We visited and relaxed in 4 well known Thermal Spas and Saunas in Europe.
Each has its perks, and we thought it would be nice if you could compare them side by side on a table.
By comparing them, you can decide on which to prioritize on.
Thermal spas come in all shapes and types and to make the most of your experience, you need to find a suitable spa and sauna experience.
These 4 spas with sauna highlight the differences really well and help you understand what to expect.
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What are the 4 Thermal Spas and Saunas?
We have been to several large and small thermal baths with saunas in Central Europe over the years, but the following 4 stand out for various reasons, and these are the ones we will focus on in this comparison.
Each is located in a separate country in Central and Eastern Europe. These areas are generally known for their healing thermal spa culture.
- Gellért Thermal Bath in Budapest, Hungary (Note: Gellért is CLOSED for a 3-year renovation until 2028.)
- Aqua Dome in Tyrol, Austria
- Therme Erding in Bavaria, Germany
- Therme Bucharest, Romania
Comparison
Compare each thermal spa and their offerings side by side.
| Gellért Thermal Bath (CLOSED until 2028 for renovations!) | Aqua Dome | Therme Erding | Therme Bucharest | |
| Location | In Budapest, it's easy to get there by public transport. Don't take a taxi! | In the Alps, only accessible via a winding mountain road. 1 hour away from the Innsbruck airport. Public transport isn't that great in rural Austria. | 1 hour from Munich via car or public transport. Super convenient to access via the public S-Bahn network. | Located just outside Bucharest, 1 hour by car or public transport. Traffic is bad, and public transport isn't the best. |
| Approx. Day Ticket Price per Adult (Thermal +Sauna) | About $30-37, costs are higher on weekends and holidays. | Between $72-129, day tickets and evening tickets are separate, and sauna access can be purchased extra. | You can choose to enter three different areas or all at once. Access to each area costs between $58 and $75 separately. | You can choose to access three different areas or all of them. Entry to each area costs between $26.60 and $43 on its own. |
| Payment | Payment on your arrival. | Payment on your departure exclusively. That means if you enter another area accidentally (e.g., the sauna area), you will see it reflected on the bill at the end. | You pay when you enter for your chosen area, but if you enter another area or buy stuff during your stay, you will be charged for that when you leave. | Payment for your entry on arrival, but if you entered another area or purchased stuff during your stay, you will be charged for that on your departure. |
| Cleanliness | poor | squeaky clean | clean | clean |
| Water type | Natural Thermal Water | Natural Thermal Water | Natural Thermal Water | Natural Thermal Water |
| Aesthetics | Beautiful Budapest Art Nouveau Bellé Epoque Style. | Modern Minimal Look with rocks, glass, and mountains as a theme. | Modern Palm Beach Style with a Bavarian Touch. | Summer Palm Beach style and Colored Pools. |
| Maintenance | Things are falling apart and poorly maintained. | Since 2004, tip-top good maintenance. | Somewhat new. | All new and impeccable! |
| Gellért Thermal Bath | Aqua Dome | Therme Erding | Therme Bucharest | |
| Pool Count | 7 | 12 | 40 | 10 |
| Family Options | None | Limited, one small domed pool area for kids with 1–2 slides. | Large tropical spa water park with some of the best water slides all in one area just dedicated for kids. | The Galaxy area is just for kids and families. It's large, and there is plenty to do. |
| Sauna Types | Access in Bathing Suits | Nude-Only Sauna | Nude-only sauna, but there is a small sauna corner in the VitalityOasis area where you can wear your bathing suit in the sauna. | Access in Bathing Suits |
| Sauna Room Count | Didn't really see them. Apparently, just a small room? | 7 | 35 | 10 |
| Food & Drink | A small, overpriced café/bistro area. | Loved the breakfast buffet in the thermal area, and the bistro in the sauna is great too. | Plenty of different food options, such as Thai. Several bars serving alcoholic drinks are in the water, which is fun. | Similar to Erding in Germany, they have bars in the pools, and you can order drinks while you soak in the hot waters. |
| Special Attractions | The feel of swimming in a long-gone-era pool. | The domed pool area outdoors has themed salt water, sulfur water, and a whirlpool. The exclusive Spa 3000 can be accessed only with a hotel booking. | One area is just for kids, another for adults, and the third is the nude-only sauna area. | An area just for kids, another is beach-themed with a large outdoor sand beach section, and the third area is just saunas. |
| Special Rules | You have to wear a swimming cap in the big indoor swimming pool, and slippers are mandatory. | No photos permitted in the nude-only sauna. Photos are limited in the thermal area. Privacy is top. | No photos permitted in the nude only sauna. | They make you sign a paper at the payment counter that you won't hold them liable for accidents, etc. |
| Connected Hotel | Old world charm, Danubius Hotel Gellért. | Connected Aqua Dome 4 star S hotel. | Hotel Victory 4 stars in the spa area and family area. | No |
| Daily Opening Hours | 9 am to 7 pm | 9 am to 11 pm | Depending on the area and day of the week, 9 am to midnight. | Depending on the area and day of the week, 9 am to midnight. |
I didn't add accessibility for wheelchair users to the list because we are not sure if the facilities are properly equipped.
Each had bathrooms for disabled visitors, and we saw elevators in all facilities except in Gellért Budapest. I recommend contacting each facility for further information.
Photos
Gellért
Aqua Dome
Erding
We don't have pictures because we were in the sauna area, where photography is prohibited. We took one from outside, but it didn't look that exciting.
Instead, I suggest you check out the online 360 Tour of Erding. It will blow you away!
Therme Bucharest
What we liked and didn't like about each Spa
| Pro | Cons | |
| Gellért Budapest | The unique old-world aesthetics the staff in the spa were very helpful and nice (not the ones at the ticket counter, though). The changing rooms can be locked if you book that instead of a locker only ticket. | Filthy, it's crowded (even in summer) people are very loud, nobody respects rules and privacy, influencers film and take pictures in the pools, the place is poorly maintained and falling apart, the price doesn't match what you get. It closes at 7 pm. Honestly, it's a tourist trap, locals do not come here! |
| Aqua Dome | Direct access from the hotel to the facilities, with a separate hotel only spa area called Spa 3000. The location is in the Ötztal Alps in Austria, and you are surrounded by mountains. They uphold rules. | The price, it's expensive! We hate that the day ticket doesn't include the evening hours. It can get crowded on bad or cold days. Parking can be scarce in the garage below the thermal facility. |
| Therme Erding | It's huge, and there is something for everyone! You can book a room on the premises. Phones are not allowed in the sauna, and they crack down on that. | The Therme Erding seems to attract the wrong crowd. Americans staring, Russian Mafia with their girls, and drunk Germans at the pool bar, we have seen it all. You don't get a beautiful view from the spa when compared to other spas in the region. |
| Therme Bucharest | Large beautiful entrance and place, clean and modern, it's like a twin of Therme Erding but at half the price. It's so green in there, with palm trees all over the place. Loved those smaller themed pools with different types of water (mineral, salt, etc). | It's a fashion show. lol We didn't take the sauna access because it's with bathing suits only, as we are used to nude-only saunas. The food that they serve isn't that great. It's massive, but there are not that many pools for the size. |
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