Budapest metropolitan council’s spas company has made a successful bid to repurchase properties housing the city’s historic Rác Baths, the council said in a statement on Monday.
Returning the thermal baths to the city “in their full glory after over a decade of lying in waste” has been a priority of the city’s leaders since entering office in 2019, the statement added.
In March, a non-profit set up to handle the disposal of the property invited a public auction for the historic baths and 67-room hotel adjoining it.
The starting price was 5 billion forints (EUR 14.3m) and a deposit of 254.4 million forints had to be raised by all bidders.
The state has 30 days to exercise its pre-emption right, but otherwise metropolitan council’s spas company, BGYH, will start planning the property’s renovation.
Based on the government announcement of April 23, 2021, thermal baths and spas are following a scheduled, gradual reopening routine. From May 1, holders of a certificate of protection will be able to visit cinemas, theatres, dance, music events, libraries, sporting events, gyms and fitness rooms, ice rinks, playhouses, adventure parks and amusement parks. Swimming pools, restaurant interiors, hotels and spas are also open to them.
From May 1, 2021, the Széchenyi, Gellért, Rudas, Lukács, Paskál and the Csillaghegyi Árpád Forrásfürdő opened their doors among many others. A more complete list of the already opened baths can be found on termalfurdo.hu.
According to the relevant government decree, only those over the age of 18 who have a valid certificate of protection may visit the spas. Checking this is the responsibility and obligation of the operator. Guests under the age of 18 and arriving with a referral do not need a security card, but they must wear a mask.
Verification of security certificates is carried out at the entrance to the baths, together with the measurement of body temperature. The security card is only valid together with an identity card or passport. People under the age of 18 who do not have a security certificate may only visit the spas under the supervision of a person with a security certificate. However, the age of people under the age of 18 is also checked in this case.
The baths will not have a guest limit similar to last May, but the baths must ensure that guests from outside the household can keep a distance of at least 1.5 meters. This distance should also be maintained when queuing at ticket offices and other places such as slides.
While after the first wave of the epidemic, only those outdoor pools were allowed to be commissioned, to the water of which a disinfectant could be added, and most of the experience elements were not allowed to start, this year the spas could be restarted with a full range of services.
Information on the protection certificate can be found on the website of the National Center for Public Health. The application provided by the operator of the Electronic Health Service Space is also suitable for proving protection against the coronavirus.
The rules are the following:
Entry is prohibited with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea or respiratory disease!
It is mandatory to use a mask to cover your nose and mouth when entering and during the entire stay in the spa, except in the pool area!
Slippers are mandatory!
Entry only after body temperature measurement!
Keep your distance everywhere!
Wash your hands often!
The staff constantly monitors compliance with the policy.
Here is a list of Hungarian family-friendly spas you can enjoy now that the restrictions have been lifted.
Some of the very best spas brought to you by termalfurdo.hu with indoor pools where both adults and children can have fun, regardless of the weather outside. Let us bring some summer feels to these spring days.
Regardless of the season or the weather, the spa at Sárvár serves every age group well. The wave pool is waiting for those who would like to swim, there is a pool for babies with a baby slide, kids’ pool with water cannons and slides, and a huge Jacuzzi from where parents can keep an eye on the kids. There is a baby-world section with a baby kitchen, baby changing room, tepidarium, playing area, and a break room. The whole family can share the experience on the wide family slide, but there is also a green pipe slide which is the kids’ favourite, and three giant slides provide fun for the bravest ones. In the playhouse, qualified nannies offer various programmes for the kids and babysitting for over-3-year-olds, for free.
Aquaworld provides endless fun with its 15 pools and 11 nearly one-kilometre-long slides. They have a 5-floor slide tower with giant slides for older kids and adults, as well as slides waiting for the younger ones, too. There is also a climbing wall, a ball pool, and an obstacle course. The spa has two big pools with different built-in facilities, and there is a playing area with a slide, a climbing wall, and a playhouse, all with provided babysitting.
The spa at Makó was awarded the title of Europe’s best family-friendly spa in 2018. You can experience the adventures of Sherwood Forest: the kids’ pool presents the world of Robin Hood where various exciting tasks are waiting for the kids to be discovered, with slides and all kinds of tools they would need. For the youngest ones, there is a baby pool, too, and swimming pools for both kids and adults. A playhouse with babysitting and a baby room is also available.
The spa at Gyula has a baby and kids’ pool, play ship, and water cannons. There is a wide slide for the whole family. The spa also has a baby room and indoor playing area, as well as a 10-metre-high slide that takes you into the inside of a volcano. The huge pool has all the built-in facilities to ensure you have a fun day both in the summer and winter.
