Royal Spa — Local services in Budapest

A Mixed Experience with Room for Improvement

UPDATE: Spa Management reached out to me to enquire about what has happened. They showed great customer service by refunding the massage paid, which is why I am increasing the star rating.

I recently visited the Royal Spa for a massage session that included a back massage, facial, and scalp massage. As per the Spa menu it also includes Hot Stones in the back massage as well as a back exfoliation. While the overall ambiance and customer service were commendable, I must express my mixed feelings about the actual treatment.

The massage session began on a slightly disappointing note, as it started 10 minutes late without any compensation for the delayed start or an extension of the session to make up for it. Additionally, the treatment concluded a few minutes before the scheduled end time.

The treatment room itself lacked the anticipated readiness. The absence of background music, a cold room temperature, and an unprepared massage table created a less-than-ideal environment for relaxation.

One notable issue was the initial discomfort during the back massage when the masseuse commenced the massage very rushed and with ice-cold hands.

The back massage, unfortunately, lacked a structured approach, with the therapist seemingly randomly rubbing different areas without a discernible pattern or focus on stiff muscles. Contrary to the menu description, there was no evidence of hot stones or back exfoliation during the session.

Communication during the massage was non-existent, as the therapist never inquired about the pressure or my comfort level. This absence of a dialogue impacted the customization of the experience, leaving it feeling generic rather than tailored.

Moving to the facial, while it was an improvement over the back massage, it fell short of the promised personalization (again the Spa menu spoke about a personalized facial). Instead of a thoughtful consultation about my skin needs (e.g. “you have dry skin, shall we do a hydrating facial?), the therapist applied various creams without discussing options or addressing specific concerns.

A notable discomfort during the massage was the therapist's longer nails and really rough hands - which I have never experienced before - leading to quite some scratching on my back. This, combined with a sense of rush and lack of gentleness, particularly around the neck area, detracted from the overall relaxation. My husband had a massage right after me with the same masseuse (although I was told he would have another one after sharing my concerns) and he commented the same discomfort caused by the rough hands of the masseuse.

Despite these issues, the reception staff demonstrated commendable customer service when I shared my concerns. They reduced the price of one of the massage massage by 25% and even offered one free massage with a different masseuse, which we couldn’t take since our days were already fully booked with activities. While I still await the feedback questionnaire they promised me, i really appreciate their understanding and effort to rectify the situation.

In conclusion, the treatment unfortunately fell really short of what it promises, also considering it part of a 5 star hotel. For me unfortunately it turned out to be a waste of time and money. Nevertheless I appreciate the sincerity of the staff in addressing my concerns and hope that my feedback contributes to their ongoing commitment to...

TLDR: both saunas are too cold. The place inside looks really nice, but that is not why you go to sauna. Both of the saunas were very cold, thermometer showing between 65-70 degrees Celsius. I went to the reception to let them know its not hot enough and asked if they can heat it more, they came to check it and told me that just the thermometers are non-functioning correctly (both of them at the same time?) and that the heating system display is showing them that the temperatures for which it is set is 80 degrees Celsius (probably just a number that their heating is supposed to make but in reality it is not) and that they cannot increase it. I went to countless places for sauna before and from my experience i can objectively say that the thermometer showing below 70 degrees Celsius was not wrong, the temperature was really not more than that. (Not even mentioning that even if they would manage to increase it to 80, that would still be very bare minimum for sauna, as the optimal temperature is around 90+ degrees Celsius. And if you go to sauna regularly you know that the difference between 70 and 90 is very important for proper sauning.) Probably many of the tourists that comes to visit this place either don't mind that the sauna is not working properly, or maybe they just don't complain about it, or maybe they don't even know what temperature should be there (and that it would be actually better than sitting in a semi-warm room). But this ignorance towards sauna standards makes it really not enjoyable for people who like to do sauna properly. From a place that has "royal" in the name, I would have expected that they will have good quality of sauna. Other than the 2 semi-warm saunas they also have a steam cabin, which unfortunately didn't have almost any steam inside.

One more negative thing is that instead of the regular sauna etiquette of either wearing (if you prefer) or putting under yourself a big towel or a sheet, they actually have a requirement to wear a swimsuit inside the sauna, which is very non-hygienical and unhealthy to sweat into your swimsuit (but to be fair, this is unfortunately a weird rule in almost all sauna places in Hungary). If you also hate this weird Hungarian sauna rules (it is also like this in Romania too), please mention it in some reviews for whichever sauna place you go (or give a thumbs up to this review), so maybe after some time these sauna places will start realizing how wrong they are and maybe they will switch to more hygienical and healthy culture. (I am sure most of the staff working in the sauna don't even know how to use sauna properly and just blindly follows the system from their colleagues). If they don't get feedback they will never change, so maybe there is a small chance we can change this by pointing it out :) For your information, for example in Czech Republic the rule is exactly the opposite - it is forbidden to wear a swimsuit inside a sauna (there are even pictures of crossed swimsuit on every sauna door) and at the entrance to sauna area you receive 1 or 2 sets of towels and sheets to put under yourself (or of course to wear it around yourself if you prefer not...

My experience at the Royal Spa was overall positive, though with a few aspects that could be improved.
The booking process turned out to be confusing: on the official website, it’s possible to purchase an “All Day Spa” ticket at a fixed price per person, which seems to suggest unlimited access for the entire day. However, when I contacted the spa by phone, I was told that entry is actually organized in time slots, each with different rates. Since we had already purchased our tickets online, this discrepancy led to a misunderstanding upon our arrival.

At the reception, we were greeted by two attendants: one was particularly kind and helpful, while the other (likely the main receptionist with curly hair) was noticeably more rigid and less empathetic. After a brief discussion with a manager, we were nevertheless granted access without further issues, a gesture we appreciated.

The spa itself is very pleasant: the atmosphere relaxing, the saunas clean and comfortable, and the main pool nicr, though the water temperature felt slightly too low. One of the jacuzzis was out of order, while the other tended to fill up quickly. Still the overall quality of the facilities is good.

The lifeguard, was courteous and attentive, he kindly reminded us that closing time was at 9:00 p.m and we could take our time. We left the spa area around 8:50, unaware that the changing rooms and showers would be closed immediately afterward because no one told us.

Unfortunately, the receptionist’s attitude at our departure was unwelcoming: despite our friendly smile, she remained cold and later (when we were showering) urged us to leave the shower area rather abruptly. I understand the need to respect closing times, but an earlier notice or a more polite tone would certainly have been more appropriate.

In conclusion, I believe that the Royal Spa at the Corinthia offers a nice experience. However, clearer information on the website and more consistent attention to hospitality would make the experience truly worthy of a wellness center of...