Lifestyle events guide · By JoinTheSwing Editorial · Updated October 23, 2026
Lifestyle conventions and hotel takeovers: how they work.
A lifestyle convention is a multi-day, organiser-run event in a host hotel, with sessions, mixers and parties. A hotel takeover is a group filling all or most of a hotel or resort for a themed week. A cruise charter is a sailing run by an operator for lifestyle guests, and a club night is one evening at a venue. All four are adults-only, rules vary by organiser, and nobody has to take part in anything.
Convention vs takeover vs club night
Four formats that get called the same thing.
Search results use the words interchangeably, but they are different purchases. What follows describes the usual shape of each; the organiser's own page always wins.
| Format | Usual shape | What you book | Who sets the rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convention | Several days, usually based in a host hotel, built around the organiser's own programme. | A pass from the organiser; on the Naughty N'awlins page, hotel rooms are billed separately by the hotel. | The organiser, plus the hotel's own policies. |
| Hotel or resort takeover | A themed weekend or week in which one group fills all or most of a property. Hedonism II describes one of its group weeks as a "supercharged takeover". | A room at the property, sometimes with extras booked through the group. | The property and the group together. |
| Cruise charter | A sailing for lifestyle guests, with theme nights, entertainment and designated areas set out in the operator's rules. | A cabin on the sailing, through the operator or, where it lists them, certified partners. | The operator's published house rules. |
| Club night | One evening at a fixed venue with standing house rules. | Entry for that night, or a membership at the venue. | The venue (and local law). |
The practical difference is who you share the building with. At a convention or takeover the lifestyle group is the occasion, so the whole property or a large part of it is part of the event. At a club night the venue sits in an ordinary city, and the event ends when the doors close. For a definition of a takeover, see hotel takeovers explained. Our answers on hotel takeover vs lifestyle club night, what happens at a hotel takeover and house party vs club night go into each format in turn.
What the programming looks like
What organisers say is on the programme.
Everything below is how the organisers describe their own events. We have not attended them, and a programme can change from one year to the next.
- Parades, parties and signature nights
Naughty Events names Naughty N'awlins and Naughty Halloween as its signature events and says it hosts “two of the Naughty-est conventions in the world, every year in New Orleans”. The one programme item its page details is the Sexual Freedom Parade through the French Quarter, which it describes as free to attendees and locals (Naughty Events (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23).
- Workshops, theme nights and play areas
Bliss Cruise lists theme nights, meet & greets, live entertainment, workshops, pool parties and multiple play areas (Bliss Cruise (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Temptation lists exclusive workshops and entertainment, pool parties and theme nights (Temptation Cruises (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). The pages we read do not publish a session-by-session timetable.
- Named event weeks at a resort
Hedonism II lists named signature events on its home page and a separate Groups page for group weeks (Hedonism II (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). It presents Hedo Swing Breakers as a “lifestyle party week” for couples and throuples aged 19 to 45 with a 5-night minimum stay for its 2027 week, and notes that another group welcomes outside guests (Hedonism II groups (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23).
The pattern across all three is a mix of the social and the scheduled: themed nights, entertainment, workshops and pool time, with any play areas separate and clearly named. Our first-timer convention answer covers the day-to-day rhythm in more detail. For the cruise and resort versions of the same idea, see the Bliss Cruise, Temptation Caribbean Cruise and Hedonism II destination guides.
A New Orleans example
Naughty N'awlins: what its organiser and one agency say.
Naughty N'awlins is a New Orleans convention that comes up often in searches, and it shows how much the label depends on the organiser. Naughty Events calls its parade “the world's largest celebration of human sexuality” and its home page lists two conventions a year in the city (Naughty Events (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Those are the organiser's own claims; we have not verified attendance or ranking, so we do not repeat either as fact.
The organiser's own event page gives the booking shape: it describes the event as for couples over 21, says it holds every room at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel and the NOPSI Hotel for its stay window, and says hotel rooms are billed separately by the hotel you select and that its packages do not include meals or drinks (Naughty N'awlins event page (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). A travel agency's listing adds an ID-matching requirement and a travel-insurance recommendation; those are the agency's claims, not the organiser's, so confirm them with the organiser before you pay.
The parade is a public street event in the French Quarter, which is a different setting from a hotel function room: city rules on public conduct apply there, and this guide is not legal advice. For the wider city, including the venues we list, see our New Orleans lifestyle guide.
Dress and behaviour
Dress and behaviour: what the published rules actually say.
- Consent comes first
Where an operator publishes rules, consent is the first one. Temptation's house rules say consent is fundamental in every interaction and that a refusal must be respected (Temptation house rules (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23); Bliss says participation is always guided by comfort and consent (Bliss Cruise (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23).
- Dress depends on the space
Dress is set per area, not per event. Temptation asks for appropriate attire in dining venues and in areas that are not au naturel (Temptation house rules (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). For the New Orleans parade, the organiser's guidance is to “dress sexy and fun” (Naughty Events (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23); for the convention itself, its event page describes four themed dances, “sexy more formal dress” as the usual standard for dinner, and no nudity in public areas including hallways, balconies and elevators (Naughty N'awlins event page (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Ask the organiser for the current code instead of assuming one.
