Soaking in Hungary

Spa vacations grow ever more popular, of course, as life's stresses take their damaging effects. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone could ignore the cost and experience the pleasure of a week or more in a full service spa? Most spa vacations are expensive, though, so few are able to take advantage of them. There are exceptions, though. How about a quality spa vacation at unbelievably low rates which also offers "old world" European charm?

These great value spa vacations can be found in central Europe's Hungary! Until about 20 years ago, Hungary languished under under forty years of totalitarian governments and Soviet domination with limited exposure to the West. Hungarians yearned, though, to join their natural and historic friends in western Europe and the end of the Cold War finally opened the doors to this remarkable country. Today, Hungary is a democracy and full member of NATO, allied with the U.S. and the great democracies and free markets of western Europe. Hungary's medicinal waters found in many hot springs and their healing effects have drawn visitors since the legionnaires of the Roman Empire and they justifiably remain a strong draw today. They certainly drew me, my wife, and two women friends for a weeklong vacation we shall not forget for its uniqueness, charm, and inexpensiveness!

Hungary's spas can be found throughout the country but most are located on the shores of Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Europe. The first formal health resort in the area of the lake was built in 1857 in Heviz, 195 kms southwest of Budapest and just 6 kms from the far western end of the lake. Heviz is the second largest warm body of water in the world and is now home to almost a dozen spa resorts, usually large, full service hotels, offering similar spa services and other amenities.

For example, the Danubius Thermal Hotel Heviz is a four star establishment with an indoor swimming pool, two indoor thermal pools (approximately 98 F), whirlpool, steambath (or dampfbad as the Germans call it), sauna, and opportunities to experience several types of massage and, exquisitely, mudpacks using "special" mud drawn from the bottom of Lake Balaton. The hotel also has an inhouse dentist offering some serious dental work for guests and outpatients! Heviz's Hotel Thermal Aqua and Hotel Lotus Therme are similar and perhaps the best in the area but the Lotus is the newest of the three and seems to attract more young adults. Upon arrival in the hotel we found we would have to be examined by the hotel's resident doctor before we could begin the inclusive treatments. He examined each of us individually in his office and wrote out the programs he thought we needed in the week. My schedule included several deep tissue massages, two mudpack treatments, an unterwasser massage, and all the sauna and thermal water bathing I wanted. Sounded perfect to me! My ladies were given similar but not exact the same schedules so we looked forward to the relaxation in the week. We were not disappointed!

You might reasonably ask "what is an unterwasser massage and mudpack?" In an unterwasser massage, the "receiver" floats in a large tub of warm water, holding onto a bar at the end of the tub, while an attendant directs a very high pressure water flow against the muscle masses of the body, being very careful not to direct the hose against tender body parts! Sounds painful and I have to admit I entered the water with some trepidation but it was really quite relaxing. In my mudpack, I lay naked on a table top adjacent to other men on their tabletops while a man and woman packed very warm mud thickly onto my joints, wrapped me in layers of thin cotton blankets, and then left me for about 30 minutes of deep, deep heat into my joints. This was a very, very nice experience! Upon "unwrapping", we used a large shower area in the corner of the room to wash away the Balaton mud.

The hotel was a very casual place throughout the week. Guests moved around the halls, lobby, and dining areas in slippers and hotel-provided bathrobes! It was not unusual to see the dining room at lunch filled with people, all dressed in white terrycloth and going to or returning from their scheduled treatments. The guests generally wore only towels - or less - in the sauna, dampfbad, and outdoor area where nude sunbathing was popular. The dining room offered "half board", i.e., breakfast and dinner were included. Breakfast was similar to most breakfasts in Europe, a buffet of cheeses, meats, breads, jams and meat spreads, muesl, yogurts, etc. There were enough choices for something new every day! Dinner offered international foods and Hungarian fare, of course. The many types of goulash and ways of serving it were fantastic but there were also special diets and low calore choices for those faint of heart!

There were interesting things to do outside the hotel, too. Bicycles were available and several day trips to nearby wineries and museums were offered. Heviz is quite near quaint Keszthely, the oldest town on Lake Balaton and home to a 14th Century Gothic church and the 101-room Festetics Mansion baroque palace and its library with 8,000 rare books established at the end of the 18th Century.

The ladies and I drove into Budapest one day for a fast tour of this majestic, imperial city and Vienna is actually closer to the hotel - at 112 miles - than is Budapest but, of course, an international border is involved in a trip to Vienna. Also, shoppers will want to visit the Herend fine china factory and "outlet" in Herend, about 40 miles northeast of Heviz. This china is equisite and is available for prices better than shoppers will find anyway. Purchases can be shipped to the U.S., of course. Elsewhere, my wife purchased several beautiful and multicolored crystal wine glasses for excellent prices and she thought many Hungarian linens were exceptional, too.

If you need lodging assistance, contact a German travel agent we have used frequently with great success, Mr. Hubertus Rank of the Reise-Profi agency. He can be contacted at email: info@driveeurope.com or hrank@driveeurope.com