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Marianske Lazne Spa
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a spa vacation in a Czech spa town?
I did a week-long spa package at the historic Hotel Nove Lazne, and found that there’s no better way to learn about European spa culture, improve your health and eliminate stress.
I’m passing on what I learned to you, so here it is: The easy way to spa at Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), Czech Republic.

Spa trip to Marianske Lazne starts out with a bang
Crack! I hit my head on the top of the van as I was climbing in, tumbled back and ended up sitting on the sidewalk. I got up and reeled around for a moment, wondering if I’d done some permanent damage.
It’s not like I have any brain cells to waste.
The young Czech driver insisted on accompanying me to the reception desk at the Nove Lazne Hotel where I was checking in, and explained to the front desk clerk what happened.
I don’t understand Czech, but I appreciated the staff members clucking around me maternally.
Luckily, since I had an appointment with the hotel spa doctor anyway, within five minutes I was having my head checked out in a beautiful historic hotel in the Czech spa town of Marianske Lazne,
Also known as Marienbad, it’s one of the loveliest spa towns in Europe and officially one of the 11 UNESCO Great Spa Towns of Europe.

About Marianske Lazne (Marienbad)
Located in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, near the German border, Marianske Lazne was once patronized by the rich and aristocratic.
Today, while those same grand buildings have been updated, the focus is still on the traditional spa cures based on the town’s abundant mineral-rich springs and natural CO2.

A Spa Vacation for Burnout
Fortunately my head was fine, and I could get to the important business of planning my spa week.
I’d signed up for a week’s spa package at the Hotel Nove Lazne, and seeing the spa doctor helps to customize your treatment schedule.
My main problem was narrowing down all my ailments to decide what to focus on.
Aside from an apparent inability to enter a van correctly, I was perilously close to burnout (thank you very much, social media!), had a bit of stomach indigestion and, let’s see, sore feet.
I also tend to get sore throats in the winter and, as I know the curative waters of Marianske Lazne can be good for respiratory problems, I wanted to engage in some preventative medicine tactics.

Czech Spas: My Weekly Spa Schedule
Doctor Victoria took my complaints in stride. She told me I need to work on my back and shoulders, gave me diet advice and prescribed my week of treatments. These included:
- 3 mineral baths
- 2 partial peat packs
- 2 CO2 gas baths
- 3 inhalations
- 2 partial body massages
She paused. “Do you want gas injections?”

“No!” I say.
I am, if I may say so humbly, pretty adventurous when it comes to extreme spa treatments (unlike extreme sports), and I know that natural CO2 injected just under the skin is said to alleviate joint pain.
Marianske Lazne is famous for the CO2 gas that emerges from the Maria Spring.
I actually tried injections once before in the Czech spa town of Frantiskovy Lazne, but it was years ago and all I remembered were the German women in the waiting area laughing at my fear and swearing the injections reduced back pain.
“Wait, okay,” I said, reconsidering. “Maybe one.”

The Mineral Water Drinking Cure
In addition to my treatments, Doctor Victoria gave me my prescribed drinking therapy. (Sorry, Czech beer lovers, we’re talking mineral water.)
One of the most social things to do in Marianske Lazne is to stroll the colonnades with your cup.
However, with more than 40 springs in Marianske Lazne and all of them different , it’s important to know which ones to drink, when and how much. (Although I do cheat, because I like to sample them all.)
“But please,” said Dr Victoria as if she could read my mind, “not all at once.”

Where to Stay in Marienbad – The 5-Star Nove Lazne Hotel
After seeing the doctor I flopped on my back on my bronze-and-golden bedspread and thought how lucky I was to be staying here.
Reconstructed in 1896 from an older building that dates back to 1812, Nove Lazne is one of the most prominent landmarks in Marienbad.
This makes the fact that I was sleeping in a bathroom so much sweeter. Let me explain.
Nove Lazne, which means New Spa wasn’t built as a hotel but as a bath house. The rooms weren’t hotel rooms originally they were bathing cabins.
From the looks of my high ceilinged room, it’s clear that it is actually two bathing cabins put together, and it’s as grand as can be with a Bohemian crystal chandelier and decor of pale gold.
Sometimes You Should Judge a Hotel by Its Cover
The exterior of the Nove Lazne Hotel is even grander than the interior. It’s a yellow neo-Baroque beauty with white pillars, statues, domes and an overall ambience of elegance and grace, but which somehow also reminds me of a delicately melting ice cream cone.
In fact, a lot of the town makes me think of ice cream and cake (although that could just be because of all the desserts offered every night at the hotel buffet).
Check prices and availability for the Nove Lazne Spa Hotel here.

