Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel Review (Hundertwasser Spa), Austria (original) (raw)

Rogner Bad Blumau is a famous Therme Hotel in Styria, Austria. The thermal spa complex was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, one of Austria’s most prominent and well-known visual artists of the 20th century.

Hundertwasser’s artistry and philosophy of living in harmony with nature permeates every facet of the Rogner Bad Blumau.

Defining design features include walkable green roofs, uneven floors, asymmetrical windows, and organic lines and shapes. It’s a one-of-a-kind architectural complex, which is also the world’s largest liveable work of art.

During our visit, I kept thinking “I’m swimming in a painting, come to life.” Beyond the whimsical architecture, Rogner Bad Blumau boasts the most mineral-rich curative water spring (Vulkania®) in the Styrian Spa region.

In this guide, we’re sharing everything you need to know about staying at the Rogner Bad Blumau hotel in Austria, including when to visit, what not to miss, insider tips, included services, and what we loved and what we didn’t.

For the best hotel rates, check out Booking.com.

Rogner Bad Blumau Thermal Spa Hotel, Austria

Tips for Staying at the Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel

Rogner Bad Blumau Thermal Pools, Austria

1. Breakfast and dinner (or lunch) are included in the half board room rate. Most visitors eat breakfast and dinner at the Lebensfroh buffet restaurant. However, if you want a more intimate and finer dining experience, we recommend eating at the À la Steak carte Restaurant “GenussReich” (open Tuesday – Saturday). Hotel guests get a credit of 27 EUR per person towards dinner at GenussReich. Make a reservation one week in advance.

2. On your day of arrival, you can start using the Thermal and Spa area as early as 9 am.

3. There’s a “volcano show” at 9:30 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Vulkania® lakes. This isn’t a must-see, but bathing in the bonfire-lined Vulcania at night is really special.

4. Hotel guests get exclusive access to the thermal indoor and outdoor pools between 7 am and 9 am.

5. Rogner Bad Blumau is accessible by public transit. We arrived by train and got a free shuttle pick-up to the hotel. You can call the reception from the train station (there’s an intercom), or organize the pick-up in advance.

6. During your stay, carve out some time to explore the property and see all the different buildings. Exit the hotel reception, pass the parking lot, and follow the road leading away from the Therme/Hotel. You’ll soon see a pathway leading uphill on the right. Follow this path to the Augenschlitzhäuser houses and then continue to the rooftop of the Ziegelhaus. Atop the grass roof, there are sweeping views of the thermal pools and grounds.

Arrival and Departure

Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel, Austria

Check-In

Rooms are available at 4 pm (latest). If your room is ready earlier, you’ll receive a text message. Make sure the receptionist has your mobile number.

The good news is that you can use the thermal and spa area starting at 9 am, on your day of arrival.

If you check-in before your room is available, the hotel receptionist will give you a spa bag (with bathrobes and towels).

You can store your luggage at the reception. Your bags will be delivered to your room. Make sure to grab your swimming suit, slippers, reusable water bottle, and reading material (Kindle, Book, Magazine), before storing your luggage.

When you check-in, you’ll be given a newspaper (available in English and German) which contains a map of Rogner Bad Blumau and other pertinent information re: opening times, restaurants, and more.

The receptionist will give you a quick overview of the complex, using the map. There’s no introductory walking tour.

It’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed and disoriented at first. The complex is large and feels like a maze. There are helpful signs throughout, but definitely keep the map handy. It’s essential in navigating the complex, when you first arrive.

Chip Wristband

Every hotel guest and Therme day visitor is given a chip wristband. You can charge all extras (e.g. lunch, snacks, drinks, etc…) to your chip wristband throughout your stay. That makes payment easy and stress-free, as you don’t have to carry around cash, or your wallet.

You can also use the chip wristband to lock and unlock day lockers in the Therme. This is useful if you want to store personal belongings close to the pools.

The chip wristband also opens your hotel room. If you arrive early in the day, you’ll have to return to the hotel reception (4 pm or later) to get your chip wristband configured with your room key.

Check-out

Check-out is at 11 am.

On your departure day, you have access to your room and the Therme until 11 am.

It’s possible to extend your Therme/SaunaVulkania® visit for an additional fee of 22 EUR on weekdays, or 28 EUR on weekends, per person.

If you decide to extend your visit, you can store your luggage at the reception and continue using your bathrobe until the end of your visit.

Before departing the hotel, you’ll pay for all the extras (recorded on your wristband) in one itemized bill.

If you need a shuttle drop-off to the train station, make sure to inform the reception in the morning.

