Infrared sauna session cost in Calgary

A 20-minute infrared session in Renu's cocoon pod costs $25, whether you book it on its own or add it to a facial, massage or lymphatic treatment. It is included at no extra charge with the new client massage special and with every Full BodyTox. Twenty minutes sits inside the time limits that Harvard Health and Cleveland Clinic suggest for a sauna.

A single infrared session at Renu costs $25 for 20 minutes in the cocoon pod. The price is the same whether you come in only for the pod or add it to another treatment, and two of our bookings include it at no extra cost. This page lays out every way to pay for one session, what 20 minutes buys you, and who should skip the heat altogether. If you are weighing regular use, the monthly membership has its own maths and its own page.

What one infrared session costs at Renu

One 20-minute session costs $25, and there are four ways to get one. The cocoon pod lives in a private room at BodyTox by Renu, our lymphatic body studio inside the clinic on 19 Street NW.

How you book it	Length	Price
Cocoon session on its own	20 min	$25
Added to a facial, massage or lymphatic treatment	20 min	$25
With the new client massage special	20 min	Included
With the Full BodyTox	20 min	Included

There is no premium for coming in just for the pod, and no discount for adding it on. The $25 figure is the same either way, so the choice is really about whether you want the heat before or after hands-on work, or as a quiet stop on its own.

The lowest-cost ways to try the pod

The least expensive route is to receive it as part of something you were already booking. Two bookings fold the pod in:

• The new client special. A 60-minute massage at $120 plus GST, with a complimentary 20-minute pod session. You choose Swedish, deep tissue, relaxation or a mix. Call ahead to reserve the pod; spots are limited.
• The Full BodyTox. Our 90-minute Brazilian lymphatic drainage treatment at $315 includes a 20-minute cocoon session.

If neither fits, a stand-alone session at $25 is a low-commitment way to find out whether you like infrared heat before thinking about anything more regular.

Pairing the pod with a massage: what the pair costs

Adding the pod to a massage adds $25 to the massage price. A few worked examples at our published rates:

• 30-minute massage ($80) plus pod: $105
• 60-minute massage ($120) plus pod: $145
• 60-minute classic lymphatic drainage ($130) plus pod: $155

Many people ask whether the heat should come first or last. We cover that question on its own in should I use the pod before or after my massage. In short, it depends on whether you want to arrive on the table already warm or leave in a slow, sleepy state.

If you plan to claim the massage on a benefit plan, remember that the pod is a separate charge, and each plan sets its own rules about what it will pay for.

Why 20 minutes is a sensible session length

Twenty minutes falls inside the guidance from the medical sources we rely on, which is one reason we do not sell single sessions longer than that.

• Harvard Health advises staying in a sauna no more than 15 to 20 minutes, cooling down gradually afterward, and drinking two to four glasses of cool water after each session. Its article is about traditional saunas, which run hotter.
• Cleveland Clinic puts infrared saunas at roughly 43 to 57°C, well below traditional saunas. It suggests beginners start around the low end for 5 to 10 minutes, keep sessions under 30 minutes, and use a sauna no more than three to four times a week.
• Northwestern Medicine notes that infrared research is mostly limited to small, short-term studies, and that most people use these saunas two to four times a week for 15 to 30 minutes.

If you have never used infrared heat before, you do not have to stay for the full 20 minutes. Getting out early is always fine, and it costs the same. The question of how often to return is answered in how often can I use the infrared cocoon pod.

Who should not pay for an infrared session yet

Some people should check with their doctor before booking any heat session, and a few should not book one at all. Based on Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health and Northwestern Medicine:

• Pregnancy, or trying to conceive. Cleveland Clinic advises against infrared saunas in pregnancy and notes that heat can affect sperm health.
• Heart conditions or blood pressure that is not controlled. Harvard Health says people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should check with their doctor first; Northwestern lists heart conditions and high blood pressure as reasons to ask before use. Our page on the pod with high blood pressure or a heart condition goes further.
• Multiple sclerosis. Cleveland Clinic notes that people with MS tend to be heat intolerant and generally should not use saunas.
• Feeling unwell. Wait until you have recovered from an illness.
• Alcohol, or medicines that affect sweating. Harvard Health advises avoiding both before and after a sauna.

During any session, stop if you feel dizzy or nauseated. Cleveland Clinic names dehydration as the main concern, so bring water in with you. A dry Calgary winter, a chinook afternoon or a long day on the ski hill can leave you short on fluid before you even arrive, so drink beforehand too.

What you are paying for in the cocoon

The $25 covers your time in the cocoon and the private room it sits in. You rest in it alone; it is a single-person pod rather than a shared cabin. If you are deciding between this kind of pod and a walk-in cabin elsewhere in the city, see infrared sauna pod vs infrared sauna cabin.

We describe the pod as a place to rest and recover, and we avoid promising weight loss or detox results. Northwestern Medicine cautions that marketing claims for infrared saunas may overstate what the research shows, and we agree. If you would like to know exactly what happens from the moment you arrive, read what happens in an infrared cocoon pod session.

Booking a session

Pod sessions are booked online through Jane or by calling the clinic. If you are adding the pod to a treatment, mention it when you book so the room is held for the right time. Full details on the pod itself, including the membership, sit on our infrared sauna page, and every current price is on the pricing page.

Questions people ask

Is there a cheaper way to try the infrared pod for the first time?

If you are new to Renu and want a massage anyway, the new client special includes a complimentary 20-minute pod session, so the heat costs you nothing extra. Call ahead to reserve the pod when you book, because pod spots are limited.

Can I book a longer infrared session than 20 minutes?

Single, add-on and included sessions are 20 minutes. The 40-minute session is only for monthly pod members, and the membership is priced on its own at $129 plus GST a month.

Does the pod price include GST?

The published single and add-on price is $25. Ask the front desk how tax applies to your booking when you pay, since the membership is listed as $129 plus GST.

Can I share one pod session with a friend?

The cocoon is a single-person chamber in a private room, so each person books their own 20-minute session. Two friends can book back to back if the schedule allows.

Sources

1. Cleveland Clinic: Infrared sauna benefits
2. Harvard Health Publishing: Saunas and your health
3. Northwestern Medicine: Health benefits of infrared saunas and how they work

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.