Review: Aqua Dome Hotel & Spa (Austrian Alps)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Today: Review of Aqua Dome Hotel & Spa (Austria)

Hotel website: Aqua Dome
Location: Google maps

As Austria’s largest tourist project to date, Aqua Dome is located in the beautiful Ötztal Valley, surrounded by the Tyrolean Alps and close to tiny Austrian town of Längenfeld. Here, in 1997, a borehole tapped thermal water from a depth of 1,865 m (6,118 ft) for the first time. A subsequent investment of more than 70 million euros put Längenfeld and the whole of Austrian Tyrol on the map of thermal spa tourism in one go. What followed is a success story that continues to this day. Aqua Dome is arguably the most iconic thermal spa in Austria, if not the entire Alps. The thermal spa and hotel have welcomed almost seven million guests in the two decades since opening. Aqua Dome boasts futuristic looking spa and fitness facilities with a range of pools, saunas and a small play area for children. Guests of the hotel also have exclusive access to Spa 3000 (a premium spa within the spa).

Aqua Dome features in my top 10 list of the best hotels in Austria.

Have you ever stayed at Aqua Dome? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

The architecture of Aqua Dome – which consists of two connected sites (the spa and the hotel) – is perfectly suited to the surrounding mountain landscape. The hotel itself features a traditional yet modern Alpine architecture. The use of wood, stone and large windows in the hotel’s façade and terraces has been carefully brought together by skilled architects, in order to highlight the natural beauty of the Ötztal Valley. In contrast, the spa – which is located slightly uphill from the hotel – boasts an eye-catching, futuristic architecture with a glass-domed design. Here, a conical volume connects three bowl-shaped pools which seem to levitate above the ground’s surface, almost creating the look of a space-ship. The jagged roof of the main spa building echoes the formation of the surrounding mountains in shape and materiality.

On the inside, the Aqua Dome Hotel features a warm Alpine decor, blending classic, contemporary and local farmhouse design. The lobby’s open-plan layout, wood panelling and earthy tones capture the nature of the Ötztal mountains. At the heart of the lobby is a magnificent bar area, complete with a piano, mirrored ceiling and a glass wall stocked with fine wines and charcuterie. The passionate and knowledgeable bar team has selected well over 100 types of gin, taking even connoisseurs into a whole new world of flavor. Right behind the bar, as an extension to the lobby space, is a cozy lounge centered around an open fire, with several comfortable seats arranged around coffee tables (the perfect spot for an aperitif after a day exploring the mountains or relaxing in the spa).

Aqua Dome Hotel features more than 200 accommodations, all fitted with an Alpine decor that creates a homey atmosphere without sacrificing comfort. Ranging from cozy double rooms to panoramic suites with fireplaces to spacious “Raumwunder” family suites with multiple rooms and bathrooms, the rooms look greatly inviting thanks to red elements and wood accents mixed with warm earth tones. During my visit, I stayed in an Auszeit Double Room, which features a queensize bed, a sitting area, and a panoramic terrace with a view of the mountains. The ensuite bathroom was equipped with one was basin and a bathtub (which also doubled as the shower). The mini-bar was stocked with complimentary non-alcoholic drinks (juices, sparkling water and still water).

Right behind the lobby is Aqua Dome’s single restaurant, which was recently modernised in a new style, with a glass extension and huge panoramic windows, bringing the nature of the Ötztal Valley inside. The restaurant is an enormous space, divided into four different dining rooms, each with their own unique furnishing concepts. Inspired by the alpine surroundings, vibrant grass green and dark cranberry red dominate in two of the restaurants. The panoramic extension of the ‘Enzian’ area connects the indoor and outdoor area, while a flowered bench in the ‘Blumenwiese’ winter garden invites guests to stay a while. Each morning, the restaurants offers an excellent breakfast spread, from freshly baked treat and smoked delicacies to a wide variety of alpine cheeses. At night, the restaurant serves a five-course gourmet dinner, which is combination of a buffet and à la carte dishes, such as Ötztal trout in alpine caviar, breasts from farm ducks with French mountain thyme, and alpine lamb marinated in woodruff.

Probably the most captivating part of Aqua Dome Hotel is its location right next to the pretty spectacular Aqua Dome thermal spa, which offers more than 10 pools and dozens of wellness facilities. Staying in the hotel is the best way to experience this iconic thermal spa complex (often referred to as the most iconic spa in the Alps). A heated, underground walkway connects the hotel to the main spa complex. Hotel guests get unlimited access to the entire thermal bath bathhouse, sauna world, and fitness center as well as exclusive access to the two-story Spa 3000 and panorama relaxation room. Additionally, Aqua Dome hotel guests get early access (7 am) to the thermal baths, two hours before the complex opens to the public (9 am). That means that hotel guests can enjoy the floating basins and pools in peace before the non-hotel guest arrive.