Book your stay at Rogner Bad Blumau.

Rogner Bad Blumau Thermal Pools and Spa Complex

The Rogner Bad Blumau Therme is made up of 14 indoor and outdoor thermal water pools (including the Vulkania® lakes), a sauna area (ages 16+), multiple relaxation spaces, a gym, and several restaurants and cafés.

Opening Times |

Therme (Thermal Spa) & Vulkania®: 7 am – 11 pm

Sauna: 10 am – 10:45 pm

Fitness Room: 8 am – 10 pm

Thermal Pools

Rogner Bad Blumau Thermal Pools, Austria

The indoor area is a colorful maze of pools, bridges, pillars, and tucked away relaxation spaces.

The large organically-shaped thermal pool slithers through the interior and flows outside into a large outdoor pool, making it the largest pool on the premises. Adjacent to this pool is a fresh water wave pool.

In the heart of the Therme, you’ll find the casual à la carte restaurant, RegenTag (open: 11 am – 11 pm), where everyone eats in their bathrobe.

The indoor pools are lined with loungers and mattress beds. These mattress beds (Kuschelliegen) can be reserved at an extra cost of 12 EUR per day for 2 people.

A candlelit hallway ushers you to the Raum der Stille (Silent Relaxation Room) and the HimmelReich relaxation room and onwards to the Vulkania® pools and the sports swimming pool.

Vulkania® Pools

Vulkania Spring, Rogner Bad Blumau, Austria

The Vulkania® pools are filled with 100% mineral-rich thermal water, sourced from Vulkania®, the strongest healing spring in the entire Thermen- & Vulkanland region of Styria.

The spring bubbles up from a depth of 2843 meters, with an outlet temperature of 104°C and a salt content of 17.6 g per liter. The pool water is cooled down to a comfortable 36-38°C.

The silky Vulkania® spring water is good for your skin, metabolism, and circulation. And, the pools are completely free of chemical additives.

Hotel guests can soak in the Vulkania® Pools from 7 am until 11 pm.

We highly recommend swimming here late at night, when the milky turquoise water contrasts spectacularly with the dark night sky.

The steam obscures other bathing visitors, and thus creates a more mysterious and intimate experience.

Book your stay at Rogner Bad Blumau.

Sauna Area

The indoor-outdoor sauna area is a textile-free zone for adults (ages 16+), open from 10 am until 10:45 pm.

There are supervised infusions (“Sauna-Aufgüsse”) throughout the day. Due to limited capacity, it’s important to sign-up in advance for these infusions, using the screen near the Saunabar.

The sauna landscape comprises:

To learn about sauna etiquette in Austria, read How to Visit an Austrian Therme.

Good to Know

Free Towel Exchange

Each guest is given two towels. However, you can trade-in your dirty towels for fresh ones throughout the day. There are two places to do this: the Spa reception and the sauna area.

Drinking Water

It’s important to stay hydrated during your visit, especially after sauna sessions.

We spotted two drinking fountains in the Thermal Spa: one in the sauna area and one in the indoor pool area.

Bring a reusable water bottle with you, so you can fill-up throughout the day.

Dining

Rogner Bad Blumau Steak Restaurant, Austria

Rogner Bad Blumau À la Steak carte Restaurant GenussReich, Austria

Hotel guests have complete freedom to eat whenever and wherever they want throughout the day. If you want to eat every meal in your bathrobe, you certainly can (in the right places).

Breakfast and dinner (or lunch) are included in the room rate.

Most of the food is organic and sourced regionally.

If you have any dietary restrictions or food intolerances, there are ample choices and alternatives. Vegans receive a daily changing 4-course dinner, which is served.

If you’d like the vegan menu, notify the hotel reception in advance. There’s no additional cost.

It’s also possible to get a menu tailored to your individual needs, for a surcharge of 12 EUR, wish advance notice.

In our experience, the dining staff in each establishment was extremely friendly and attentive.

Breakfast

There are two main breakfast options:

LebensFroh (“Cheerful”) Restaurant

ObenDrauf (“On Top”) Pool Restaurant

It’s also possible to eat breakfast in the Caféhaus (all-day-long), though there’s no buffet.

We ate both breakfast at the LebensFroh buffet restaurant. There’s a bread station, with homemade breads, fresh from the oven.

There’s a beverage station, with mint infused water, Styrian apple juice, ginger green tea, and more.

The buffet comprises a muesli area, cold cuts and cheeses, eggs and bacon. We loved it!

Lunch

RegenTag (“Rainy Day”)

Vulkania® Lounge KleinUndFein

We ate lunch at Regentag. The food is good, but not outstanding.The interior space is bright and comfortable. Service is swift and attentive.

Dinner

There are three dinner options.

We ate dinner at both LebensFroh and GenussReich.

The quality of the food at LebensFroh is very good. Everything tasted wonderful. The problem is in the canteen-style presentation. Not a single course is served.

So, you’re constantly getting up and down throughout dinner to retrieve your courses (salad & starter, soup, pasta, main dish, and dessert).

It’s not a relaxing dinner experience.

On the other hand, there are benefits. You get to set the pace of dinner (no waiting around for each course to arrive). It’s also more children-friendly.

Couples looking for a more intimate dinner experience, ought to consider eating at the GenussReich steak restaurant.

There are menu options for pescetarians and vegetarians. The food and service is excellent.

LebensFroh (“Cheerful”) Restaurant

GenussReich Restaurant

RegenTag (“Rainy Day”)

Drinks

In addition to the restaurants mentioned, you can also grab drinks at the bathrobe-friendly SaunaBar (1 pm – 10 pm) or the Vulcania Lounge KleinUndFein, the KlimBim hotel bar (starting at 5 pm) and at the Speis Coffee House and Shop (9 am – 5 pm).

The Rooms

Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel Room Seating Area, Austria

Rogner Bad Blumau Bedroom, Austria

Rogner Bad Blumau offers a wide variety of rooms in various buildings throughout the complex. You can stay in double rooms, suites, and serviced apartments.

We stayed in a Wolkenreich double room, which has a seating area, canopy bed, and a bathroom.

The room was very nice, but the soundproofing was problematic. We could hear people walking in the hallway and various sounds from neighboring rooms.

When to Visit the Rogner Bad Blumau Spa

Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel, Austria

You can visit all-year-round.

We personally like visiting thermal spas in late fall and winter, when temperatures are colder. Winter weather pairs nicely with hot thermal pools and saunas.

We visited in February and loved our experience, especially when it rained.

However, there’s an undeniable benefit to visiting Rogner Bad Blumau in summer. It’s objectively more beautiful when the grounds are green, the flowers are blooming, and the trees are cloaked in leaves.

The whole complex really comes to life in the warmer months. And, you can better see and appreciate Hundertwasser’s vision of living in harmony with nature.

Book your stay at Rogner Bad Blumau.

Pros and Cons of Staying at the Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel

Rogner Bad Blumau Vulkania Hot Spring, Austria

Pros

Overall, staying at the Rogner Bad Blumau Hotel is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. It truly feels like you’re wandering across an animated canvas, or a vibrant fairytale land.

The highlight for us was bathing and floating in the silky Vulkania® pools at night. It’s pure magic! The darkness and limited visibility allows your mind to rest and your whole body to relax.

Furthermore, we liked Rogner Bad Blumau’s dining concept: you can eat whenever and wherever you want. There’s no schedule to adhere to.

Cons

Our main critique of the Rogner Bad Blumau Thermal Spa is the insufficient seating arrangements, especially in the sauna area. Every relaxation space is cramped and crowded.

If you don’t claim a chair in the morning, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a place to lounge.

I can imagine that this is less of a problem in the warmer months, when people can relax and lounge outside.

Another thing that bothered us was the smoking. There are ash trays by the outdoor pool, encouraging people to smoke in the Therme. I know it’s cultural and Austria is a decade behind other countries re: smoking laws, but come on!

Who the hell wants to inhale second-hand cigarette smoke during their wellness holiday?

My advice to Rogner Bad Blumau is to get rid of all ashtrays on the Therme grounds. If people want to smoke, they can exit the Therme to do so.

Rogner Bad Blumau Packing List

Thermal Pools & Spa:

Hotel:

More Thermal Spa Hotels in Austria

  1. Aqua Dome Hotel, Tirol – Read our Aqua Dome Therme Guide and our Aqua Dome Hotel Review
  2. Tauern Spa Hotel & Therme, Salzburg
  3. Linsberg Asia Hotel, Spa & Therme – Adults Only, Lower Austria
  4. St Martins Therme & Lodge, Burgenland
  5. Hotel SPA Resort Therme Geinberg, Upper Austria
  6. Falkensteiner Balance Resort Stegersbach – Adults only, Burgenland
  7. Das Sonnreich – Thermenhotel Loipersdorf, Styria
  8. Avita Resort Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Burgenland
  9. Das Ronacher Therme & Spa Resort, Carinthia
  10. EurothermenResort Bad Ischl – Hotel Royal, Upper Austria. Read our Hotel Royal Bad Ischl review.

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