Jamaican resort Hedonism II reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic

A Jamaican beachfront resort famed for its clothing optional policy and nude pools where guests are free to engage in sex and other forms of PDA, has reopened to the public with new coronavirus safety measures in place.

Hedonism II, located in Negril on the island’s western tip, was forced to shut down at the start of the pandemic in March when the country went into lockdown and closed its borders to international travelers. 

Prior to the outbreak, the hotel, touted as an ‘adult playground’, was known for offering ‘the sexiest hedo experience’ where guests are encouraged to ditch their clothes and let loose under the Caribbean sun.  

Boasting 280 luxury rooms and suites, six pools and hot tubs, four restaurants, a nightclub, a fitness gym and spa, the all-inclusive resort offers all the amenities and ocean views of other Jamaican beach hotels, at an average of $250 a night.

But unlike other beach stays, Hedonism II is not for families or the faint of heart, as guests should expect to see skinny-dipping, public sex in the nude pools or the hotel’s popular ‘romping playroom’, as well as erotic entertainment. 

The resort has become a swingers’ paradise since its rebranding in 1981, attracting travelers from all over the world who identify as ‘consensually nonmonogamous’, to meet others with similar lifestyles.

But as Jamaica reopened its borders last month, resort owners were faced with the challenge of having to adapt to the new era of social distancing, while still keeping in line with Hedonism’s ‘be wicked’ mantra.  

The resort reopened for business on July 1, rolling out its new ‘Party Safely’ guidelines to comply with coronavirus restrictions. 

All guests are now required to have their temperatures taken upon arrival and must keep six feet apart in all common areas, including the lobby, restaurants, bars, and pools. 

Visitors are also supplied with protective masks and a bottle of hand sanitizer, in addition to the new anti-bacterial gel stations that have been installed throughout the resort.  

Hedonism’s signature buffet restaurant is no longer self-serve, and all high contact areas as well as surfaces throughout guests’ accommodation are sanitized and disinfected on a frequent basis.

It has also set aside 20 hotel rooms at the far side of the venue in the event guests become ill and need to quarantine, according to the Casual Swinger blog.  

The new measures however, have had no affect on the resort’s culture of public nudity as guests are now only being asked to cover their faces. 

But the pandemic also means that some of Hedonism’s popular activities and attractions that involve close contact and intimacy such as its sexy foam parties and ‘car washes’, have been scrapped. 

The hotel’s main ‘playroom’, which is furnished with mattresses, couches and showers, where couples and singles are free to indulge in sex acts with other guests they have met, has also been closed.  

Hedonism’s famous nude pools, popular hookup spots for visitors, remain open but close contact is no longer encouraged between guests.  

Despite the new measures, owner Harry Lange, 68, told CNN Travel, the resort’s reopening has been relatively smooth so far and guests have been healthy and compliant. 

‘I have been at the pool every day since July 11 and haven’t witnessed any couples hooking up with couples they just met. Of course, they could be going to each other’s rooms,’ Lange said. 

‘Most of the sex is with people’s own partners,’ he added. ‘I’m not more concerned about that than people dancing together or having a pool party together.’

Although the resort promotes close contact and ‘unrestricted fun’, Lange said he is ‘confident’ it is safer than any place he’s traveled in the U.S in the last two months. 

A self-described swinger, Lange purchased the property in 2013, eight years after visiting the resort for the first time.

The former mutual fund manager from Michigan told the news outlet Hedonism II draws travelers from all over the world, with the majority being American or Canadian.

He estimates a third of guests identify as swingers, a third are exhibitionists or voyeurs, and the remaining third are just nudists looking to get an ‘overall tan.’ 

And while Hedonism provides a sexy escape for travelers by promoting sensual self-indulgence in public, it sells itself as a judgment-free zone where guests could be as ‘mild or as wild’ as they’d like with no pressure to take part in what they are not comfortable with. 

The resort is not only a playground for sexual activities either, as guests also have access to basketball and volleyball and tennis courts, water sports, a game room, and can take part in nature walks.  

Travelers who are staying at nearby hotels also have the chance to get the hedo experience by purchasing a ‘daring day’ pass or one of its ‘naughty night passes’ which start at $150 per couple, $200 for single men and $75 for single women.  

Since its reopening, Lange said not one guest has tested positive or has been required to quarantine.

If someone does become ill, they will be placed on the ‘prude side’ of the resort furthest from the primary gathering areas, he told the CasualSwinger blog.