Our Story
Introducing the faces behind the saunas.
Meet Laura Brown & Mike Lord and read about their adventure so far and how it led to the Luna Hut we know today.
Where it began.
Luna Wave Pop Up
Founders Laura and Mike met through yoga and a shared passion for wellbeing. In 2020, they launched Luna Wave, a pop-up yoga space on Brighton’s Kemptown seafront. Set inside a geodesic dome overlooking the sea, the space offered outdoor yoga rooted in connection, community and the rhythm of the natural world.
What began as a temporary pop-up quickly became the seed of something much bigger.
Discovering the sauna ritual
The idea for Luna Hut was sparked during a trip to Cork, where Laura and Mike experienced a Finnish beach sauna followed by cold Atlantic sea dips.
The contrast - heat, cold, sea air and stillness - left a lasting impression. Mike began travelling across Europe, visiting different sauna cultures and gathering inspiration.
It became clear that sauna wasn’t just about heat.
It was about ritual, connection, community and slowing down.
Luna Wilds
The first ‘wild sauna’
Laura and Mike’s own first sauna was launched under the guise of Luna Wilds - an off-grid ‘wild spa’ and retreat space in the Sussex Downs.
For three years, Luna Wilds became a space for people to reconnect with nature, with others and with themselves. The sauna quickly became the heart of the experience, and guest feedback confirmed what Laura and Mike had felt from the start - that the ritual of sauna had the power to transform how people felt, physically and mentally, plus provide a space for a much needed shared community experience.
Their sauna community began to grow.
Luna Wave
Becomes a permanent studio
In May 2023, Luna Wave evolved from pop-up to permanent yoga studio on Brighton seafront.
With a growing community and a clear vision forming, the next step felt natural.
Opening a sauna beside the studio at Sea Lanes would bring the journey full circle - movement, heat, cold and sea, all in one place.
Sea Lanes
The first Luna Hut opens in Brighton
Opening a sauna at Sea Lanes right next to their Luna Wave yoga studio and the sea felt like a natural transition to make. Their previous sauna experience, plus the perfect beach location combined to create what felt like a perfect addition to both the Luna and Sea Lanes ecosystems.
Collaborating with a talented team of carpenters including Patrick Ayton, they undertook the build of their first sauna which was designed specifically to work for the location.
Not without it’s challenges (Mike’s South American tour playing for The Cure providing an interesting twist to the plot) they balanced a meticulous build schedule and took the idea from concept to opening day in only 3 months.
The pop-up era
2024 became a year of movement and experimentation.
A true grassroots operation, Mike towed saunas across Sussex while a small team of three brought the Luna Hut experience to new spaces and new communities.
We popped up at:
• Brighton Fitness Festival
• Bexhill seafront
• Sussex University
Each location brought new insights, new friendships and a deeper understanding of how people connect through sauna. These experiences helped shape and refine the Luna Hut concept into what it is today.
Eastbourne Opens
Our first year-round sauna
The second beach site opened on 8th August as Luna Hut’s first year-round sauna - a huge milestone on our journey.
Set on a stunning plot near the iconic Wish Tower, the site quickly became a hub for the local community, warmly received and embraced as a place to connect, relax, and explore a sauna experience next to the sea.
Worthing opens
A private space to play
In 2024 our third hut opened in Worthing, offering a private, enclosed space that allowed for creative freedom reminiscent of Luna Wilds. Here we were able to install our first ice cold chiller tubs, bucket showers and dress the space with a decked area and planting.
This site became a more grown-up, elevated version of the original wild spa experience.
Worthing opened its doors to the public on 7th December.
Sauna Café opens
Brighton’s first sauna café
On 5th May 2025 we opened the doors to Brighton’s first Sauna Café.
The café had an interesting start during an unexpected heatwave, but quickly grew into one of Luna Hut’s busiest sites.
Serving food and drinks and taking on a city vibe this site has become a true hub for community and connection.
Bognor Regis opens
Sauna No. 5
In October 2025, our fifth site officially opened, expanding Luna Hut’s reach further along the coast.
A 10 person sauna with uninterrupted sea views and easy access to the cooling sea.
Today
The Luna Hut community
Luna Hut now operates a team of 40+ hosts across multiple sites, staying true to its vision: creating spaces for community, connection, and restorative experiences.
We are hugely grateful to every person who has joined the ride — visitors, friends, and our incredible team alike — for helping us grow, explore, and share the Luna Hut spirit.
Some of the much-loved faces behind Luna Hut
Continue the journey with us…
