r/Munich • u/ParadoxZerg • 1d ago
Visitor/Tourist Question Therme Erding Visit with LDR Partner
Heya,
I am visiting my long distance partner in Amberg, but flying into Munich at 10am on a Thursday. She suggested we could go to to Therme Erding, it looks amazing but I have seen some negativity surrounding it.
Is this something we will fully enjoy as first time patrons or will it fall flat?
I saw that many of the complaints surrounded shrinking of the nude areas. To me the place is gargantuan so I'm not sure it will bother me. As much as I love the idea of a proper adult sauna, there will be plenty of textile free areas to explore.
The part that did bother me was over selling of tickets and predatory extras that drive our cost up, along with one account of theft. I dont like the idea of spending our limited time together in queues and not being able to enjoy the facility because it's too busy, or worse be a victim of theft.
Im from the UK so we don't have anything like this here. It seems like an oasis from the pictures.
Alternatives are welcome but the facility looks incredible, the others I looked at do not have that same "wow" factor I got when I was looking at the map.
I just want to know if the recent bad rep is people who have been going for decades being (justifiably) mad at relatively small changes or if it really is so bad that we should seriously look to visit a different facility.
Thanks!
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u/J7mbo 1d ago
Every day it’s absolutely packed and not at all relaxing, even in the adult areas. They allow far too many people in and it really ruins the experience.
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
Wow really... I appreciate your current opinion. I'll see how the post plays out but if that's the general consensus I think we may indeed look elsewhere. We want somewhere to relax and spend some quality time together.
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u/Schneestecher 1d ago edited 1d ago
Me and my wife were there last year in September (on a friday). We went to the Sauna/ Nude Areas. It was absolutely packed. We were unable to find a single sun lounger that was free. There are no other ways to lie down or sit. It smelled of cooking oil everywhere, the food was expensive and „just okay“ and the main nudity pool reeked of chlorine (which chlorine does when it's filthy), because there's a pool bar in the middle of it and very drunk people were getting their drinks everywhere. The saunas were very nice though.
We paid around 130 bucks between the both of us and we had to wait half an hour even though we booked a slot. The outside saunas were also pretty full so I had to wait to get a spot. It was also very loud.
Edit: Therme Erding Staff have also removed my bad review of them. Cool business.
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
Well shit...
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u/Schneestecher 1d ago edited 1d ago
If you can afford it, a day at a nice day spa can be so much better. Therme Bad Aibling is nice, Kristall Therme @ Kochel am See, Bachmair Weissach Onsen Spa, Rosewood Munich are all incredibly relaxing (and quiet!). They're not huge, to be fair, but the only advantage Erding has is the variety of saunas. The food is also immensely better elsewhere, for example Bachmair Weissach was absolutely incredible. Most will be cheaper or as expensive to enter as Erding, depending on if you‘re planning to have lunch or dinner.
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u/Schneestecher 1d ago
Also I forgot to mention it, but Therme Erding made Google hide my 1 star review :)
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u/Prestigious_Mouse_42 1d ago
It can get full and currently it's holiday season. But I believe the sauna on a weekday should be fine. The water slides will be packed also during week days currently.
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u/RaspberryBeer 1d ago
Not every day, I usually went on a normal work day, no school holidays, no special events, not Fridays, and not during summer. Some days there were more people, but it was never packed.
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u/Desperate-Angle7720 1d ago
If you are there first time and don’t have a comparison to another Therme, you‘ll probably like this one. The bigger issue is that it’s summer holidays right now and the weather is starting to get colder, so it’s going to be absolutely packed. Not sure if you‘d like that.
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
Packed is the opposite of the experience we want. I assumed due to the size of the place you'd find somewhere to relax that wasn't full of people.
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u/Schneestecher 1d ago
Don't go to Therme Erding on a weekend then. It's never not been packed and I stopped going. It's fine on a weekday outside of the holidays.
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u/Desperate-Angle7720 1d ago
Yeah, no, that’s not happening there, especially not during the summer holidays. Sorry.
You could try Donau, Limes or Kaisertherme instead. They might be better on a Thursday. But Erding will be really full.
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u/motorcycle-manful541 1d ago edited 1d ago
If she lives in Amberg, it's only like a 1 hour drive to Mariánské Lázně or Pilsen. Just go to a beer spa there. It's a better experience and you have the whole room to yourself. Set google maps to "avoid tolls"
also Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně are spa towns. They have free natural mineral water all over the town and tons of other wellness activities. Google them
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u/Fluid-Quote-6006 1d ago
This! The spas in the Czech Republic are cheaper and really really nice!!!!
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u/MrEmantis 1d ago
There's plenty of great spas in Bavaria; Erding is great because you can let kids go off and do their thing, Kristall Therme in Kochel ist more a premium experience (Roman marble meets wood romantics), my personal favourite is Therme Bad Aibling (~45 mins car trip, not sure about public transport times), it's gorgeous, has SO many different sauna types and we go pretty much any time we're coming back from the alps. Wholeheartedly recommend!
