Dürfen wir bitte nackt bleiben!

Länder sind verschieden und auch deren Sitten. Der Hang zur Nacktheit im deutschsprachigen Raum dürfte aber einigen Reisenden ein wenig zu viel sein. Der Kulturschock ist vorprogrammiert …

Im deutschsprachigen Raum sind wir die Meister der Nacktheit. In einer Studie von Expedia gaben doch so gar nicht wenige Leute an, wenigsten einen Tag am Strand nackt verbracht zu haben. Die Österreicher wurden 2016 Weltmeister:

“And this year’s report certainly packs a punch. For the first time ever, the Flip Flop Report found that respondents from Austria—motherland of Arnold Schwarzenegger—are the most inclined to get naked when visiting the beach. Apparently, Austrians don’t like to just go topless; they like to get completely naked. One benefit to this approach: No tan lines! One downside: Potentially nasty sunburns.

The Austrian finish is super-exciting because in four previous iterations of the Flip Flop Report, people from Germany won or tied for first place in this particular category. In 2016, the Austrians edged their European counterparts, 28 percent to 25 percent.”

Damit haben US Amerikaner aber ein wenig ein Problem:

“Flip Flop data indicated American respondents largely disapprove of toplessness or nudity at public beaches; an almost unbelievable 62 percent said they were “somewhat or very uncomfortable” with that level of exposure. Also, 77 percent of American female respondents said they would “never” go topless at a public beach. I have to be honest—this latter number in particular surprised me, especially because I’m not sure I agree. Again, people, I give you the benefit of nude sunbathing: No tan lines!”

Zum Artikel: Flip Flop Report

FKK wird im deutschsprachigen Raum nicht aufgezwungen und jeder kann selbst entscheiden, ob er sich ausziehen möchte oder nicht. Nach einer Wanderung nackt in einen See in Österreich zu hüpfen, damit wird hierzulande niemand ein Problem haben. Auch an den FKK Bereichen stört sich eigentlich niemand. Und jeder weiß, dass in Europa die FKK Bereiche der Strände zu den schönsten Abschnitten mitunter zählen. Jeder kann in seiner Art glücklich werden.

Richtig nackt wird es aber in den SPA Bereichen. Da ist im deutschsprachigen Raum das Entkleiden schon fast eine Pflicht. In eine Sauna geht man nackt. In ein Dampfbad auch. Das Handtuch dient als Unterlage und man kann sich bedecken, aber grundsätzlich ist man unbekleidet. Niemand wird etwas darüber sagen, wenn mal jemand in einer Sauna mit einer Badehose erscheint. Man erntet vielleicht seltsame Blicke oder die Leute denken man sei entstellt. Man lässt es zu, aber es ist schon unüblich.

Thegate.boardingarea.com hat uns auf eine Diskussion auf Flyertalk hingewiesen (Nudity in a Common Area of a Hotel Property: Offensive or Not?). Ein US Gast hat den SPA im Sheraton Jagdhof in Salzburg betreten und ein typisches Bild eines Spas im deutschsprachigen Raum vorgefunden. Alle waren nackt. Das war ihm aber ein wenig zu viel und er hat sich sogar bei SPG darüber beschwert:

“If you saw my post in the Sheraton Jagdhof thread you know what this is about.

I stayed in this property after x-mas 2016 and had 3 rooms. Traveled with both my parents and my in-laws. You can read about the not so great experience in that thread.

The piece I would like to understand is the allowed nudity. I realize some folks might feel like entering a sauna with a towel only. However what is the hotel’s role in providing enough information to its guests about this. Furthermore, this nudity was both male and female, while children were present. All it said on the door to the entire Saunas, showers, infrared, steam area door was that children under 12 are not allowed unsupervised. There was no suggestion that full nudity is to be expected in the entire area. There were folks walking around (not sure the health benefit of that) fully nude, between the different spa rooms/devices. Showering fully nude, laying in the salt room fully nude, with legs spread (I know it sounds like a joke but to have your 77 year old in-laws with it wasn’t comfortable at all).

