Is this Europe’s cheapest spa break? Five-star hotel costs just £43, with treatments from £11

As I luxuriate in a steaming hot bath full of mineral water enriched with CO2 gas in spa suite named after Edward VII, I feel much like a royal myself.

This decadent room is one of many flanking the majestic hallways of the Ensana Nove Lazne hotel in elegant Marianske Lazne, a historical spa town to the west of Prague, in the Czech Republic.

Edward VII first visited this spot in 1897 and became a regular guest until at least 1909. 

He would spend three to four weeks in the summer taking the supposedly healing spring waters and indulging, as I did, in spa treatments designed to improve ailments and general health.

Today, the same therapeutic water that has defined Marianske Lazne’s spa tradition for centuries is still drawing visitors from central Europe and further afield – but it’s barely on the radar for many Britons.

That’s a great shame – not least because, despite the fact that it’s one of Unesco’s 11 ‘Great Spa Towns of Europe’, it remains remarkably affordable. 

If you’re after a low cost but indulgent spa escape, Marianske Lazne feels like one of Europe’s best-kept secrets.

It’s even possible – and advisable – to combine a visit to Prague, with its cobbles, spires and low prices. 

Writer Saskia O’Donoghue swapped the UK’s pricey spas for a stay in what she describes as one of ‘Europe’s best-kept secrets’ because of its value-for-money and deluxe offerings

Saskia stayed at the Ensana Nove Lazne hotel in the elegant spa town of Marianske Lazne in the Czech Republic

The hotel was frequently used by King Edward VII between 1897 and 1909 and is now a UNESCO site 

Ryanair flights from London to Prague cost from as little as £33 return (or from £16.99 one way) and a train from the city centre to Marianske Lazne is a mere £11 one way.

My hotel, five-star Ensana Nove Lazne, is right in the centre of the town – and staggeringly inexpensive. 

Rooms can be secured at this luxurious neo-Renaissance residence for £43 per person, per night in January, with a buffet breakfast and sparkling wine included.

Marianske Lazne, with its grand, colourful buildings, manicured parks and imposing colonnades is surely one of Europe’s loveliest spa destinations.

‘We’re more spa-focused here, rather than wellness,’ Dr Marketa Hovorkova, chief physician at Ensana Health Spa Hotels, tells me.

In the Czech Republic, a spa is typically a place for medical recuperation, not merely a weekend of cucumber water and scented candles.

For generations, Czechs have been prescribed multi-week stays in places such as Marianske Lazne, sent to restore all manner of ills under the supervision of medical experts. But that doesn’t exclude those of us arriving for a bit of R&R. 

You’re getting the creme de la creme of spa breaks, overseen by people who really understand the benefits.

The five-star Ensana Nove Lazne is located in the centre of the town and is ‘staggeringly inexpensive’

Rooms can be secured for as little as £43 per person, per night in January, with a buffet breakfast and sparkling wine included

At the Ensana Nove Lazne hotel, you’re spoiled for choice. Even if you opt not to try one of the vast variety of treatments on offer – which start from about £11 – the hotel boasts ornate Roman baths, whirlpools and saunas.

If you’re after real affordable luxury, a visit to the five-star Falkensteiner Spa Resort is a must. 

This recently renovated, ultra-sumptuous hotel offers day passes for just £32 – a fraction of what you’d pay at an Alpine spa.

Falkensteiner is a modern hub, with indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna complex and relaxation zones where time seems to slow. Even if you’re not the biggest spa fan, a visit to Marianske Lazne is still well worth it.

In fact, it was recognised in 2023 as a ‘climatic spa’. It’s the only place in the world home to all four natural healing resources – mineral water, healing peat mud, CO2 gas and climate. 

Nordic walking is a common prescription by doctors here, but even gentle strolls feel restorative and more adventurous hikers will find no shortage of routes.

After a ramble, visitors must sample the famous, mineral-packed waters at the Maxim Gorky Colonnade, Marianske Lazne’s most iconic landmark.

Locals and visitors sip warm mineral waters from porcelain spa cups – many made in the Czech Republic, which has a long tradition of porcelain-making – each with a built-in spout.

Meanwhile, Ryanair flights from London to Prague cost from as little as £33 return (or from £16.99 one way) and a train from the city centre to Marianske Lazne is a mere £11 one way

The ornately-decorated spa offers a variety of treatments which start from just £11

Although a rumour I heard about the mineral content turning a drinker’s teeth black proved untrue, it really can stain them, so sipping through the spout helps preserve your pearly whites.

The waters vary in taste and effects, and there are some 40 individual springs – all with different properties, in the town alone, with more in the wider region.

Dr Hovorkova suggested I sample the Karolina Spring, known for its high levels of magnesium, and I certainly felt a pep in my step after a few cups.

The town’s confidence in its waters borders on reverence, and it’s available in many hotels in public areas for guests to drink from freely. 

That includes at the fourstar Orea Spa Hotel Cristal, which will set you back from just £23 per person, per night, including breakfast and spa access.

There’s certainly more to Marianske Lazne’s cuisine than just mineral water, though. Traditional dill soup was a particular favourite on a chilly autumn day.

Many Czech spa towns have their own liqueurs and Marianske Lazne is no different.

Inside, the spa boasts decadent Roman baths, whirlpools and saunas and is beautifully decorated with tiles

Maria Liqueur is made, variously, from orris root, which can promote healthy breathing, cranberry juice, known to help kidney health and dandelion root, a natural prebiotic and antioxidant. It’s best enjoyed at the Edward Cafe by Maxim Gorky Colonnade.

While you likely won’t have heard of Marianske Lazne, it’s nothing short of a revelation. 

If you’re craving a winter spa escape that doesn’t drain your bank account, this enchanting Czech destination should be top of your list.

TRAVEL FACTS 

Saskia O’Donoghue was a guest of Ensana Nove Lazne hotel. For further details, see visitczechia.com and visitvaryregion.com.