Friday, March 24, 2023

Burning

🍃
#filmphotography #35mm #camera #nikon #hotsprings #sunset
I'd very much like to add much more topical info concerning Europe's hot springs, but alas there's little forthcoming. 

Worldthermalsprings (Mar. 16) is flying through many Portugese and French hot springs in the last few weeks. Not only are the number of soaks per day impressive, they also are able to enter many of the facilities geared up for medically supervised soaking. An exception from Rennes-les-Bains (Languedoc):

Путешествие по термам Франции, Пиренеи. RENNES LES THERMES. Как я измеряла параметры воды. Горяий источник находится в русле реки на другом берегу реки. Чтобы до него добраться надо перейти реку по порогу или в сапогах или босиком. Вижу молодой хиппи стремится к источнику, где уже принимают горячую ванну его друзья. Я прошу его вернуться, показываю, как сделать замеры и слежу за процессом. Все получилось. Потом из под плиты вылезли его друзья и спрашивали, что такое ppm. А вы знаете? #термальныеисточникимира #термальныеисточники #пиренеи #русскиевофранции #thermalsprings #hotsprings #france
More popularity for Bath's Roman (UK) hot springs complex. Bath Newsroom (Mar. 17)
'Figures released today by the Association for Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) show that the Roman Baths & Pump Room was the 28th most-visited attraction in the UK in 2022, up from 51st in 2021.
The historic attraction welcomed 851,854 visitors during 2022, compared to 351,655 in 2021. The Roman Baths was the second most-visited attraction in the South West, after Stonehenge.
Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “These figures represent a welcome recovery for the Roman Baths and demonstrate the significance of Bath within the UK tourism industry. To be 28th in a list of such amazing visitor attractions is a tremendous achievement and I am delighted that so many people chose Bath and the Roman Baths as the place to create special memories with their friends and families'.
The Independent (Feb. 25) continues:
'Bath may have been recognised by Unesco as one of Europe’s great spa towns but it is not all about therapeutic soaks. Back in Georgian times, people simply thought that promenading and socialising here would enhance their wellbeing. Bath authorities say they want the city to become the UK’s premier destination for wellness [it already is] and are engaging with architects to reimagine public spaces. With its first wellbeing festival [Re:Balance] looking like a success, the city promises visitors plenty to smile about'.
Mytravelintuscany (Mar. 1) presents an overview of all free and wild hot springs of Tuscany, Italy: six in total. 
Not in Tuscany:

🇬🇧below
Heiße Quellen, Berge, Wald und unser schönes Zuhause auf vier Rädern. Was will man mehr. 💥
Natural hot springs, mountains, forests and our little home on wheels. Nothing to ask for. 💥
Tierrassinfronteras (Mar. 13) has an article on the Baños de Somogil in Murcia (Spain). A translated snippet:
'The Baños de Somogil are one of the few thermal and natural places that exist in Murcia. It is important to know that despite the fact that the second pool enjoys the filtration of this type of water, it is not absolutely hot, but warm to cold.
This thermal characteristic makes it one more incentive to visit the place and enjoy discovering the difference in temperature between the two pools. I personally thought it was a wonderful place to bathe and above all curious'.
More info (also translated):
'Two streams of water converge in the pool: the Hondares stream, from its remote source, provides one of the currents, the colder and more superficial one; and, hand in hand with this current, another emerges, subterranean and hot. born from the depths of an aquifer that maintains a constant temperature of 26º. The access of this current is produced by a fault in the limestone rock. In this way, it is possible to enjoy an amazing natural spa with its two streams of water, one cold and the other hot, outdoors and in an environment of great beauty'.

