Going to the sauna as a pair: how to keep it relaxed for both
Going to the sauna as a pair is often even more enjoyable than going alone: you travel there together, share the breaks and talk about the best infusion on the way home. Still, everyone has their own pace. One likes it hot and long, the other prefers it short and mild. With a few agreements and the right bag, the day becomes relaxed for both of you – whether you go as a couple, as friends or as colleagues.
Contents10
- Going to the sauna as a pair: agree on a few things first
- Each at their own pace
- Enjoy quietly: talking in the cabin and relaxation room
- When one of you is new to the sauna
- A possible schedule for a sauna visit as a pair
- Couple, friends or colleagues: what's different
- One bag for a sauna visit as a pair
- As a pair in a home sauna
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
Going to the sauna as a pair: agree on a few things first
Most misunderstandings arise because each person silently assumes the other sees things the same way. A few minutes on the way there are enough to clarify the most important questions:
| Topic | Question |
|---|---|
| Duration | How long do we want to stay in total? |
| Pace | Do we do every round together or each on our own? |
| Infusion | Which infusions do we want to join – and do we both want to go? |
| Meeting point | Where do we meet up during the breaks? |
| Food | Do we eat there or only afterwards? |
| Comfort zones | Are we both relaxed about textile-free areas? |
It sounds like a lot of planning, but for a sauna visit as a pair it takes five minutes. After that, nobody has to guess whether the other is already waiting impatiently on the lounger.
Each at their own pace
People experience heat very differently. What feels pleasant to one person is already too much for another. That's why the rule for a sauna visit as a pair is: nobody has to stay in the cabin longer just because the other is still sitting there. Separate rounds are completely normal.
- Different benches: it is much hotter at the top than at the bottom. You can go into the cabin together and still sit on different levels. More on this in the article Which bench in the sauna?
- Leave without pressure: whoever has had enough first leaves. A short nod is enough; no explanation is needed.
- Breaks together: you meet up again in the relaxation room, at the cold water or in the outdoor area.
- Number of rounds: if one of you wants three rounds and the other two, the second can use the time for a longer break or a book.
Enjoy quietly: talking in the cabin and relaxation room
As a pair, the temptation to chat is great. But other guests are looking for peace in the cabin and the relaxation room. Conversations therefore belong in areas such as the bistro, the lounge or the outdoor area – and even there at a low volume. What that looks like in the relaxation room is explained in our relaxation room etiquette.
Many couples find that it is precisely the shared silence that makes the sauna as a pair so appealing. You are together without having to achieve or discuss anything.
When one of you is new to the sauna
Often an experienced sauna-goer takes their partner or a friend along for the first time. For a sauna visit as a pair, that is a lovely opportunity – as long as the experienced one doesn't turn into a coach. A few tips help:
- Show rather than explain: where are the showers, cabins, cold water and relaxation room? A short tour at the start removes a lot of uncertainty.
- Start mild: the first round can be in a milder cabin or on the lower bench. Five to eight minutes are enough to start with. You will find guidelines in the article How long should you stay in the sauna?
- No tests of courage: save the infusion with the highest intensity or the longest round for later.
- Give space: someone new sometimes wants to do a round alone to find their bearings in peace.
If either of you has health questions: check with a doctor beforehand whether and how sauna bathing is right for you.
A possible schedule for a sauna visit as a pair
If you like, plan the day roughly in advance. An example for an afternoon:
- Arrive: check in together, don't reserve loungers – shower first.
- First round: together into a milder cabin, each on their own bench.
- Break: cool down, then rest together. Read if you like.
- Infusion: look at the infusion schedule beforehand and pick one you both like.
- Light meal: the bistro is the place for the conversation that had to wait in the cabin.
- Last round: then shower at leisure and get dressed without rushing.
Couple, friends or colleagues: what's different
As a couple
Restraint is usual in public saunas. Holding hands on the lounger bothers nobody; anything more affectionate belongs at home. It is above all a matter of consideration for other guests.
As friends or colleagues
Here the most important question is often about nudity. In many German saunas, bathing is textile-free. Talk openly beforehand about whether that suits you both. Some facilities have textile areas or days when swimwear is allowed. You can read more about the rules in Textile-free sauna and sauna towel.
With adult children or parents
The same applies here: clarify beforehand what feels right for both of you. A large hammam towel that can be loosely wrapped around you makes the walk between cabin and shower more comfortable for many people.
One bag for a sauna visit as a pair
If you travel together, you can pack one shared bag. With flat-woven hammam towels instead of thick terry towels, the equipment for two fits in easily:
- 4 × Ocean hammam towel (approx. 180 × 100 cm) – one each for the bench and one each for drying off
- 2 × Ocean StayOn hammam towel (200 × 70 cm) for the loungers – the sewn-in pocket is pulled over the backrest so the towel doesn't slip
- 2 light bathrobes, for example the Trimita Barok bathrobe made of quick-drying cotton
- 1 VEGAN FOX shower gel (200 ml) for both of you
- Water or tea for the breaks
Exactly these towels are included in the hammam towel set Paar (€169.90 instead of €209.40 individually). You will find more models among our hammam towels.
Tip: choose two different colours. Then everyone recognises their towel straight away, even when many loungers are taken in the relaxation room. The Ocean is available in several colours.
As a pair in a home sauna
In a small home sauna or barrel sauna, you sit closer together. There, too, everyone needs their own towel underneath so that no sweat soaks into the wood. With two people it gets warm and humid more quickly – air the cabin well between rounds. What else to consider with your own cabin is explained in the article Sauna towel for the home sauna.
Related reading: A whole sauna day: how to plan your schedule, meals and breaks · After-work sauna: relaxed in two hours after the working day · Partner massage at home: preparation, strokes and routine
Conclusion
A sauna visit as a pair works best when each person can go at their own pace and you meet up during the breaks. Five minutes of agreeing on things beforehand, keeping quiet in the cabin and relaxation room and one shared, light bag – that's all it takes for a relaxed day.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to do every round together?
No. Separate rounds are common if you experience the heat differently. Simply meet up during the breaks.
How do we recognise our towels?
Choose two different colours. Both the Ocean hammam towel and the StayOn come in several colours.
May we keep loungers free for each other?
Many saunas don't allow loungers to be reserved permanently with towels. Follow the house rules.
May we talk in the cabin?
Quietly and briefly is usually fine; during the infusion and in the relaxation room, silence applies. Longer conversations are better moved to the outdoor area or the bistro.
How many towels do we need as a pair?
Plan on two towels per person for the bench and drying off, plus one lounger towel each – so six towels for two.
Is a private sauna an alternative?
Some facilities and hotels offer private cabins for hire. There you can talk freely and set the pace entirely yourselves. A towel of your own for the bench is still a must, and the provider's house rules apply here too.
Shop the hammam towel set Paar
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.