Kehida spa has a water surface of 2,400 m2, Mediterranean indoor areas, 13 pools, a 94-metre-long giant slide, outside pools with 34-36 °C water, and much more. Families are welcomed with a baby pool, baby slide, toys, and an equipped baby room.
One of our readers drew our attention to the flaws in the Immunity certificate system. What would be the right solution? Is a PCR test a valid substitute? We asked different institutions about their policies.
The commenter left us the following feedback:
Last week we visited Hungary for business reasons. We booked two Hotels for three days and additional two days at another location. We provided Corona antibody test documents, translated to Hungarian by a government certified translator. We entered Hungary without any trouble. We received a call from the second Hotel that the booking has to be cancelled if we do not provide a plastic COVID immunity certificate card. Unfortunately, it was not possible to get one. Therefore, we left Hungary earlier than scheduled and could not meet some of our business partners. Additionally, the visit to a Museum was refused because we did not have the certificate card. It seems Hungary is not interested in businesses.
– they wrote in their comment.
You can pass the border currently with two negative PCR tests taken within three days or an immunity certificate from a few specific countries. But what about the different services? The legally appropriate universal protocol would be the following: The Hungarian immunity card is obviously accepted everywhere and based on a unity, these following countries’ certificates are acceptable: Serbia, Bahrain, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
But what does the implementation look like in practice? We were able to reach the following institutions by phone, and this was our experience.
To our question, whether only a Hungarian plastic card or a foreign immunity card is accepted, we received the answer that yes, only Hungarian card are accepted. Still, the minors they accompany may also enter. They definitely went for security.
In the Széchenyi Bath, Czech, Turkish, Slovenian, Northern Macedonian and Bahraini passes are also accepted in addition to Hungarian. In this case, a couple of countries were missing, but the trend is at least good. We didn’t ask for a specific country, and it sounded like they were reciting the countries by heart, so we have to give them that.
Here, passes from Bahrain, Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia are accepted. Again, some countries have been left out, but now different ones – which is why we assume that incomplete information is not the cause of the problem. The situation is simply chaotic and not of priority.
When asked, we were told that they had not yet received such a question. The gentleman went over to his colleague to ask what the current status was but eventually said they would accept it if the person asking for the room were on a business trip. What exactly does this mean? Good question.
Here, too, the reaction was that they had not yet received this question. The discussion was audible over the phone, and the answer was yes… What sort of countries are accepted, however, was not clear.
The assumption thus proved to be true. The situation is chaotic. It has become clear that the lack of an Immunity certificate paralyses you in the current state of thing, so without it, there is not much to do right now, not even in possession of two negative PCR tests.
It is possible that the correct information is not available easily or is simply not a priority for the institutions. One thing is for sure: a preliminary phone call will not hurt.
The thermal baths of Hungary are gradually reopening, but what about its beaches?
Many thermal baths in Budapest already reopened back in February with a small asterisk. Only therapeutical sessions became available for the public.
Since then, a number of baths received the green light to greet patients and anyone keen on spending a day in lovely warm water.
With the 1st of May, the following thermal baths reopened in the capital: Széchenyi, Gellért, Rudas, Lukács, Paskál, and the Csillaghegyi Árpád Forrásfürdő.
With the weekend of Pentecost, Palatinus beach and the bath of Pesterzsébet will follow. Finally, at the beginning of June, Dandár Bath, Pünkösfürdő, and Római Beach will all be available.
It is important to note, however, that based on a government decree, those over the age of 18 need to have an unexpired, valid immunity certificate. For those who are under the age of 18 or arrive with an official document signed by their doctor referring them to any kind of treatment provided by the bath, the little plastic card will not be necessary. Nevertheless, the use of a mask covering their nose and mouth will be obligatory. Minors will only be able to enter the premises with the supervision of an adult who has an immunity certificate in their possession. The document will be checked, and the temperature of every guest will be taken at the entrance. It is important to keep in mind that
the immunity certificate will only be valid together with an identity card or a passport.
Furthermore, we received some very good news. The Lupa Beach at the shore of Lake Lupa is planned to reopen on the 19th of May. Moreover, as opposed to Budapest’s thermal baths,
showing your immunity certificate at the entrance will not be a condition to enter.
“Since Lake Lupa is an outdoor beach, operating with natural water, a sports centre, and open-air hospitality areas with terraces, it is open to absolutely everyone, without the need to have an immunity certificate. Rules and safety measures set up by the operator and the government decrees will be followed and complied with, of course,” quotes hvg.hu the announcement of Lupa Beach.
The lake itself is currently a location for the European Aquatics Championships hosted by Budapest. Open water swimming races are being organised, that is why the lake will not be open to the public before the 19th.
