Swiss Sauna Etiquette & 7 Best Spas

Image Credit: Bürgenstock Alpine Spa

Let’s start with the basics: the Swiss are very clean. Not in the “I took a shower today” way, but in the “I exfoliated with crushed mountain herbs, detoxed in a pine-scented steam grotto, and rinsed off in a glacier-fed rain shower calibrated to mimic the exact pressure of an alpine waterfall” kind of way.  

Swiss spa culture isn’t about pampering. It’s about purpose. You don’t go to sip Prosecco in a robe. (You could, but someone in white Crocs would eventually inform you that your lymph isn’t draining properly.) You go to cleanse your organs, rethink sugar, and emerge looking lightly retouched in real life.  

And if you landed here because you typed “Swiss sauna nude help” into Google with the intensity of a person about to board a flight, welcome. You are not alone. The good news is: Swiss wellness is incredible. The better news is: true luxury in Switzerland is not just a view, it’s control. Control of privacy, timing, access, and whether you want your sauna experience to include strangers.

Swiss sauna etiquette in 90 seconds

• Shower before everything. Every time. Yes, again.

• Sit on a towel. Always. No exceptions.

• Silence is the vibe. Saunastille is real.

• In many German-speaking areas, saunas and steam rooms are textile-free. Mixed gender is common.

If this sounds like your personal nightmare, do not panic. Switzerland has a very elegant solution: private spa suites and guest-only properties.

The privacy solution, aka how to do Switzerland without a plot twist

Sauna, Image courtesy of Villa Honegg

A lot of spa guides treat the nude rule like a moral test. Switzerland does not. It treats it like hygiene. Swimwear can trap bacteria, towels keep things clean, and everyone collectively agrees not to make it weird.

But if you want privacy, modesty, or just a wellness day without sharing air with a TikTok tripod, you don’t need to “get over it.” You need the right hotel, the right room category, and in a few cases, the right locked door.

Here’s the cheat sheet I use when I’m planning Switzerland for clients who like beautiful things and also like not being perceived.

Swiss Spa Etiquette & Privacy Levels

Property	Sauna Policy	Ladies-Only	Privacy Upgrade
Bürgenstock Resort	Textile-free, mixed	Check schedule	Private Spa Suite with lake views; sunset hours if you want it cinematic.
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz	Textile-free, mixed	Separate ladies’ sauna	Spa Suites building, thermal water on tap in-room.
The Chedi Andermatt	Textile-free, mixed	Not prominently listed	Furka Suite, private steam, sauna, jacuzzi in-suite.
7132 Hotel Vals	Textile-free, mixed	Not typically	Night bathing, plus Penthouse and Spa Suites for in-room privacy.
Six Senses Crans-Montana	Textile-free areas	Varies by space	Suites with private sauna; biomarker-driven recovery lab.
Park Hotel Vitznau	Guest-only access	N/A (Discreet)	Private Spa Suite rental and a strict "no day-guest" feel.
Victoria-Jungfrau	Textile-free areas	Separate ladies’ area	Private spa rituals and Nescens better-aging programming.

Image courtesy of Villa Honegg

The 7 best spas in Switzerland, the ones worth planning around

1. Clinique La Prairie, Montreux

Medical, longevity, sugar crisis.

This is for the person who loves data, control, and leaving with a plan that involves supplements you will absolutely forget at home. Clinique La Prairie is not a “cute spa weekend.” It is a reset button with Swiss precision. You come here when you want outcomes, not cucumber water.

• Best for: Longevity weeks, medical detox, high-achievers who want their wellness to come with a binder.

• My move: I help clients choose the right program structure so it feels supportive, not clinical, and I build the itinerary around recovery so you are not trying to “see Geneva” between diagnostics.

2. Bürgenstock Alpine Spa, Lake Lucerne

Biggest views, least effort.

Bürgenstock is the famous one, and yes, the infinity pool is as absurdly gorgeous as the photos. The friction point is that it’s famous, which means it can attract day guests and the occasional influencer doing ten minutes of content before remembering to relax.

• Best for: Anniversaries, celebration trips, and anyone who wants to float outdoors while looking like they’ve never had a thought.

• The privacy fix: Private Spa Suites with your own sauna, jacuzzi, lounge, and treatment space. This is the antidote to crowds. Packages for private suite time can start around CHF 1,055.  

• VIP Value: When I book this for you, you receive a guaranteed room upgrade (if available at arrival) and a $100 resort credit to use on treatments.

3. Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Bad Ragaz

The medical wellness powerhouse, with thermal water that actually does something.

Bad Ragaz is for people who want wellness with receipts. It’s built around thermal water from the Tamina Gorge, and the resort has a serious medical center and structured programs like the NEWYOU Method, an evidence-based lifestyle medicine approach.

• Best for: Health-focused trips, rehab and recovery, anti-inflammatory resets, and people who want a real plan.

• Insider Alert: Throughout 2026, the Grand Hotel Hof Ragaz building is undergoing renovations. For this reason, I exclusively book my clients into the Spa Suites tower to ensure your peace is absolute and you are insulated from any updates.  

• The privacy fix: Spa Suites building, where thermal water flows directly into your room. Thermal water on tap is the kind of detail that changes the whole experience if you value privacy.

4. The Chedi Andermatt, Andermatt

Serious design, serious heat.

The Chedi is where Alpine sport meets Asian calm, with design that makes you want to speak in a whisper and wear monochrome. The spa is excellent, but the real play for privacy is the suite inventory.

• Best for: Actual spa people, the ones who get excited about hammams and hydrotherapy circuits.

