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For my 30th birthday, my family treated me to a trip to Therme Spa Bucharest (I know, I’m spolied rotten!) I’d seen Therme Spa all over TikTok and Instagram, with its tropical pools, palm trees, and incredible saunas but I never thought I would be going, but when my sisters realised that flights, accommodation, and spa entry were cheaper than a U.K. spa weekend, they booked the surprise trip immediately!
In this post, I’ll share a detailed review of my Therme Spa Romania experience, from travel logistics and first impressions to the pros, cons, and insider tips you’ll want to know before you go.
Why We Chose Therme Bucharest Over a UK Spa
If you’ve ever been to, or looked into a spa break in the U.K., you’ll know it isn’t cheap. A weekend at a decent UK spa hotel can easily cost £300+ per person and that’s without treatments or extras!
In comparison, our entire trip to Bucharest cost less:
- Return flights: £60 per person
- 2 nights apartment stay: £40pp
- Full-day Therme Spa entry: £26
We got a European city break and a luxury spa experience for less than a basic UK spa package. It was a no-brainer.
Travel Logistics: Getting There
We flew from London Stansted on a Saturday morning. To make things easier (and get some extra sleep), as most of us live in Norfolk we stayed at a Travelodge in Cambridge the night before for £22pp. This made our drive to the airport under an hour.
We met my sister in Cambridge and drove together to Stansted. Our Ryanair flight was at 10:10am, landing in Bucharest around 3:30pm local time. Our return flight was at 17:55 on Monday, so a short break but this meant that we only needed to book one day off work.
Uber in Bucharest
One thing that was great about Bucharest was that Uber was really cheap and reliable. We paid around £15 for the 30-minute ride from the airport to our apartment which saved us a lot of hassle. We used Uber several times, one driver even gave us a full history of Bucharest during our journey!
Day 1: Exploring Bucharest & Dinner at Caru’ Cu Bere
After checking into our apartment and freshening up, we headed to Caru’ Cu Bere which my family had booked before the trip as it was one of Bucharest’s most famous restaurants, with great reviews, traditional romanian dancing and an incredible setting.
The restaurant was stunning inside, with vaulted ceilings, stained glass, and a warm vibe, and it was busy throughout the evening. As we were enjoying our dinner, every so often, dancers came out and performed in traditional costumes which was great fun to watch. In honesty, the food was a bit underwhelming.
Our waiter also encouraged us to leave a 5-star review on the spot by scanning a QR code which made us feel a bit pressured into leaving a good rating, which might explain the sky-high reviews. But still, for the experience and atmosphere it was worth a visit and we had a great evening!
Day 2: A Full Day at Therme Spa Bucharest
This was the day we’d been waiting for! Therme Bucharest is open 8am–10pm on Sundays, and we arrived around 10am via Uber. Luckily, there was only a short queue to get in.
How It Works at Therme Bucharest
- You’re given a wristband on entry, which acts as your locker key and payment method for food, drinks, and extras inside.
- Towels and Robes can be rented, but robes sell out fast – they’d run out by the time we arrived.
- Flip-flops are mandatory You can take your own or you can buy a pair onsite. I think it was around £7 but we all took our own.
Once inside, we changed in the changing cubicles (which were a lot similar to those at center parcs), put our belongings in our assigned lockers, scanned our wristbands for entry and stepped out into what felt like a tropical paradise which was a welcome relief after the –6°C temperatures outside!
The Palm Zone – Tropical Paradise (Adults Only)
The Palm Zone quickly became our favourite area. It’s the adults-only area, which was calm and beautifully designed with palm trees, mineral pools, and cosy lounging areas. We didn’t manage to secure loungers at first as it pretty busy, but there were storage areas for towels and flip-flops we could use when we wanted to swim.
After stowing our towels, we headed straight for the outdoor thermal pool which had submerged seats and tables and a bar where we could sit and enjoy cocktails, while soaking up the winter sun. It was our favourite part of the day! The water was lovely and warm and the weather was beautiful clear blue skies. I actually felt like I could get a tan! Relaxing in the warm water and drinking a mojito, it felt more like a summer holiday than the middle of February and -6 degrees!
More about The Palm at Therme Spa:
Swim-Up Bars
There are indoor swim up bars in The Palm zone where you can order cocktails, smoothies, or even coffee without leaving the water. Once again, you just use your wristband and pay on departure. Drinks were reasonably priced too. I think they worked out at around £5 per cocktail.
Massage Beds & Infrared Loungers
The Palm has plenty of hydromassage beds and infrared loungers, these were available at an additional cost. The hydromassage beds use water jets to target your back and legs, while the infrared loungers are amazing for easing sore muscles,deep relaxation, and perfect for drying off!. These can be paid for using your wristband.
