna Village and Sandy Bay in Porthcawl. By booking a session or buying a bundle, membership or gift card, you agree to them. If you book for a group, you agree to them on behalf of everyone in your group.


1. About us

  • Hikitalo Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 15790396.
  • Registered office: Meanwhile House, Curran Embankment, Cardiff CF10 5DY.
  • Email: hello@hikitalo.com


2. Booking

  • Please book online before you come. Nobody enters our spaces without a booking.
  • Communal sessions are shared with other guests in the same time slot.
  • Sessions start and finish on time. If you arrive late, we can't add the time on at the end.
  • If you book for a group, it's your job to make sure everyone in it has read these terms.


3. Cancellations, changes and refunds

  • Communal sessions: cancel or move your booking 24 hours or more before it starts for a full refund. Inside 24 hours we can't refund it.
  • Private sessions: cancel or move your booking 48 hours or more before it starts for a full refund. Inside 48 hours we charge 50% of the booking. Inside 24 hours, or if you don't turn up, we can't refund it.
  • No-shows: if you don't turn up and haven't told us, the booking is lost.
  • If we have to cancel: sometimes we need to close for weather, sea conditions or maintenance. If we cancel your session, you'll get a full refund or a free move to another time, your choice.
  • Refunds go back to your original payment method within 7 working days. Your bank may take a little longer.
  • To cancel or move a booking, email hello@hikitalo.com.


4. Bundles, offers, memberships and gift cards

  • Session bundles never expire and can be used at Cardiff Sauna Village and Sandy Bay, at peak and off-peak times.
  • 3 sessions for £30 is for your first visit to Hikitalo only, one per person. The sessions never expire. If we find it has been bought more than once by the same person, we may cancel the extra orders and refund them.
  • Memberships are monthly rolling with no minimum term. They're personal to you and can't be shared or transferred. You can cancel at any time, and your membership runs until the end of the month you've paid for. We don't refund part months.
  • The Off-Peak membership covers weekday sessions between 10am and 4pm, not weekends.
  • Gift cards never expire and can be spent on sessions, bundles, merch and coffee. They can't be swapped for cash. Please keep your code safe, as anyone with the code can spend the balance.
  • Your 14 days: you can cancel a bundle, membership or gift card within 14 days of buying it for a full refund, as long as none of it has been used.
  • Offers and discounts can't be combined unless we say they can.


5. Children

  • The minimum age is 5.
  • Children under 16 must have a parent or guardian with them and present at all times. That adult is responsible for the child's safety, including in the sauna, the pools and the sea.


6. Your health

Proper heat and cold water put real demands on your body. Please look after yourself and listen to it.

  • Speak to your doctor before booking if you:
    • have high or low blood pressure, a heart or circulatory condition, epilepsy or diabetes
    • are pregnant
    • are prone to dizziness or fainting
    • take medication that affects your heart rate, blood pressure or how your body handles heat
  • Don't use the sauna or pools if you:
    • have been drinking or taken drugs
    • feel unwell or have a temperature
    • have open wounds, an infection or a contagious skin condition
    • have been told by a healthcare professional not to
  • Drink water, take breaks and get out as soon as you feel dizzy, sick or uncomfortable. Tell a member of staff if you feel unwell.


7. Pools at Cardiff Sauna Village

  • Cryptosporidium: you must not use the pools if you've had symptoms of cryptosporidium, such as diarrhoea, in the last 14 days. Please wait until 14 days after your symptoms have completely stopped.
  • Shower before you get in.
  • No diving, jumping or running near the pools.
  • No glass anywhere near the pools.
  • Keep cold plunges short and get out straight away if you feel unwell. Follow any time guidance from staff.
  • Our hot pool is shared, so keep the noise down and leave room for others.


8. The sea at Sandy Bay

  • Dipping in the sea is at your own risk. At some tides there are submerged rocks and strong currents.
  • Only go in if you're a competent swimmer, and be ready for the shock of cold water.
  • Follow staff instructions, including when we ask you not to dip.


9. In the sauna

  • No alcohol or nudity. We'll refuse entry to anyone who is drunk or breaking this rule.
  • Respect for others: chatting, stories and a bit of light singing are welcome. Keep the volume and tone considerate so everyone can relax.
  • Cleanliness: take your shoes off, wash your feet and remove make-up or skincare products before going in.
  • Towels: sit on a towel at all times.
  • Time in the heat: stay 5 to 15 minutes at a time, and no more than 20.
  • The stones: pour water gently and only use the sauna water we provide. No "water dumping".
  • The stove: don't touch the stove, cage or stones.
  • No glass: use a non-glass bottle and leave it in the changing area.
  • Phones: no phones inside the sauna.
  • Essential oils: only use the oils we provide.
  • Changing: please finish changing within your session time.


10. Aufguss and rituals

Our aufguss sessions, like WillGüss, use essential oils, ice, music and a towel or fan to move the heat around, so it gets hotter than a normal session. Tell your host before it starts if you're sensitive to essential oils or strong heat. You can leave at any point, no explanation needed.


11. Women's Only sessions

Women's Only sessions at Cardiff are for women. If you have any questions about whether a session is right for you, email us before booking.


12. Behaviour

  • Treat our team and other guests with respect.
  • We have zero tolerance for aggressive, abusive, discriminatory or inappropriate behaviour. We'll ask anyone behaving that way to leave straight away, without a refund, and may refuse future bookings.
  • We can refuse entry to anyone who poses a risk to their own safety or to others. If we refuse entry for that reason, we won't refund the booking.


13. Photos and filming

  • Don't take photos or video of other guests without asking them first. No phones inside the sauna.
  • We sometimes take photos and video at our venues for our website and social media. If you'd rather not appear, tell your host on the day or email hello@hikitalo.com and we'll take you out.


14. Your belongings

Please keep your belongings with you or in the space provided. We're not responsible for anything lost, stolen or damaged unless it's down to our negligence. We'll hold on to lost property for a short time, so get in touch quickly if you've left something behind.


15. Risk and liability

  • Saunas, cold water and the sea carry some risk, including overheating, dehydration, cold shock, slips and falls. You use our facilities at your own risk and must follow staff instructions.
  • If you have an accident or injury, tell a member of staff before you leave so we can record it.
  • Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or anything else the law doesn't allow us to limit.


16. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version on this page when you book is the one that applies to that booking. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.