At the heart of the Aqua Dome Spa is the Crystal Center, an enormous, three-level glass structure which houses two large pools with thermal spring water (one at a temperature of 93°F or 34°C, and one at a temperature of 97°F or 36°C), a solarium and several quiet rooms. The highlight of Crystal Center is its huge glass front that provides an open view of the mountainous surroundings of the Ötztal Alps – simply breathtaking! The Crystal Center connects to Aqua Dome’s famous outdoor pools, which is collection of three types of swimming pools:
- A bubbly river pool – with a gentle current and some rapids – takes guests from The Crystal Center’s indoor pool to the spa’s elevated basin pools
- A glass pyramid offers access to three eye-catching pool basins that float over the other pools like an UFO. Each basin has its own special appeal. The sole basin has a salt content of 5%, with gentle underwater music and lighting effects. Pure sulphur spring water flows into the thermal waters in the sulphur basin pool every 15 minutes. The third basin – a massage basin – is perfect for those who want to add energy and vitality to their aquatic pleasure.
- A 25 m (82 ft) lap pool stretches under the basins and features a pleasant water temperature of 78°F (26°C).

Reserved exclusively for guests staying at the Aqua Dome Hotel, Spa 3000 is spread across the top two floors of the main spa building and offers magnificent views of the surrounding mountains. Its modern design combining pinewood, granite and large glass facades with panoramic views brings the raw beauty of the Ötztal Valley inside. The cathedral-like interior of Spa 3000 houses facilities such as a bar, a relaxation area, a fireplace room, a Jacuzzi, and a sauna, all opening to a large rooftop terrace with the best views in the Aqua Dome complex. A centrally positioned staircase leads from Spa 3000’s upper floor to a lower level, where one finds several additional relaxation areas, complete with steam baths, a sauna and a small indoor pool, built along a natural moss-covered wall.

The Aqua Dome Spa is also home to an impressive garment-free sauna area, which features a variety of saunas, such as a loft sauna, a stone sauna, a sauna canyon, and hay barn sauna. The sauna also offers sauna Aufguss (sauna infusion), in which sauna masters swing their towel several times a day or invite guests on a scented journey with glacier ice, mountain honey, Swiss stone pine magic or salt peeling. The sauna area is also home to a relaxation lounge, a cafetaria, steam baths, several indoor whirpools, as well as a beautiful 20 m (66 ft) long outdoor pool, which is filled with 34°C (93°F) warm pure thermal water. From the sauna area, it is just a short stroll to the treatment area, which is located one floor below Spa 300 (on the same level as the fitness center). Here, there are 17 treatment areas, where massages, scrubs, and facials make use of local honey, herbs, salt, and even wood (it is recommened to prebook your treatment to avoid disappointment).

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Aqua Dome bills itself as a 4-star superior hotel (and not as a five-star hotel). IMHO, the hotel could almost pass for a five star property: most of the hotel’s communal facilities have a luxurious atmosphere (especially since the recent upgrade of the lobby) and do not feel that different from some other five star hotels. Also, the service was excellent during my stay and the food offering was reasonably good as well (both dinner and breakfast). However, the only area were the hotel disappointed me a little were the rooms. While my room (an Auszeit Double Room) was clean, spacious and comfortable, it felt a bit basic with dated furniture, and lacked a luxurious design (I guess that’s why the hotel sticks to its 4-star superior grading).

Most people stay at the Aqua Dome Hotel to have access to the Aqua Dome Spa next door. It’s important to emphasize that the spa is open to the public, so it can feel very busy and crowded, almost like an amusement park. That said, the hotel does offers its guests early access to the spa (two hours prior to the general public), so in case you are an early riser, you can enjoy the spa and its pools in total tranquility. The entire place also empties out in the late evening, making this another great time to explore. In addition, hotel guests have exclusive access to the Spa 3000 – a spa within the spa – where they can spend their time in serenity, silence and quietness (away from the crowds).

With more than 200 rooms, Aqua Dome is a very large property. If you are looking for an intimate property in the mountains, you should definitely stay elsewhere. During my stay, the hotel felt busy (especially during the meal times since there is only one restaurant where all hotel guests have breakfast and dinner) but not over-crowded. To cope with the high number of guests (both at the hotel and the spa), all guests receive a chip wristband at check-in. This wristband may feel a bit weird at first but it’s a multi-functional tool: it opens the hotel room and grants hotel guests unlimited access to all areas of the spa (e.g. thermal baths, Sauna World, Spa 3000, fitness center); all extras (e.g. lunch, drinks etc…) can also be charged to the chip wristband.

MY VERDICT

Location: 7/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 10/10
Rooms: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Breakfast: 9/10
Spa: 10/10
Service: 8/10
Wow factor: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10
Overall experience: very good – 8/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Aqua Dome (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Aqua Dome is a destination that can be visited year-round.

HOW TO GET THERE

Aqua Dome is easy to reach by train (Ötztal railway station) and by plane (Innsbruck & Munich). Road transfers between the airport, train station and hotel can be arranged through the hotel concierge.