Sovata lies at a height of 500 metres above sea level, in the heart of a region called the Salt Land. Situated at the western feet of the Harghita Mountains and the Görgény Alps, it has been a spa town of European fame for more than a hundred years. Sovata owes this fame not only to its natural beauty but also to Bear Lake (Lacu Usu), Europe’s only heliothermic lake. Its water is salty from the high salt content of the soil, and its top fresh-water layer collects the sunrays, transferring it to the lower salty layers where the temperature sometimes reaches 50 degrees Celsius. Due to the high concentration of salt in Bear Lake, it is also known as the Dead Sea of Transylvania and its waters are renowned for their therapeutic effects. The unique natural features combined with appropriate treatments can successfully cure a number of diseases, including gynaecological symptoms and locomotor diseases. The atmosphere of the spa town with its unique wooden architecture and folk art has also attracted visitors from all corners of Europe.
Sovata offers opportunities for relaxation all through the year, including bathing, boat riding, angling, hunting, skiing and hiking. In addition to Bear Lake, there are four smaller lakes in the area: Nut Lake, Black Lake, Red Lake and Green Lake. The nearby freshwater lake Lacu Rosu or Killer Lake is also a rare natural phenomenon. More than a hundred and fifty years ago, a large rock above Frog Brook fell in a landslide triggered off by heavy rain and it blocked the flow of the water, damming it into a lake. The chemical content of the water has conserved the trunk of pine trees that stood here and even today trees stick out from the water surface. Killer Lake is an excellent place from which to start hikes.
Danubius Health Spa Resort Sovata*** is right on the lake, offering a wide selection of traditional therapeutic treatments, as well as relaxation and wellness programmes.
Comprehensively refurbished, Danubius Hotel Sovata was reopened in June 2003. The 168 double rooms all have balconies and they are equipped with telephone, colour television and a minibar. Guests can have special anti-allergenic rooms and there are rooms available for the disabled and non-smokers.
The hotel’s revamped spa section includes a swimming pool, sauna and indoor salt-water therapeutic pools. The therapeutic centre offers state-of-the-art facilities and high-quality services to those who arrive for recuperation. After a medical check-up, guests can choose between a wide selection of therapeutic treatments, including balneo and hydrotherapy, gynaecological treatments, mechano and kinotherapy, electrotherapy, phototherapy, inhalation, dermatological cures and psoriasis treatments.
Since the summer of 2006, a Danubius Premier Fitness unit has been operating in the hotel. This is equipped with sophisticated jogging machines, as well as cardio and other exercise machines for guests who seek active relaxation. In addition, condition assessment and customized training programmes are offered on demand.
In the summer months the hotel restaurant opens its splendid terrace and serves an enticing variety of local and international dishes.
There is a conference room with a capacity for 150 people, a seminar room for 70 people and a smaller seminar room for 50 people, offering excellent technical facilities for all types of events. The hotel also operates a hairdresser and cosmetic salon and offers a wide selection of day-trips (to Corund, Praid, Sighiºoara, Harghita, Târgu Mureº, etc.), allowing guests to enjoy themselves outside as well as within the hotel.
In addition to the Danubius Health Spa Resort Sovata, the group operates the two-star Hotel Faget and the Hotel Bradet for budget-visitors to Sovata.
