Tiki bars, free Costa and cardboard beds: Inside the insanely bougie 2024 Olympic Village

Watching the Olympics on TV, it is amazing to witness the sporting talent of prestigious athletes from across the world. And for world-class athletes, you would expect that their accommodation throughout the Games would be a world-class place to stay.

The 2024 Paris Olympic village is decked out with loads of cool amenities. Some are even branding the lavish village an “adult summer camp” because of its fun facilities, most of them absolutely free.

However, in spite of its luxurious amenities like a beauty salon, dedicated fitness and mindfulness suites, and tiki bars with DJs, the village has proven divisive in some aspects when it comes to the opinions of its occupants. Most notably, the cardboard “anti-sex” beds have caused some athletes to react with disapproval. Let’s take a closer look inside the 2024 Olympic Village

Free Costa Coffee shop and French bakery

@sportbibleireland

Team Ireland have made it to the Olympic Village! ( @Jennifer Lehane ) #fyp #tiktok #viral #irishtiktok #ireland #irishhumour #olympics2024 #teamireland

♬ original sound – SPORTbible Ireland

As a prestigious Olympic athlete training day in, day out, it’s understandable that a caffeine fix would be needed to replenish your energy and give you that final boost before finishing a session of training. And luckily for the 2024 Olympians, there’s a shop serving free Costa Coffee, available on their doorstep whenever they’d like.

In a recent TikTok posted by Irish boxer Jennifer Lehane, the camera cuts to clips of the Costa Coffee outlet serving hot drinks to athletes. The TikTok also shows viewers the French bakery serving fresh baguettes, which look absolutely delicious. The perks of being in Paris, clearly.

There’s even vibey tiki bars serving non-alcoholic drinks

@dasha_tofu

#olympicvillageparis

♬ original sound – Dasha & Tofu

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Also dotted throughout the village are various tiki bars serving non-alcoholic drinks to athletes. Olympians can quench their thirst at a number of vibey bars throughout the village, some of which have their very own DJs. Viewers have even branded the village an “adult summer camp”, while others have compared the summery bars to the Love Island villa.

The recyclable cardboard ‘anti-sex’ beds

@ilonamaher

I know you all have been waiting for this one @paris2024 @Olympics #olympicvilla #cardboardbed

♬ original sound – Ilona Maher

While staying at the Olympic Village, athletes sleep in recyclable, sustainable, “anti-sex” beds made of cardboard.

In a recent TikTok posted by Great Britain diver and silver medallist Tom Daley, the athlete reveals that the headboard and under bed structures of his bed at the village are comprised of cardboard, before demonstrating the sturdiness of the bed to viewers by jumping up and down and humorously landing on all fours.

Other Olympians, however, have taken testing the beds to the next level… by performing gymnastics and breakdancing, or BMX tricks, on the bed. U.S. women’s rugby player Ilona Maher and her teammates even re-enacted the birth of a “child” on a bed at the village in an entertaining test of the cardboard structure’s stability. Meanwhile, South African cyclist Vincent Leygonie was filmed in a TikTok performing BMX tricks on his bike atop the bed in an ultimate test of the bed’s sturdiness.

However, despite the sustainability and stability of the beds, some Olympians aren’t too pleased with the “comfort factor” of the beds. Gymnast Simone Biles has complained on TikTok that her “bed sucks”, but expressed hope that the imminent arrival of a “mattress topper” would improve the quality of her sleep. Similarly, gymnast Frederick Richard has boasted that he has slept “like a king” since the shipping of a mattress topper to his accommodation at the 2024 Olympic Village.

The hairdressers and beauty salon offering free treatments

@valerievanroon

Had to wash my hair… 🤪 Honestly wanted to grab the freebies but they ran out 🥹 also who tf added this filter 🥲#olympics #paris2024 #olympics2024 #olympicvillage #thingstodointheolympicvillage

♬ Metro boomin “cinderella”type beat – 伴奏 – Type beats to the world

The Paris 2024 Olympics Village also boasts a glamorous hairdressers and beauty salon offering a wide variety of treatments such as hair styling, facial grooming and manicures.

In this TikTok posted by Dutch swimmer Valerie Vanroon, we watch as the athlete takes a trip to the salon to get a free haircut.

Nursery

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A post shared by The Olympic Games (@olympics)

Catering to athletes with children, the Paris 2024 Olympic Village boasts a fully-equipped nursery with play areas and useful supplies for parents such as wipes and nappies. It’s the first time in history that Olympians have had a dedicated space for their children to play at while their parents are staying at their specialist accommodation throughout the Games.

There are fitness and mindfulness centres to decompress

@jessfoxcanoe

Some of the activities & spaces inside the #olympicvillage of #paris2024

♬ Walking Around – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem

For both training and relaxation, the Village boasts a number of vibey suites for athletes to use when they are either gearing up for the Games or winding down from the adrenaline rush. Is this not the coolest place on earth?

A dining hall serving foods from across the world

@tinarahimii_

Replying to @BellaLuna Dining Hall Tour at the Olympic Village! #olympics #olympicvillage #halalfood

♬ original sound – Tina Rahimi

The dining hall at the Paris Olympic Village serves 15,000 athletes from the countries across the globe competing in the Games.

To satisfy the hunger pangs of Olympians from all over the world, the dining hall serves world foods ranging from Asian cuisine, to African-Caribbean food, to traditional French dishes and freshly baked French pastries popular in the 2024 Olympics’ host city.

In this TikTok, Australian boxer Tina Rahimi shows viewers around the dining hall that is predicted to serve 13 million meals throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

An arcade with air hockey, table football and interactive basketball

@sportbibleireland

Team Ireland have made it to the Olympic Village! ( @Jennifer Lehane ) #fyp #tiktok #viral #irishtiktok #ireland #irishhumour #olympics2024 #teamireland

♬ original sound – SPORTbible Ireland

The Olympic Village also boasts its very own arcade to help athletes wind down from the adrenaline rush of competing in the Games. Arcade machines include air hockey tables, table football, and fun, interactive basketball hoop machines. The Irish House even has a slushie machine. Can you imagine anything better than an ice cold slush after winning an Olympic medal?

No French fries, avocado, or champagne are allowed

Despite its various luxurious amenities such as the beauty salon, bars and arcades, there are a few bizarre rules surrounding food and drink that athletes must follow throughout their time staying at the 2024 Olympic Village.

For the duration of the Games, Olympians are banned from consuming French fries, avocado, and champagne. However, this isn’t because the Olympics bosses harbour a personal vendetta against chips and guacamole. Chef Charles Guilloy has simply highlighted that cooking French fries in air fryers poses a fire risk, and cites sustainability concerns for the outlawing of avocados on Olympic Village premises.

Meanwhile, Olympians are banned from consuming champagne anywhere in the village, with Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Villages Laurent Michaud encouraging athletes to sidestep alcohol in favour of “sharing the moment” and discussing “core values about sports” with fellow athletes.

Would you be willing to give up French fries, avo on toast, and glasses of your favourite bubbly for 18 days?

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Featured image via TikTok @ilonamaher and @sportbibleireland