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Have you heard about the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest and want to know more? We have tried it and want to tell you everything about the experience!
But let’s start from the beginning: Markus has never been a real spa or wellness fan. I usually have to drag him to take a bath with me (he is so much more a shower person!). So when I made him stand up in the wee hours of the morning to go to the Szechenyi Baths with me while in Budapest, his excitement was rather limited.
I wanted to be there around 7:30 in the morning to get some great Instagram shots before the crowds flock in. (If you can understand German: Markus also wrote a guide article about the Szechenyi Baths in Budapest)
But there was one reason why he enjoyed the stay a lot in the end: The Thermal Beer Spa Budapest! I know it’s a cliché about Germans, but at least for Markus and me it’s true: We DO like good beer! 🙂
We actually didn’t know about the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest before we arrived at the baths. We simply saw a sign once we were exploring the hot halls of bubbly water. And we decided to give it a try and, of course, tell you all about the experience!
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What to expect from the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest
So what’s the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest?! Basically, it is a separate area at the Szechenyi Baths that you have to pay extra for and where they will prepare a bath with all the natural ingredients of beer for you.
Normally, you should reserve a spot in advance (by calling or via their website). You can also enter the Szechenyi Baths through a separate entrance and skip the lines this way.
Once it’s time for your bath, a member of staff will show you the bathtubs.
You can either have one tub per person or share one for two (cheaper). The Thermal Beer Spa Budapest has a total of six tubs – so at maximum, 12 people can have a hops-fueled wellness experience at once! The baths are not separated – so don’t plan on a romantic and intimate experience (although, we were the only visitors during our beer spa time).
Once you have chosen your tub, a member of staff will explain to you about all the ingredients that will go into your bath water: malts, hops, brewer’s yeast, barley and a special kind of beer salt. They will use water around 36-38°C (but you can adjust that yourself)
And then you will get one (or two) beer glasses. Why? Well, that’s the point that Markus frankly loved the most: During your time in the bathtub you can tap yourself as much Czech beer from a beer tap right next to your bathtub as you want!
Be careful though – the beer is strong and the warm water will dilate your veins a lot. So better stand up carefully after your bath is over or your body might thank you with a low blood circulation!
We definitely enjoyed the bath a lot – and even though we are Germans, we have to admit that Czech Beer is one of the best in the world!
During your time at the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest staff is always around should you want to change your water temperature – your bath master will gladly assist you!
One little detail that we also liked a lot was that, shortly before the end of the beer bath, you will also get some little Hungarian snacks – it’s a bit of bread with some salty spread on it. We definitely felt like it was exactly what we need after the three beers we chucked down during 45 minutes 😀
How much time to plan for the Thermal Beer Spa Experience?
Your time in the bath is limited to 45 minutes (probably due to the free beer :D).
However, you are already at the Szechenyi Baths – so you could potentially spend many more hours at these thermal spas. Make sure to plan at least one hour to see them – even if it’s already later in the day and horribly crowded!
On top, you should plan 30 min for changing and getting in (even though you can skip the line).
As a general recommendation, we would advise you to plan around 3-4 hours for your visit to the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest and the Szechenyi Baths!
Visiting the Szechenyi Baths in Budapest
When you are at the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest – don’t miss out on visiting the Szechenyi Thermal Baths as well!
It’s one of the oldest thermal spas in Europe – and the most beautiful one that I have seen so far!
Just make sure to get there REALLY early in the morning to enjoy the baths before the crowds arrive!
We arrived around 8 am and there already quite some people around. And after our beer spa, the whole situation looked WAY worse around 11 am! (use the slider below to see the difference!)
Is the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest worth the money?
Let me skip to our verdict directly: not for the beer (beer is super cheap at the Szechenyi Baths) – but for the whole experience: Yes! The Thermal Beer Spa Budapest IS worth the extra pay!
Thermal Beer Spa Prices
You might find outdated information online that the price for the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest already includes the entrance to the Szechenyi Baths: This is NOT true (anymore)!
The price for one tub (shared by two people) is 50€ – or 30€ per person if you want a tub for yourself!
On top of that, you can buy a ticket to the Szechenyi Baths for 19€ (or 6,300 HUF) per person (private changing room) – but you could also “only” visit the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest without seeing the Szechenyi Baths (don’t do that! Don’t miss out on one of the most beautiful thermal baths in the world!)
If you want to save a few bucks:
- Pay in HUF there and not in Euro (it’s veeery slightly cheaper)
- Get an entrance ticket to Szechenyi Baths with communal locker instead of a private changing room (5,800 HUF =~17€)
Beer Spa prices in other cities
Comparing the prices of the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest with other beer spas in Europe, Budapest is a clear winner too!
The most famous beer spa is found in Prague and costs 117€ for one tub for two people – more than double of the price in Budapest!
Then there’s a beer spa in Iceland for 107€ for two people, and others in smaller places in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic for 70€-110€ (except this beer spa in the Czech Republic) – making the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest the cheapest one we came across in Europe!
Health Aspects of a Beer Spa
While your first thought is probably that the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest is not the best investment in your health that you could do, there are a few aspects to consider when talking about beer baths!
And yes, chucking down three beers in 45 minutes was probably not a spa treatment for our liver. 😉 But at least your hair will thank you for a beer bath!
Did you know that Jacky Kennedy used to rinse her hair with beer? The B vitamins and the proteins will make your hair shine like you used an expensive conditioner!
Most beer spas claim that it’s also really good for your skin – but to be honest, I couldn’t find any proof of that scientifically and my own skin didn’t seem to be any different.
So my recommendation: When you are at the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest – DEFINITELY rinse your hair with some beer – after all, you got unlimited beer from the tap anyway!
How to get to the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest
Getting to the Szechenyi Baths (and the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest) is actually really easy!
You can just go there by public transportation, using the yellow metro line M1 to “Széchenyi fürdő” (direction: to “Mexikói út”) and you simply can’t miss the beautiful yellow building that is the Szechenyi Baths!
What to bring along for your Beer Spa Budapest visit
Luckily, you can visit the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest also even if you only brought a swimsuit (or board shorts for the guys) as you can rent towels as well as bathrobes at the entrance to the Szechenyi Baths!
Food and drinks are also very reasonably priced at the Szechenyi Baths – no need to bring them along for your visit to the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest!
But if you plan the experience in advance, here’s what I would recommend you to pack:
- Swimsuit / Board Shorts
- 2 Towels per Person or 1 Towel and 1 Bathrobe
- Shampoo + Conditioner
- GoPro (or waterproof smartphone)
- A book or something to read (if you stay the whole day at the Szechenyi Baths)
- Some cash
Thermal Beer Spa Budapest FAQ
What are the opening times of the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest?
The Thermal Beer Spa Budapest opens at 10 am – but the Szechenyi Baths are open way earlier (from 6 am on!)
Do you need to reserve in advance?
Especially at busy times in Budapest, the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest can be fully booked. If you plan to visit with a group, you should definitely book in advance online.
But if you come early in the morning and it’s just you or you and your partner, you will probably be fine booking it on the spot as well!
Other things to do in Budapest
Are you wondering what other cool things you could do in Budapest apart from visiting the Thermal Beer Spa Budapest?
Well, we spent five days in Budapest and were busy exploring all the sights, photo spots and food markets of Budapest (oh yes, there are quite a lot of them!)
If you want to follow our path along Budapest, you should have a look at our Wowanders Diary for Budapest!
Check out our tips for Budapest now!
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