Keeping Costs in Czech at Historic Spas

One of the Continent’s most popular spa countries is the Czech Republic, with more than 30 picturesque spa towns. The most legendary of these is Karlovy Vary (known to some by its German name, Karlsbad), in West Bohemia about 80 miles west of Prague. Its gorgeous setting, lovely 19th century architecture and grand spa-hotels have been attracting aristocrats and commoners alike for well over a century.

Europeans still visit Karlovy Vary in heavy numbers. Now Czech Airlines’ tour-operator arm, telephone (877) 293-4225, is hoping to build up the town’s American contingent by offering specials out of New York. The seven-night “slimming package,” for instance, is $1,599 per person, double, June through August. (Air fare from Los Angeles to New York is another $360, round trip.) The package price includes air fare from New York (airport fees and taxes are extra), ground transfers from Prague, room and full board at the massive hillside Hotel Imperial Spa and a complete schedule of regular spa treatments, consultations and examinations by a physician.

Other attractive and usually historic Czech spa centers include Trebon, Bechyne, Frantiskovy Lazne and Marianske Lazne. Many of these can be surprisingly low-cost. For example, Marianske Lazne (also known as Marienbad), 100 miles west of Prague, is another gracious town of lovely 19th century palaces, fountains, colonnades and more than a dozen spa-hotels where room, full board and an extensive physician-directed treatment regimen can run $111 a day, even in the May-through-September high season. Depending on the hotel and room, the cost can be as low as $52 a day; in winter, rates plummet to $35 to $72. To those costs you’ll need to tack on air fare plus round-trip train or bus fare from Prague (less than $10 each way).

Once you’re there, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to take in castles, museums and other impressive sites.

The Czech Tourist Authority in New York, tel. (212) 288-0830, Internet https://www.czechcenter.com, can provide more information on many of these spas. Or try local agencies, especially Prague International, tel. 011-420-2-2414-2752, fax 011-420-2-2414-2000, Internet https://www.pragueinternational.cz, or Balnea Spa & Travel Service, fax 011-420-2-2110-5307.

Some spa towns have their own central booking offices, such as the Marianske Lazne Medicinal Spa Corp., tel. 011-420-165-655-550, fax 011-420-165-655-500, and that town’s Travel and Hotel Corp., fax 011-420-165-624-202 or 011-420- 165-622-691, Internet https://www.marienbad-thc.cz; or Baths of Frantiskovy Lazne, tel. and fax 011-420-166-542-970.