HEALTH|CULTURE
Coed Naked Spas Rock and Have Become My New Favorite Place
There are plenty of good reasons to explore them but my top reason might surprise you
Yesterday, I had a life-altering experience that was so simple yet profound. I spent four hours at an incredible spa that is open to the public but also part of a four-star hotel in northwestern Germany.
Before moving to Germany a year and a half ago, I had heard about coed naked saunas but had yet to check any out due to COVID.
I was curious about them because I love saunas, steam rooms, massages, hot springs, heated outdoor pools, etc. but had never been to one where clothing was not allowed.
It was eye-opening, to say the least.
I am quite comfortable with my body and nudity yet still felt a flush of embarrassment wash over me when I saw a fully naked man in the locker room as soon as my friend opened the door.
The first thing I said was, “This isn’t the right room.” She assured me repeatedly that it was as I tentatively walked in. For some reason, I had it in my mind that men and women had separate changing rooms, THEN went into the common space where everyone was naked.
Nope.
There are designated male and female bathrooms but that’s about it as far as gender separation.
My German friend, a woman who is in her early 40s and has been to these kinds of places before was quite at ease. In fact, shortly after our arrival, she remarked how refreshing it was to see normal bodies again.
It had been several years since she spent time in a coed naked spa and was happy to see real people of all shapes and sizes in robes, towels and naked behaving normally instead of what is oftentimes shown on various forms of media.
I literally saw her breathe a sigh of relief and inhale rejuvenation.
She told me later that day that she looked over at me while in this place called “the quiet house” and I had a big, peaceful smile on my face.
The quiet house was a very large room with floor-to-ceiling windows where guests could sit on lounger chairs and relax while listening to music playing softly through the speakers. No one was naked in there. Everyone had on robes or towels.
I had a big smile on my face because I spent time in two out of their four outdoor saunas, one out of three of indoor saunas, and had a 25-minute back massage prior to my time in the quiet house.
When my friend and I first arrived, we walked around the entire facility and she showed me where each room was. Everything is written in German and did not have my phone to help me translate so it was good that she let me know the guidelines for each place as we went along.
She had a 25-minute foot massage earlier than me so I got to explore some rooms on my own. There was also a beautiful, heated outdoor pool where I saw some people swimming naked, but I never got around to getting in.
I plan to do so the next time I am there which I hope will be sooner than later. The idea of stepping out of a hot sauna (most are different temperatures and styles) and into a slightly heated pool all while naked sounds divine!
However, my favorite part of the entire experience was the quiet house which came as a bit of a surprise to me but thinking back on the whole afternoon, it makes sense.
I was laying on this amazing lounge chair, the one where my friend saw me smiling. The “chair” was suspended from the ceiling by four ropes at each corner of it and was made of soft but sturdy fabric.
A woman who worked at the facility told us earlier that the quiet house had loungers that swing back and forth.
When I walked in and saw them all in a row suspended on the upper level of the quiet house, I thought they looked really cool but I didn’t see anyone swinging.
I saw down in my lounger in such a way that it had begun to swing but stopped shortly afterward, so I reached down and gave a push with the tips of my fingers to get me moving again which lasted a few minutes.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this man to my right start to move. How did he do that without moving?!
That’s when I noticed that his left foot was somehow getting the lounger to swing. My first couple of attempts to do the same failed but then I figured it out and got the hang of it.
OH. MY. WORD….
I have always been a fan of swings since I was a child and still get on them from time to time as an adult.
There I was, naked, comfy, and fully relaxed in my bathrobe, using my feet to gently rock myself on this suspended lounger in a room that was dedicated to quiet restoration.
I didn’t want to leave.
This is saying a LOT coming from an introvert who tries to avoid crowds and groups of people most of the time.
I forgot to mention the fact that it was a Saturday and the weather was sunny most of the day which made it busier than usual.
Next time I go, I would like to try to go on a weekday to see what it is like with fewer people but I didn’t even care that there were more people because everyone was quiet and respectful.
I have never had such an experience collectively and highly recommend it if you are open to such things.
The following photos, taken as I was leaving the spa/hotel, speak volumes:
