I bared all at a Dutch spa: Finding 'gezelligheid' at a lakeside retreat

I am at Thermen Maarssen, an expansive wellness retreat 35 minutes from Schiphol. Outside, the Dutch landscape is cold, damp, and washed out. From the road the complex looks plain, unobtrusive, almost corporate. Inside, as you emerge from the changing rooms, you’re immediately met by the indoor pool and jacuzzi - a sea of unself-conscious nudity. Young and old, men and women, couples, friends, and mothers treating their daughters to a day of thermal indulgence. I won’t pretend I didn’t look. Everyone looks at first then you get used to it and it somehow stops being a thing.

Despite their liberal reputation, not all Dutch are comfortable with nudity. Lianda, who oversees operations across the Thermen resorts, advises newcomers to start by walking around in their bathrobe to see what’s going on and become comfortable. ‘People think it’s naked all the time,’ she explains. While nudity is compulsory in the pools and saunas, robes are required in the restaurant and many wear them throughout the complex. The atmosphere is one of respect and conviviality; people chat in the pools and there is even a dedicated ‘good-conversation’ sauna - a rare concession for those who find the stoic silence of the traditional Finnish sauna austere.

The scale of the place is almost overwhelming: 15 saunas and ‘stoomcabines’ ranging from a gentle 40C to a fearsome 95C, three jacuzzis, and a hydrotherapy pool spanning indoors and out. The complex feels open, facing a broad manicured lawn, ideal for summer sunbathing, and a wide lake, its grey waters edged with tall rushes leaning in the refreshing breeze. Several outdoor saunas perch on the lakeside, large porthole windows offering a view of coots serenely swimming past as you sweat.

We tend to rush our saunas in the UK, treating them as a frantic ten-minute post-gym ritual. Lianda advocates a ‘slow start’ instead: ‘Take a coffee first to relax,’ she suggests, followed by a soak in a hot foot-bath to introduce the body to heat, a step many first-timers miss. She points me to the Meditation Sauna (a mild 65C) to begin, its curved beds overlooking the lake, suggesting a 15-minute stay timed by the slow trickle of a sand glass.

While one can drift through the day at will, the resort offers a curated programme of ‘experiences,’ from sound baths and smoke rituals to sauna infusions. That afternoon, I join an infusion in the lakeside Panoramic Sauna, where the sauna-meester, Anna, welcomes us with a broad smile, her black singlet and paisley shorts a sharp contrast to our collective nudity.

As the music swells, she begins a rhythmic theatre - first pouring water over the stones, then placing oil-infused snowballs, cracking each with the sharp tap of a wooden ladle. Pulsing waves of hot, scented air surge toward us as she twirls a towel overhead, a tattooed vine winding its way up her forearm. The tempo reaches a crescendo just as the heat becomes nearly unbearable. Anna, her face flushed, thanks us and receives a round of applause - a moment of gratitude for being consensually blasted with hot air. We spill outside, steam rising from our shoulders, relieved to feel the afternoon chill as we enjoy a refreshing orange slice.

The after-sauna cooling ritual requires real Dutch grit in the colder months. First, the ‘air-bath’, walking outside to let the North Sea wind do the work, then a cold shower and bracing plunge pools. For the truly brave, there is the lake itself. The steps end in a drop; there's no easing yourself in. I stand for longer than I would like to admit, then jump. The cold hits hard; I cannot recall ever feeling colder. My heart races. I dip my shoulders briefly and get out as fast as I can. Courage is overrated.

Ultimately, Thermen Maarssen is less about the facilities and more about the shift in pace; it’s very easy to spend the whole day here. The Dutch have a word for this communal contentment: gezelligheid. It’s often translated as ‘cosy,’ but here it feels more like a shared celebration of heat and our own bodies. Here you’re just another human being, perhaps a little fatter or thinner than you might like, trying to bear the intense heat or brave a cold plunge pool without shivering.

As I leave, the Dutch drizzle is still falling. I feel at peace, my mind rested, my skin polished. In a world that demands we are always ‘on,’ sometimes the most productive thing you can do is lose the clothes, smear yourself with mud, and wait for the gong.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

● Getting there: There are direct flights to Amsterdam from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. Hire a car from Schiphol for the short drive, or take the train to Maarssen on the Utrecht line then a taxi.

● Entrance: Day passes for Thermen Maarssen (thermenmaarssen.com) start at €49. Bring or rent your spa gear (robes, towels, flip-flops) on arrival. Reservations are required for the Rasul ritual and advised for general entry, especially during peak periods. Come early - the spa is open from 9am to 11pm and most stay longer than planned.

● When to visit: The resort is open year-round; visiting in summer allows for sunbathing and a warmer lake, but winter visits can feel cosier with the heat a welcome contrast.

● Staying overnight: The main option is Hotel van der Valk Breukelen, a 15-minute drive away, although it’s possible to stay in Amsterdam given its proximity.

Andrew Dunbar was a guest of Thermen Maarssen.