Book your vacation through Family Travel Concierge - info@familytc.com
Whether you hate tan lines and sand in your swim trunks or just love the feeling of sunbathing au naturel, you're in luck -- as many resorts have instituted clothing-optional areas so the only suit you have to wear is your birthday suit. From full nudist-friendly hotels to properties that have designated clothing-free pools, here are 12 spots you don't need to pack a bikini for.
Desire Resort
& Spa Riviera Maya
Desire
Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive, couples-only, clothing-optional resort that
attracts a range of guests, from older married couples to young nudists to
swingers. The resort has an explicit, frisky atmosphere as sex is allowed in
some public spaces, including the whirlpool
area and the Sin Room.
There is a nice pool
with ocean views, a well-equipped fitness center, a small spa
offering treatments for two, four restaurants, and a clothing-optional
nightclub. Rooms
are a little smaller than those at other similarly billed hotels, but they're
contemporary.
Terra Cotta
Inn, Palm Springs
The
17-room budget Terra Cotta
Inn is an adults-only, clothing-optional resort and spa where the
major activity is sunbathing in the buff at the pool
or hot tub.
Note that the hotel only accepts couples and accompanying female friends, no
single men. The property was built in 1960 and has retained a retro vibe. Rooms are
spacious and colorful, but furnishings are somewhat dated.
Island House,
Key West
Located
in historic Key West,
Island House
is a 34-room boutique designed exclusively for gay men. Many restaurants and
tourist attractions along Duval Street are located within easy walking
distance. Rooms are
stylish, if small, and some have showers with multiple shower heads.
The outdoor pool
and hot tub
is surrounded by lounge chairs and lush foliage. The entire hotel (except the
gym) is clothing-optional and the staff plans on- and off-site activities, like
snorkeling and sailing trips.
Desire Pearl
Resort & Spa Riviera Maya
Like
its sister property, the Desire Pearl
is a couples-only, clothing-optional, all-inclusive resort on a beautiful white-sand
beach right outside quiet Puerto Morelos. It draws a range of young
and middle-aged couples (strictly heterosexual) looking for some adult fun in
the sun. It is racy, but somewhat quieter and younger than the Desire Resort
& Spa Riviera Maya. The huge pool
overlooks the ocean and the sex-friendly
hot tub has a swim-up bar. Rooms are
large and airy, with cute country-influenced decor (plaid bed
runners, blue pastel fabrics), balconies or patios, and modern amenities, such
as flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and free Wi-Fi.
Firefly Beach
Cottages, Jamaica
This
22-unit beach hotel oozes Jamaican authenticity, with colorful and flower-filled
grounds, an action-packed beachfront
setting, and a friendly local staff. The Firefly Beach
Cottages is a basic, budget-friendly option that lacks several
amenities -- there is no pool, spa, or proper fitness center -- as well as
modern comforts such as air-conditioning and TVs. The hotel’s
clothing-optional policy certainly implies an adult atmosphere, and couples can
go au naturel whether on the beach, among the hotel’s gardens, or in the hot tub.
Hedonism II,
Jamaica
Designed
for adventurous couples who want to add a bit of spice to their vacation, the
all-inclusive Hedonism II
is a popular mid-range nudist resort tucked into a quiet, private section of
Negril’s Seven Mile Beach. With a wide variety of activities and entertainment,
this adults-only resort encourages guests to explore their wild side and
indulge themselves. There are both “prude” and “nude” sections of the resort to
accommodate different comfort levels, and property highlights include the nude
beach, water slide, and a variety of pools and
whirlpools on both sides. Guests who want to explore the area are
close to a variety of restaurants, bars, and shops in downtown Negril.
Ventana Inn
& Spa, Big Sur
Situated
on more than 200 acres of picturesque oceanfront land, The Ventana
Inn & Spa looks like a rustic cabin nestled in the woods -- yet
it features 62 luxurious, streamlined rooms with
wooden accents, refreshing pops of color,
and modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs, iPod
docks, and free Wi-Fi. Not a place for families, the hotel aims to create a
zen, holistic retreat with such offerings as yoga classes, discovery walks,
afternoon wine and cheese, Japanese
baths, and two pools (one of
which is clothing-optional).
Couples Tower
Isle, Jamaica
One
of the island’s first resorts and a former playground for 1950s Hollywood
A-listers, this 226-room, 19-acre, all-inclusive Couples Tower
Isle is still a sophisticated option. Public areas are chic and
modern, but the rooms fall a bit short by comparison. The resort’s namesake
island, a small rocky refuge about a one-minute boat ride away from
the mainland, has a small pool,
a little bit of beach, and a swim-up bar -- but guests must be
willing to bare it all to experience it. The gorgeous spa,
robust all-inclusive offerings (excursions and top-shelf booze are covered), beachfront
location, and mellow vibe are all highlights here.
Temptation
Resort Spa Cancun
The
Temptation
Resort Spa Cancun is an adults-only, topless-optional property that
caters to 21 and over, uninhibited guests. There is never a dull moment at this
all-inclusive resort,
which features themed swimming pools and
nightly risqué live shows. The color scheme throughout the resort is soothing
white and passionate red, and the 384 spacious rooms exude
a romantic atmosphere. While the beach area
is small and lackluster compared to the beaches at other resorts, the shaded
sun beds are nice spots to relax and unwind.
Grand Lido
Negril, Jamaica
The Grand
Lido's great liquor,
decent food,
24-hour room service, intimate setting, and naked hot-tub parties bring a
little grown-up indulgence to the more traditional, family-focused
all-inclusive resort scene. In addition to the hot tub, there are two pools:
an 8-foot-deep circular pool outside the buffet, overlooking the beach, and a
smaller, nudist-packed pool, which is the place to be after
midnight. However, the guest
rooms are showing considerable wear for the high price tag.
Couples Sans
Souci, Jamaica
This
35-acre, 148-room all-inclusive, adults-only, couples-only resort has a lush
natural setting filled with waterfalls, grottos, beaches, lakes,
and jungles. The Couples Sans
Souci still has the features of a megaresort -- three restaurants,
four pools, two beaches, four bars, a spa,
and tons of free activities -- but it's one of the few large-scale resorts that
manages to feel crowd-free and even intimate. One of its beaches is a nude beach
from morning until evening and has a pool
that goes right up to the sand -- something that would have been a lovely
addition to the main beach. Still, guests are warned that this “au naturel”
beach is not simply “clothing optional” but rather prohibits clothing
altogether.
Cambridge
Beaches Resort & Spa, Bermuda
The
96-room, 30-acre Cambridge
Beaches Resort & Spa trumps almost every other resort in Bermuda as far as style
and sophistication are concerned. Of course, you’ll pay some of
the island’s highest rates to enjoy it. But with its two stunning pools,
expansive spa,
four private beaches,
three restaurants,
and some of the most beautifully landscaped grounds around,
the hotel is considered by many to be a worthwhile investment in a wonderful
experience. It's adults-only for most of the year and includes a
clothing-optional sun deck overlooking
the pool and beach.
