Changes at Caliente Resort

[lohelo]

My wife and I visited Caliente Resort for a few days last fall. Really enjoyed the resort. Planning another visit but it looks like we will be there during what appears to be a swingers event.

Also don't care if there are swingers or any other groups there that are not pure nudists AS LONG AS they don't try to push their lifestyles on us. We enjoyed the nightlife on our last visit but aren't interestd in being propositioned while dancing in the disco on our next visit.

Caliente now has monthly events with swinger groups. AAHZ parties on the weekend. Can anyone who has ATTENDED one of these parties confirm if these are the types of parties where swinging is in the open or does management still maintain some standards.

First hand accounts only please.

Thanks much.

[Tampanude]

Caliente opened as an "upscale true nude" resort. Sadly, to make up for lost revenue it now presents itself as clothing optional and has adjusted it's advertising to suggest more of a "hedo" acceptable clientel than it's original purpose.
to answer your question.... if you advertise it, suggest it, sell it. They will come

As far as "first hand" accounts; we have none.

We only "swing" while exercising

[lohelo]

Thanks. I suppose if no one has been there lately, we may have to be the first.

Will post here if that happens.

[Wcstflyer]

Caliente is a fabulous looking upscale resort that cost a bundle to operate. Unfortunately for a property with such high operational expenses, they cannot continue to bleed red ink. Like Paradise Lakes, Cypress Cove, Desert Shadows and others, there are a finite number of weekends a year that comprise the bulk of tourist oportunities to recoup expenses and hopefully make some money.

Lifestyles type groups have a track record of spending lavishly on food, drink and entertainment; much more than Ma and Grandpappy Kiddlehopper or the Griswalds and their two small kids. This is an unfortunate fact of life.

For the most part the two groups co-exist nicely during the day, especially if the Christian nudists will take a page from the Bible and accept their fellow man and (hint) stay away from the upper terrace conversation pool where some of the most egrecious sexual encounters seem to occur at night. Fate would have it that there always seems to be Al and Peggy Bundy/ swingers extraordinaire occupying the same few square feet of Caliente conversation pool with Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III. Al and Peggy get into a conversation about who has done what with whom, and before you know it Mrs. Howell is complaining "oh lovee, do something! I'm getting hives." The Howells go back to Cleveland and Caliente gets another black eye as Sodom & Gomorrah west.

Believe me folks. The place is still drop dead gorgeous and, minus a restaurant blip when manager Phil Raimondi tragically died of cancer (and the staff had a turnover before chef Seddiq was hired), tourists can't discern any difference in the resort.

[Tampanude]

Caliente

We resided our AANR membrship with Caliente for two years. The promise of a new, truly nude resort embracing the nudist ideal was a great draw. That ideal, however was replaced by $ 8.00 grilled cheese sandwiches and the all too familiar "boutique" appeal of nipple-less lingerie night events, swinger ($$$) friendly meets and conventions.
Too bad, it IS a beautiful location but they are desperately now trying to cover an overspent initiative.
Where once was an ad for the "peppers" ( kid friendly activities) has been replaced by "The worlds best "clothing optional"; resort i.e. hedo


..............Just our observation here in Tampa

[Wcstflyer]

Tampanude, you are right about the $$$$ prices. The last time we were at Caliente the cost sent us scurring to Rapscallion down Land O' Lakes Blvd. (where we had a great dinner) and to Benedetto's on SR 54.

We also can't argue about the low-brow lingerie floating around the nightclub, some of which makes Frederick's of Hollywood look like Rodeo drive. You might be interested that the current Caliente management banished the Under The Sun couple from running the Tijuana tent & flea market in the area behind the pool where a lot of the crotchless panties, nipple clamps, dog collars (et. al) were sold. They are now back in their store near Paradise Lakes where a lightning bolt recently flashed from out of the sky and zapped the establishment. The structure wasn't burned but it fried the building's electrical systems.

Could the Great Kahuna be sending a message? shocked

[Croydon]

Caliente opened as an "upscale true nude" resort. Sadly, to make up for lost revenue it now presents itself as clothing optional and has adjusted it's advertising to suggest more of a "hedo" acceptable clientel than it's original purpose.
to answer your question.... if you advertise it, suggest it, sell it. They will come

As far as "first hand" accounts; we have none.

We only "swing" while exercising

The change to Caliente was bound to happen. Caliente is not just any nudist resort, it is a MEGA nudist resort. It is a large resort, providing many amenities. That being said, it cost a lot of money to maintain the resort and its services. I can not imagine Caliente making a profit on being a nudist resort and that is just what happened. For a resort like that to make profit, they have to have a lot of visitors and not only that, a lot of visitors that actually spend money at the resort (i.e. drinks, massages). They invested a lot of money into the resort and weren't getting much back.

Caliente had to change their business model. They now attract swingers because they spend money. It makes sense. The swinger lifestyle is all about having good time and good time is what Caliente offers. They can dance, spend spend spend on drinks, rooms. Everyone gets to party and have good sex while at it.

[Fuzzy Nuts]

I think the same thing is going to happen to Caliente Caribe (Eden Bay). It seemed to be moving towards a somewhat different lifestyle the last time I was there. That is why I am not returning.

[Tampanude]

Caliente

Well, they can have it. No interest at all in spending our nude dollars there. We enjoy the oh so much less superficial and laid back, Lake Como and the jewel of Florida, Cypress Cove.

[Illinois07]

That's the future of "nudism"

What you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. And traditional nudism is the ship that's going to hit it. Paranoia about pedophilia & exposing kids to nudity is pushing everyone to become "adults only" to avoid trouble, and clubs are turning to DINKs and swingers to stay afloat. I'll bet in 25 years the traditional nudist clubs, with camping, volleyball court and a pool, will be gone, and kids will be banned. And it will be a good thing too with the things that will be going on there.