During the whole of the first week following the championships, however, including the long weekend of Pentecost, the entry will be completely free for everyone.
Reaching 4 million vaccinated people in Hungary represents another milestone in easing restrictions. PM Viktor Orbán, in a radio interview on Friday, explained that swimming pools, spas, and hotels could reopen when four million people in Hungary get vaccinated.
When Hungary reached 3.5 million vaccinated people, restaurants were allowed to open their terraces, which attracted a large crowd throughout the country. The next important point will be reaching four million vaccinated people. After that milestone, cinemas, theatres, zoos, as well as swimming pools, spas, and hotels could reopen. As of the rules today, if you would like to visit any of these places, you have to have an immunity card. However, this may change later. Already there are some rumours going around that some hotels will not require the immunity card. Moreover, there are many questions around the immunity card, such as not knowing if people vaccinated abroad will receive the card. You can read the key information about the immunity certificate in this article.
If you want to sit out on a terrace in Budapest, you will find great ideas here. If you want to relax outside of Budapest, this article can help you find the perfect destination, as we have gathered the best spas outside of Budapest. It is nevertheless important to be informed about the rules and epidemiological measures before booking.
The first written record of Hévíz dates back to 1328. In 1772, György Festetics built a bathing house on the lake, which is the largest medicinal lake in Europe. St. Andrew’s Rheumatism Hospital, Hungary’s largest institution for the treatment of musculoskeletal and rheumatic diseases, is located here. 38,000 litres of fresh water arrive in the lake every day from various sources. Bathing is therefore incredibly hygienic, as the total water mass of the lake is completely changed twice a week. Hévíz, with a population of 5,000, has the highest number of guest nights after Budapest. There are several hotels in the village. The small town is the perfect place to relax and unwind.
Zalakaros, with a population of 2,000, is located close to Hévíz in the southwestern part of Hungary. It was an important turning point in the life of the settlement when thermal water was found during oil exploration. The water was discovered in 1963 but remained unused for a long time. Since its opening in 1965, more and more visitors discover the beauty of Zalakaros every year. Sulfur medicinal water in Zalakaros is especially effective in the treatment of rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases, muscle pain, and muscle inflammation. It is also useful in cardiovascular diseases, as sulfur water dilates the coronary arteries; therefore, the heart’s blood supply is more effective. The village has a breathtakingly beautiful ornamental lake, which represents a great opportunity for a walk with your family when the weather is nice. Visitors can choose their favourite locations as the place offers more than 10 hotels.
The main sights of Eger are the Eger Castle, the Basilica, and the thermal bath, which opened in 1932. The spa is located in the middle of a 5-hectare park, so it is the perfect environment to break away from city life. The place is very unique as two types of medicinal waters are abundant here. The Eger Thermal Bath and Turkish Bath are located next to each other. It can be excellent for the treatment of musculoskeletal problems and abrasive joint complaints while having a drink from it is beneficial in the case of gastrointestinal diseases.
Not far from Debrecen is Hajdúszoboszló, with a population of 23,000. In 1925, thermal water was found in the city. The opportunity was soon seized, and Hajdúszoboszló quickly became a well-known resort throughout Europe. Water is high in iodine and bromine, making it effective in treating rheumatic diseases. It is also suitable for the treatment of dermatological, gynaecological, and urological diseases. In addition to medicine, Hungarospa in Hajdúszoboszló is also famous for its children’s services. Hajdúszoboszló is one of the best places to find resorts in Hungary for families.
Hungary has been slowly opening up for the past few weeks or so and each step of easing restrictions was on condition of reaching a certain number of inoculated people. This Saturday, on the 1st of May Hungary, has reached over 4 million people who had received their first jabs. This was the largest opening for a long time and now gyms, zoos, museums, cinemas and of course baths can be freely visited by people with an immunity certificate.
If you do not know what an immunity certificate is and how to get one, you can read THIS article.
Just like how the Hungarian government organised the overall opening, the baths in Budapest will do a similar staged reopening of their facilities.
As part of the first stage, the following baths have opened on the 1st of May: Széchenyi, Gellért, Rudas and Lukács Thermal Baths as well as the Paskál and Csillaghegyi Árpád Baths
The next stage of reopening will be during Pentecost when the Palatinus and Pesterzsébeti Baths will also join the previously mentioned facilities. And finally, the Dandár Therman Bath, the Pünkösdfürdői and the Római Baths will be open to the public after early June.
According to Hellomagyar, there are some major changes to how one can enter these facilities; it seems that the effect of the coronavirus pandemic will last longer than anyone might have expected in early 2020.
In effect, this means that under current government regulations, only people with an immunity certificate can enter these baths.