- Cameras are restricted in the most private areas
Temptation bans cameras, phones and recording devices, smart glasses included, in au naturel and top-optional areas, the playtime room and at theme nights (Temptation house rules (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Never photograph or film another guest without asking, whatever the event.
- Do not pressure anyone
Temptation's rules describe its natural and top-optional areas as "without pressure" and ask guests to let others go at their own pace. A shared hotel corridor or lobby at a convention is no different: a friendly hello is an introduction, not an invitation.
Booking and room blocks
Booking: passes, room blocks and what to confirm.
This is the part that costs money if it goes wrong, so it is worth reading the organiser's terms twice.
- Find the organiser's own channel first
Naughty Events' own Naughty N'awlins page takes registration through a Book Now button or by phone (Naughty N'awlins event page (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Treat third-party pages, including this one, as a map to the organiser, not a substitute for it.
- Pass and room are separate
The Naughty N'awlins page says hotel rooms are billed separately by the hotel you select, and that its packages do not include meals or drinks. It also says it holds every room at the Astor Crowne Plaza and the NOPSI Hotel for its stay window (Naughty N'awlins event page (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). A room block is a set of rooms a hotel holds for a group; other organisers may bundle the room into the price, so check what each total covers.
- Match names, ages and ID
Naughty Events says couples over 21 are welcome at Naughty N'awlins, and it also sells passes for poly triads (Naughty N'awlins event page (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23); a travel agency's listing adds, as its own claim, that attendees need valid identification matching the names used at registration (Unchained Travel (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23); Temptation lists its cruise as 21+ (Temptation Cruises (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23); Hedo Swing Breakers is for ages 19 to 45. Minimum ages differ by operator and by group.
- Beware impersonators
Temptation warns of identity-theft scams, urges guests to verify the authenticity of anyone contacting them and, for third-party bookings, to look for the Original Group Certified Partner's Badge (Temptation Cruises (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). The principle applies everywhere: pay through the organiser's published channel, not a stranger's message.
- Insure what you cannot get back
A travel agency's Naughty N'awlins listing says travel insurance is strongly recommended in case plans change, which is the agency's recommendation, and it does not describe refund terms (Unchained Travel (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Ask for cancellation and deposit terms in writing before paying.
Our convention booking checklist lists the questions to put to any organiser, and are event deposits refundable? explains why the answer is in the organiser's terms rather than any general rule.
Safety and consent
Safety and consent at a large event.
Large events are mostly strangers, so the habits that keep you comfortable are simple. Agree with your partner before you arrive what is on and off the table, and agree a signal for leaving. Pace any drinking so you can still make clear decisions. Keep your own room key and your own travel plan, and tell someone outside the event where you are staying.
On sexual health, the NHS advises using a new condom every time you have sex and not using oil-based lubricant with latex condoms (NHS (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). The CDC notes that many STIs have no symptoms or only mild ones, so a person can have an infection without knowing it, which is why testing matters if you are sexually active (CDC (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-23). Our guide to STI testing covers what to ask for.
Consent does not travel with a badge, a wristband or a yes from earlier in the evening. Our guides to consent and saying no and safety and privacy cover how to say no, how to respect one, and what to do when someone does not.
Where the calendars live
Where each organiser publishes its calendar.
Event dates go stale quickly, so this page lists none. It points to where each organiser publishes its own, as the pages read on October 23, 2026.
| Organiser | What it runs | Dates and booking | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naughty Events (opens in a new tab) | Two signature conventions, Naughty N'awlins and Naughty Halloween, in New Orleans. | Published on its Naughty N'awlins page. | Its own site; do not rely on an agency or a roundup. |
| Bliss Cruise (opens in a new tab) | Couples-only adult lifestyle cruise; each sailing has its own theme. | The home page lists its upcoming sailings with their dates, and a Reserve button links to its registration page. | Its own registration page. |
| Temptation Cruises (opens in a new tab) | Adults-only (21+) cruise with pool parties, theme nights and workshops. | Reservations by phone or through its My Reservations link, or via an Original Group Certified Partner. Its home page lists upcoming sailings by month, each with its own page. | Its own site and house rules page. |
| Hedonism II (opens in a new tab) | Adults-only resort with named signature events and a Groups page for group weeks. | Event weeks are listed on the resort's own pages; ask the resort for your stay dates. | Its home and Groups pages. |
Other conventions exist, and some long-running ones have changed hands or stopped running. We have only listed organisers whose own pages we could open for this guide, so the table is a starting point, not a complete directory.
Choosing your first one
Which format suits a first time?
A club night is the lowest commitment: one evening, a fixed set of rules and a short ride home. A takeover or convention asks for days and a trip, which rewards couples who already know their limits and have used a smaller event to practise saying them aloud. Whichever you pick, choose the one where you can leave without losing a week of holiday, and book the room on terms you could walk away from. Our answer on choosing between event formats compares them on comfort, cost, privacy and goals, and the lifestyle events explainer covers the rest of the range.
