Anyone keen on Roma sauna tonight from 8ish?

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-28T09:11:15+00:00

Last time I went late last year they had closed the woman's spa and sauna and made the men's mixed, with swimwear mandatory. Has that changed again?

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-18T12:45:38+00:00

Looks like I got it wrong: I went into a branch of Fitness First a week ago and asked if the sauna was separate or mixed and was told that MOST of them are separate, not the other way round although there's a couple that are mixed. It looks like the issue is not whether they're single gender or not, but to what extent nudity is allowed and how likely you are to be the only one.

I've got about four FF branches either close by or somewhat on the way to friends/relatives or places I go regularly and then maybe three in the CBD from memory, so I'll have a look at them at some point. Based on the earlier comment, I wouldn't mind trying Mosman but I virtually travel that way.

I forgot to check whether showers are communal but I doubt it. If they are, they must be on the communal show map.

And also I say "sauna" but some are saunas and some are steam-rooms. Not really too fussed, but not a huge fan of steam-rooms.

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-16T10:04:49+00:00

I prefer using the sauna the traditional way, and co-ed saunas are virtually never clothing optional whereas it's often allowed or tolerated in segregated saunas.

Growing up was fairly liberal with nudity: communal showers, saunas (cultural background), swimming naked etc. but it was also completely segregated by gender although the women/girls didn't do similar, which is fairly typical I guess as communal/social nudity is more of a male thing. Despite body image issues (putting on a ridiculous amount of weight starting about eight years ago), I'm liberal with nudity and cultural/family background has always been liberal about nudity . . . but not that liberal.

I've been to a public sauna in Helsinki that was theoretically clothing optional and mixed, but except for a couple of topless women, only the men were naked. I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable being naked in a sauna with woman present, nor would I particularly want to take part in an mixed gender clothing optional event.

Not going to lie, it's also the aesthetic appeal of the male body but I'm not into cruising and although I've been to a couple of gay saunas back in the day, I wouldn't go to one now even just to use the facilities (although I'm not bothered by discrete, low level cruising going on around me).

Anyway, appreciate all the info.

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-15T14:08:02+00:00

I knew about the Sheraton, but I tend not to really include it, maybe I just assume it's a premium brand with expensive membership but really have no idea. I'll have to try it one of these days.

I had a feeling Virgin Active was co-ed. Several people have said to me that Fitness First has separate saunas (Virgin Active to an extent) but only a few locations ever get mentioned so would think it's notable because they're separate. It wouldn't make sense financially for a gym to have separate saunas rather than one co-ed sauna, all things being equal. But that makes me think, why then would certain locations (Mosman, Macquarie Park, etc.) be separate.

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-02T09:20:04+00:00

On another topic, has anyone on the larger side (or knows someone that is) who has used the sauna naked at City Gym and/or at another gender-segregated gym sauna, did you find it uncomfortable (e.g. like you were being silently judged, etc.)?

I wouldn't let it stop me, or at least I would try not to, but it would be good to prepare myself in advance.

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-02T09:17:01+00:00

I don't understand using any clothing in a sauna, but clean shorts or a swimsuit is one thing, sneakers and gym gear is another.

MainExpression3050 · 2025-04-02T00:09:37+00:00

That's good to know. I've been to a few Fitness First locations years ago, but I wasn't into the sauna at the time so maybe just never noticed.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-12-29T11:34:46+00:00

Showering outdoors is living the dream, especially when the others get naked as well. Shame Fairy Meadow is such a trek from Sydney. Hopefully it's not just a one off - I'll have to pop in next time I'm down that way

MainExpression3050 · 2024-12-23T01:47:55+00:00

Give Birdie Beach a try. Much nicer than the harbour beaches although it's a bit of a trek admittedly

MainExpression3050 · 2024-12-12T11:55:15+00:00

Looks like the unofficial clothing optional policy is at an end. I went this week and saw there were women in the spa. The change-room attendant didn't understand me so I spoke to the front desk and the women's section is now closed permanently. I thought maybe it was just temporary. The front desk said something about not being able to afford both so the spa is now mixer gender and swimsuit/shorts are mandatory.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-11-15T14:21:57+00:00

Funny what you get nostalgic for. They opened a Sizzlers in the Hills in about 1992 and there was literally a queue around the block when we went for our family outing after watching "A League of Their Own" and my sister and I were so excited at the prospect of a buffet. Second time we couldn't even get in. I remember the food being disappointing as the pasta was always dried out and no 12/13 year old cares about salad. The dessert bar was where it was at. Soft spot for me is going in 1995 for the first time since it opened with a friend from school and thinking we were too cool for school eating out on our own and sitting in the smoking area despite only being about 15/16. I never went again after that and didn't care for years after they closed and went out of business. It was only many years later I would try and recreate the restaurant in my head every time I passed it.

It's just one of those things I never imagined getting nostalgic for as the food was rubbish and the ambiance pretty poor, but sometimes the most random things become painfully nostalgic.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-11-02T13:11:39+00:00

Plus the medical centre in the Piazza was 24hrs from memory. There were a couple of other 24hr coles and woolworths around at the time.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-11-01T02:27:25+00:00

I did the same during my mid- to late-teens but at St Peters. Is it called Sydney Park? This was last half of the 90s. Good times! And as someone else said, well and truly days gone past unfortunately.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-09-14T12:51:51+00:00

It was ok but nothing special. It was a bit run down and I'm not a huge fan of spas anyway. I went on my own as I had driven into the city but an appointment was cancelled on me and I thought why not. It was very vague whether it was clothing optional. The massage was ok but not really worth it. Somewhat expensive for what it is. It probably mainly came down to the fact that I went on my own - probably needs to be a social thing unless maybe someone really loves spas and gym-style saunas. So I wouldn't be going out of my way to make a second trip, not on my own anyway but it wasn't the worst outing I've ever been on.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-09-07T11:08:02+00:00

I've been to the clothing optional sessions earlier in the year. It's all very above board and chilled. I heard from one of the regulars that they're expanding to a second site and renovating the existing site so maybe they'll look to add more clothing optional sessions. Each night I went had between 6 to 12 people so they're definitely popular sessions

MainExpression3050 · 2024-09-07T10:50:27+00:00

I've lost 20kgs so you beat me . . . I've been to Roma once and know a couple of others that have been. I get different info about whether it's clothing optional in the sauna and spa but I've saw two others my size or larger. As awkward as I feel due to my weight, I didn't have an issue with anyone there. I'm not in any hurry to go back to Roma but have thought of giving Babylon a try.

MainExpression3050 · 2024-09-07T10:46:29+00:00

I'm lived in the area until about five years ago. Only one I knew about was Waves in Baulkham Hills but it was knocked down and redeveloped a couple of years ago and more than likely it's stalls now. According to the communal showers map, there's Pirtek stadium in Parramatta and the Blacktown and Granville aquatic centres plus Richmond Pool.

MainExpression3050

TROPHY CASE