The exceptions being that people under 18 can enter without the certificate if they are with a person owning such a document. Furthermore, people who have medical referrals can also enter without an immunity certificate.
Checking the guest’s certificates is the responsibility of the bath and they also need to check temperature before letting anyone in. Because of this, the waiting time to be able to visit such facilities may be longer than before the pandemic.
Also keep in mind that slippers are mandatory and with the exception of pools, saunas, and steam chambers, it is mandatory to wear a mask and keep the 1.5 metres distance from other people.
From May 3rd, people can continue to use therapy pools if they had a previous referral that has been cut short. In such cases, there is no need for a renewal of the referral.
The good news is that the ticket prices will be the same as before the pandemic and the discounted tickets for pensioners, students, children, and family will still be available. The expiration date of season tickets or gift vouchers that have been affected by the closing of facilities are extended, reports Hellomagyar.
Spa fans flocked to Budapest’s world-famous thermal baths on Saturday as Hungary relaxed lockdown restrictions for people with government-issued vaccination cards.
A queue formed in front of the Széchenyi Baths, one of the largest thermal complexes in Europe, and there were cheers when the doors of the Neo-Renaissance building finally opened to those with vaccination cards.
“You know … some people go to church, others to the pub, while we come here regularly, this has been our way of life,”
said Endre Huszár.
Hungary is reopening more of its service economy as its vaccination program exceeds 40%. Among the businesses allowed to reopen after almost six months of lockdown to those with proof of vaccination are hotels, spas, indoor restaurants, theatres, cinemas, gyms, sports venues, swimming pools and museums.
MTI
Budapest Zoo has also reopened with a new attraction to greet visitors — a baby elephant born a week ago.
Széchenyi Baths customers were able to enter after a temperature check and are obliged to wear masks except inside the pools, steam rooms and saunas.
MTI
“It was really bad, you know, we almost had withdrawal symptoms, we were really depressed … sitting in front of the TV all the time and not moving,” said Marika Horváth, sitting in one of the pools.
MTI
The hot springs along the Danube River in Budapest date back to Roman times. In the 16th century, they developed into a spa culture during the Turkish occupation.
Hungary has recorded over 27,700 deaths linked to coronavirus which is the highest cumulative per capita toll in the world, according to worldometers.info.
MTI
However, the third wave of infections is slowly receding and this, coupled with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s massive vaccination drive, has allowed a gradual reopening of the economy.
Orbán, who faces his first tight election race in 2022 since assuming power over a decade ago, has leveraged the rapid vaccine rollout to try to shore up his support base and reopen the economy as fast as possible.
A total of 4 million Hungarians have been inoculated against the Covid-19 virus, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a post on Friday afternoon. “Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate! To be continued!”, he said on Facebook.
Orban told public broadcaster Kossuth Radio on Friday morning that Hungary was certain to pass the 4 million mark on Friday, opening the door for the
new regulations to be introduced on Saturday.
Changes after 4 m inoculated
The night-time curfew will start at midnight and shops will be allowed to stay open until 11pm.
People holding vaccination certificates will be allowed to use indoor areas of catering establishments until 11pm, as well as hotels where they can be accompanied by children.
Venues offering leisure activities that were shut in November will reopen to vaccination certificate holders, including zoos, wildlife parks, museums, theatres, cinemas and libraries.
Gyms, swimming pools and skating rinks will also reopen to certificate holders and to all professional sportspeople aged under 18. Sports events can be visited by certificate holders and accompanied minors until 11pm and they will not be expected to wear face masks.
Based on the vaccine delivery data announced by the Operative Body today, portfolio.hu recalculated the possible dates of the reopening milestones. According to their results, it is easy to know when the 4th million Hungarian will receive their first dose. Afterwards, uncertainty is significant even though the country expects huge transports of vaccines in the coming days.
According to portfolio.hu, since the beginning of the mass inoculation period on Monday, Hungarian authorities could administer the vaccine to 75 (Monday) and 95 (Tuesday) thousand people. Portfolio.hu says that, calculating with this acceleration trend, today 110 thousand while tomorrow 120 thousand citizens might receive their first dose.
As a result,
Hungary might reach the 4th million inoculated person on Friday or Saturday.
If that happens, those who already have a valid immunity card and are over 18 would be able to visit
baths,
gyms,
the interior of the catering units, not just the terraces,
hotels,
cinemas,
cultural events.
However, for the companies, it is not all the same whether they can open already on Saturday or just Sunday. Therefore, Gergely Gulyás, minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, is expected to tell details on the government info tomorrow, or PM Viktor Orbán in his regular radio interview on Friday early.