Relaxation Areas
There were numerous quiet lounger areas where you can read, nap and chill. These were full in the but freed up later in the afternoon as people moved between zones. I say quiet, we left my mum chilling out on a day bed, and when we returned from the slides she said there had been a club session with party music in the early evening while we were gone!
Thermal Mineral Pool (Indoor)
Inside The Palm, there’s also a large thermal mineral pool infused with minerals like calcium and magnesium, designed for therapeutic benefits. This was great for a more chilled soak without the buzz of the main pool area.
- Tip: The pool bars inside are fun but busy so wait times are long. For faster service, order drinks from bars outside the water and then
The Elysium Zone – Saunas & Spa Rituals
Next, we explored Elysium, the quieter zone packed with themed saunas and salt rooms. You must remember to bring your towel to sit on in the saunas (we forgot at first and got a good telling off!).
Our highlights were:
- The Hollywood Sauna: This is a sauna that’s set up like a movie theatre with a giant TV screen at the front! Watching David Attenborough documentaries in a mint and lemon-infused sauna was definitely a novalty!
- Steam Room Sessions: We joined a scheduled session where we received body scrubs to use in the steam room, followed by a clay face mask. My skin felt amazing afterwards!
Check the big screens near the Palm pool for the daily Therme programme schedule. These special sessions are popular and we found some of the sessions to have long queues so arrive early to secure a spot!
The Galaxy Zone – Slides & Family Fun
The Galaxy Zone is the family-friendly area full of water slides, a wave pool, and kids’ play areas. It was busy and noisy, but we couldn’t resist the slides. There’s a range of thrill levels, and we laughed non-stop despite the queues and endless stairs.
- Slides: These were great fun, but expect lines, and queue jumpers if it’s anything like our visit!
- Tip: No jewellery is allowed on slides. You will need to leave any jewellery in your locker.
We didn’t try the wave pool, but it looked like chaos (the fun kind!).
Dining & Restaurants at Therme Bucharest
Therme Bucharest has several options for food. In The Palm Zone, there are casual self-service restaurants serving burgers, salads, pasta etc , perfect for a quick bite between pools. This is where we ate a couple of times throughout the day. The food here was really reasonably priced and while it wasn’t anything too special it did the job!
For something a little more fancy, the Elysium zone had a thai restaurant called The Mango Tree, serving authentic Thai-inspired dishes in a more formal restaurant setting. While we didn’t eat there ourselves, it looked like an great option for if you were after a sit-down meal in a quieter area of the spa.
Overall, we had plenty of options and didn’t go hungry throughout the day!
Evening: Sunset Cocktails & Hot Tubs
As evening fell, we grabbed cocktails (after another long bar queue!) and headed outside to watch the winter sunset at the thermal pool. This was an amazing experience and the perfect end to the day. Afterwards, we hopped between hot tubs indoors before calling it a night around 9pm to avoid the rush when the spa closed.
We quickly settled our wristband bill (which was surprisingly reasonable!) and ordered an Uber back to our apartment.
Pros & Cons of Therme Bucharest
What Were The Pros?
- Incredible value for money compared to U.K. spas
- Massive range of pools, saunas, and experiences
- Tropical atmosphere (Kind of like Center Parcs but much cheaper)
- Unique extras that wouldn’t normally be included at a U.K. spa (scrubs, sauna shows, face masks)
- Easy and cheap access from Bucharest city centre
What Were The Cons?
- Queues for bars, food, and slides (especially weekends)
- Food is average and seating can be hard to find at lunch
- Busy Galaxy Zone, queues and pushing
- Robes sell out quickly – arrive early if you want one
Final Verdict: Is Therme Spa Bucharest Worth Visiting?
Absolutely yes! If you’re looking for a European spa getaway that’s affordable, unique and a cheaper option than a U.K. spa break then Therme Spa Romania is the perfect choice. It felt like a luxury holiday at a fraction of the cost of a U.K. spa weekend.
It was easily one of my favourite birthday trips ever! We even considered going back for the morning before our flight the following day! I’d happily return. Next time I’d even stay longer to enjoy Bucharest city more too.
Insider Tips for Visiting Therme Bucharest
- Tickets: Book in advance online to avoid long queues. Full-day passes cost around £26.
- Best Time to Go: Weekdays are quieter. Sundays are busier but open late (8am–10pm).
- What to Bring: Swimwear, flip-flops (mandatory), towels, toiletries, and a waterproof phone case for photos.
- Getting There: Uber from Bucharest centre takes around 30 minutes and costs £15.
- Cash-Free: Everything inside is paid via your wristband, settled at the end.
- Jewellery – Remember to remove jewellery before attempting the slides or you will be turned away.
If you’re considering a winter spa break in Europe, consider skipping overpriced U.K. spas and head to Romania Therme Bucharest is 100% worth it! Thanks to the fam for taking me!
