If the UK lifestyle hotel takeover is your baseline, swinger resorts represent a significant step up in both scale and immersion. A week at Hedonism II or a Desire resort puts you in an environment built specifically for the lifestyle, in a beautiful location, with an international community of like-minded couples. Here's what the three main options actually look like.
Hedonism II, Negril, Jamaica
Hedonism II is the oldest and most storied swinger-friendly resort in the world. It's been running in Negril since 1976 and has a legendary reputation in the lifestyle community. The resort has a prude side and a nude side, with the nude side being where the lifestyle crowd concentrates. Clothing-optional pool, beach, and hot tub. Themed nights in the main entertainment venue. Playrooms available for guests after hours.
Hedo, as it's universally known, has had a complicated recent history. The resort changed ownership and went through a significant renovation, with various issues during the transition generating mixed reviews from long-term regulars. The consensus in the community now is that it's returned to a good standard, though some veterans say it hasn't quite recaptured its earlier peak.
Pricing runs from around $300 to $500 per person per night all-inclusive, making a week's stay for two a considerable investment before flights from the UK. Direct flights to Montego Bay from several UK airports make the journey more practical than it used to be.
Desire Resorts, Mexico
Desire operates two resorts in Mexico: Desire Riviera Maya and Desire Pearl, both near Cancun. These are generally considered the gold standard of swinger resorts for couples who want a luxury experience in a beautiful setting.
Desire is couples-only and adults-only. The resorts are clothing-optional throughout, with a strong lifestyle community atmosphere. The facilities are genuinely high-end: excellent food, beautiful pools, beach access, spa facilities, and a well-organised programme of social and lifestyle events. The crowd skews international and the vibe is consistently described as warm and relaxed compared to some of the more party-oriented alternatives.
Prices are comparable to Hedonism at around $300 to $500 per person per night all-inclusive. Cancun is well served by direct flights from UK airports making it a practical destination. Most UK couples who've been to both Desire and Hedonism have a preference for one or the other based on atmosphere rather than facilities, as both are high quality.
Cap d'Agde, France
Cap d'Agde is an entirely different proposition from the resort model. It's a naturist village on the French Mediterranean coast that transforms into an openly lifestyle-friendly environment during the summer season, particularly July and August.
Rather than a single resort, it's a whole quarter of a town: apartments, hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, and beaches, all naturist-friendly and with a significant lifestyle community present during peak season. You book accommodation within the Cap d'Agde area and the lifestyle environment surrounds you.
The appeal is the freedom of an entire community rather than the contained experience of a resort. You can walk naked to a restaurant, to the beach, to a club. The lifestyle clubs within Cap d'Agde, of which Glamour is the most well-known, operate as full-scale swingers venues within this naturist context.
Cost is considerably lower than the all-inclusive resort model. Flights to Montpellier or Beziers from UK airports, plus apartment rental, means a week for two can be done for a fraction of the Desire or Hedonism price. The trade-off is that it requires more planning and self-organisation than an all-inclusive resort, and the busiest weeks of peak season can feel crowded.
Which is right for you
For couples who want a genuinely luxurious, all-inclusive, hassle-free experience with excellent facilities and a high-quality crowd, Desire is the usual recommendation. Hedonism has more history and character but more variability in experience.
For couples who want something more organic, more European in atmosphere, and considerably cheaper, Cap d'Agde during peak season is hard to beat. The experience of an entire lifestyle-friendly community rather than a contained resort is something neither Hedonism nor Desire can replicate.
All three are worth doing at some point if the lifestyle is a serious part of your life. Most couples who've been to all three have a clear favourite, and which one it is tells you something about what they value most in the experience.
SpicySwingers is the UK's free lifestyle community. Connect with couples who've made the trip. Create your free profile.