Common questions
Lifestyle conventions and takeovers, answered plainly.
What is a swingers or lifestyle convention?
A lifestyle convention is a multi-day, adults-only event run by an organiser, usually based in a host hotel. It typically mixes scheduled sessions, social mixers and parties, with time in shared hotel spaces. Programming, access rules and who may attend vary by organiser, so the organiser's own site is the reference.
Is a hotel takeover the same as a convention?
Not quite. A takeover is a lifestyle group or organiser filling all or most of a hotel or resort for a themed week or weekend, so the property itself is the venue. A convention is built around an organiser's programme and often uses a hotel only as its base. In practice the two overlap, and organisers use the words loosely.
Do you have to be a couple to attend?
It depends entirely on the event. Bliss Cruise describes itself as couples-only, Naughty Events describes Naughty N'awlins as for couples over 21 and also sells passes for poly triads, and Hedo Swing Breakers is, for its 2027 week, for couples and throuples aged 19 to 45. Other events and venues differ. Read the event's own eligibility line before paying.
Do you have to take part in everything?
No. A ticket buys access, not agreement. Organisers that publish conduct rules put consent first, and you can watch, talk, skip a session or leave at any time. A no needs no explanation, and a good organiser expects guests to accept one straight away.
Is the Sexual Freedom Parade open to the public?
Naughty Events describes its Sexual Freedom Parade, in New Orleans' French Quarter, as free to convention attendees and locals. It is held in public streets, so city rules and the organiser's own guidance apply. This guide is not legal advice, and a street event is a different setting from a private party.
How far ahead should you book?
There is no universal answer, and no organiser quoted here states a deadline. The practical rule is to check the organiser's own site for open dates and cancellation terms, ask in writing about anything unclear, and book rooms and travel only on terms you can afford to lose if plans change.
Editorial methodology
Where the claims on this page come from.
Every claim about a named organiser, resort or cruise restates what that organiser's own page said when we read it, except two Naughty N'awlins lines (ID matching and travel insurance), which come from a travel agency's listing and are labelled as such. Programmes, rules, dates and prices change: confirm the current terms on the organiser's own site before booking.
Sources checked October 2026
Naughty Events
Naughty Events (organiser home page)
Its description of Naughty N'awlins and Naughty Halloween as its signature events, its line that it hosts "two of the Naughty-est conventions in the world, every year in New Orleans", the Sexual Freedom Parade (French Quarter, described as free to attendees and locals, with "dress sexy and fun" guidance) and its adults-only cruises and resorts. The page lists no convention dates; the dates for Naughty N'awlins are on its own event page, below.
Naughty Events
Naughty N'awlins (organiser's event page)
Its own wording on who the event is for ("Couples from all walks of life, age (over 21) … are welcome"), that it holds every room at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel and the NOPSI Hotel for its stay window, that hotel rooms are billed separately by the hotel you select, that packages do not include meals or drinks, its four themed dances and "sexy more formal dress" for dinner, its rule of no nudity in public areas and its Book Now or phone registration. The dates it publishes are not repeated here.
Unchained Travel
Naughty N'awlins (travel agency listing)
A travel agency's listing, not the organiser's own site. Used only for two lines that are the agency's own claims: that attendees need valid identification matching the names used at registration, and its recommendation of travel insurance.
Bliss Mgt, LLC
Bliss Cruise
Its own description as "a couples-only adult lifestyle cruise", the programming it lists (theme nights, meet & greets, live entertainment, workshops, multiple play areas, pool parties) and its statement that participation is "always guided by comfort and consent".
Temptation Cruises
Temptation Cruises
Its adults-only (21+) requirement, the workshops, entertainment, pool parties and theme nights it lists, and its warning about identity-theft scams, with the advice to look for the Original Group Certified Partner's Badge when booking through a third party.
Temptation Cruises
Temptation Cruises house rules
Its rules on consent, its description of the natural and top-optional areas as "without pressure" with guests asked to let others go at their own pace, appropriate attire in dining venues and non-au-naturel areas, and no cameras, phones or recording devices (including smart glasses) in au naturel and top-optional areas, the playtime room and at theme nights.
Hedonism II
Hedonism II
Its description of the resort as adults-only, "Lifestyle friendly, Clothing-Optional", and the "Sexy Specials & Signature Events" section that lists named event weeks. Dates are not repeated here.
Hedonism II
Hedonism II groups
How the resort presents group weeks: Hedo Swing Breakers as a "lifestyle party week" for couples and throuples aged 19 to 45 with a 5-night minimum stay (for its 2027 week), a group that welcomes outside guests, the note that some special activities may mean booking directly with the group, and the line to contact the resort or your travel agent for the dates of your stay.
NHS
Condoms
Use a new condom every time you have sex, no oil-based lubricant with latex condoms, and where to get urgent help if a condom splits or comes off. Page last reviewed 26 January 2024.
CDC
About Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
That many STIs have no symptoms or only mild ones, so people can have an infection without knowing it, which is why testing matters. Page dated March 25, 2024.
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