C'était une belle expérience. J'ai été à Balnea Spa en plein hiver. C'est tellement agréable les changements de température, les eaux chaudes, les eaux froides, les chambres à vapeur, l'accueil, les plats. Vraiment tout est amusant là bas.
I love Balnea. Everyone is super pleasant. The only thing I wish is that they had more casual food in addition to their dinner entrees. I would prefer a salad or a ham & Brie on a baguette like they used to have Also, if they sold hot chocolate or hot apple cider in the winter.
Summary: clean, pleasant, good view-the large infinity hot tub is a real pleasure-but get someone to give you a tour when you show up, or you will be wondering if there is something you missed. I'm torn because on one hand, we had a lovely time, & there are lots of different areas & things to do, but on the other hand, there were a bunch of tiny things that sort of added up. Is it worth visiting? Yes, please go & have fun! I'm glad I went...but next time I'm looking for a short trip out of the city, I might try somewhere else. Made a reservation through a local hotel. We were interested in seeing if there was any last-minute availability for a treatment. The hotel called on our behalf-it's part of the promotion they offer-but the hotel staff said that they were unable to get a call back. We eventually gave up & just made the hotel reservation for the day so that we could keep our room. A number of reviewers seemed to have issues with the noise, but this absolutely wasn't a problem I observed during the day. Everyone tried to obey the rules (a map showing you the silent & whispering areas would be welcome). However, we had a full-day pass, & did note that people became a little more lax after about 8pm. I even walked into an upstairs chill-out area where someone was watching a video on their phone (?). So I think the staff is doing a great job during the day, & it's probably harder to take care of the noise level & finish up in the evening. I did have a laugh at everyone here who smuggled their phones into the place. As others have said, I was hoping there would be a map or a guide to the spa, but we weren't offered anything, even when we told the desk staff it was our first time. I noted a sign in the changing room that there was a yellow button by the door we could push to get a tour...but I couldn't even find the button! The lack of direction felt especially pronounced because it was winter & some of the areas were closed. After I took a really good walk & look around, I felt a little more like I knew what was going on. Again, maps, clearer signs (color coded?) & maybe even lines on the floor could help. I get the impression that they have been expanding in a variety of directions, & the new additions are very nice. I hope the next step is maybe some bathrooms, as there aren't many (& some are used as private changing stalls for ladies who aren't comfortable with the locker rooms). The spa resto is expensive & healthy, not any different from any other nice spa I've been to. Good veg options. My partner & I ordered a not-very-hot chocolate that I wish had been, well, hotter. But, you know, going to a spa to detox & then filling up on booze & marshmallows isn't exactly a brilliant move on my part either. All of this is minor stuff, except for what is maybe a safety issue: an area in front of some steps, where the flat, concrete sidewalk suddenly slopes down. I almost took a tumble, so be careful. If you visit during the winter, there's a lot of heated mats & such around, which is good. They say sandals are optional but I wouldn't really want to risk being barefoot in sub-zero weather. You do you, though, babies. You do you.
