Austria's Top Spas to Visit

Set in the mountainous Berwang region, the Familotel Kaiserhof is the perfect setting for your next family break. A large indoor play area plus a kids’ club with activities that include petting zoo day trips are just a few of the highlights. The spa, meanwhile, is strictly an adults-only zone. Saunas range from a Hobbit-style Tyrolean sauna to a “herbal steam kitchen” and hayflower sweat bath. There are also a range of treatments on offer, including hot stone massages and sea salt body scrubs.

Built around the famed thermal baths of Bad Waltersdorf, the H2O Hotel is a natural choice for a spa retreat. On top of the hotel’s huge in-house waterpark and swimming pools, the H20 has an exclusive, adults-only spa. Start with a fresh smoothie from the vitality bar before indulging in a massage treatment. Finish with a steam in the H20’s Sauna World, which includes scenic views across the Styrian mountains.

Overlooking the Großglockner (known as the “Jewel of the Alps”), the Gradonna Mountain Resort sits pretty on the slopes of the Großglockner Kals-Matrei ski area. Minimalist rooms and chalets are designed to take in the natural surroundings, but the in-house spa is the true highlight here. While it’s not as sprawling as some on this list, it does feature several pools (including one for kids), five saunas, two steam rooms and a sunbathing terrace for the summer months. Facials, couples’ treatments and an excellent hairdresser are among the perks.

Wellness programmes lie at the heart of this hotel, situated in the Aussee region. Beyond the 52 luxury guest rooms, there is a range of wellness offerings. Spend the day hiking before unwinding in the outdoor jacuzzi, or delve more deeply into your body with a Medical Wellness programme, featuring holistic therapies – from brine baths and stress-relieving massages to personal trainer sessions. The food is wholesome and nutritious with plenty of variety for all dietary needs.

Heiltherme Bad Waltersdorf is a public spa, known for its natural thermal springs that bubble up from an underground reservoir, filling seven pools across the site. The high mineral content of the water is said to relax the body and boost the immune system. The Quellenhotel is linked to the public spa, but also has its own three-storey private wellness centre, which includes a natural swimming pond, surrounded by reeds and sunbathing platforms.

Space-age style circular thermal ‘basins’ surrounding a pyramid entrance are the centrepiece of this spa hotel in the beautiful Ötztal valley. During the winter, steam rises out of the pools like in a Hollywood sci-fi movie. Couples can book into a private Spa Suite, which includes a salt exfoliation, steam bath and Swiss stone pine oil massage, while sipping prosecco. Families can explore the Aqua World fun pool or drop the kids off for activities at the Arche Noah children’s world. Loungers can be reserved for a stress-free start to the day.

This family-run hotel combines Austrian alpine charm with an extensive wellness centre in Seefeld in Tirol, known for its cross-country ski trails. From the outside, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is an old-school chalet; inside, you’ll find sharp contemporary design with accents of glass, marble and wood. The wellness centre and spa has a wide range of facilities, from classic Finnish saunas to infrared loungers and the notable Wärmestube laconium. Hiking, mountain biking and skiing are right on your doorstep.

A colourful and quirky resort, Rogner Bad Blumau is a mix of curious architecture, natural thermal pools and a luxury wellness spa. The resort’s buildings are a spectacle in themselves, designed to be a “truly liveable work of art” – like a cross between an Escher painting and Hobbiton. Beyond the variety of pools and treatments, you can lounge in the salt grotto, float in the Vulkania pool (complete with underwater music) or enjoy a deep relaxation session in the AlphaSphere pod.

First opened more than 60 years ago by Herma and Lothar Hehle, Hotel Schönblick is a more traditional option than others on this list. While the rooms are fairly simple, it’s the views across Lake Constance that are the real selling point here. Wellness highlights include a Roman steam bath complete with “starry sky”, Finnish sauna including light therapy and a selection of “Royal” treatments and massages. Book the Panorama Suite with spectacular water views from the large jacuzzi bathtub.

The alpine village of Tröpolach sits right at the base of the Nassfeld ski resort on the Austrian/Italian border. Here, you’ll find the Falkensteiner Hotel with its indoor-outdoor swimming pool, open all year round, and ideal for a post-ski dip. Beyond the pool, there is a 2,400sq m Acquapura spa with jacuzzis and sauna area, complete with a herbal sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and a crushed ice fountain. Enjoy a yoga class in the fitness centre or a round at the Nassfeld Golf course before returning to your luxurious suite.

Hotel Das Ronacher has been a wellness retreat long before other hotels in Austria. It’s home to the country’s first thermal saltwater pool – there are four more pools to drift between, as well as a collection of saunas housed in alpine cabins. For the more spiritually inclined, yoga teacher Phillip Lane also runs cacao sauna ceremonies alongside other shamanic rituals here. When it comes to the rooms, book the Grand Suite and enjoy your own fireplace, private sauna and in-room bathtub. Alternatively, the terrace suite has a personal putting green to practice your strokes.

Just down the road from Das Ronacher, you’ll find Hotel Die Post in the ski town of Bad Kleinkirchheim. Families are welcome inside the spa with its kid-friendly sauna, jetted pool, hot-cold rainfall shower and fun hammocks to swing in. There is even a kids’ treatment menu, featuring hot stone massages, body scrubs and make-up workshops. Rotate between the six onsite pools, play tennis in the summer and ride on a horse-drawn carriage through the snow in winter.