Ensana Hotels
Today, the Hotel Nove Lazne is an Ensana hotel, which used to be the Danubius Hotels Group.
They have quite a hold on the curative spa vacation market in Marianske Lazne, and in this case it works in your favour.
For example, if you stay in their complex of five interlinked historical hotels you can use the pool and sauna facilities at either the Aqua Wellness Centre at the Hotel Hvezda or the Roman Baths at the Hotel Nove Lazne.
And believe me, one of the absolute highlights of staying in Marianske Lazne is lounging around in Nove Lazne’s Roman Baths.

The Roman Baths in Marianske Lazne
Originally part of the men’s steam room, the Roman Baths built in 1896, stand virtually unchanged.
Their design was inspired by Roman bath houses in Vienna and Hungary, and it does remind me of a smaller more tranquil version of Budapest’s Gellert Baths.
Two richly-tiled pools are surrounded by columns of red Salzburg marble, the richly-painted arches overhead practically transforming a swim into a religious experience.
I spend almost every evening here, soaking up the wellness traditions of the past (not to mention getting over the trauma of gas injections, which, I’ve decided, I really don’t like.)

Dry Carbonated Bath, an Unusual Spa Treatment
Much more to my liking are gas baths.
At the spa in the Nove Lazne Hotel, this entails lying on a treatment bed in a bag that reaches up to your chest, which is then filled with the Maria Spring C02.
While sceptics will scoff, it’s said to improve blood circulation and, by saturating the haemoglobin with oxygen, help regenerate cells for an anti-aging effect. For me, the jury is out.
In the name of curiosity I tried a different type of gas bath over at the Danubius-owned Maria Spa in the Hotel Centralni.
Here it’s a more of a multimedia experience combining oxygen inhalations, film, sound and special effects. It may be a treatment that dates back to 1905, but it’s an updated take on an old tradition.

Exploring Marianske Lazne
A traditional spa cure isn’t a true cure without gentle exercise, so each afternoon I roamed the wooded trails that surround the town, strolled through the landscaped parks or wandered up and down the colonnades, my porcelain drinking cup in hand.
Does it sound boring to you? For me it was renewing – the most gentle way of amusing myself, getting healthy and reducing stress I could imagine.
As my week’s spa vacation came to an end, I wish I hadn’t booked just one week, but two. On my first trip to Marianske I stayed two weeks and it was bliss.
I’ve fallen hard for Marianske Lazne – and not just on the sidewalk getting into of the van, but deep in my spa-loving heart.
Travel Guide for the Easy Way to Apa at Marianske Lazne (Marienbad)
What you need to know before you spa in the Czech Republic:
- Treatments are both shorter and more clinical than spa therapies back home. A massage might be 20 minutes, and it’s about the same for a mineral-water bath. So if you see you have 4 treatments a day, don’t panic and think you’ll be on spa overload.
- Prepare to strip. If you’re going to make the best out of a curative spa vacation, you’ll need to (try) to get over the shock of having to clamber up onto spa beds or get into the shower buck naked – there just isn’t the same attention to um, delicacy, here.
- Don’t expect dimly-lit treatments rooms, four kinds of herbal tea and New Age music. Who needs it when you have mineral water!

Try the Ultimate Mineral Bath in a Royal Cabin
If you really want to get aristocratic you can book a warm mineral bath in Nove Lazne’s Royal Cabin, which was built for King Edward VII himself.
It’s a Fabegre Egg of a bathing suite complete with hand painted tiles, an original tub and an attendant to answer your every beck and call – or at least to run your bath.
There is an extra charge for this and you should book early because it’s very very popular.