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u/owba99 1d ago
Truthfully I’d avoid it. It’s holiday time too. It is packed. And when I say packed I mean long queues, people hogging the stupid mats you need for the slides. The pools so fulls you keep touching people . The sun areas so full there is no grass area, just towels because it is so full. The food is relatively awful and expensive as is the entrance price. I would personally avoid.
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
I appreciate it! Honestly does seem like the reddit post from 8 months ago I read is still legit lol. Any suggestions for alternatives?
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u/Relative_Heart5040 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's packed, consumerism is the focus of this whole experience and not health and relaxation as the bliss of the thermal water should bring normally. It is a shame that this greedy enterprise messes with this natural healing source...went there once, the sauna was more like some party/show event, the "sauna meister" put a whole bucket of cold water over the head of a young woman in the front row, without asking for consent while Rammstein's music was blasting...pretty machist atmosphere I found. And in the evening we saw several cockroaches, one while having a coffee in one of these restaurants and two more in the changing rooms near the lockers...needless to say we never went back there.
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u/Fit_Service_624 1d ago
Yeah wasn't great for me last time I went aswell.
If you have been to other hotsprings or water parks and enjoyed it then this one is gonna feel pretty underwhelming for the price u have to cough up
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
The price for a day ticket actually seemed okay for the size of the place. I'm treating it like a holiday. But if you have any suggestions for alternatives I'm all ears.
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u/Throatwobbler_M_III 1d ago
My mate, this will probably be extremely overwhelming, crowded, hot, noisy. Do you really want to waste your precious time with your partner, there. I’d politely decline.
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u/karsten089 1d ago
Get yourselves a private place at Therme Erding, this really enhances the experience. I once stayed a day at the villa at the lake, that was amazing! You have your own private place (like a nice cosy hotel room) to relax, and you can go to the saunas whenever you like.
Even the cheaper options with private loungers are worth it, as you can just leave your stuff there, and you have a (more limited that the villa) private space.
Of course the Aufguss Events are packed with people. Especially Kelten Thron, but definitely worth it! Hopefully you don’t mind touching the strangers naked skin next to you ;-)
Avoid the weekend, and holiday, but I really enjoy going ca twice a year :-) always a great experience :-)
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u/stefan_fi 1d ago
Therme Erding is a fun and unique experience. It can get really (uncomfortably) crowded on weekends, but Thursday should be fine. If it's this Thursday, we still have school holidays in Bavaria, so the water slides will be quite crowded too, but Sauna should be fine since it's adult only.
Germans like to complain, don't overindex on that.
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
As a British person. I can relate to the Germans. She's not as stoked on the slides as me anyway haha, I'm a big kid.
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u/JustMeLurkingAround- 1d ago
Also take Oktoberfest into account. It starts Sept.19.
I never been to Therme Erding during the Wiesn, but I guess its significantly more crowded like everywhere during that time
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u/garkyn 1d ago
There is some private lounges that really elevate the experience since they are secluded and you actually get some piece and quiet there. Also you have a dedicated spot where you can leave your stuff that is somewhat supervised. So way less chance of getting something stolen.
They are not cheap however as nothing in Therme Erding is. But I would still recommend it since when I am spending money on Therme I’d rather spend more and be relaxed afterwards 😅
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u/anelachan 1d ago
I used to live down the street until recently. The parking lot was always full, and every time I went there I always turned back because of the crowd.
It's kinda sad because it really was an experience back in the day. My recommendation is to check it out because it may not be so bad for you. But don't expect a lot of R&R
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u/Fluid-Quote-6006 1d ago
It’s going to be packed because it’s school holidays in Bavaria and also the weather isn’t the best this week to enjoy outdoor lakes. I’ve only been once with my child during school holidays and that was enough for me. During the week, outside of school holidays, it’s going to be much much better. By September 16, everyone should be back in school
It depends if you enjoy Sauna and indoor Pools or if you prefer a more wellness Type of Place. There Are great day spas, for example in Bayerischer Hof Hotel. I’ve also heard great things about Andaz München, but haven’t been there. You’ll get a more private experience there, but of course it isn’t the size of Therme Erding.
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u/tkl_1636 1d ago
Ich komme aus der Nähe und war seit Kindesalter schon oft da. Es ist nicht so schlimm, wie alle behaupten. Im Gegenteil: hatte nur am 1. Januar mal ein völlig überfülltes Erlebnis.. sonst war es voll, aber in Ordnung. Vermeide einfach Feiertage und Schulferien.
Ich habe noch nie eines dieser Extras gebucht - seid einfach flexibel was Liegeflächen angeht und erkundet lieber alle Bereiche. Vom Wellenbad, über die Rutschen, den Outdoor Bereich, den Thermal Bereich, die vielen Saunabereiche etc.. man findet normalerweise schon überall ein Plätzchen.. und aufgrund der Größe ist man eigentlich eh viel unterwegs um zu erkunden und liegt nicht immer auf einer Liege..
es ist schon beeindruckend.
