Passed

Expanding on the previous shorter review of Thermen R just outside the city of Roeselare, southwest West-Flanders.

A bit odd, Thermen R is located between a main road, a couple of businesses and a housing suburb; not very obvious specially if coming by car. Which probably is your only choice as it doesn't look like public buses run frequently from the city rail station to the Thermen.

Parking next to a car sales yard, one is welcomed cheerily, though the entrance process seems to entail a long list of checks and balances. As if they have past poor experiences with customers and need to verify whether or not you are kosher.

Entrance is 39,50€ (April 2024). 

After passing the entrance (test?), one is handed wristbands for using the lockers / ordering in restaurant and one heads upstairs to the three changing rooms, all lined with lockers. The Sunday morning mid-April crowd has yet to arrive, it seems. No one else is in the changing room(s), and (once de-robed) back downstairs everything is very peaceful.

Thermen R likes rules and regulations, so there's a list of when the infusion sessions take place: on the dot, every day same time. 

That said, a dressed lady informs us that she will giving said Aufguss session, shortly at noon time, which leaves enough time for a warming up session in the Himalayan salt sauna based in the cellar.

The ensuing Aufguss session is really excellent, the infusion master takes quite some effort to create a sphere which entails light, music, smells and the added process in which a smudge is used. The Kelo-sauna itself is dark, with a big heater in the center.

During a later Aufguss session, our master/promoter also performs a dual infusion session as her partner and her go double with heat and sensation.

Besides aforementioned, there's a large indoor / outdoor pool, a natural pool, a steam bath, four other sauna's and a singular small jacuzzi. 

Especially the Japanese sauna, affords the comment that it has a large window through which one can view nature documentaries on the opposite wall, another nice innovation.

One shortcoming, is the restaurant service which is slow, much due to being understaffed, a pity. Furthermore, it's obvious the outside buildings require a little bit of maintenance, some paint possibly?

Otherwise very satisfactory. I'd give it an 8.

Other reviews.

• Google: 4.1 (600+ reviews), 
• Facebook: 4.5 stars (500+ reviews),
• Tripadvisor: 4 stars (530+ reviews),
• Blootgewoon is very harsh with 4.9 out of 10, though only 3 reviews, with one reviewer noting that it's best to avoid the sauna when the owner is around!

Noted is that Thermen R has also now unfortunately jumped on the clothed sauna wagon, Tuesdays is the day when bathers should dress up (source).

As customary very few photo's beyond what the owners push themselves (the emphasis on rules (no phones) seems to work well?). Especially their Facebook page has daily catches of how welcoming it seems.

Plusaunord has an experience to share, from 2018 and in French. That means you might need a translation and must take into account that the French are less used to nudity at sauna's (to say the very least), so that plays a big role in the (positive) experience.