Nudity in German Hotel spas!!!
Aug 23, 2017, 3:36 am
#136
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(Apologies as thread is from a few months ago but this one came up on search)
Question: is it really common practice in the United States to enter a sauna after a workout wearing workout attire ie spandex, leggings, shoes, etc?
Today again I had the experience of what sounded like an American male entering a (mixed) German sauna fully dressed, in shoes. Meaning not just the wellness area, which was clearly signaged, but also the actual sauna cabin. Fortunately the wellness attendant chased him out immediately, but this is a somewhat regular experience to me using chain hotels in Europe frequented by Americans. (and Brits, and both seem to frequently bring their mobiles, such as the young lady snap chatting last week in the sauna
)
And I must say that having taken up swimming as a regular fitness routine while travelling, the lack of showers in American pools really puts me off.
Question: is it really common practice in the United States to enter a sauna after a workout wearing workout attire ie spandex, leggings, shoes, etc?
Today again I had the experience of what sounded like an American male entering a (mixed) German sauna fully dressed, in shoes. Meaning not just the wellness area, which was clearly signaged, but also the actual sauna cabin. Fortunately the wellness attendant chased him out immediately, but this is a somewhat regular experience to me using chain hotels in Europe frequented by Americans. (and Brits, and both seem to frequently bring their mobiles, such as the young lady snap chatting last week in the sauna
)And I must say that having taken up swimming as a regular fitness routine while travelling, the lack of showers in American pools really puts me off.
Mobile phones coming into gyms and saunas has become increasingly common; and even where there are rules about such, the rules are often circumvented/ignored.
I'm still wondering where those US pool facilities are that don't have showers located at the facility or elsewhere within the building/complex with the pool. I've been to a few thousands pools in the US over the years and it's been decades since I've been to a pool facility open to the public/paying persons where a shower wasn't possible before and/or after my swims.
Aug 23, 2017, 3:58 pm
#137
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
The lack of pool shower I have noticed in the US, but also in Mexico at US chain hotels. And even when there is a pool shower, it does not mean that everyone will use it. I will admit to telling a family a few months ago at a Hilton in Bavaria that they made the pool and jacuzzi pretty much unusable for the rest of us as they climbed in wearing shorts and tshirts.
Nov 5, 2017, 6:18 am
#138
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Spent a month recently working in Vienna, certainly all the hotel saunas there are strictly nude, I stayed at two of the Hiltons and the renaissance. One guy that I was talking to in the sauna told me it is actually ILLEGAL in Austria to wear anything in the sauna. While this seems somewhat extreme I did find it quite funny. I must say having spent a lot of time in Europe over the last couple of years Ive come to realise this is a cultural thing so now I feel a lot more relaxed about hitting the hotel sauna in the nude even if it is coed!
Nov 5, 2017, 12:10 pm
#139
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,731
My early sauna experience was at a friend's home. Her family were from Sweden and had put a pool and sauna house in the backyard. The pool was never heated, when we (group of teenaged girls) were over, we'd dive, swim laps until we warmed up, then sauna, repeat swim & sauna. In that city and that culture, nudity would have been unthinkable, as would have been wearing street clothes into the sauna.
Feb 3, 2018, 12:53 pm
#140
Join Date: Oct 2016
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The general idea with no swimwear in the sauna, is that it soaks up chlorine from the pool and your sweat when you sit in the sauna.
So aside from bringing in a chlorine smelling swim short into a sauna, you will also take out a lot of your sweat that soaked in your shorts into the pool.
It's unhygienic really.
I'm Dutch, nobody bats an eye on a co-ed sauna/spa here. It's actually a very relaxing day out with friends as a lot of these places also serve very good wine, beer and dinner. Which you can enjoy by just wearing a bath robe).
There's a 'swimwear' or ladies only day at a lot of them once every other week or so, but it's not as popular as just going co-ed in the buff. Plus kids generally aren't allowed in the evenings if you want to enjoy some peace and quiet.
So aside from bringing in a chlorine smelling swim short into a sauna, you will also take out a lot of your sweat that soaked in your shorts into the pool.
It's unhygienic really.
I'm Dutch, nobody bats an eye on a co-ed sauna/spa here. It's actually a very relaxing day out with friends as a lot of these places also serve very good wine, beer and dinner. Which you can enjoy by just wearing a bath robe).
There's a 'swimwear' or ladies only day at a lot of them once every other week or so, but it's not as popular as just going co-ed in the buff. Plus kids generally aren't allowed in the evenings if you want to enjoy some peace and quiet.