Main Pool
I love hot springs, and make a point to visit them whenever I travel. I’ve soaked all over the world, from ancient Roman baths to rudimentary stone springs in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, but when it comes to hot springs, nowhere compares to Budapest.
On a recent trip to the Hungarian capital, I took advantage of the Private Entrance to Gellert Spa in Budapest with Optional Massage (and yes, I went for the massage). The baths are housed in the famous Hotel Gellért, an Art Deco construction on the Buda side of Budapest (Budapest is actually to cities: Buda on the western banks of the Danube and Pest to the east).
Hotel Gellert
My aromatherapy massage was scheduled for 2pm, so I made a point of reaching the baths an hour early so that I could soak my tired traveler’s muscles for a bit prior to my session. There was a special booth for people who had pre-booked right in the between the two sets of doors that lead into the Gellert where I exchanged my voucher for a wristband that allowed me access into the baths as well as a massage voucher.
Gellert Lobby
A representative from the booth walked me through the lobby, past a long line of people who hadn’t pre-booked, and to a special “VIP entrance.” From here, I walked down a long corridor flanked with high ship porthole-style windows that look into the bath’s main pool. At the end of the hall was a set of changing cabins—both lockers and private cabins are available, and my package came with a cabin. An attendant showed me how to unlock my assigned cabin using my wristband and I got changed before heading off to explore the complex.
Changing Cabin
The first place I stopped was the main pool, the most photographed section of the Gellert. Those using the pool are required to wear a swim cap or a shower cap, the latter of which are sold on-site. I encased my hair in a disposable shower cap and maneuvered past a group of seniors doing water aerobics and straight into the pool, which was surprisingly chilly—not cold like a normal swimming pool, but about the temperature of a bath an hour after its been filled. I did a couple of laps before walking through the women’s massage area and into what was once the women’s section of the indoor baths before the complex became completely co-ed a few years ago. This area had two baths fed by old fountains, which were a toasty 36°C and 38°C, respectively. After soaking in the hotter tub, I walked right past an icy plunge pool (I’m not that brave) and to a dark steam room, where I warmed up a little more. I was ready for my massage.
After a quick stop back at my changing cabin to get my massage voucher, I headed to the women’s massage area. I was taken into a small room similar to a doctor’s office where I spent the next half hour getting a rub down. The therapist found where I hold the most tension (a point on my left shoulder that’s been troubling me for years) without me having to say anything, and she paid extra attention to working out the knots in that area.
Open outdoor pool
Once my massage was over, I was ready to brave the chilly November air in order to visit the outdoor section of the baths. Although the main outdoor pool at the Gellert was closed for the winter, a steamy upper bath with hydro-massage jets and an adjacent sauna were both open. I ran shivering up a set of stone stairs and tried not to splash as I hurried into the steaming bath, where I wrapped up my visit. After I left, I felt simultaneously relaxed and invigorated, and the feeling stayed with me for days. Most of all, I was delighted that I took a break from sightseeing and wandering the city in order to relax in the Gellert’s healing waters.
-Margot Bigg