Mariánské Lázne Spa Town

Mariánské Lázně, Czech Republic

Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad for German) is a spa town in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. The town, surrounded by green mountains, is a mosaic of parks and noble houses. Most of its buildings come from the town's Golden Era in the second half of the 19th century, when many celebrities and top European rulers came to enjoy the curative carbon dioxide springs. In 2021, the town became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name 'Great Spa Towns of Europe'.

Although the town itself is only about two hundred years old, the locality has been inhabited much longer. The first written record dates back to 1273. The springs first appear in a document dating from 1341 where they are called 'the Auschowitzer springs' belonging to the Teplá Abbey. It was only through the efforts of Josef Nehr, the abbey's physician, who from 1779 until his death in 1820 worked hard to demonstrate the curative properties of the springs, that the waters began to be used for medicinal purposes. The place obtained its current name of Marienbad in 1808; became a watering-place in 1818, and received its charter as a town in 1868.

By the early 20th century, approximately 1,000,000 bottles of mineral water were exported annually from Marienbad. The water from the Cross Spring (Křížový pramen) was evaporated and the final product was sold as a laxative under the name of sal teplensis. The modern spa town was founded by the Teplá abbots, namely Karl Kaspar Reitenberger, who also bought some of the surrounding forests to protect them. Under the guidance of gardener Václav Skalník, architect Jiří Fischer, and builder Anton Turner the inhospitable marshland valley was changed into a park-like countryside with colonnades, neoclassical buildings and pavilions around the springs.

The name Marienbad first appeared in 1786; since 1865 it has been a town. Then came a second period of growth, the town's Golden Era. Between 1870 and 1914 many new hotels, colonnades and other buildings, designed by Friedrich Zickler, Josef Schaffer, and Arnold Heymann, were constructed or rebuilt from older houses. In 1872 the town got a railway connection with the town of Cheb (Eger) and thus with the whole Austro-Hungarian Empire and the rest of Europe.

The town soon became one of the top European spas, popular with notable figures and rulers who often returned there. Among them were such names as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Frédéric Chopin, Thomas Edison, Richard Wagner or Prince Friedrich of Saxony, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, the Russian Czar Nicholas II, and Emperor Franz Joseph I and many others. At those times, about 20,000 visitors came every year. It was also a popular resort and vacation venue for European rabbis and their Hasidic followers, accommodating their needs with kosher restaurants, religious prayer services, etc.

Marienbad remained a popular destination between World War I and World War II. After World War II, the ethnic German population of the town was forcibly expelled according to the Potsdam agreement, thereby emptying the town of the majority of its population. After the communist coup-d'état in 1948; it got sealed off from most of its foreign visitors. After the return of democracy in 1989 much effort was put into restoring the town into its original character. Today it is not only a spa town but also a popular holiday resort thanks to its location among the green mountains of the Slavkovský les and the Český les, sport facilities (the town's first golf course was opened in 1905 by the British King Edward VII) and the proximity to other famous spa towns, such as Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) or Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad).

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Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in Czech Republic

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Samantha Miller (2 months ago)
I recently inquired about staying at this hotel and had high hopes given its reputation. However, I’m quite disappointed with the service provided by the reservation desk. I reached out with two straightforward questions: what the wellness package includes and whether the hotel could accommodate our dietary preferences. Instead of receiving clear answers, the staff responded with a question of their own, which I promptly answered. Unfortunately, I never heard back from them, even after following up. The lack of response was frustrating and left me uncertain about their customer service standards. While the hotel itself may be good, the poor communication and unresponsiveness at the reservation desk leave much to be desired. I hope they improve their service, as it's crucial for creating a positive guest experience.
M S (3 months ago)
The hotel does not have air conditioning, which was an absolute shock for me in a 5-star hotel. This is completely unacceptable. The staff tried to excuse it by saying that the building is old, but that's clearly just an excuse for those who don't know better. I've stayed in much older and more historic hotels, even in protected areas, and they all had air conditioning. Unfortunately, I can't say anything positive because this issue completely ruined my stay.
Ekaterina A (4 months ago)
Amazing holiday! Nice staff, very helpful. Pillow bank (anatomic one is recommended!). Spa with small but several pools, 31 degree. One small pool with salt water for relaxation. There is also quiet relax zone available. Program of musical evenings in the library-bar. Breakfast if good and plenty choices. Though i have small complain about tea. Hot water for tea is just not hot enough for tea to be brewed and tea pots are very little. If you just can add big cups for tea lovers would be great! Got welcome drink and also they called me the taxi for train station for free at the end ☺️ Very pleased. Definitely will come back here.
Hana Duchackova (4 months ago)
The check-in and check-out was very smooth and fast. The hotel's processes are exceptionally well-organized and the staff is showing a great teamwork. We appreciated seamless experience throughout reception, room, spa and restaurant. The bar area and library is really beautiful space and we enjoyed live the piano concerts. The spa was peaceful and professional. The setup of the spa is really great with spa lobby and pools. Special thanks to the restaurant staff, especially Jiri, Romana, and Nikolaj, for accommodating our dietary restrictions perfectly. They ensured our meals were safe and delicious. Overall, we loved the hotel and felt like home, especially the freely available water, tea, and coffee, which added to the homely atmosphere. Highly recommend and look forward to returning!
Janinka Mora (5 months ago)
Hotel Falkensteiner, built in the art nouveau style like an Italian villa, has wonderful pools in a large spa with warm water and also an outdoor pool.
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