I questioned the spa front desk who claimed they don’t know the number to the manager. After myself calling front desk manager I was told that nudity is allowed.

After arriving back in states I filed a corporate complaint with SPG regarding this. Today I received a canned response from the GM saying they are sorry that I was not satisfied….

So, should hotels have a warning if they allow nudity, how can they enforce it?

I know the Westin Maui allows nudity in the spa (not accessible without extra pay or platinum status, clearly divided where male and female are not together, and they warn you first thing when you come in – I think a big difference).

I am pretty disappointed that SPG wouldn’t address this at all. I don’t want to take anyone’s freedoms away, but there is common decency and what I saw was beyond that.”

Die volle sehr amüsante Diskussion: Nudity in hotel spa/sauna/pool area allowed?? …

Wer noch nicht genug hat, die gleiche Diskussion gab es schon vor zwei Jahren auch mal auf Flyertalk:

“While Germany is not one of my regular destinations, I was recently on a business trip to Frankfurt for a few days where I was staying at the Frankfurt Hilton. The health club is apparently operated by fitness first and the Hilton charge for it, however as a diamond member I was told that I had free access as one of my benerfits, so after a stressful day went down for some chill out time. I have to say it is one of the best hotel health clubs that I have used, the gym is amazing. Had a great workout, the pool looked busy so decided to go into the wellness area which is COED though was mainly young German males using the facility after work. Having gone to the locker room to change from my gym kit to my swimmers headed through and went into the steam room, where I was confronted by 2 young males who were completely naked and stared atme, making me feel quite uncomfortable. 2 minutes later they left but obviously went and told an attendant I was wearing swimshorts. A young man who worked for the health club then came along and told me that the area was strictly nude. I asked if he was serious. While Im a fit young athletic male and not shy about showing my body off I thought this was frankly ridiculous particularly since it was a mixed area. I was also upset the other users found it necessary to get a member of staff rather than just explaining the rules and requesting me to take my swimmers off.
The member of staff said it was for hygiene reasons which I found even more ridiculous. He then basically stood there and watched me remove my swimwear, as I proceeded to throw my towel round my waiste , he told me to take the towel off and enter the steam room completely naked as I must be fully exposed. The german men were also just jumping into the Jacuzzi stark naked. I gave this one a miss!!! When I went for a sauna, I had even more drama. The sauna was quite full about 7 naked men and 2 young naked woman! This would never be acceptable in the UK, Youd get yourself arrested. I then got told off for not placing my feet on a towel. You have to take off your towel and have it covering both benches while you sauna. After only about 15 mins in the spa, I left feeling more stressed than when I arrived. If a hotel spa is going to have such crazy rules they should inleast explain them to hotel guests in advance rather than causing them embarrassment on arrival. Is this exclusive to the Frankfurt Hilton or do these crazy rules apply at all German hotel spas? Any German travellers came across this?”

Auch diese Diskussion auf Flyertalk ist lesenswert: nudeity inGerman Hotel spas!!!

Ich bin kein radikaler Nudist. Wenn ich auf US Amerikaner in einer Sauna stoße, bedecke ich mich. Die Diskussionen amüsieren mich aber. Fährt man nach Asien sind viele Dinge absolut fremd und wirken absurd. Betritt man einen japanischen Onsen, hat man sich vorher mit Seife von oben bis unten gründlichst zu waschen. Das gehört sich eben so. Möchte ich es nicht, dann gibt’s halt keinen Onsen. Was man in China mitunter isst, möchte man eigentlich gar nicht wissen. Ich muss es aber auch nicht bestellen. In anderen Ländern herrschen eben andere Sitten.

Spannend ist aber der genau umgedrehte Blickwinkel. Für uns wirken immer die anderen Kulturen abgedreht und verschroben. Hier mal ein Beweis, dass auch wir im deutschsprachigen Raum scheinbar ein wenig seltsam rüberkommen.