[Larry1]

I do not know, but if Calinte is pushing for the swinger lifestlye but is advertising as a clothing optional resort and we that practice nudism/naturism has been saying for years that nudism/naturism is not about sex. What kind of message would they be sending by promoting the swinging lifestyle? To me it just reinforce what opponents of nudism/naturism has been saying about our lifestyle for years. I do not have anything against the swinger lifestyle, if it is your thing so be it, I have many friends that are swingers, I just do not think they should be promoting the lifestyle as in a nudism/naturism venue. If I am wrong on this I applogize.

Larry

[Croydon]

I do not know, but if Calinte is pushing for the swinger lifestlye but is advertising as a clothing optional resort and we that practice nudism/naturism has been saying for years that nudism/naturism is not about sex. What kind of message would they be sending by promoting the swinging lifestyle? To me it just reinforce what opponents of nudism/naturism has been saying about our lifestyle for years. I do not have anything against the swinger lifestyle, if it is your thing so be it, I have many friends that are swingers, I just do not think they should be promoting the lifestyle as in a nudism/naturism venue. If I am wrong on this I applogize.

Larry

I think a lot of people are forgetting the fact that Caliente is a business first and a "nudist" establishment second. The first goal and their first priority is to make money followed by fostering the philosophies of nudism.

That business model isn't working for them so they have to change course and find another way to make money. For Caliente, that is catering to members of the swinging lifestyle. The resorts attracts them, and they spend a lot of money when there. They now see that a different clientele will bring profit to the resort. It would be stupid of Caliente to not seize the opportunity. To continue what they are doing for the sake of nudism, it would mean they would have to continue operating the resort at a lost. That can't happen.

It seems, at this point, Caliente is trying to find a balance. They want to remain clothing optional to attract nudists but at the same time, cater to the swingers. I think this balance will not work. You can not have nudism and then cater to swingers, which goes against the philosophy. It just doesn't mesh. What Caliente will have is nudist visitors who are uncomfortable with the sexual atmosphere and tone of the resort and you'll have swingers who don't want to be around "prudes".

I wouldn't be all surprise if Caliente, later on, decides to get rid of the clothing optional. One thing I have learned about swingers is that despite their liberal sexual beliefs and practices, they are not quite comfortable in the nude. Other than wearing "sexy" lingerie and clothing, they really prefer to be covered in some way.

[EricNY]

I think a lot of people are forgetting the fact that Caliente is a business first and a "nudist" establishment second. The first goal and their first priority is to make money followed by fostering the philosophies of nudism.

.

You are right it is a business, and they have a choice. HOWEVER it is wrong if they pose as a nudist location if in fact they are a swinnger location. Honesty in advertising, tell it like it is.

[Wcstflyer]

(Finally some intelligent discussion on the direction of nudist resorts.)

I'm sure in the course of planning nudist resorts there are conceptualizations that emerge in the idealized minds of people without the benifit of a crystal ball to the future. Did Reint Brink ever think his little bit of Eden at Orient Bay would get leveled by a hurricane and force him to re-build the chalets into atomic bomb shelters? Did Steve and Linda over at the Papaguya restaurant think they would eventually gentrify a zone of transition in north Palm Springs on the macro scale of Desert Shadows? Above all, I'm certain that most nudist resort planners in 1980 didn't foresee a precipitious generational drop-off in our lifestyle and the lack of gen x and y nudists to fill the resort coffers. Hence a business model cannot be fixed and survive in the mega-nudist resort business.

When Caliente opened I recall Chuck Foster and Ernie Dubois boldly talking about phase II condos, adding another floor to the hotel and stores in an attractive little Costa del Sol-like shopping plaza with a fountain on the grounds behind the second pool. That is history. The talk now is all about revenue enhancement and widening the nudist/clothing optional umbrella.

A couple of weeks ago when I was in Florida I turned on WDAE 620 (the sports animal) and the Caliente advertisement came wafting out. It was a woman's voice, and for the first few seconds I thought she was inviting me to the Mons Venus or Hooters but no, she was telling me that the hottest place in Tampa Bay- perhaps the entire state of Florida- to watch the Buccaneers football game was the sports bar at Caliente. Now we have a lot of TV's around the bar but the implication was of more, much more. And knowing the demographic of who listens to sports talk radio, I envisioned entire convoys of males 18-29 with 37 cents in their pockets racing up the Dale Mabry with the expectation of seeing nude centerfolds prancing atop the bar rooting for Jon Gruden's gang. Oh boy.

Since this thread is primarily about Caliente I won't get into Paradise Lakes and the fear lurking in some people that John Forier is turning into Godzilla Of Sleepy Hollow. :sneaky:

[NakedGary]

Next AANR will be sanctioning "Sea Mountain Resort" and "Taboo Gardens"

Let face it folks, AANR follows the $$$$, high fashion, night club, and entertainment, thinking $$$$ and more memberships. The minute any Clothing optional, nude, or clothesfree nudist resort opens their doors to the public, and turns their heads to swinging, and explicit activity in common areas, is the time AANR should de-sanction that facility as a family nude recreation facility.

TNS has already told Desert Shadows they are not accepting ads from that facility in the future.

If my home clothesfree club wasn't a 100% AANR facility, I would have seriously considered not renewing AANR member years ago, and staying with TNS. They do much more for their members and nude recreation than AANR. AANR is a club organization not very concerned with the security, privacy, and well being of its members and families in nude recreation.