You may think you’ve journeyed to the centre of the earth as you drift languidly in an open-air thermal pool, steam swirling around you and the snow-covered Ötzal Alps rising skyward on all sides of the valley.
Relax and recharge your batteries at the Aqua Dome’s Thermal Spa, in Längenfeld, Tirol. Covering a total of 2,200m2 Aqua Dome has twelve indoor and outdoor pools – each with their own specific properties. The Ursprung Spa Dome area comprises two large indoor pools filled with sulphurous thermal water heated to a comforting 34 – 36 degrees Celsius; several quiet rooms for a more exclusive experience; solariums; and even a waterfall. Enclosed by large glass and steel walls the Spa Dome affords striking views of the surrounding mountains.
Venturing outside, you’ll be amazed by the Talfrische thermal area … three bowl-shaped pools appear to be floating in mid-air. Connected to each other by an illuminated glass cone, each crystal-blue pool has a unique feature. In the first pool, underwater music and light effects provide a magical experience, especially after sunset. In the second pool, experience the energizing effects of sulphurous water and enjoy a massage at one of the tables located around the poolside. The third pool’s high concentration of salt water makes it easier to float. On Fridays, the pools are open until midnight for “Moonlight Bathing”. Check your moon phase calendar when planning your visit!
Don’t leave the Aqua Dome without a sauna session. Like any other sauna facility in Austria, most of the diverse saunas experiences are FKK (nude) areas. “Freikörperkultur” or Free Body Culture means nude is normal. Don’t be shy – we’re all the same!
Children are welcome at Aqua Dome. The specially designed water world and expert child-minding services keep the little ones safely occupied while you relax.
Food and drinks are also a priority at Aqua Dome with an emphasis on locally-sourced produce – you’ll be spoilt for choice with cuisine for all appetites, whether you prefer something light and detoxing, or a hearty soul-filling Austrian speciality.
Its close proximity to Sölden, one of Austria’s top ski resorts, ensures that the Aqua Dome is particularly popular in winter. Swimming in hot water while surrounded by steam and snow-covered mountain slopes is a truly surreal experience, but the resort is just as spectacular through most of the year as the scenic Ötzal Valley changes its colours. Treatments and beauty therapies are updated seasonally, maximising their effects and benefits for whenever you visit. If you don’t mind taking your chances with darker days and a little rain, a visit in the autumn will offer the luxury of a quieter time and more privacy. Weekdays outside of school holidays also tend to be less busy.
Photo Courtesy by www.aqua-dome.at
Längenfeld in the Ötztal Valley has long been known for its hot springs; when these springs dried up in the 1970s, some exploratory drilling was needed to restore them. Built to take advantage of these hot springs, the hotel’s rustic wood and stone architecture hugs the valley floor, in contrast with the modern glass and steel structures of the thermal spa area which seems ready to rise from the ground at any moment. The Aqua Dome welcomes you to experience these historic thermal waters in this majestic and exclusive setting.
