Bathing in a bubbling ton with beer. Wellness with tap at your fingertips. Bacchus in Prague – a dream for every man! But Czech Republic clearly has much more to offer wellness. Previous we visited the Bohemian Carlsbad and Marienbad, with their mineral drinking culture (read the article!). Now the focus was on the beautiful medieval, and almost village-like Prague. Conclusion: Prague has No large spa tradition, but the hotels are creative. The use of the local (medieval) entourage and Asian influences prevail. But the great entrepreneurs turn out to come from abroad. De Tsjechen zijn echte volgers. Over bier-spa’s, medieval cellars, dr. Fish and Balinese massages on the Vltava River.
Beer-spa, How does it work
A beer-spa is especially: fun. It should be fine for the skin, but we have not received real proof! Czech Republic has a piece or four beer spas (either: Pivni Lázne). Finally, here in the city invented Pilzn invented the beer. We find a beer-spas. at the Chodovar brewery in southern Bohemia, in the historic centre of Prague and in Tabor, 150 km zuidelijk van Praag. So there there is always one near. De bekendste bierspa van Tsjechië is natuurlijk ZOTO in Praag (known of farmer seeks wife), so we visited another, in the Dvorak hotel, in de stad Tabor. Voorafgaand aan het bier-bad worden we door een vriendelijke mevrouw naar de sauna gestuurd: dat reinigt de huid en opent de poriën. Het eigenlijke bier-bad bestaat uit een houten ton met bronwater van 32 gr. to which extracts are added with ingredients from hops, yeast and cereals. While bathing (nude because the air would not go out of the swimwear!) stand a beer and tap at your fingertips. "And also occasionally throw a glass of beer in the bath ", It sounds encouraging. Here is not on a beer more or less looked!
All the Hubble bubble caused a thick greenish foam layer. "And remember: na afloop 12 uur niet douchen”, horen we als we na 20 minuten het bad weer uitklimmen. We are then lovingly wrapped in a blanket and laid in a bed of straw to enjoy and to be drowsy. Highly recommended!
Hotel Dvorak is located in the historic Tabor. It's a real Congress-hotel: many rooms, rooms for buffets, and thus for the ordinary tourist maybe some less suitable. After a day of meetings in the sauna, just swim or relax in the beer-bath goes fine, but for the pampered Spa tourist are the spa areas actually know what illogical far apart.
Wellness in medieval cellars
Prague has a rich history. The historic charming city centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The huge high-altitude fortress from the 9th century, de beroemde Karelsbrug uit 1300 en de vele pleinen en straatjes stralen een middeleeuwse, almost village-like atmosphere. Many hotels and restaurants still have original (or restored) Vault-wine cellars. This makes the Lily Spa van het 5-sterren hotel Hoffmeister dankbaar gebruik. Een eeuwenoude natuurlijke leisteen grot is hier het trotse middelpunt van de spa. In de leisteen grot bevindt zich het stoombad. The steam is made with an old squeaky mechanical device, that basalt blocks and then heated in a oven automatically siphoned to lower them hissing in a copper bowl of water. Dit herhaalt zich elke 5 minuten. The result is a delicious moist heat, without that there is too much steam. Het is geen sauna en het is geen Turks stoombad. Precies er tussenin!
Also the rest room seems like a slate cave, but upon further inspection is artificial ... That's too bad. In addition to the fun, of course, there are many modern steam bath treatments. The aroma-massage that was offered me was very relaxing. But on the list of treatments are at Lily Spa also body-wraps, peels, hot-stone and other treatments. The staff is well educated: my therapist was educated in Scotland and so speaks perfect English.
Grand Hotel & Spa Alchymist
Very different, Eastern influences, we see the next day at the luxurious 5-star superior Grand Hotel & Spa Alchymist (travelers choice 2011 of tripadvisor). It is one of the most luxury hotels in the old town. The beautiful baroque and Italian rococo radiates towards us. We have an appointment with Ayman Hamid. He is operation manager, coming from Egypt and educated in Italy. It is a cheerful conversation. "I love you peanut sauce", Ayman verlelt. Hij blijkt 7 talen te spreken, and then he counts its best nice knowledge of the Dutch haven't even with it. Hotel Alchymist is of an Italian family. "Our Director was ever hit in Indonesia and there totally impressed with the Javanese and Balinese culture. And also of the incredibly expert massages ", tells a bit look like Ayman out there our rapper Ali B. "That's why you see so many Asian influences in our hotel next to all Baroque. Also in the Escotica Spa & Health club ".
During the tour, we see that the spa is divided into two: on the one hand a classic Roman bath and on the other hand an Indonesian spa. And everything is original! Even the beautifully carved heavy hardwood doors and panels are imported from Indonesia. Ayman: "We are close to the US Embassy and have regular well-known ministers and diplomats in the spa. Rest, personal attention and privacy are so very important, ". Tijdens de rondgang spreken we met Ineke uit Djakarta en Neny uit West Java. "In Indonesia I have of my mother and grandmother all knowledge learned about treatments.
From them I learned to feel where someone has problems. Strong massaging certain spots on the hand improves for example neck-complaints. This knowledge is about from generation to generation ". Ayman onderstreept dit en geeft aan dat Ineke hem elke ochtend ‘behandelt’ voor hij naar zijn kantoor loopt. "All those Thai massages here in Prague are usually given by Vietnamese masseurs. But here in Alchymist Grand Hotel, we offer only the best. From Indonesia itself!”. Other luxury treatments are the Cleopatra bath (that we are not so very often encounter), body wraps, anti-aging and aromatherapy.
Balinese massage and dr. Fish
Remarkably often, we see Thai massage parlors in Prague. And although the free sexual morality of the Czechs is known, the Thai massage parlours in Prague yet really to the classic Oriental massage. The salons offer besides more than massages. On the Wenceslas square (known for opposition to communism) we see a Thai massage parlor with real dr. Fish treatments! The aquarium is a part of the window display! Feet in it, and a lot of astonished spectators on the street! Now that's prima marketing. Product lines that are used are internationally and of high quality. Remarkable are the omnipresent beauty products from the Spanish brand Alquimia. Never before we saw this brand so present in the top segment of the health resorts.
Good and cheap
Hotel facilities: the Czech Republic is an attractive country. And even in Prague are the prices very reasonable: a pint of beer for a euro, een heerlijke maaltijd voor 10 euro. We also see the low prices at the wellness treatments, though the difference in that industry less extreme. € 80 euros for a treatment of an hour in a 5-star hotel is not expensive. En iets meer dan €100 voor een behandeling van 2 uur is ook niet gek.
Text: Arjan Mulder
- More info/photo ’ s: Czech Tourist Office, ZOTO beer Spa, Beer Spa Hotel Dvorak, Lily Spa – Hotel Hoffmeister, Escotica Spa – Grand Hotel Alchymist
- View the locations on the map