Based on portfolio.hu, from May 7-8 on
the problem will not be the number of available vaccines but their administration and their acceptance,
especially in the case of the Chinese Sinopharm.
On Saturday, 600 thousand doses arrived from that, and the government plane already started to bring 400 thousand more today. Yesterday arrived 355,680 jabs of Pfizer, 480 thousand Sputnik V, 24 thousand Janssen, and 19,200 AstraZeneca. Furthermore, 324 thousand is expected to arrive from the latter this week, together with 44,400 Moderna vaccines.
These amounts would allow Hungary to inoculate even 150 thousand people every day. The different surveys show that the number of those who would accept the vaccine is rising. Currently, that stands at 4.82 million, while together with those who would probably take it is 5.94 million. The number of those who already registered is above 4.5 million currently.
The problem is
how Hungary can convince more people to accept the vaccines. Based on experts, six million people is not enough to fully reopen the country.
That would mean no foreign travels, summer festivals, or organising mass events. The government plans to inoculate adolescents in the 16-18 age group. For them, a separate Pfizer shipment arrived yesterday.
It seems like the third wave is somewhat coming to an end, or at least it is over its peak, and so the Hungarian government has decided that a slow reopening could be initiated. Hungary’s policy for reopening is based on the number of vaccinated people and that it will be done in phases.
We are already in the first phase of easing restrictions since the strict regulations initiated in early March. Some schools have also restarted their in-person education with more or less success. The next milestone will be when 3.5 million people in Hungary have received their first coronavirus jab. It is expected to be reached around the 21st to 23rd of April, meaning that the terraces and gardens of catering units can open as early as this weekend. The other, current restrictions will still be applied.
However, according to Magyar Hírlap, a news agency close to the Hungarian government, they have information on what restrictions will be terminated when the country reaches 4 million people with at least their first vaccine jabs, and it seems like it will be a big reopening.
The agency says that after the magical 4 million jabs, the government might allow hotels, baths, cinemas, theatres and other cultural events to reopen.
This is great news, and this milestone is currently only about 750,000 vaccinations away. However, another important thing to note is that in order
to visit such establishments, everyone over 18 need to have an immunity certificate.
You can read more about the certificate HERE. According to koronavirus.gov.hu, currently, only 4.3 million people have registered to be inoculated, so it seems that this is – apart from obviously helping curb the pandemic – one of the government’s strategies to motivate people to register for the vaccine.
Also, at 4 million vaccine jabs, catering units might reopen and not just terraces, but interior units as well, but only with complying with the other current restrictions.
The catering staff must wear a mask at all times, and guests need to wear them when they are not eating or drinking, says Magyar Hírlap. It seems that catering units will be free to visit, and there will be no need for immunity certificates.
The following measures seem to still be in effect when this milestone is reached:
The curfew lasts from 10 pm until 5 am;
Shops can be open until 9:30 pm;
Stores can be open, with a customer/square-metre limit: 1 costumer/10 square metres/shop can be at any place at once;
Services can be open;
Mask wearing is mandatory on the streets, public transportation units and indoors
Gabor Kuntner had been planning to install a hot tub in his garden in a Budapest suburb for years but never got around to it until the pandemic prompted him to rush out and buy one to give his family some respite during lockdown.
As well as slamming the door on Hungarians’ seaside holiday plans abroad, COVID-19 forced the closure of the country’s famed spas and thermal baths, depriving its citizens of one of their favourite pastimes.
“Last year when the pandemic started and we read the reports about the troubles and lockdowns in China, I thought we would spend the whole year holed up in our house and the garden,” said Kuntner, a 43-year-old father of two children aged 12 and three.
“So I thought the time has come to buy a hot tub,” he said, adding that it set him back 2 million forints ($6,507.24). “Normally, we travel a lot more, even for longer periods, but now feel fairly confined. This helps to some extent.”
As demand for home wellness facilities grew, Hungarian hot tub manufacturer Wellis emerged as a rare winner of the pandemic. The company, which says it is the biggest maker of garden spas and whirlpool baths in Europe, saw sales rise by 60% last year and is now investing in a new factory to meet the soaring demand, not just in Hungary.
The company makes 80% of its revenue from exports and has seen demand surge in the past year in its biggest markets the UK, Germany, Switzerland, France and the Nordic countries.
Photo: Wellis
This year, Wellis aims to more than double its total sales to 30,000 units and plans to nearly double its headcount to 1,500 workers, said Chief Executive Zsolt Czafik, who co-founded the company with his brother Akos in the early 2000s.
“The pandemic forced people to stay at home, which has been a boon for the home wellness industry,” said Czafik.
Jumping in the garden hot tub is a trend that is here to stay, he says.
