What to pack for a trip with a hot tub and sauna: a first-timer's checklist

A first trip to a cabin with a hot tub and sauna raises more packing questions than you might expect. The good news: the list is shorter than you think, because most things are already waiting for you. The bad news, if you can call it that: there are a few small items almost nobody remembers the first time, and they make a real difference.

What you do not have to pack

All of this is included in the stay and waits in the cabin:

• Towels
• Bathrobes
• Bed linen
• A hairdryer
• Firewood for the bonfire
• A heated sauna and hot tub (just tell us what time you will arrive)
• A fully equipped kitchenette: dishes, basic cooking equipment, a fridge
• A coffee and tea set, plus yerba mate and matcha
• Board games for the evening
• Bikes, two SUP boards, volleyball and badminton gear
• A gas grill

In other words, you do not have to pack anything related to the infrastructure of the stay itself. What remains is the personal stuff.

The basic list worth bringing

A swimsuit, ideally two. The most common first-timer mistake. One swimsuit will not dry between an evening in the hot tub and the next afternoon, and getting into hot water in a damp suit is not pleasant. A second suit weighs nothing and solves the problem.

Flip-flops. For the hot tub, the sauna and the walk between them. In winter, soles that do not slip on wet surfaces matter.

A warmer hoodie for the evening. Even in July. After the hot tub or sauna your body is heated up, and evenings in the countryside get cooler than a day in the city would suggest. That contrast is pleasant for the first five minutes and less pleasant for the next twenty.

Something to drink and an unbreakable cup. The hot tub is hot, you sit in it a long time, and you really should drink water. Glass by the hot tub is a bad idea; a thermal or plastic cup settles it.

Moisturiser and body lotion. A sauna heated to 90 degrees plus the hot tub dry the skin out more than you would think, especially on a two- or three-night stay.

A hair tie, if your hair is long. Sounds trivial, but in the sauna it is the difference between comfort and torment.

A power bank and charger. There is electricity, but the outdoor cinema, photos and music on the terrace can drain a battery faster than at home.

A good book, a deck of cards or your own game. Board games are on site, but if you have a favourite, bring it.

What changes in winter

A winter stay is a different league, because that is when the hot tub gives the most. The contrast of minus ten outside and plus thirty-nine in the water is the main reason winter dates here sell as well as summer ones.

Added to the list:

• A sauna hat (not essential, but many guests use one)
• Warm socks and warm underlayers for walks
• Gloves, if you plan a bonfire in freezing weather
• Face cream with SPF, because sun reflected off snow works too
• Boots that can handle mud, because between thaw and frost the ground can get soft

If you are coming with a dog

Dogs stay free here, always, with no surcharges and no size limits, and a free welcome kit for your pet waits on site. So you do not have to pack everything from home.

Worth bringing: the dog's bed or a blanket that smells of home (the thing that helps a dog settle into a new place the most), a bowl, food, a leash and a towel for wiping paws. A bowl and a dog bed fit comfortably in the cabin.

One thing you must know before arriving: the grounds are not fully fenced. The dog can run freely, but it is not an enclosed run. If your dog tends to wander off, you will need a leash or your constant attention. Details in the guide to travelling with a dog.

If you are coming to work

We have Starlink, so the connection handles video calls and sending large files. What remains to pack:

• Laptop and charger (obvious, but surprisingly easy to forget on a trip your head files under holiday)
• Headphones with a microphone
• Adapters, if you have unusual ports
• A laptop stand or a small riser, if you care about comfort during longer work

More about what a remote workday looks like here in the article about a countryside workation.

Food: to bring or not to bring

That depends on what you order.

If you order breakfast (60 zł per person per night) and dinner (60 zł per person per night) from us, practically all that is left to pack is snacks and drinks. We cook everything ourselves, home-style; portions are big and filling and nobody leaves the table hungry.

If you cook yourselves, the kitchenette is fully equipped, identically in both cabins, but you bring your own ingredients. The nearest shop, a Dino, is under a kilometre away, about three minutes by car, so gaps can be filled, but it is better to do the bigger shop on the way.

If you plan to grill, the gas grill is on site and ready to use. You bring only what you want to put on it.

What not to bring

A Bluetooth speaker at full volume. Not because we forbid it, but because you are coming for the quiet, and most guests switch it off after the first evening anyway. The second cabin is 250 metres away, so you will not disturb anyone, but you will slightly disturb yourselves.

A set of elegant clothes. There is nobody here to dress up for. Comfortable things you can sit in by the bonfire work better.

Overly ambitious plans. Not a thing to pack, but it works the same way: guests who arrive with a written-out day plan usually abandon it by noon on the first day.

What if you forget something important

The Dino is under a kilometre away, so small gaps are not a problem while it is open. Bigger things can usually be solved on the spot; just ask at check-in.

If in doubt, write to us before your arrival via the contact page. I reply by the end of the day at the latest, and I am happy to suggest what else is worth bringing in your specific case, because the list for a couple in February and for a family with two kids in July does look different.

See the full first-stay guide, the full equipment list or check available dates.