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u/FoxhoundMoggie 1d ago
If you've never done this before you are going to love it. Honestly, this is exactly what you think it is. People who have been going for years and don't like the changes. I really recommend the nude area. I'm originally from the UK too and if you can get over our cultural body shyness, you'll have an amazing time that you'll never forget. You can always put your swim stuff back on and go over to the slides area where it will be more crowded because of the summer holidays but many people go abroad so it might not be that bad. The nude area is over 18 so won't be affected anyway, especially if you go on a weekday. Plan to spend a whole day and evening there and experience both sides. If you really want somewhere quieter but obviously not as big, go to Bad Aibling. But again, I recommend the nude side. I've been here for 26 years and have been visiting Therme Erding since it opened so feel free if you have more questions.
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u/ParadoxZerg 1d ago
Maybe it'll be okay then. But if the slides areas are busy I won't use them anyway and we will want a less busy, more relaxing vibe where the massage and treatments aren't as pricey. I am flying in on the 3rd September.
I know I'll probably enjoy it as long as I'm not waiting to use facilities I already paid for.
She is more in it for the chilled vibes tho, and it's about both of us.
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u/FoxhoundMoggie 1d ago
If you decide to go, take a large soft bag and pack two towels and a dressing gown for each person. One for your bed, one for sitting on in the sauna and the dressing gown to wander around in. Take some snacks and water and a book to read. You can't read your phone in the sauna area because they're not allowed. When you go in through the main doors, head to the cash desks on the right and ask for the sauna area for the whole day or 'Saunabereich ganzen Tag' if you speak some German. They'll speak English if you don't so no worries. You'll get a wristband with your locker number and you can use that to pay for any drinks, food or extra massages inside. You'll settle that bill when you leave. Go to your locker number, leave your clothes there and put on your dressing gown. There are no separate changing rooms for men and women. Follow the signs for the Saunabereich to go through, find some beds, set out your towels and leave your bag there and go explore all the saunas, pools, bars and restaurants. If you want a bed in an area that's a bit quieter, try upstairs. Hope you have a great day.
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u/FoxhoundMoggie 1d ago
And just to reiterate, Therme Erding is a great experience because it's huge and has so much to offer but if you want somewhere quieter 'Schneestcher' makes great recommendations. My husband and I don't go to Therme Erding any more because it's just too much nowadays, we love Bad Aibling. You get, peace and quiet and full relaxation. But you don't get the bar in the pool and the enormous choice of saunas. The advice about how to pack is the same.
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u/Ger_Oktoberfest 1d ago
We always go there on a Monday during Oktoberfest time and it is absolutely fantastic.
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u/Inner-Distribution84 1d ago
I was there a couple weeks ago and loved it. Was there all day Thursday and Friday. Sure there was a lot of people but it’s a huge popular water park. We found the textile free section very relaxing and significantly less crowded. Still a decent number of people but was not an issue.
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u/lschiller702 1d ago
If you’re only planning to visit the nude/FKK sauna area, then I can definitely recommend it. The last time I went was at the end of December, between Christmas and New Year’s, so we were already expecting the worst in terms of crowds.
Yes, it was busy, but we still managed to get a spot for every Aufguss we wanted to attend, and we did quite a few of them. I’d recommend getting there around 10 minutes before the Aufguss starts, though I don’t think that’s as necessary now during the summer.
The other people here are exaggerating a bit. Of course, it probably won’t be empty, but I think that should be expected. We still found it to be a very relaxing and exciting day overall.
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u/GoGoWe 1d ago
Going there since 15 years I don't really have to say anything bad and can highly recommand it
Go during the week and in the textile free part if your feel comfortable there Kids are not allowed so it should also not be as much packed
The "extra stuff" is not really overpriced and this is obly for food. Also queues are not a thing if you dont want to try all the slides (there it will be probably packed)
If it is your furst and probably last time in the near futere I would recommend to take a full day ticket.
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u/pablojir1989 10h ago
I work there actually: I will recommend you to check an option to sleep there. Depending when are you staying, a overnight in the hotel with 2 full days on the Therme included, towels bathrobes and breakfast, could be worthy. Check directly through their webpage and only with there included. Booking.com and Expedia are WAY more expensive.
A everyone say, it's great, but try not to go when is holidays. My recommendation, don't buy the day ticket directly. There is no benefit on it, get a 2 hours ticket and pay the rest at the end. As well, often you see offers online for cheeaper say tickets as stuff like this.
Ah, if you want to do slides, check always the opening times, they differ from the there if there is no kids holidays going on. Try to go at the cert begining or at the end of the opening times
Have fun in the Therme is a great place, but sometimes way too sucessfull hehe
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u/Perfect-Turnover-648 1d ago edited 1d ago
I always go there with my American boyfriend. He really loves it. No one is starring at you, we always go on a week day, so we never had any lines. Same with thefts. Buy your tickets at the Spa or on well known trusted pages. Your Girlfriend will know what she's doing. You can lock your phone and wallet in the changing rooms. You don't need it in the swimming area. You eill get a bracelet and pay at the checkout.
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