The Olympic Games are one of the most exclusive and prestigious sporting events, but this status does not always translate into everyday life. As for overnight accommodations, the athletes say the atmosphere is more “college dorm” than “luxury hotel.”
Curiosity about what athletes’ bedrooms actually look like came to a head during Tokyo when social media was flooded with cardboard videos “anti-sex” beds., and once again in the lead in Paris. This year, the big controversy was that air conditioning was missing from the Olympic Village facilities (except, well, until Team USA announced it would be bringing its own.)
To find out what it’s really like to wind down and wake up in the genteel village, we connected with Olympians and Paralympians for their thoughts on how it crashed before and after the race.
1. You will probably need to get comfortable with (new) rooms….
“Depending on how big your team is, you might just be with them or with people from other sports. I’ve roomed with baseball players, trampoline kids, rowers. it depends on the schedules. They generally put two people in a room, although some rooms only have one person. You have a small living room and a bathroom or two, then maybe you can see where a small kitchen will go once the athletes leave. Almost every building we stayed in would be converted into real apartments, so they would be set up like apartments and not like a hotel room.” —Brady Ellisonarcher who competed in Beijing in 2008, won silver in London in 2012, silver and bronze in Rio in 2016 and competed in Tokyo in 2020
2. And stay comfortable with them.
“We have 13 athletes that make up our roster and so we were split into seven and six into two different divisions. You live with this group of six or seven for a full two weeks. Unlike a hotel, there is a common room, like a living room where everyone should be together. It feels more like home in a way. We play bananagrams and card games to pass the time in the evenings and relieve stress.” —Maddy Musselmanwater polo player who won gold in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020
3. Your neighbors can make it difficult to rest.
“In London, we were across the court from the Italians, and they would drink espresso at night and stay up all night smoking in the court. Usually, the weather in England is not very hot, so they didn’t put in air conditioning. But they had a heat wave so our windows were open and smoke would come in at night.” —April Rossbeach volleyball player who won silver in London 2012, bronze in Rio 2016 and gold in Tokyo 2020
4. So no, you won’t have total silence.
“You live in a dorm where you can hear through the walls. it’s a tiny bed and you share the bathroom with six people.’ —Maggie Stephenswater polo player who won gold in London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020
5. The beds themselves are getting greener—and if you’re really tall, you might get a separate one.
“In Beijing, I remember having normal beds with a bed frame. But after that, everything is made from recycled material in a way that makes it greener. They still have a normal mattress on them, but just the bed frame can be recycled wood or cardboard. Big big athletes—like your big throwers—might get a special bed because they’re human monsters that need more than 1.5 feet. —Ellison
6. You must definitely bring your own sleeping comforts.
“It’s not like you go to a hotel where you turn on the AC or the heat, or you go downstairs and ask for extra pillows and you can get more shampoo. You try to think about the things you might need as an athlete and as a person and prepare for that. I’ll bring melatonin or an eye mask, because usually the curtains aren’t that dark. It’s probably going to be super hot in Paris, so I’m sure I’ll get a fan. If you forget something, get creative and talk to your friends or talk to Team USA. they are really helpful.” —Stephens
7. There are very comfortable Olympic quilts that you will want to pinch.
“In Tokyo and Rio, we got an Olympic quilt, this nice quilt with the Olympic rings on it. Everyone took it home and in Rio I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t have room for this.’ So I left it there and regretted it. I made sure to take it to Tokyo.” —Lake Morganhigh jumper who competed for Great Britain in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020
8. You might beckon some tantalizing smells—and a crowd.
“In Rio, we had a balcony overlooking McDonald’s. The McDonald’s line was so long—everyone wants free McDonald’s. So people would come to our balcony and look out the window and see how long the line is.” —Lake
9. All your stuff will take up almost your entire room.
“You want to be prepared at the Olympics—you’re going to be doing interviews and going to sponsor houses, so you’re not just bringing your race gear. You bring dresses, you bring other clothes. We had three huge bags each and our room was so full of stuff we could barely move around. Add it all up and it was hard to sleep in London’s Olympic Village, I will say.” — Ross
10. There could some mergers are made.
“I almost feel like it’s become something like a well-known joke of the Olympics where you talk about all the condoms. Maybe it does. I’m sure it probably is; I never came across it.” —Des Lindenmarathon runner who competed in London 2012 and Rio 2016
11. And definitely parties, but, no, your schedules won’t all sync up for you to enjoy.
“In 2016 we were in apartments with track and field athletes, but in the next one there could be a swimmer who has already finished the games. And there is only party. Sometimes it’s a bit difficult, trying to sleep during it.” —Marta Pen Frietasmiddle distance runner who competed for Portugal in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020
12. But with the right mindset, you can probably get away with it.
“You could say the beds in Tokyo were made of cardboard, but they were so comfortable. I slept great in Tokyo. I am so grateful to have had amazing roommates and the positivity of the people in your room adds so much to the experience. It’s not perfect, and yet if you can see it [an] experience, you can still sleep well. You can make the most of it.” —Susana ScaroniParalympic wheelchair runner who competed in London 2012, Rio 2016 and won gold and bronze in Tokyo 2020
The interviews have been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
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