Spa etiquette in a wellness hotel: Naked in the sauna sounds normal, but it can cause trouble
Saturday, October 21, 2023, 8:00 a.m
The autumn holidays are just around the corner and some people are already looking forward to a relaxing wellness break. Numerous faux pas line the warm, steamy paths in the spa hotel. So that you don’t embarrass yourself, wellness hotel expert Andrea Labonte gives you some tips for your spa break.
This text comes from an expert from the FOCUS online EXPERTS Circle. Our experts have a high level of specialist knowledge in their subject area and are not part of the editorial team. Learn more.
When should a spa treatment be booked?
Are you looking forward to relaxing massages and facial treatments before your wellness holiday? Then we recommend that you take a look at your hotel’s spa menu before you start your vacation. It’s best to book the treatments you want from the comfort of your own home. If you only express your desired dates at the hotel, you risk coming away empty-handed. Especially during the holiday season, the most popular spa appointments in the afternoon and early evening are quickly booked up.
If you would like to be massaged by a therapist of the same gender during your treatment, express this wish in advance. The spa staff will usually try to accommodate your preferences. And if not, don’t worry, a trained therapist will protect your privacy at all times. He should leave the massage room while you are changing and only re-enter when you are covered and seated on the massage table. In addition, the parts of the body that have not been treated are covered with towels.
What applies if you arrive late or cancel a spa treatment?
Once you have arrived at the wellness hotel, we recommend that you arrive on time for your treatment. Anyone who is late runs the risk of being treated for less time than booked. Because of the follow-up appointments, your treatment time may be shortened depending on your delay. A timely cancellation is also worthwhile. If you cancel at too short a notice, your treatment will often still be billed because the treatment appointment usually cannot be rescheduled at such short notice.
What is an appropriate tip for a spa treatment?
The employees in a wellness hotel often do their best. Therefore, not only the waiter in the restaurant or the cleaning staff in the room, but also the beautician in the spa would be happy to receive a friendly “thank you” and a tip. For a spa treatment, ten percent of the treatment price is considered a good guide and a sign of appreciation.
What is the spa dress code?
A wellness day like this is known to make you hungry. To avoid a trip to the restaurant ending in embarrassment, it is advisable to inquire about the restaurants and their dress codes when checking in. Is there a spa restaurant that you can visit even in wellness clothes or should you rather get dressed up between a sauna and a steam bath?
If you know about the dress code, you can avoid being sent off as “underdressed” in a restaurant in a bathrobe. Otherwise, anything that is comfortable is allowed in the wellness area. You will usually find a bathrobe, slippers and sauna towels in your room. Despite the flip-flops that are often offered, it is advisable to have your own flip-flops with you. Because the hotel slippers are often made of fabric and die very quickly after swimming and sauna. Using your own bathing shoes is also more sustainable.
about the author
Andrea Labonte from Wellness Heaven has an extraordinary job that is the envy of many: she has been a hotel tester for over 17 years Wellness Heaven Hotel Guide on the go, Germany’s largest portal for wellness hotels. She writes regularly in her column about her spa experiences, extraordinary destinations and the most bizarre incidents from her everyday working life “From the life of a hotel tester”.
The sauna area is a textile-free zone in most German spa hotels. Swimwear is only worn in family saunas or textile saunas. If you enjoy your wellness holiday abroad, you should definitely inquire about the customs there. Because in many countries, such as North America, Italy, France and sometimes also in England, wearing an Adam’s costume in the sauna is frowned upon.
It is best to arrive at your booked massage in a bathrobe. The therapist will usually give you a pair of disposable panties that you can wear during the treatment. Swimwear is required in the swimming pool and whirlpool, while a sports outfit is appropriate for the fitness courses on offer.
What is meant by sauna etiquette?
Especially in the sauna, certain unwritten rules apply, which are also known as sauna etiquette: For hygiene reasons, for example, you should shower thoroughly before going to the sauna, but then enter the sauna dry. In order not to disturb the other guests, you should close the sauna door quickly and remain quiet in the sauna – if you talk, then only in a whisper. When you take a seat, make sure that there is a towel between your body and the wooden bench, this also applies to your feet.
You should also not get too close to your sauna neighbor. Also, resist the urge to stare openly at the person you are talking to, even if they have an oversized bird of paradise tattooed on their chest. Because inappropriate staring has no place in the sauna.
In contrast to the sauna, in the steam bath you clean your space thoroughly with the water hose before sitting down and leaving the steam bath. Here, too, there are usually towels available to use when visiting the steam bath. A shower is recommended after the sauna and steam bath. Cooling down in the plunge pool is also suitable for improving blood circulation and strengthening the immune system. But only if you have showered thoroughly beforehand. Otherwise you rightly risk causing acute disgust among the other wellness guests.
What taboos are there in the wellness area?
Always remember that other guests in the wellness hotel primarily want to relax and unwind. That’s why beeping smartphones and loud phone calls have no place in the hotel spa. A wellness break is particularly suitable for digital detox. Even loud laughter with your best friend or loud discussions with a partner who doesn’t agree with you have no place in the wellness area. If you know that you are a chainsaw snorer, out of consideration for other guests, you should retreat to your hotel room for a long nap and not snooze in the relaxation area. And although the dried fruit and teas in the spa are delicious, loud smacking and slurping noises are also taboo in the wellness area.
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