2006 - march

Tradition and Wellness: All in One Place in Hévíz

Cédric D was immersed in the warm water up to his neck. It was an April afternoon, with bathers around indulging in the first rays of the spring sun. “If I talk about this at home, everyone will enjoy to come here,” he laughed. This was a year ago at Lake Hévíz, where visitors come all through the year. In his thirties Cédric was spending a ten-day holiday with friends in Hungary when they decided to take a day-trip from Budapest to Hévíz, near Lake Balaton. And they did not regret it. “This is one of the best places I have ever been,” Cédric said.

Karl from Germany and his wife Piroska, who is of Hungarian origin, regularly visit friends in Hungary. They both go around Hévíz as if they were at home. “This has become a must-do trip to us at least once every two years. Sometimes we come in December, sometimes in August. But we never leave without a good massage and of course without tasting some of the good Balaton wines,” saidKarl, now in his late sixties.

We never found out what Cédric said to his French friends, but a public opinion survey carried out recently showed that the good reputation of Hévíz owes much to word-of-mouth recommendation.

One of Hungary’s most treasured natural features, the warm thermal lake of Hévíz is unique in Europe. All visitors enjoy the lake and spread the news about its therapeutic effects, which have long been known. For generations, Hévíz has been a centre for those who seek recuperation and convalescence. But the range of services has been expanded and today Hévíz is visited not only for its water and medical packages. An increasing range of beauty treatments, leisure activities and cultural events are available in the town and in neighbouring areas. Families, visitors seeking active relaxation or wellness weekends, conference guests and anybody interested in the lake and its medicinal mud are equally welcome.

Danubius Hotels Rt operates two hotels in Hévíz. They are both located in the centre, only a few minutes walk from the lake, in a pleasant park.

A Danubius Thermal Hotel Hévíz **** Superior operates its own medical department, beauty farm and Premier fitness club. All the usual local treatments are available here: weight baths, mud packs, stress release and motion therapy treatments and health-check programmes. Massages are very popular, including the special Thai massage.
The hotel’s exclusive wellness and beauty salon, Emporium, uses the products and methods of Clarins, the world-famous company. These treatments are based on a special massage technique that involved 80 different moves for the face and the body in order to stimulate blood and lymph circulation. Clarins’ purely herb-based products, essential oils and the individually adjustable light and sound effects in the treatment rooms guarantee perfect revitalisation for the body and the soul.
A new addition to Thermal Hotel Hévíz is represented by two English club-style event rooms that were completed at the end of 2005. These rooms have a capacity for 350 guests and their special feature is the decoration: the former neo-Baroque chandeliers from Budapest’s famous New York Café and paintings by Jenő Haranghy that were originally used in the former Hotel Britannia (currently Béke).

Danubius Thermal Hotel Aqua is also a four-star hotel and it offers traditional medical treatments, as well as a great variety of fitness and wellness programmes. One of the latter is represented by a recently opened adventure bath with a water surface of 200 square metres, with water-jet massage, a waterfall and geyser. The hotel organises cycle trips and walks for those who like their holidays active. There are tennis courts in the vicinity of the hotel and plenty of opportunities for horse-riding.