Clothing-optional Airbnb, B&Bs and homestays: what to know before you book

What "clothing-optional" means in a stay

The phrase covers a lot. At one place it means the pool and garden only. At another it means the whole house, host included. "Optional" is the important word: a clothing-optional stay should make clear that guests may stay dressed.

You'll also see "naturist" and "nudist". People use the three words loosely, and expectations differ from place to place. Some places expect guests to be naked in certain areas; others leave it entirely to you. Check which applies, and where.

In a homestay there's an extra layer, because you're sharing someone's home. Your host may be naked in their own kitchen. If that isn't something you'd enjoy at breakfast, this isn't the stay for you, and that's fine.

Where to find clothing-optional stays

Airbnb. Airbnb allows homes with open nudity only if it complies with local law and is clearly disclosed in the listing description. Those listings must state a minimum age of 18, and they can't have any security cameras, including outdoor ones (Airbnb Help Center). Listing photos can't show explicit nudity (Airbnb Help Center), so the description is where to look. There's no clothing-optional filter, so search the phrase and read each listing in full. If a listing doesn't say it, don't assume nudity is allowed: ask the host and get a clear answer before you book.

misterb&b. Hosts can mark private and shared rooms as clothing-optional when they create a listing, and misterb&b asks them to say so in the description, so guests know before they send a request (misterb&b Help Center). The option doesn't apply to whole places, because there you can decide for yourself. Our misterb&b (misterbnb) review covers its fees and reviews.

Naturist sites. Naturist BnB lists clothing-optional and naturist homes, B&Bs, villas and campsites, with recent listings in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and elsewhere (Naturist BnB). In the UK, British Naturism describes itself as the national representative body for naturism, and its website links to UK naturist places to go and naturist holidays (British Naturism).

Among Our People. On Stay with a local, hosts describe how they live at home, including whether the household is clothing-optional, and "Clothing optional" is one of the host styles you can pick when you search (Stay with a local). It's one option among many, alongside quiet houses, sociable ones and hosts who'll show you the local scene. We're new, so see who's hosting where you're going.

Questions to ask before you book

A clear message saves an awkward first evening:

Where does clothing-optional apply: the pool, the garden, the whole house?

Will you, or other guests, be there? Is it men only, women only, or mixed?

Is my room and bathroom private, or shared?

Can neighbours see the garden or pool?

What are the house rules on photos?

Do you mind if I stay dressed some of the time?

How the host answers tells you a lot. A good host is happy to explain; a vague or pushy reply is a reason to look elsewhere.

The etiquette

There's no single rulebook, but naturist groups publish useful courtesies that work just as well in a home. SoCal Naturist, a group in California, asks people to always sit on a towel, never take photos of anyone without their consent, avoid staring, and keep things non-sexual; anyone who has said no should be left alone (SoCal Naturist). Bring your own towel, and keep your phone camera away from other guests.

Clothing-optional isn't a code for anything else. If a listing or a host's messages suggest it is, and that isn't what you're looking for, don't book.

If you're a host

If you'd like to offer a clothing-optional room, say so plainly in the listing description and in your house rules, so every guest knows before they book. Check the law where you live, as misterb&b advises its hosts to, and think about whether neighbours can see in. Keep photos on any listing within the platform's rules. And remember that "optional" works both ways: a guest who prefers to stay dressed is a guest you've agreed to host.

Our guide to what a homestay is covers the rest of what guests expect from a stay in someone's home.

Questions people ask

Does Airbnb allow clothing-optional stays? Yes, within limits. Homes with open nudity must follow local law, disclose it clearly in the listing description, set a minimum age of 18 and have no security cameras, including outdoors. There's no filter, so read descriptions in full, and if it isn't stated, ask the host before you book.

Do I have to be naked at a clothing-optional B&B? Not at a clothing-optional place; that's what optional means. Some naturist places expect guests to be naked in certain areas, so check before you book if that matters to you.

Is clothing-optional the same as naturist? The words overlap and are used loosely. What matters is whether a particular place expects nudity or leaves it to you, and where, so check the listing.

Are clothing-optional stays sexual? They shouldn't be. Naturist etiquette guides treat nudity as non-sexual and photos as needing consent. If a listing suggests otherwise, it isn't the kind of stay this guide is about.

Are clothing-optional stays only for gay men? No. Many are mixed, and some gay guest houses are for men only. The listing should say, and if it doesn't, ask.