“Our main clients are families, the European middle class, and we expect these products to become so popular in Europe and globally that this strong demand will prevail even after the pandemic.”
While the coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of problems since last year and many businesses have experienced their most dire situations or had to entirely close, some of them are trying to renew and conduct developments to draw in more customers after the strict measures are gone.
This is what many baths are trying to do, and Gyula Castle Bath is no different. According to Magyarépítők, the spa is planning on increasing the capacity of its main building and establishing new pools and a thermal palace.
The Gyula Castle Bath has won a tender and will receive financial support for developing the bath’s infrastructure, renovating older pools, buildings and operating machines.
At first, the facility has to make space for the new thermal palace. In order to achieve this, the bath is planning on demolishing an old operating building between the riding hall and its wellness building. This will free up space, but the functions of the operating building have to be relocated. The bath plans to add most of its original functions to the main building. This will make things not only clearer and more streamlined but also more straightforward and higher quality.
The new thermal palace will include at least two new indoor pools and at least one special pool, which you can swim through to either the indoors or outdoors section of the pool.
This will significantly increase the overall capacity of the entire bath. There will also be a passage to the cupola wellness and the sauna park, and it will accommodate a unique “Medical Wellness Centre”. According to the plans, the new palace will include another pool bar and other service infrastructures to accommodate for the increased capacity of the Gyula Castle Bath.
Gyula Castle Bath awaiting customers
Source: facebook.com/varfurdo
The second aspect of the development is the augmentation of the Gyula Castle Bath’s main building. In order to account for the overall increased customer capacity, the capacity of the main building’s changing room, which is currently 1,000 people, will be increased by at least an additional 750 places or possibly even 1,000, doubling the original’s capacity.
The bath also plans on establishing a separate private changing room with sanitary facilities for their staff.
The designs include the addition of a gym to the main building. More people mean more food, so the Gyula Castle Bath plans to create a new restaurant with a kitchen and a capacity of 100 additional customers. It will either be a separate unit next to the existing restaurant section, or the capacity increase will be achieved by modifying the current restaurant to meet the requirements.
After one decade of legal affairs that impeded the opening of the beautifully renovated Rác Bath and the pertaining superior hotel nearby, now the proprietor company decided to sell the properties at public auction. The starting price exceeds EUR 13.6 million.
The history of the iconic Turkish bath dates back to the 16th century, when its oldest part, the Turkish cupola was built in 1572. Later on, the imperial pools and shower corridors were constructed during the age of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Since then – thanks to periodic renovations – the spa has preserved its original authenticity and style. Few may know that Rác Thermal Bath is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; though, its inner beauty has not been admired by tourists for a long time. However, a final decision has been made on the future of Budapest’s iconic spa and the superior hotel alongside.
It makes it even more complicated that the land under the buildings is the property of the capital, and the Budapest Thermal Bath Plc holds the water rights necessary for the spa’s operation (BGYH). As a result, the spa, the state, the capital’s local government and BGYH also have the right of pre-emption. So the final race for the real estates begins.
As Népszava reports, for the renovation of the spa, the municipality of the Hungarian capital established Rác Nosztalgia Ltd. in 2002. The capital took the land under the buildings to the joint business, while the associated Rác Beruházó Ltd. undertook the renovation and the construction of the 67-room hotel. The construction of the 16,000-square-foot complex began in 2005, and the inauguration was scheduled for May 2010.
Even though, the renovation of the patinated spa and the construction of the new, superior hotel cost a total of EUR 21.7 million and was already licensed in the autumn of 2010,
Now, the National Reorganizational Nonprofit Ltd. – entrusted with the liquidation of the owning company, Rác Nosztalgia Ltd. – has decided to sell the renovated Turkish Bath and the 67-room hotel at public auction.
The electronic bidding starts on 26th March and runs until 12th April.
The starting price and the minimum amount to be paid for the real estate is slightly more than EUR 13.6 million; the amount of the advance payment to participate in the auction is EUR 692,000.
As the Hungarian news portal Turizmus.com reports, the capital has repeatedly stated that it intends to acquire ownership of the Rác Bath and the hotel building in the liquidation proceedings. In the current financial situation, the capital’s municipality will hardly have sufficient financial resources for the renovation. The big question is how far it will go in bidding. It seems – that after years of useless negotiations – the spa, which was beautifully renovated by 2011, and the newly built hotel will have to be redone again, the cost of which is estimated at millions of EUR.
On 19 February, more than 200 employees of Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévízei Zrt. were inoculated, in order to reopen therapeutical sections in baths belonging to the company partially. Almost all their employees – including cashiers and cloakroom attendants – fall in the category of health care workers.
“Our company asked for the official point of view of the National Institute of Environmental Health (NNK) in order to know whether employees are in a favourable position when it comes to vaccination.”
