Wellness Travel: Danubius Health Spa Resorts in Mariánské Lázně

Wellness and spa travelers will likely have heard of Mariánské Lázně and its probably on their bucket list if they haven’t already been. Located outside Prague in the Bohemian countryside, it is world renowned for its abundance of natural medicinal sources with more than one hundred mineral springs within the wider vicinity of the town and around forty springs in the town itself. All these mineral springs are cold acidulous springs with temperatures between 7°C and 10°C and the springs differ in chemical composition, which obviously affects the impact it has on your body when drinking it, which btw, most of the people who go to this town, do for healing purposes. In other words, it’s part of the experience and why people show up!

You don’t need to be ill or have a medical condition to come to a spa town like this one, for there are plenty of traditional spa treatments you can experience, healthy food you can eat and serene walks you can take that will nourish your soul if you simply want to a little R&R. Meet Marienbad’s original spa experience, which is housed in the Danubius Health Spa Resort (original property) up on a hill with breathtaking views of the town below. One of the most traditional spa buildings in Mariánské Lázně, the hotel faces the town’s colonnade and lush green park, with a spa, swimming pool, restaurant and cafe on-site.  There’s 108 rooms and suites, a WiFi zone (although I managed to connect in my room), laundry service and parking spaces if you decide to rent a car.  And, the building itself is ever so majestic that you feel fabulous just entering its doors.

The hotel rooms at the Centralni Lazne location aren’t as decadent and luxe like as the ones at Hotel Imperial in Karlovy Vary and not as chic as Nove Lazne but they simple and classically lovely!

This is a shot taken from the fourth floor in a sitting area that lies between two sides of the hotel, each hallway leading to its own elevator.

The Health Spas (there are several, but all linked)

The largest and most original spa in the area, they have 24 treatment cabins which have original tilting from the 19th century. The building that the hotel and spa reside in today is the very same location as the original spa building from 1812. There’s also a Premier fitness center with cardio exercise, fitness and exercise equipment on the premises as well. In addition to traditional massages and more relaxing spa treatments, you can sign up for more medicinal ones, such as mineral baths, peat packs, natural dry carbon gas baths, mud treatments, electrotherapy, relaxation, acupuncture, dry carbon baths, mineral baths, on-site mineral springs, gas injections, water treatment and a host of other more intense procedures and therapies depending on your needs. 

At every hotel, Centralni Lazne included, you have a fountain for drinking the thermal waters right on the premises.  You also have access to the original Roman Baths from 1896 with three pools, a whirlpool and bubble baths as well as saunas in three different temperatures, a steam sauna and a sanarium.

Peloids are inorganic and organic pottages, which are used for compresses and wraps. They are made of peat and other mud, which can be found around the springs.  For treatments, you typically have them applied for 20-30 minutes once they have reached the  40°C. Peat wraps are used for treating locomotive system disorders, gynaecologic complaints and respiratory system disorders. Special treatments are offered in the form of peat vaginal tampons, which are used for treating chronic gynaecological inflammations and sterility in women. Yes, really. We actually visited the location that specializes in this very treatment and women apparently come from around the world with hopes of getting pregnant after a series of treatments. Below, a nurse explains the procedure to us in Czech with an English translator. (to avoid confusion, she is not working at the Danubius property but at a facility that specializes in fertility treatments).

Notice how you can walk between properties via underground hallways to go to a wellness, spa, medical or aqua facility at another Danubius property.

Oxygen Therapy @Maria Spa

We had a unique oxygen treatment at the Maria Spa, which was easily walkable from our hotel. They have a few different therapies that deal with natural dry carbon gas, which helps to improve blood circulation, kidney activity and sexual functions, in addition to having an anti-inflammatory effect. It can also be administered via an injection to reduce pain, improve localized circulation and accelerate healing. We didn’t do a treatment that intensive, because many of the more invasive procedures and therapies require a doctor’s referral.

Our group did a simple oxygen experience that involved sitting in a small area where our noses were hooked up to intranasal tubes. A little uncomfy at first, but we quickly got used to it especially as the meditative music started playing. The idea is that you inhale extra oxygen through the tube, all while relaxing in a chair. The air being inhaled is enriched with about 40-60% oxygen at a reasonable level of humidity. An increased supply of oxygen into the body enhances the immune system, improves heart activity and the elasticity of the lungs, helps improve your mind’s efficiency and is meant to be excellent for overall health. Sometimes a vitamin drink is also offered as part of the treatment, although we didn’t consume anything other than water after our oxygen therapy experience.

While we breathed in the oxygen, a video was shown against a smokey transparent screen, sharing the tradition and history of the spa, building and Marianske Lazne itself.

The Roman Baths at Nove Lazne

Who doesn’t love to soak in a bath, especially one with so much decadence and beauty around you? Romanesque statues hide in corners, the tiles are rich in all directions and there’s a touch of elegancy and luxury in the air as you make your way from room-to-room. Between relaxing lounge areas, three saunas, two hot tubs, two Roman baths, a steam room and more, there’s no shortage of things to try out here.

Other Amenities

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Renee Blodgett

Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.

She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.

Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.

Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.