• The privacy fix: Furka Suite, roughly 330 square meters, with its own private spa setup including steam bath, sauna, and jacuzzi.

• VIP Value: Booking the Furka Suite through me includes complimentary roundtrip airport transfers and an additional $100 resort credit (total $200).

5. 7132 Hotel Vals, Vals

Architectural pilgrimage, with the best kind of silence.

Peter Zumthor’s thermal baths in Vals are one of the most iconic spa experiences on earth. It’s stone, water, quiet, and a feeling that your nervous system just unclenched. The key detail most people miss is that the most powerful way to experience it is not during the day.

• Best for: Design lovers, introverts, and anyone who wants wellness to feel spiritual, not performative.

• The privacy fix: Night Bathing, reserved for hotel guests, typically 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM on select nights (Wednesday, Friday, Sunday). It’s quiet, moody, and profoundly not crowded.

• What I book: I secure the Penthouse Suites by Kengo Kuma for clients who want views without exposure.

6. Six Senses Crans-Montana, Crans-Montana

Biohacking headquarters for skiers who want to feel human again.

This is the best answer to the question, “Can I ski hard and still feel good?” Six Senses brings recovery tools and biomarker-driven programming into the Alps, so your spa day feels like performance support, not fluff.

• Best for: Ski trips, athletic recovery, stress management that does not involve journaling unless you want it to.

• What’s special: The Recovery Lounge features tools like Normatec compression boots, Venom back wraps, and cryotherapy.  

• VIP Value: My clients receive a complimentary 50-minute massage for two per stay—a perk that pays for itself after a day on the slopes.

7. Park Hotel Vitznau, Lake Lucerne

The fortress of exclusivity.

If your main wellness goal is not seeing anyone you do not know, Park Hotel Vitznau is the move. It has a private guest house feel, serious discretion, and a spa environment that stays calm because it is designed to.

• Best for: Privacy-first travelers, couples, and anyone who wants luxury that does not announce itself.

• The privacy fix: Guest-only atmosphere, plus a Private Spa Suite you can reserve. Pricing for private suite rental is often quoted around CHF 400 for two hours.  

• VIP Value: Staying for a week? My clients receive an enhanced $300 resort credit on stays of 7+ nights.

Honorable mentions, because Switzerland is not subtle about wellness

• Hotel Villa Honegg: Iconic pool, minus the intensity. For first-timers and romantics who want cowbells, lake views, and a photo you’ll pretend was candid.

• Tschuggen Grand Hotel, Arosa: Luxe ski-town recovery with a private mountain railway. For skiers who want to feel athletic and deeply pampered.

• Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz: Old-school glamour, velvet robes. For winter weekends and milestone birthdays, when your love language is marble and discretion.

The best public thermal baths, when you want the soak without the hotel commitment

• Thermalbad and Spa Zürich: A fun, easy city spa with rooftop views.

• Bains de Lavey: Max temperature, minimal fuss.

• Mineralbad Rigi-Kaltbad: Minimalist design, big nature energy.

• Leukerbad Therme: Alpine, affordable, unpretentious soaking.

Textilfrei tip: Nervous? Start with a hotel spa to test the waters, then graduate to public baths when you’re feeling brave, or simply when you realize nobody is paying attention to you anyway.

Image credit: The Omnia Hotel

If you go, know this

1. Shower before everything. You’ll feel cleaner and avoid the quiet wrath of a thousand unsmiling locals.

2. Bring a towel, and ideally two. Sit on it. Do not sit directly on wood.

3. Do not talk in the sauna. This is not a group chat. This is a temple of steam.

4. Move your body. Get cold. Get hot. Touch snow. Repeat.

5. And when in doubt, follow the old man with the towel over his shoulder and nothing else. He is basically the wellness concierge.

Common questions about Swiss sauna etiquette

• Do you have to be naked in Swiss saunas?

  In many German-speaking parts of Switzerland, yes, saunas and steam rooms are typically textile-free. You should always sit on a towel.

• Are Swiss saunas mixed gender?

  Often, yes. Many thermal spas are co-ed in the sauna zones. Some properties offer ladies-only zones or dedicated hours, and private spa suites are the best solution if you want full control.

• Can I wear a towel in the sauna?

  A towel wrap while walking around is normal. Inside the sauna, the expectation is that you sit on the towel. Keeping it loosely draped is often tolerated as long as sweat stays off the wood.

Want the version of Switzerland that feels effortless?

If you prefer total privacy, or you want the best suites and guest-only access without spending hours cross-referencing spa policies, I can help. Switzerland’s top wellness inventory sells out early, especially the private spa suites and signature penthouses.

Why book with me? When you book these partner hotels through my agency, you access benefits you cannot get online, such as:

• Room Upgrades (priority status at check-in).

• Daily Breakfast for two included.

• Resort Credits ($100-$300 USD) to use toward those spa treatments.

• Early Check-in / Late Check-out to maximize your time in the spa.

Two ways to work with me, depending on your level of intensity:

1. Request access to private spa suite availability: Perfect if you have dates and you want the “best room, best privacy, best timing” version.

2. Get my Swiss medical wellness comparison guide: A practical side-by-side of the major medical wellness players (the kind of PDF you read and immediately feel more organized). Ideal if you’re choosing between a medical reset and a luxury spa week.

Feeling inspired, or just lymphatically curious? Switzerland is best experienced with a plan. As a Virtuoso-affiliated travel advisor, I design Swiss wellness itineraries that balance mountains, recovery, and serious downtime, with the right level of privacy built in from the start.