Click here to complete the waiver as an additional guest.

Hillcrest Holiday Homes – Saddleworth Sauna Hut

To ensure your safety and wellbeing, all guests must read, understand and agree to this waiver before using the Saddleworth Sauna Hut and cold-water facilities. Sauna and cold-water immersion involve inherent risks, and participation is entirely at your own risk.

1. Who you are booking with

The Saddleworth Sauna Hut is operated by Hillcrest Holiday Homes Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 11637224), with its registered office at Hillcrest Den Lane, Uppermill, Saddleworth, United Kingdom, OL3 6DD, trading as Hillcrest Holiday Homes. In this agreement, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Hillcrest Holiday Homes, and “you” means the person booking and each guest using the sauna.

You can reach us at info@saddleworthaccommodation.co.uk or saunahut@saddleworthaccommodation.co.uk, or by calling 07368 698204.

This agreement, our Plan Your Visit page and the FAQs form your contract with us. If any provisions of these pages or documents appear to conflict, the terms of this agreement will take precedence.

2. Health, medical and minimum age

You should not use the sauna or cold-water facilities, or should consult your doctor first, if you are pregnant or have:

• Any heart or circulatory condition, including high or low blood pressure, heart disease, or a history of heart attack or stroke.
• Epilepsy or any seizure disorder.
• Diabetes.
• Asthma or any other breathing condition.
• A pacemaker, defibrillator, metal implant, or recent surgery or injury.
• A skin condition made worse by heat.
• A tendency to dizziness or fainting.
• Any medication that affects your circulation, heart rate, temperature regulation or alertness.
• Any other condition affecting how you cope with extreme heat or cold.

This list is not exhaustive. If in doubt, consult your GP before participating.

You must be 18 or over to book. Under-18s are not permitted in the sauna area at any time. We may ask for photo ID.

3. How our sessions run

A member of staff will be on site throughout every session, including private hire. Our team will keep the sauna running smoothly, tend the fire, and ensure a safe, enjoyable experience for everyone while giving your group plenty of privacy.

Heat and cold tolerance varies from person to person; staff members will not comment or advise on how long you are in or out of the sauna. Come out if you feel unwell, and inform a staff member.

Unless you have booked privately, you will be sharing with other guests.

The sauna runs between 70°C and 100°C. A temperature gauge is visible inside. The cold plunge is held at approximately 5–7°C, but temperatures may vary depending on weather conditions. The sauna holds a maximum of 12 people; please do not exceed this.

Standard sessions are one hour. Some longer sessions run for an hour and a half. This includes changing time.

4. The risks you are accepting

Sauna bathing and cold-water immersion carry risks that cannot be removed entirely, however carefully a site is run. You need to understand them and make your own decisions about how you take part.

Heat

• Overheating, dehydration, dizziness, fainting and heat exhaustion.
• Burns from hot surfaces: the stove, hearth, stones, benches and hot water.
• Steam burns when water is poured on the stones.

Cold water

• Cold shock: gasping, hyperventilation and loss of breathing control.
• A sharp rise in heart rate and blood pressure.
• Hypothermia with prolonged exposure.
• Cardiac strain from rapid changes between hot and cold.

The site

• Slippery floors inside the sauna, and slippery surfaces around the plunge and showers.
• Mud, wet decking and slippery ground in wet weather.
• Uneven ground, steps and natural terrain.
• An open fire and a hot stove and flue.

Other

• Reactions caused by an underlying medical condition.
• Injury from not following the rules below.

5. Safety rules

In the sauna

• We recommend 5 to 15 minutes at a time. Please do not stay in longer than 20 minutes in one go.
• Cool down properly between rounds.
• Sit on a towel, not directly on the bench. Your towel should be big enough for your feet as well as your body.
• Come out immediately if you feel dizzy, sick, faint, headachy or simply strange, and tell a member of our team.
• Never fall asleep in the sauna.
• No food, drink, glass or smoking of any kind, including vapes.
• Remove metal jewellery and watches: metal heats fast and can result in burns.
• Do not wear glasses or contact lenses in the sauna. Heat can damage both and injure your eyes.
• Wearing make-up, fake tan, perfume or glitter may result in allergic reactions – remove them before you go in.
• Leave phones, smartwatches, wearables and other electronics outside. They can fail or overheat.
• Keep the doorway clear so that everyone can enter and leave quickly.
• No animals in the sauna area. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome on site: please tell us in advance so we can provide any necessary assistance. Please leave other pets at home.

6. The stove, the stones and the steam

The wood-burning stove is operated by our team only. The stove, its hearth, the flue and the stones reach temperatures that will burn you badly on contact.

You must not:

• Touch, lean against or step on the stove, hearth or flue.
• Move, rearrange or interfere with the stones.
• Adjust the stove, the fire or any heat control.
• Add your own essential oils, alcohol or anything else to the water.

You are welcome to add water to the stones using the ladle provided. Drizzle it on slowly and intermittently: do not throw or dump it. Pour from the back of the stones and draw the ladle towards you so that your arm is never in the path of the rising steam. Steam burns are the most common sauna injury. Ask the others in the sauna before you add water. If you would like it hotter, speak to a member of staff.