Warmer and sunnier. And also in Spain: 

🌞🫧
Everettpotter (Feb. 23) notes how European spa's are seeking to attract an American clientèle.
'Americans who do travel to experience European spas will discover a world with centuries – even millennia – of tradition, and plenty of science behind the relaxing waters and treatments. The spas of Europe provide their guests with several different levels of treatment and care, falling in the categories of wellness, health and medical.
...
Another keynote speaker [for European Spa Association annual congress in Slovakia] was North American journalist and wellness travel consultant Laura Powell, who told delegates that the pandemic ushered in a new era for the wellness industry in North America. As many people started suffering the effects of chronic stress, they realized that they needed to be more proactive about their health and wellness habits. As a result, wellness tourism skyrocketed, and people started vacationing specifically for their health (both physical and mental).
Additionally, for some time, people in the United States in particular have been fed up with a health care system that is expensive and not open to alternative therapies. Therefore, there is a growing market open to looking at overseas destinations to help cure what ails them – and at more affordable prices, to boot'.
Plunged
The Economist (Mar. 16) goes out of it's way to highlight what they believe is Britain's newest fad. Public baths are out (apparently) and community sauna's are in:
'Gabrielle Reason of the British Sauna Society reckons there are now 53 “authentic saunas” across Britain, a number which has doubled every year since 2018. Half of them are on the coast, where visitors can plunge into the sea and then return to the heat'.

Very authentic (from Finland): 

Tack för en magisk firande kära vänner och speciellt @harscecilia & @taigatrash
Gott nytt år allihopa, önskar det kommer med många gemensamma äventyrer!
Oddish news (BBC, Mar. 17) concerning the Turkish baths of Harrogate (UK):
'Naked bathing has been banned at Harrogate's famous Turkish Baths after an incident of inappropriate behaviour was reported to police.
The historic baths on Parliament Street holds single-sex sessions for men and women where swimwear is optional.
Harrogate Borough Council, which runs the baths, said swimwear must now be worn at all times until further notice.
...
The Turkish Baths is housed in a Grade II-listed building, which has been described as "the most fully-restored" Turkish bath in Britain.
It opened in 1897 and has been managed by the council since the late 1990s'.
It's a pity no details are included. 
It seems at odds that whole nations in Europe have no issues concerning the swimwear-free side of things (see following), let alone there being incidents (though this does seem more commonplace in swimwear-compulsory places ...). 
Also note that same council had previously planned to shelve the swimwear-free sessions last year (BBC, Apr. 21) citing:
'However, covering up could be made compulsory because the authority said it would reflect greater "equality" in the modern world'.

Maybe UK is just behind the curve when it comes to human evolution. 

On what seems the other side of the universe, German swimmers / bathers in public facilties are slowly arriving in the 21st century in which we all are equal. 
A few cities have already come around to the conclusion that requiring all-others-but-men to dress up more than what is allowed for males is inherently discrimination. 
Berlin now follows, so reports Taz (Mar. 8):
'In Berlins öffentlichen Bädern darf „oben ohne“ geschwommen werden. Für Sommer- wie Hallenbäder gilt das gleichermaßen. Das teilte die Pressestelle der Berliner Bäder-Betriebe (BBB) am Dienstag auf taz-Anfrage mit. Dass die Nachricht gerade jetzt publik wird, darf man als Hommage an den Frauentag am 8. März verstehen, der in der Hauptstadt ein gesetzlicher Feiertag ist'.
Apparently it was never against the rules, but society failed to observe these rights to equality; now all are in know, especially authorities. 
For some unknown reason the news went worldwide, giving the chance to media to inform their own citizens, oblivious to this kind of progress. For instance, BBC (Mar. 9):
'Foreign visitors to Germany are often surprised - and sometimes downright disconcerted - by the sight of naked Germans frolicking in its lakes, snoring in its parks, or sweating in its saunas'.
Kudo's to the lady who was brave enough to bring this to the attention of authorities and put up with the hassle. And still waiting for apology. And currently is being attacked by those opposed (rbb24):
'Die "Oben-ohne"-Aktivistin Lotte Mies ist eigenen Angaben zufolge Anfeindungen und Drohungen ausgesetzt. Unter anderem drohten ihr Menschen in persönlichen Nachrichten mit Vergewaltigung ...'.

