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There are plenty of beautiful, historic hotels to choose from in the whole Czech Spa Triangle region. If you’re going to be spending some time in Marianske Lazne though, it’s best to go with the company with the biggest presence there. We had a lovely stay at one of them: Ensana Hvezda Spa Hotel that’s in the nicest part of town.
The Ensana company has hotels through the country now known as Czechia and elsewhere, but in the Czech spa town of Marianske Lazne, there’s a big incentive to stay with them. They have some of the best spa facilities in town and a whole team of physicians that can figure out how to cure what ails you.
You see, these spa towns are all about taking the waters, not just externally, but internally too. These are health spas aiming to treat you and help you recover or improve, not just give you an hour of destressing that will wear off in a hurry. These mineral waters will treat everything from degenerative diseases to sports injuries and doctors trained in oncology, cardiovascular health, and other specialties are on staff.
Setting aside all that for the moment, Ensana Hvezda Spa Hotel is an impressive place to pull up to, with a glowing yellow exterior, elaborate sculptures over the main door, and decorative architecture that dates back to the early 1800s. The check-in area is dominated by a large chandelier, royal drapes around the windows, and inlaid marble flooring.
Around the corner is a grand staircase with a female marble bust holding a lamp, the steps leading up to the other floors after a stained glass window (though there is an elevator). There’s a lobby sitting area to the right that’s equally grand. The real showpiece, however, is the large hall with even larger chandeliers, intricate gold-leaf ceiling decorations, and thick carpeting.
This dining area feels like something out of a French palace and you will feel like you’re attending a royal banquet with an impressive display of hot and cold breakfast items. When we were there the occupancy was quite high, but the bustling staffers kept up well with the crowds and there’s so much seating that it’s still easy to have a conversation and linger as long as you want.
There are no other drinking or dining options in this hotel, but since it is part of a collection of hotels, it is connected to other properties nearby with a corridor that can keep you out of the weather in the winter or rain. The Ensana hotel next door has its own bar and restaurant, with an outdoor dining area, though we found out the welcome drink for it that they gave us at check-in could only be redeemed during a specific one-hour window. We missed it because we were touring the city so we were out of luck.
This info was left out of the explanation we got at check-in, along with any explanation about how to access the spas, but we chalked it up to English being their third language in this Czech region close to Germany. Eventually we figured it all out.
Rooms at Ensana Hvezda Hotel
The feeling of being in a small palace extended to our room, which was a spacious junior suite with chairs, a table, and a sofa. We also had a furnished balcony that looked out at other equally beautiful Marianske Lazne buildings and the forest beyond. In the distance we could hear the singing fountain next to the colonnade.
Rooms at this Hvezda Spa Hotel strike a good balance between traditional and modern. For the nods to history we got our own crystal chandelier, velvet drapes, and ceiling decorations. To meet more modern expectations though, we had a large TV, minibar, and robes and slipper laid out on the bed. The spacious bath had a double vanity and a big combo tub, however, and the included internet was fast enough for getting some work done.
The smallest rooms have similar amenities and even the single rooms are far from cramped. The best rooms have a view and a balcony, however, making them feel larger and brighter.
Enjoying the Ensana Spas in Marianske Lazne
Travelers visit this city to stroll the historic center, enjoy the mountain air, and maybe even take the ski lift up to the miniature village displaying small replicas of Czech buildings and castles. The main draw though, as in centuries past, would be the mineral springs. The waters from here have curative properties and there’s a serious treatment regimen for those who will stick around long enough to reap the benefits.
We were only in town two nights, unfortunately, after visiting Pilszner and then continuing on to Karlovy Vary. So we tasted some mineral water from fountains and what was bottled in our room, but we went for the more immediate effects that come from water massage and soaking.
The hotel we were in has its own grand spa area, which has a serious medical slant for those who come for treatments. The facilities include a huge pool with hydrotherapy, however, so we made our way to that to at least get our muscles loosened up. We moved through whirlpools that massaged the extremities and hydrojets that pounded or necks and backs with water.
Later after asking a series of questions, we got confirmation we could visit a sister property’s “Roman baths” and we set off down the hill in our bathrobes. This spa also has medical offices down the hall, but we spent a couple of hours just enjoying the columned rooms with pools of different temperatures and different jet intensities. Adjoining was a large sauna and steam room complex.
It would have been nice to stay longer and see what kind of curative properties all these mineral waters could have if we gave them a chance, but it seems like our experience was not uncommon and a lot of travelers are just making a weekend trip or doing a sightseeing tour that includes Marianske Lazne.
It is one of the most beautiful towns I’ve walked around in the region and I’m glad we got to experience it and marvel at the colorful, intricately designed buildings. If you are trying to treat a health condition, however, it’s hard to imagine a more pleasant place to be while you work on that. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel more relaxed no matter what.
Rates are usually in the range of $150 to $350 per night depending on season and room category, including breakfast, spa facilities access, and taxes. See more information on the Ensana website and book there or check prices online at Expedia.
Related post: see correspondent Buzzy Gordon’s review of a sister Ensana spa hotel in Slovakia.
Editor Tim Leffel was hosted at Ensana Hvezda Spa Hotel by Visit Czechia while writing an article about the Czech spa region for another publication. As always, all opinions are his own.
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