7. Cold plunge and showers

• Rinse off before you get in. This keeps the water clean for everyone.
• Walk. Never run between the sauna, showers and plunge.
• Never jump or dive in. Lower yourself in slowly and let your breathing settle.
• We recommend that you do not put your head under the water.
• Never use the cold plunge unless another adult or a member of our team is present.
• Get out immediately if you start to shiver uncontrollably, feel numb, or lose control of your breathing.

Our showers are open-air and cold. Please do not use shower gel, shampoo or any other product in them.

8. Behaviour

• No alcohol and no drugs, anywhere on the sauna site, not just in the sauna.
• We will refuse entry to anyone we believe to be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any other intoxicant and we will end the session of anyone behaving unsafely, aggressively or disruptively. In either case there is no refund or rebooking. This is a safety judgement that is entirely at the discretion of our team on the day: their decision on the matter is final.
• Swimwear must be worn at all times in the sauna area. Nudity is not permitted.
• Sessions are shared with other guests unless you have booked privately. Please keep noise down and respect other people’s space.
• Harassment or abusive behaviour of any kind, towards guests or staff, will end your session immediately and result in a permanent ban.

9. In an emergency

If you or someone else becomes unwell:

• Get out of the sauna or plunge and into fresh air.
• Call for the team member on site, or press the alarm button by the sauna door.
• Do not try to move someone who has collapsed in the sauna on your own: get help.

A first aid kit is kept at the office and a defibrillator at the entrance to the property. Our team will contact emergency services where required and can direct an ambulance to the site.

If a person becomes confused, or cannot remember where they are or how long they have been in, that is a symptom of serious heat illness. Get them out, get them cool, and tell our team straight away.

10. Your belongings

Lockable storage is provided for keys, a phone and a small bag: leave anything precious at home or in your car.

We accept no responsibility for theft or loss of, or damage to, your belongings, and assume no liability in respect of the same.

11. Booking for a group

Everyone using the sauna must read and sign our Safety Agreement before their first visit. If you are booking for other people, give us each guest’s name and email address and we will send them a link to do this themselves. Alternatively, other members of your party can sign the waiver on arrival.

We cannot accept one person’s confirmation on another adult’s behalf, because only that person knows their own health. You are responsible for giving us correct contact details and for paying for the booking.

13. Photography and privacy

Please do not take photographs or video anywhere in the sauna, changing or plunge areas. You are welcome to take pictures in the outdoor seating area but ask anyone who might be in shot first.

We operate CCTV covering the site entrance and car park for security. It does not cover changing areas, the sauna or the plunges.

14. Your personal information

Hillcrest Holiday Homes Ltd is the controller of your personal data. We use the details you give us to manage your booking, and to contact you if we need to change or cancel a session. We do this because it is necessary to perform our contract with you.

We also use your details to keep you safe on site, and to keep a record of your acceptance of this agreement.

If you choose to tell us about any health condition, that is special category data under UK data protection law. We will process it only with your explicit consent, to help us look after you on the day. We keep it separate from your booking record; only our team on site can see it; and we will delete it after your visit. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at saunahut@saddleworthaccommodation.co.uk.

We will keep a record of your acceptance of this agreement, including the date, time and version until the later of (a) the expiry of the applicable limitation period for claims arising from your booking; and (b) the end of any record-retention period required by our insurers. If a claim, complaint or investigation is ongoing, we will retain the record until it has been finally resolved.

Our full privacy notice, including further details of how we use your data and your rights, is at [LINK]. You can ask us for a copy of your personal data, or ask us to access, correct, delete or restrict the use of your personal data, by contacting saunahut@saddleworthaccommodation.co.uk.

15. Cancelling, rescheduling and refunds

Our cancellation, rescheduling and refund terms are set out in full on our Plan Your Visit page, and by booking you agree to them in full. In summary: more than 24 hours’ notice gets you a refund less the applicable handling fee or the opportunity to reschedule; we cannot refund or reschedule sessions with less than 24 hours’ notice.

16. If something goes wrong

Please tell the team member on site straight away: most things we can fix there and then. If you would rather raise it afterwards, email saunahut@saddleworthaccommodation.co.uk and we will reply within five working days and aim to resolve it within 28 days.

17. General

• This agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction.
• We may update this agreement from time to time. The version that applies to you is the one you ticked at the time of booking, and we keep a copy.
• If any part of this agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

Your confirmation

Please tick all three boxes.

☐ Health. I am 18 or over. I have read and understood the health section, and confirm that either (i) none of the conditions listed applies to me or (ii) I have taken medical advice regarding my participation prior to booking. I understand that your team is not medically trained and that I am responsible for deciding how I take part.

☐ Safety rules. I have read and understood the safety rules in this agreement, including those on the sauna, stove and the cold plunge, and I agree to follow them and to follow the instructions of your team.

☐ I agree to all terms and conditions of this Safety Agreement, including Section 15 (Cancelling, rescheduling and refunds).

Name: ______________________      Email: ______________________       Date: ______________________