Finally, Businessinsider (Mar. 15) seems to have found content which might interest their readers and filed under careers:
'Felix Kühn manages the sauna at a "textile-free" spa in Berlin, Germany.
This means guests must be naked to access its pool and sauna'.
Thnx for the explanation. 
The article though is quite sensible / informative:
'It took two weeks for me to get used to nudity – not with the guests in the sauna, but with my colleagues as we changed in front of each other.
But nudity is not a big deal here, especially as there are nude beaches in East Germany. My parents come from there, so I know that cultural identity. It's just natural and we approach each other as human beings: "This is my body, this is your body," we think.
It's enjoyable to be around each other without any judgment. It's totally normal for me'.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

Forever

Ich weiß nicht, wann ich das letzte Mal so ehrlich fröhlich ausgesehen habe, wie auf diesen Bildern. Ich bin großer Badetonnenfan, Hot Tubes Forever. Das hier ist eine natürliche heiße Quelle und das mitten in Österreich. Voll verrückt. Versteckt im Kärntner Wald. Das heilende Wasser des Maibachl, ein Überlauf der Thermalquelle. Die Quelle fließt meist im Frühling nach der Schneeschmelze – ab März etwa – sowie nach starkem Regen. Immer nur ganz kurz. Man muss Glück haben sie zu erwischen. Schnee draußen und das Wasser hatte 26 Grad. Wenn man im Bach steckt, spürt man den Vulkan von unten sprudeln. Fand ich toll und ist ein echter Geheimtipp, den man den Anwohner:innen gegenüber natürlich mit Respekt begegnen sollte. Ich bin froh, dieses Naturschauspiel erlebt zu haben.
Monty fand’s auch interessant.
#österreich #austria #wanderlust #thermalquelle #maibachl #girlswithtattoos #tattooedwomen #inkedgirls #inkedwomen #ink #inked #baden #auszeit #hottube #naturalhotsprings #hotsprings #hotspring #breatheinbreatheout #travelinspo #travelblogger #outdoorgirl #visitcarinthia #kärnten #dachshund #dackel #naturalbeaury #heilsam
Hopefully, the last of the soaks in wintery settings in (yes you guessed it) another photo tour of the continent.

Starting off with where the last blog entry finished, Austria. 
Then moving clockwise around the (mostly) northern Mediterranean nations.

Video zimskega kopanja v naravnem bazenu je na YouTube kanalu Tomaž Gorec 😍💦❄
Posneto s #samsungs20plus #klevevz #naturalpool #bikini #lepoteslovenije #izlet #idejazaizlet #kamnaizlet #sloveniawonders #instaslovenia #sloveniawithlove #slovenija #slovenia #ifeelslovenia #visitslovenia #igslovenia #nasvetzaizlet #mojsamsungsi #slovenialovers #sloveniatrip #slovenia_ig #slovenia🇸🇮 #loveslovenia #topsloveniaphoto #samsungslovenija #tomazgorec #tjasazupan
Die warmen Quellen bei Përmet , über eine osmanische Brücke zu den qellen mit einer toller Aussicht . Was will man mehr ? Auf wem weg zum Meer waren wir noch bei einem blueeye
#vanlifediaries #vanlife #reisen #travel #explore #albania🇦🇱 #baden #hotsprings
w marcu jak w garncu z termalną wodą😅
#rupite #mountains #góry #bania #hot #hotsprings #spring #out #babavanga #march #bulgaria #bułgaria #travelbulgaria
Herded
Natural hot springs in Turkey!
Everyone likes a warm bath every now and then I gues. Especially when you’re living in a van for months!
#adventure #travel #explore #hotsprings #roadtrip #turkey
#vanlife #nature #europe #travelgram #vanlifemovement #vanlifeexplorers #roadtrippin

Then shifting away from the continent proper, on to Turkey and Georgia.

🇹🇷 Turquie 🇹🇷 EBOUILLANTÉS 🇨🇵
🌍 Sources chaudes (très) de Diyadin, 288ème jour de nomadisme.
Toujours en recherche d'originalité, on a toujours voulu s'éloigner du troupeau et découvrir, quitte à être déçus, des lieux atypiques.
Impossible sauf pour finir ébouillantés d'aller dans ces gros bassins turquoises, mais il vous faudra aller dans les aménagements en dessous ou la température de l'eau redescend !
Ici, que des touristes locaux. Le lieu pourrait tellement être mieux exploité et agrémenté, c'est dommage. Mais nous avons découvert les thermes à la Turc et ça, ça n'a pas de prix.
#bikewander #leventvebisikletleri #travelsbeautifulworld #experienceroutard #leroutard #outdoorgo #magazinegeo #terdav #voyaged #lonelyplanetfr #tourdumondistes #viewfever #world_inside #worldofcycling1 #bikenomad #atypique
#radreise #bicycleworldstyle #diyadin #diyadinkaplıcaları #kaplıcaları #thermal #naturephotography #naturalthermalpools #thermalsprings #hotspringsvillage #boutdumonde #lostplaces #naturewatercolor #türkiyeturu
W ten szary i wietrzny dzień jaki mam za oknem z przyjemnością wspominam cudowne miejsce w Gruzji, oj chciałoby się teraz wskoczyć do źródełka, gdzie woda ma 40 st C ❤️ jutro na naszym kanale YouTube Camper4life będzie film z tego miejsca 🤗🚐
#hotsprings #gruzja🇬🇪 #ciepłeźródła #camper4life_travel #podróżemałeiduże #podróże #wspomnieniazpodróży
+40° #hotsprings #georgia #adventure #magic #beautiful #beauty #amazing #winter #snow #cold

Mystical

"Transcender"
Termas de La Hedionda.
Nuestro último viaje (con Gianella) empezó con termas y acabó con termas, como buscando el abrazo calentito de la Madre Tierra, en invierno.
Esto fue hace un par de semanas, antes de regresar a casa, en las termas de La Hedionda en Málaga, de las que ya hablé aquí. También dejé caer que estuvimos en las termas de Alhama de Granada, al comienzo del viaje, de las que alguna foto pondré.
En cuanto a esta foto, buscando siempre un punto de vista diferente, según voy sintiendo la energía del lugar. Muchas gracias Giane por tener "culpa" de ello.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no me desnudaba, literalmente, para una foto, como es conocido en mi. Menos conocido es, que más me desnudo cuanto más a gusto me siento (metáfora). Tengo otras fotos metido en esa poza, y solo se me ve la cabeza, pero hoy me siento "cómodo", para enseñar más, jajaja!
Pd: Una cosa está clara, La Hedionda transciende!! 😉
Y ahora, con el corazón en un puño, os dejo con el texto del video anterior...
"En el ser humano hay una problemática, no puede soportar tanta verdad.
En consecuencia, como el ser humano no puede soportar tanta verdad, el sistema mental se sitúa en una "zona de seguridad".
Los místicos tienen un gran problema, quieren saber la verdad.
Como quieren saber la verdad, están totalmente disociados de la sociedad, porque la sociedad no vive en la verdad, vive en una sistema tenebroso de seguridad.
En consecuencia el místico, es como un loco en la sociedad, no lo entiende nadie. Porque en realidad como la sociedad está loca, tiene que calificar de locos a los que están cuerdos en serio. Pero es la sociedad la que está loca, y desplaza la locura al que ve la realidad.
Si usted ve profundamente la realidad, usted está muy marginal en la sociedad.
El problema del místico es que llega a vivir una doble vida: está tan conectado con la esencia, que le parece que el mundo es todo mentira, y es mentira, pero tiene que vivir el mundo como si fuera verdad, por lo tanto es complicadísima la vida del místico, porque tiene que vivir una vida que sabe que es mentira, y tiene en el interior que vivir una verdad que no se la puede contar a nadie."
We now go from east to west, coming to southern Iberia (above, below), then shift up the peninsula and over the mountains to finally end up close to where this posting began.


¿Qué hace falta para estar feliz?
Tal vez un poco de cielo azul por encima de nuestras cabezas, tal vez un vientecillo tibio de mediodía, quizás las plenas ocurrencias de alguien más o incluso admirar cualquier diminuto avance.
Simplemente perder ese tiempo que disfrutas..aunque si lo disfrutas, ya no es perder el tiempo.
#lafelicidadviajadeincognito
#smile #nature #naturephotography
#puigcerda #fontpedrouse
#goodvibes #lake #swans #hapinessisachoice

Bormio: Pozza di Leonardo
In Bormio kann man auch kostenlos im Thermalwasser baden - aber es kann eng werden.
Zum Abkühlen legt man sich am besten in den kalten Bergbach, der gleich am Becken vorbeifliesst.
badekultur.ch - Badetücher für das Wasserschloss Schweiz
#retro #swissdesign #swissdesigners #serviettedebain #segeln #rudern #societenautiquedegeneve #schweiztourismus🇨🇭 #tourismswitzerland #suissetourisme #regionaleprodukte #produitslocaux #regionduleman #vaudtourisme #badekultur #badekulturinundennetbaden #sommeramzuerisee #sommeramzuerisee #leaulairetmoi #rhiischwümme #basel #baselswitzerland #rhyschwimme #wasserschloss #leléman #wasserschlossschweiz #bormio #bagnivecchibormio #bagnivecchi #parcodeitermi #bagninuovidibormio

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Unihibited

Ein Leben in Harmonie und im Einklang mit der Natur. Das war die Vision des österreichischen Künstlers Friedensreich Hundertwasser (15.12.1928 - 19.02.2000), die er unter anderem im Rogner Bad Blumau architektonisch verwirklichte. ✨
#rognerbadblumau #badblumau #hundertwasser #friedensreichhundertwasser #hundertwasserarchitektur #visitaustria #visitstyria #thermenundvulkanland #steirischesthermenundvulkanland #therme #spa #dawillichhin #rückzug #entspannung #relax
There are very few bathing palaces which stand out as much as the Rodger Bad Blumau complex in Styria, Austria.

Designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000), the buildings exterior is exceptional and attractive, so much so, I decided recently to take the more than 2 hours train ride from Vienna to Bad Blumau to see what it's like in reality.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser is not the architects real name; rather one he came upon as appealing and descriptive of himself. Born in Slovakia, pre-war to a Jewish mother and Catholic father he is well accustomed to atrocities of war, whereby many of his Jewish family members were murdered. After the war he came to Vienna where he studied arts followed by architecture.
For more info I refer you to the Wikipedia dedicated to him.

Over the years he became a well-known artist as well as an architect.
From the artist's own website:
'Hundertwasser's commitment to a more human architecture in harmony with nature and his visionary ecological commitment developed from his belief in the power of nature and individual creativity. Since the 1980s, he has been realizing architectural projects in which there is the window right and tree tenants, the uneven floor, forests on the roof and spontaneous vegetation. His buildings testify to his commitment to diversity instead of monotony, for romanticism, for the organic and for unregulated irregularities, for spontaneous vegetation and for living in harmony with nature.
At the center of his ecological activities were tree planting and greening campaigns, the restoration of natural cycles, the protection of water and the fight for a waste-free society.
He disseminated his socio-critical and ecological positions with manifestos, letters, speeches and public demonstrations in which he criticized the pure functionality of all areas of life, the uninhibited growth doctrine and the adaptation to social conformism'.
In Vienna a museum dedicated to his art, his architecture and his ecological beliefs: Kunst Haus Wien (pictured below).
Tripadvisor ranks Kunst Haus as the 11th museum of Vienna, Touropia as seventh.


Gentle
We then travel onwards to Bad Blumau. 
Bad Blumau is a bathing complex from which the waters originate from a natural hot spring / hot springs.

The therme's own website is not too clear on the origins of its water(s). Are there 3 springs? Vulkania:
'The two Vulkania® lakes get constantly fresh water from the Vulkania® spring so the water is free from chemical additives.
...
One can swim and recover in the millennium old, high mineralised Vulkania® water'.
The Melchior spring:
'The Melchior curative spring is the “gentle” and “mild” one. The water temperature of the mineral-rich spa water is 47.2 degrees Celsius as it flows out of the ground. It has its source at a depth of 970 metres, as a sodium hydrogen carbonate spring'.
Then there's the Baltasar spring which I believe is not utilised for bathing.
Additional info on the bathing complex and the origin of it's waters. Blumau.com:
'The only geothermal power station in Europe is located in the east of Bad Blumau- here, energy in the form of heat and natural CO2 is extracted from the earth's mantle through a drilling process.
The water of the Vulkania® curative spring completes a true circle - first the 104°C hot water of the Vulkania® curative spring is used to generate energy, then it flows back to the heat exchangers of Rogner Bad Blumau before it finally returns to the first borehole where it is injected back into the earth.
The geothermal energy system of Rogner Bad Blumau is a showcase project not only for Europe, but the entire world. With this sensible and environmentally friendly way of using energy, Rogner Bad Blumau has a leading role in environmental awareness and protection.
A sustainable and self-contained cycle of water. Living in harmony with nature'.
On Wikipedia there's this more info, concerning the waters origins it does add this (in German):
'Bereits in den 1970er Jahren wurde in der Region rund um Bad Blumau von der Rohöl-Aufsuchungs AG (RAG) nach Erdöl und Erdgas gebohrt. Anstelle von Öl und Gas wurde bei nahezu 3000 Metern Tiefe 100 °C heißes Wasser gefunden. Daraufhin wurde die Bohrung wieder verschlossen. Angeregt durch die allgemeine touristische Entwicklung in der Region, wandte sich einige Jahre später die Gemeinde, allen voran der damalige Gemeindesekretär Karl Semmler, an Robert Rogner. Dieser prüfte den Standort und ließ mit Zustimmung der steirischen Landesregierung die Quelle wieder fließen. Tatsächlich fand man heißes, eruptives Heilwasser, dessen Qualität die Erwartungen übertraf. Zur Nutzung des Heilwassers projektierte Robert Rogner Badeanlagen und in zwei Baustufen sollte ein Feriendorf geschaffen werden.


Stacked
The entry to the baths / therme proper (once found) entails quick service. 
After paying it becomes dodgy though: as there are many lockers, little seating area and complete confusion: do we change here between the lockers? Are there not men / women changing areas?

Probably the most startling part after circumventing the above, is that once one enters the swim area itself, it really is far removed from your perceptions of Hundertswasser's philosophy.
Through the door we enter an indoor area whereby the deck is packed with seemingless infinitive loungers; some with patrons lounging, other loungers stacked with towels. And more towels in heaps. Noise. Many persons moving around. 
Is this how Hundertwasser perceived a sojourn must become?

We head for what we expect is a more sensible experience, notably expected of the sauna area.
No kids are allowed (why?).
However the expectation that this would mean a more balanced experience could be afforded is wishful thinking. Here too many persons are milling around and again here are even more stacks of towels, literally everywhere. Many empty loungers but covered in towels.

During the sauna stay we are not only surprised by the apparently many guests who seemingly reserve loungers with complete discard to others. 
Others are disregarding the very few rules there are: smoking publicly, jumping directly from the sauna in the cold bath without taking a shower, using the facilities dressed, even using mobile phones in the sauna area itself.
The feeling is that the sauna area is in fact a little cramped. It consists of a small bar area, a large relax area with a number of different saunas veering off here. As well as a larger steamroom. Outside are a number of smaller saunas as well as a large sauna for Aufguss sessions. And a small hot pool.

Not too many facilities considering the entrance price. Though on the plus side the use of sauna facilities are not charged extra (as is quite common in other complexes throughout NW Europe). This might also explains why the sauna seems a bit overrun.

The Aufguss sessions were hourly, for one session (with Schnaps) there was a nominal extra charge. Others are free and were well utilized. One special session was an Aufguss which included a honey rub during the break. In the sauna, the honey remains liquid, however after air-cooling, one becomes sticky. A hot shower consequently removes the honey which has not been absorbed through the skin and a cool bath leaves one quite satisfied.

For those wishing to don swimmers there are quite a few hot pools inside in the main area as well a couple larger baths outside. For those sans, it's the little sauna corner alas.

There are a couple of restaurants attached and available, though their timings are not always obvious. Food was ok, mostly bio and service good.

Whipped
So what do others think?
The mainstream review sites are quite clear:
  • Tripadvisor 4.5 stars (830+), though not all positive, also reflects the complete resort, not only the baths.
  • Yelp 4.5 stars, but reviews are quite outdated.
  • Thermencheck (German language): 4.8 stars (see also below).
  • Google, 4.7 stars (6,000+ (!) reviews); for instance on 14th of March the first 22 reviews are all 5 stars. It does include the hotel and/or restaurants outside of the baths themselves.
In more details then. Starting with this from a mid-February Google review:
''Das einzige wirkliche Highlight ist die Architektur des Hauses. Ansonsten bewegt sich das Hotel im Durchschnittsbereich. Essen ist durchschnittlich, Zimmer sind durchschnittlich sauber (wenn man staubempfindlich ist eher unterdurchschnittlich sauber), die Saunalandschaft verhältnismäßig zu anderen preiswerteren Thermenhotels klein (von der Fläche her, Saunen gibt es dort genug). Das Personal ist immer freundlich.
Das Hotel ist für Saunaliebhaber in den Ferienzeiten eher nicht zu empfehlen, da es vor allem in diesem Bereich wirklich sehr eng wird.
Alles in allem ein durchschnittliches Hotel hinter einer, zugegeben sehr eindrucksvollen, Fassade.
The last sentence: average place with great facade!

Beyond the above, there is this from Deutsch Akademie (Jan. 12, 2019):
I think one of the most completely foreign experiences I’ve ever had in Austria was going to a thermal spa or “therme”. For the first time, I went into a sauna. Not only did I go into a sauna full of naked people I don’t know, I also went in with naked people I DO know. (This sparked an interesting conversation with my partner, because he thought that being there with people I know very well would make me more comfortable, when in fact it was quite the opposite). It was really interesting because…it wasn’t big deal; no one really cared. Coming from somewhere where nudity is so controversial, it was sort of refreshing. Being in the sauna was also a really fun (and sort of humerous) event anyway. You sit in the sauna with a crowd of people, while the “sauna master” whips a towel around to make the room hotter [the Aufguss]. Then you get out and jump in a pool of freezing water. Once again, you get back into the sauna for round two where the room gets EVEN HOTTER; then at the end you get a schnapps shot to celebrate!
The therme we went to was also really beautiful. It’s called Rogner Bad Blumau which is located in Styria. It’s designed by the Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser (the guy who designed the Spittelau Waste Plant and Hundertwasserhaus), so the whole complex consists of mosaic buildings, even floors and lots of trees and plants. Even all of the rooves are covered in grass so if you were to look at it from above, you wouldn’t be able to see the buildings.
Another: kardiasarena (17 Feb. 2018):
'Stellt euch vor, ich habe das erste Mal in meinem Leben einen Sauna Aufguss erlebt! So begeistert war ich noch nie von einer Sauna! Zwar hat mich meine Freundin versucht seit unserer Ankunft zu überreden, an einem Aufguss teilzunehmen, aber ich hatte ständig die Finnische Sauna im Kopf, deren trockene Hitze ich nicht aushalte, weshalb wir das den ersten Tag gemieden haben. Als ich dann auf der Tafel las, dass es einen Honig Aufguss gibt, war ich Feuer und Flamme und wollte diesen unbedingt miterleben. Nachdem die große Sauna umgebaut wird, wurden die Aufgüsse auf die kleineren aufgeteilt und wir mussten schnell sein, um überhaupt einen Platz zu bekommen. Beim ersten Mal hat es nicht geklappt und auch nach einer Stunde warten, wurde es Platztechnisch sehr knapp. Wie die Sardinen saßen wir zu 34 in der kleinen Sauna und warteten auf den Saunawart'.
Travel Tomorrow on naturist friendly European spa's:
'3. Rogner Bad Blumau Spa, Bad Blumau, Austria
Bad Blumau is a spa town located in the heart of the Styria region, Austria. The town has many attractions and hospitality facilities, including luxury hotels, exquisite food and wine, pristine nature, creative architecture and, above all, a 13-hectare large spa park.
The Rogner Bad Blumau thermal Spa was designed by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The thermal baths includes a unique 8.500 m2 spa area, a bathing area, a fitness room, a sauna area, and Vulkania hot springs (21-37°C). The Vulkania springs are made of a special composition of groundwater, with an extremely high mineral content: it is, indeed, the highest mineralized curative thermal water in the Styrian region.
Other than thermal water, Rogner Bad Blumau offers many other activities, like therapies, massages, beauty treatments etc.
The Rogner Bad Blumau Spa is a quiet place; therefore, the number of customers is limited. Make sure to reserve your admission to the spa well in advance!'
Possibly, it doesn't seem to be based on an experience. It's neither quiet, nor naturist friendly! More like we have a miniature corner for those who have forgotten their swimmers.

From Medium (Jun. 25, 2022), this experience:

Our favourite: ROGNER BAD BLUMAU a south-east Austrian spa was designed by eccentric Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Fed by two curative springs, it boasts a Dead Sea salt grotto alongside its pools, saunas and treatment rooms. The outdoor pool Vulcania is other worldly at night., We were sorry we didn’t stay in the attached hotel. Visited December 2014. Photo and text by Keeley Schroder
 
Austrianadaptation (Jan. 27, 2020) on sauna and thermes in Austria:
'Having navigated a few friends through the basics when visiting Therme Wien & the glorious Rogner Bad Blumau therme, I figured it was time to enlighten you guys on how on Earth you could actually enjoy your time at a Therme & Sauna in Austria, without being worried or awkward the whole time.
...
Once you have your bearings a little and put your stuff down, the most important thing you have to do before swimming, before naked sauna exploration, is shower off.
This is the rules at any Austrian swimming pool, and is just good hygeine practise anyway.
...
Know that no one - literally no one - is interested in, looking at, judging or appraising your body in Sauna. They are there for their own relaxation and entirely comfortable in their bodies.
Therme time is not a leery, creepy hookup situation - you're more likely to be seeing people your parents age or older lying back snoring on a sun lounger than anything remotely sexy.
So my loving advice is - get over yourself, to liberate yourself.
...
Rogner Bad Blumau - an absolute dream hotel, spa and wellness retreat in the naturally occurring hot springs of Styria in southern Austria.
Visiting Rogner Bad Blumau is a must-do experience, as not only do they have the fantastic outdoor 'volcano' healing hot springs, luxurious treatments and delicious restaurants, but all the architecture of the resort is magically designed to imitate nature.
Freidrich Hundertwasser is the famous architect behind the other-worldly designs, and though his apartments in Vienna are cool, his creativity was truly set free in designing the Rogner Bad Blumau spa and wellness resort.
This is a truly special place to visit, and one of the most relaxing, unique experiences of my life. You can see just from the photos how special it is to visit.
Pricing: A day ticket during the week to Rogner Bad Blumau is €46 per adult, and they prefer you to reserve your space in advance in order to maintain the tranquility of the spa.
Alternatively, you can book yourself a short stay at the hotel to really lap up the experience - definitely recommended so you can enjoy the restaurant buffet which is one of the best of my life'.
Putting all this in perspective. Thermencheck has this (Dec. 7. 2022):
'Über 180.000 Personen gaben im Abstimmungszeitraum von 12 Monaten ihre Stimme ab und sorgten somit für eine noch nie dagewesene Beteiligung und eine gewichtige Wertigkeit dieser Branche!
ÖSTERREICHS BELIEBTESTE THERMEN SIND SOMIT:
GOLD Award Gewinner: ROGNER BAD BLUMAU
..
Exakt 37.546 Personen haben in den vergangenen 12 Monaten für das Rogner Bad Blumau im Steirischen Hügelwiesenland abgestimmt und diese somit zum 8. Mal in Folge zur unschlagbaren Therme Nummer 1 in Österreich gewählt.
Einzigartig, unnachahmlich und überraschend vielseitig – nicht nur durch die bunte Architektur von Friedensreich Hundertwasser und die Vulkania® Heilquelle, die stärkste und heißeste Heilquelle des gesamten Thermen- & Vulkanlands, sondern vor allem auch durch die gelebte Nachhaltigkeit und die besondere Herzlichkeit des Teams.
Ein wahrer Rückzugsort mit einer beachtlichen Gesamtfläche, denn seine Gäste dürfen sich hier auf eine Gesamtfläche von 420.000m², einen 8.500m² großen Wellnessbereich und eine über 3.000m² großen Wasserfläche freuen.
Hohe Qualität zeichnet sich hier wiederholt aus. Unendliche Ruhe, Wärme und Geborgenheit, das verspricht KR Rogner seinen Gästen und diese wählen sein Lebenswerk zum wiederholten Male an die Spitze des Landes. Herzliche Gratulation!'

Austria's best therme for eight years running! 

My own ranking, based on the sauna only, a 7. Plenty of room for improvement.