Facilities at Nove Lazne
Leisure facilities are extensive at the Hotel Nove Lazne.
On either side of the Roman Baths is a modern sauna room, one where bathing suits are required and one where they’re forbidden, and I only got in trouble once for going into the clothing-free sauna with my bathing suit on.
That’s because the bathing-suit-free side has an irresistible cold plunge pool that’s such an icy shock after the sauna you feel as if you’ve just eaten your own heart. And then you feel wonderful.
There is also a third pool in a different room, with water jets. This is also where you’ll find the hot tub.
Dining at Hotel Nove Lazne
Usually with your spa package you get your meals. People often choose half board, meaning breakfast and dinner, both of which are buffet. Individual dietary needs can be accommodated, such as gluten free or low calorie.
Price of a Marianske Lazne Spa Package
This varies greatly depending on where you stay, what season and what package you choose. The easiest way to spa in Marianske Lazne is to order a spa package through Danubius hotels. You’ll find it’s much cheaper than doing an inclusive week’s spa package back in North America.
It’s also cheaper if you book at least a week’s full spa package.
Spa Packages
I did a Comprehensive Spa Stay. This included accommodations, full board, doctor’s consultation (yes, spa doctors are real doctors) and 24 spa treatments per week in a Double Superior Room.
Spa Holiday Packages
If you’re not ready for quite the full experience, a Relaxing Spa Holiday Package might be just the way to go. Packages like this include accommodation and half board, plus two spa treatments a day, and a doctor’s consultation.
Shorter Wellness Packages
If you’re really after just a sampler, that can be accommodated, too. Check the website for current offers.
Hotel Hvezda, a Danubius hotel in Marianske Lazne – Photo: Carol Perehudoff
How to Save on a Spa Package in Marianske Lazne
While spa vacations in the Czech Republic are more affordable than in many countries there are a few ways to save even further.
- If you stay 3 weeks you’ll usually save. This may seem crazy long to you, but the best length for a spa cure is 3 weeks.
- Winter discounts, you can often get discounts in low season.
- Opt for half board (breakfast and dinner) instead of full board.
- Stay at a 4-star instead of a 5-star and get similar privileges. I’ve also stayed at the Hotel Hvezda, which is connected to the complex of 5 interlinked spa hotels in Marianske Lazne. Modern inside, it’s got one of the most eye-catching facades of any hotel in town. The 5 linked hotels are: 4-star superior Hotel Hvezda, 5-star Nove Lazne, 4-star superior Centralni Lazne, 4-star superior Maria Spa and the 4-star superior Imperial.
There is more to do here than spa. Check out things to do in Marianske Lazne.
Full disclosure: I fell hard for the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary, too, but I blame that on high heels and cobblestones.
Disclosure 2: This trip was subsidized by Czech Tourism, though my previous visits weren’t, and I loved Marianske Lazne equally both times. (Just maybe not the gas injection, but I’m still game for trying them again.)
Resources: To book spa packages, get hotel information and learn about the various spa cures in Marianske Lazne visit the Danubius website. The Czech Tourism Board has an excellent website with travel stories, travel guides and plenty of travel tips.
For more info on Europe read Top Destinations in Europe or visit my Europe Travel category page.
Just as well you had an appointment with the spa doctor right away :-). What a fabulous place to destress! Looks SERIOUSLY lovely…
We need to do a couples’ trip to Marienbad, Becky.
Sounds amazing Carol. I would love to do this.
I can totally see you enjoying those Roman Baths, Carmen.
Oh wow, look at those Roman baths! I’d love to treat myself to a spa weekend sometime soon. Great post and photos, thanks for sharing :)
What a luxurious vacation. I think I need it, too! You must be stress-free now!
Thanks, Etsy! I agree, a Czech spa is a unique experience.
Wowwwww I’ve been to a lot of spas but they don’t even come close to what you’ve experienced here! This is truly exquisite and looks made for royalty!
Hi Alex, Thanks for writing. There is nothing like a massage for aching shoulders (unless it’s a gas injection, haha.) Yes, the nurse injects the natural CO2 just under the skin. I think I’m going to write a post just about Czech spa treatments since there are so many questions about them!
Yes, the full comprehensive spa package isn’t for everyone, Robson. I considered the 3-night Royal Spa Package as well, it would be a lot of fun as you get to have a bath in King Edward VII’s private bathing suite.
Marianske Lazne is a great escape, Claire. It’s so pretty just to walk around from fountain to fountain.
The Nove Lazne Hotel was lovely, and I like the Hotel Hvezda a lot as well. I’m glad I could open your eyes to the wonderful world of Czech spa culture, Megan.
Treatments in Marianske Lazne and other Czech spa towns are very short, so it doesn’t take all day, Christina. So yes, you’re meant to have that many procedures if you’re doing a comprehensive spa stay, but if you don’t want to, that’s perfectly fine, too. Usually treatments are done in the morning, you have afternoons to sightsee, read, walk, etc.
Thanks, Vanessa. Yes, I think you would have loved the Royal Cabin experience in Marienbad. Next time! Laughed out loud at your words, ‘the concrete struggle is real.’
Well, this is just gorgeous! We were in the Czech Republic just the other month and it sounds like we missed out. I would have LOVED the King Edward bathing experience.
For what it’s worth, I once tripped over absolutely nothing in the middle of the day in Galway, Ireland, and battled it out with the pavement in front of a group of grannies. The concrete struggle is real!
This is a useful guide on how to tackle a spa town. It actually sounds rather daunting! Especially being “gassed”. I didn’t realise you’re meant to have so many treatments in a week. Is that normal or are you super keen on spa treatments?
Thanks for the tips on how to save – I’m so glad your head is ok!! I had actually never heard of a spa town before – sure, spa hotels, but a town renowned for it’s treatments is new to me. As are the concept of gas injections. Learning so much from you today!! Nove Lazne Hotel sounds lovely, and I will definitely book to stay when we manage a trip to the Czech Republic again :)
Using actual roman baths is on my bucket list! This looks like a perfect place for a little escape 😊
For the baths and massages I’m in. CO2 injections I’ll skip.
Not sure if I would stay that long, I get bored too easy, need more action. The 3 nights package sounds perfect to me :)
:o this spa looks divine! Totally reeling with envy right now as I massage my aching shoulders.
Not sure about gas injections, though. I had no idea those existed… it’s literally injecting carbon dioxide with a needle under your skin?