“The official response from NNK strengthened the opinion of our company,
according to which thermal and health spas belonging to our company dispose of the operating licence permitting to offer medical/therapeutical services, their activity is regarded as medical/therapeutical. Thus all employees having labour relations with our company are considered health care workers.”
– answered Ildikó Szűts, general manager of Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévízeis Zrt. when telex.hu reached out to her.
She also added that they try to reduce the risk of infections among visitors with a system of appointments, constant disinfection and with following the example of Austria, where arriving patients/visitors are being tested.
After last November, when PM Viktor Orbán announced the strictest measures up until that point, all thermal baths needed to close, as well. Currently, outpatient care by a specialist does not function either, as according to NNK, it is the job and the responsibility of the operator that only healthy employees welcome the guests. If everything goes according to plans, therapeutical/medical sections will be re-opened on 16 March so that “treatments permitted by the decree” could be benefitted from.
The beneficial effects of sauna are well known: it stimulates blood circulation, strengthens the immune system, detoxifies and cleanses the skin. Most people know that the right and healthiest way to use the sauna is being naked.
During a sauna, our pores dilate, thus toxins leave the body through our skin. On the other hand, the substances that come into contact with the skin are easily absorbed into the body. The swimsuit is made of synthetic material and emits toxic substances at high temperatures that can be absorbed through the skin.
In many neighboring countries, such as Slovakia or the Czech Republic, naked use of saunas is the new norm. There are increasing number of naked sauna opportunities at home as well. We also introduced some earlier. Now we continue the listing with the help of thermalfurdo.hu.
Lenti Termálfürdő In the varied sauna world of the Lenti Thermal Bath, two Finnish saunas (70° C and one at 90°C), an aroma sauna and a physiotherm infrared sauna offer pleasant relaxation for those who like thermal baths. In addition to the indoor relaxation area, an outdoor sauna garden, indoor heated benches and outdoor showers are also available for guests to relax and recharge. From autumn to spring, guests can enjoy sauna sessions several times a week. The sauna world is a swimsuit-free area; you can also have a naked sauna.
Zalakaros Fürdő The sauna world of the Zalakaros Bath includes a Finnish sauna, a steam bath, an infra sauna and an aroma sauna. The needs of the sauna audience are served down to the smallest detail with a hot and cold plunge pool, jacuzzi, ice dispenser, and an exclusive infra relaxation area. Daily sessions enhance the experience, requiring pre-registration and purchase of a sauna ceremony ticket. In return, skilled sauna masters will mix the perfect fragrance combinations to ensure everything pleasing to body and soul. The sauna world is an area without swimsuit, in accordance with western sauna customs. To use the sauna, a sauna sheet is provided free of charge, which they can place under themselves or wrap around themselves if they wish.
Photo: www.faceook.com/zalakarosifurdo
Saliris Resort Gyógy és Wellness Fürdő The exclusive sauna world of the Egerszalók spa offers an unforgettable experience to sauna lovers, in which there is a swimsuit and a swimsuit-free part. Indoor saunas as well as plunge pools, showers, and a hot tub can be used with swimsuits. For the first time in Hungary, Finnish sauna houses made of logs, the associated plunge pool and showers, as well as naturist sunbathing areas were built in the outer area of the sauna world. Log houses can be used without a bathing suit. A sauna sheet is provided for the sauna.
Aquaticum Debrecen It is allowed to wear a bathing suit in the sauna centre of the Aquaticum Adventure Bath in Debrecen, but the services of the sauna world of the Thermal Bath can also be used without a bathing suit, using a sauna sheet or towel. From the opening, it can only be visited without a swimsuit, and sauna programs are held regularly. Here was the domestic round of the international Sauna Herbal Cup, among its sauna masters there are many of the best in the country, and they work exclusively with natural scents in the sauna.
Harkány Gyógy- és Strandfürdő Sauna helps relaxation. More and more people are worshipping this form of relaxation, which is why the Harkány Spa has expanded the range of wellness services. Thanks to that guests can now enjoy a jacuzzi, a tepidarium, a steam bath, Finnish saunas, an infra sauna, a splash pool and Kneipp pools throughout the year. Although the spa does not fully provide naked sauna, the sauna world on the ground floor of the building, which opened in the autumn of 2019, is a swimsuit-free zone from Thursday to Sunday (from 12), providing an opportunity for sauna with uncovered body.
