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Sauna & Cold Plunge

Sauna etiquette in Brighton

Swimwear, a towel under you, no phone, and a quiet room if you've booked one. The detail changes by venue, so here are the actual rules from the Brighton saunas we list.

Updated . Edited by Alex Christou.

Default
Swimwear
Towels
Bring 2
Nudity
Events only

What to wear

Wear swimwear unless the venue says otherwise. Brighton's shared sessions are swimwear sessions, and nudity is kept for private hire and events that say so in the title. Check the venue before packing, because the details differ:

Dress rules at shared sessions, as published by each venue
VenueRule
Beach Box SpaShared sessions: covered below the waist at all times, tops optional. No daywear or underwear in the saunas. Nudity only in a privately hired sauna or at a labelled clothing-optional event.
Luna Hut Sea LanesSwimwear required. Flip-flops for the pebbles.
Sauna in the LanesSwimwear mandatory. No nudity, no daywear or underwear. Sit on a towel.
YOYO YardSwimwear, not underwear. Bottom half covered; topless allowed for all genders.
so.saunaSwimwear in community sessions. Barefoot inside the sauna, sit on a towel, jewellery off.
SaunadelicSwimwear. No body products or oils of your own.
Sauna Yard West HoveSwimwear at all times in shared sessions. Sit on a towel; phones stay in the studio.
Sauna + StretchSwimsuit, towel to sit on and flip-flops. No jewellery, phones or personal oils.
Flame Sauna & CaféSwimwear required. Flip-flops or sliders recommended; remove jewellery.
L.RAPHAEL Beauty Spa & Wellness at The Grand BrightonSwimwear required throughout the thermal facilities.
LivingWell Health Club Brighton MetropoleSwimwear in the sauna and steam room.
Recovery RoomSwimwear and a towel; the towel is compulsory to sit on in the sauna.

Private infrared studios are different because the room is yours alone:

Float SpaPrivate infrared room. The venue recommends nude on a towel; a swimsuit is optional.
CryobrightPrivate room. Swimsuit or towel.

Rules were copied from the venues' sites; the oldest check was 6 Oct 2026. If your venue isn't listed, ask before you go. First time anywhere? The first-timer guide covers the rest of the packing list.

Towels and hygiene

  • Bring two towels: one to sit on, one to dry off. Luna Hut, Saunadelic, SO Sauna, Sauna Yard West Hove and Sauna + Stretch all ask for this.
  • Forgot yours? Beach Box and Sauna in the Lanes hire them for £2 each; YOYO Yard has free sitting towels. Recovery Room rents for £1.
  • Sit on a towel, always. Recovery Room makes it compulsory, and several other venues list it in the rules.
  • Rinse before you plunge. Saltdean Lido asks for that, and at Beach Box the showers are cold and for rinsing only, so arrive showered.
  • Leave your own oils and body products at home (Beach Box, Saunadelic, Sauna + Stretch). Take jewellery off (Flame, SO Sauna, Sauna + Stretch).

Talking, silence and phones

A regular session is sociable, and most people chat. If you want quiet, book a quiet session rather than hoping for one. They are labelled, and several run every week:

  • so.sauna: silent sessions of 55 and 30 minutes, same price as normal ones.
  • Luna Hut Sea Lanes: three silent one-hour sessions a week.
  • Saunadelic: SHHHH Sauna, a quiet session on Tuesdays at 6:30pm.
  • YOYO Yard: silent sessions on Friday mornings and Monday evenings.
  • Beach Box Spa: a Sunday morning silent reflection, plus early silent express slots.
  • Saltdean Lido Sauna: a 55-minute quiet communal session.

On phones, the rules are stricter than on talking. Sauna in the Lanes, Sauna + Stretch and Sauna Yard West Hove keep them out of the sauna, and the Grand Brighton asks for phones on silent and not used in the spa or relaxation room. Beach Box has small lockers at reception for wallets and phones.

Aufguss

Aufguss is a German-style ritual: a host adds scented water to the stones and moves the hot air around the room with a towel. In Brighton it's an event rather than a default, so it appears on the booking calendar as its own session.

We found no separate etiquette published for it. Arrive on time, since a host is running a sequence, and settle in before it starts. Dress rules still follow the event title: Beach Box's German-style night is clothing optional, so check the listing for the session you book.

Water, alcohol and the cold

  • Bring a water bottle. Beach Box has a refill point on site. Float Spa tells guests to hydrate before an infrared session and not to take bottles into the cabin.
  • No alcohol at Beach Box. Brighton & Hove City Council says it's never safe to go into the sea after drinking alcohol, even a small amount.
  • Step out if you feel dizzy, faint or unwell. No venue expects you to stay for the full slot.
  • Going into the sea between rounds at Beach Box or Luna Hut? Read the sea swimming guide first. The RNLI says to enter slowly and treats a dip as a few minutes at a time.

If you have a heart or blood pressure condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your GP before using a sauna. This guide is not medical advice.

Mixed, single-gender and age rules

Most shared sessions are mixed. A few venues run dedicated sessions: Beach Box has FLINTA and queer sessions and men's recharge events, YOYO Yard has a Trans+ session, and Prince Regent has a weekly Ladies Only slot. These are for the groups named, so read the listing before booking.

Age limits vary a lot: 16+ at Beach Box shared sessions, Saltdean Lido communal sessions and Saunadelic's normal sessions; 18+ at Sauna in the Lanes; 12+ at Luna Hut (under 18s with an adult); and all ages at Sauna Yard West Hove with a parent or guardian. Venue pages list each one.

Questions

What do you wear in a sauna in Brighton?

Swimwear, in nearly every shared session. Beach Box asks everyone to be covered below the waist with tops optional, YOYO Yard allows topless for all genders, and Sauna in the Lanes bans nudity. Nudity is limited to private hire and labelled clothing-optional events.

Can you go naked in a Brighton sauna?

Not in a normal shared session at the venues we list. Beach Box allows it in a privately hired sauna and at clothing-optional events, such as its monthly German-style night. Some private infrared studios, like Float Spa, recommend nude on a towel because the room is yours alone.

Do I need to bring a towel to a sauna?

Yes at most. Bring two: one to sit on and one to dry off. Beach Box and Sauna in the Lanes hire them for £2, and YOYO Yard keeps free sitting towels if you need one.

Can I use my phone in a sauna?

Mostly no. Sauna in the Lanes, Sauna + Stretch and Sauna Yard West Hove keep phones out of the sauna, and the Grand Brighton spa asks for phones on silent and not used in the spa or relaxation room.

Is talking allowed in a sauna?

In regular sessions yes, within reason. Silent sessions exist for people who want none. SO Sauna, Luna Hut, Saunadelic, YOYO Yard and Saltdean Lido run silent or quiet slots, and Beach Box has a Sunday silent reflection.

What is Aufguss?

A German-style sauna ritual where a host adds water to the stones and moves the hot air around the room with a towel. In Brighton it runs as an event: Luna Hut Sea Lanes on Monday mornings, Beach Box at guided sessions, and Saltdean Lido Sauna at Slow Sauna Sunday.

Should I drink water or alcohol around a sauna?

Bring a water bottle and drink water. Beach Box bans alcohol outright. Brighton & Hove City Council says it is never safe to swim in the sea after drinking alcohol.

Sources

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