V-8 Vizes Nyolcas Uszoda és Szabadidőközpont The Wet Eight Wellness in Szentendre has been made a place with a wonderful master and a professional program. The special sauna, equipped with a unique sound and light technology, hosted the domestic round of the sauna master world championship, the conferences of Hungarian sauna masters. The best Hungarian sauna masters studied here in many trainings, and many foreign celebrities also visited Szentendre. The master sauna is only open for special programs, there are currently regular programs on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5pm, and occasionally on Saturday nights. During these periods, the wellness area is a swimsuit-free area. They work exclusively with natural essential oils and herbs.
Parkden Resorts compiled a list of the world’s most popular hot springs, then checked which ones are the most picturesque according to Instagram. Based on their method, not one but two Hungarian baths made the list! Influencers love Budapest’s aesthetic.
Well-known U.K. holiday park company Parkdean Resorts revealed the 25 most Instagrammable hot springs, onsens and public baths in the world, Forbes writes. They crafted an editorial list of the world’s most popular hot springs, then checked how many hashtags each one received on Instagram, thus, predicting their popularity on the no. 1 photo-sharing app. This list is based on the hashtags found in November 2020.
Based on their hashtags on Instagram, the top 10 most Insta-Worthy hot springs around the world are the following:
Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa in Iceland, with 101,721 total hashtags
Szechenyi Bath in Hungary, with 55,716 total hashtags
Mammoth Hot Springs in California, with 41,491 total hashtags
Hanmer Springs in New Zealand, with 39,366 total hashtags
Hot Water Beach in New Zealand, with 38,759 total hashtags
Terme di Saturnia in Italy, with 35,685 total hashtags
Grutas Tolantongo in Mexico, with 32,333 total hashtags
Hot Springs in Kinosaki, Japan, with 28,334 total hashtags
Peninsula Hot Springs in Australia, with 25,719 total hashtags
Gellért Baths in Hungary, with 23,750 total hashtags
We are very proud since two historic Budapest baths made the list, Széchenyi and Gellért Baths. To read more about these baths and why people love them, please check out our previous articles.
Disclaimer: places with generic names that could easily be misidentified by hashtags were omitted because their names called up a lot of unrelated hashtags.
Several of the highest-ranking hot springs are located in Europe and Japan, but there are also a couple from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Baths and spas have been important places in Hungary since the Antiquity when Romans occupied parts of Hungary (Pannonia). It has been part of the culture since then and was also a popular activity for tourists visiting Budapest, for example. We wrote many articles and recommendations about them in the past, but unfortunately, this long tradition and one of the most important features of tourism, both foreign and domestic, has been hit hard by the pandemic that plagues the world right now.
Many of the thermal baths and spas rely mainly on foreign tourists, especially in Budapest, but since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, measures introduced to slow down the pandemic have left a mark on many of them. In the first wave, almost all such places were closed down for a while. They could slowly reopen during the summer season, but with limited capacity. Although the health crisis brought with it a boom of domestic tourism in Hungary, the budget of many people has been cut due to uncertainties at their workplace, so the average tourist did not spend as much.
The closing of borders and the lack of drive to travel have greatly affected foreign tourism even after measures have been relaxed in many places around the world during the summer season. The season would have been especially important for spas and baths.
According to CGTN‘s information, if these Hungarian establishments will not get any government funding, two-thirds of them might close by the next summer season.
Attila László Boros, the CEO of the Hungary Spa Association, said that: “by the summer, 40% of our yearly revenue was gone, and by the end of the year, 70% of the revenues will disappear at some of the spas”. CGTN says that even though during the first wave of the crisis, spas received some funds “to pay wages and were given a moratorium on loan repayments”, some of them still had to lay off a number of their employees.
Boros added, that “spas in Hungary employ 18,000 people altogether. Out of this, 4,700 people will be laid off by the end of autumn”.
Baths, although people mainly use them to relax, are more than that. Before the pandemic, these were places where people could meet and socialise. Many people, especially the elderly, could use it to work out as it is easier for some to do so in the water, but the health benefits of thermal baths are not negligible either. Unfortunately, many people are afraid of the COVID-19 pandemic and do not go to these places at all.
Photo: www.facebook.com/SarretKincse
Sárvár bath
Image:
www.sarvarfurdo.hu
Photo: www.facebook.com/dozerto
facebook.com/heviz.info
Lukacs Baths told CGTN that they have not felt the effect of the pandemic as much as others, thanks to the fact that their clientele is mainly local. “We have mainly locals here as guests,” says Dániel Nagy, the manager of Lukacs Baths. “There are lots of artists, musicians, writers, and poets who come here. Many of them are regulars, coming here every single day of the year”. Anikó Reinhold, a regular, told CGTN that: “this is not an easy time for the people”.
Although the association is conducting negotiations about the future of the industry with the Hungarian government, there is no sign of any financial aid coming their way, as the outlook for an agreement is not good.
