You can also relax your body and treat your soul with balm in the unique facility of the Trenčianske Teplice Spa. Pleasant silence, birdsong, beautiful nature in conjunction with professional services performed by experts are a combination that even foreign guests and celebrities cannot resist.

A few days ago, they became the final winner in a survey announced by the Regional Tourism Organization (KOCR) Trenčín, the region "Nearest to the Heart". They earned 679 votes from the fans. Sales and Marketing Director Andrej Puček, who has been working in the spa for more than 30 years, told us in an interview about the history and uniqueness of this facility.

1. The spa belongs to the uniqueness of the Trenčín region. Tell us, what do you consider to be the most unique "components" of the spa in Trenčianske Teplice?

Unique thermal water - we currently use 6 natural healing resources, which are used for outdoor and indoor balneotherapy. The healing water for baths in swimming pools and bathtubs has an optimal balneological temperature, which ranges from 35.5 ° C to 39 ° C, which allows its direct use without the need for heating or cooling.

Quality spa medical care - we are one of the most popular spas in Slovakia for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, but also conditions after operations and injuries, nervous diseases, skin and others. Therapeutic care in the spa is based primarily on the use of natural sulfur thermal water. At present, it also uses a wide range of treatment methods in the field of medical rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Unmistakable spa atmosphere - the spa town lies in the middle of a 17 km long valley. The surrounding wooded slopes and the ideal protected location of the spa create suitable conditions for year-round operation of the spa and many leisure activities. Trenčianske Teplice is one of the few spas that have retained the character and atmosphere of a purely spa town. The large spa park with a pond and the surrounding natural scenery are the best place to rest and relax. Therapeutic care in the spa has a long tradition.

The first written mention of the spa is from 1247. The tradition of spa treatment has developed over the centuries with the contribution of the then owners of the spa. In the 19th century, the rarest monument preserved to this day was added, the Hammam in the oriental Moorish style. Hammam, one of the most unique in Europe. Built in 1888, it is an integral part of the spa complex.

2. Tell us briefly about the history of the Spa

According to legend, the healing springs in the area of the current spa were discovered by a lame shepherd looking for a stray sheep. While searching for the sheep, he came across a pond from which a sulfur odor spread. After several baths in it, he noticed that the sheep was healing, so he decided to immerse his aching limbs in the warm waters of the pond. The rumor of miraculous healing water thus began to spread. The suffering sick came from all sides to bathe in the springs of this healing water.

As an extraordinary symbol, the sheep also got into the coat of arms of the city. The first record of hot springs is from 1247. In the period of the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries, Trenčianske Teplice also belonged to the rulers of Trenčín Castle. Although it is assumed that the sources must have known both the hunting peoples of Kvádov and the Roman legions in the 2nd Century, which we are happy to prove with an inscription on the castle rock in Trenčín. The Llésházy family, to which they belonged for 241 years, had the greatest credit for the development of the Trenčianske Teplice spa. At that time, the spa was one of the most important in Austria - Hungary.

In 1835, the spa was bought by the Viennese financier Juraj Sina, who rebuilt and modernized it. His son Simon had a hotel built and the spa park expanded, and in 1888 his daughter Ifigénia had the most precious historical monument preserved to this day, Hammam in the Oriental Moorish style, added to the Sina mirror.

3. From which countries do visitors go to the spa? Were there celebrities among the guests?

In normal (pre-Eidid) years, guests came to us from all continents (except Antidida). Due to the relative proximity, most visitors traditionally come from the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands. Culture and social life are an inseparable part of spa life. We can also boast a long tradition in this area. We can mention in particular our festivals such as Music Summer, which is the oldest Central European chamber music festival, or the Art Film Festival, whose history is also connected with our city.

Among the famous personalities we can mention at least a few: Maja Plisecká, Eugen Suchoň, Alexander Moyzes, Peter and Miroslav Dvorský or Ben Kingsley, Gérard Depardieu, Jeremy Irons, Geraldine Chaplin, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Erland Josephson, Jacqueline Bisset, Omar Sharif, Jean-Paul Belmondo, but also Vlastimil Brodský, Iva Janžurová, Zdeněk Svěrák, Josef Abrhám, Jozef Króner, Juraj Kukura and Marián Labuda.

4. What progress do the spas plan to make in the near future?

Our current biggest challenge is the completion of the reconstruction of the Hotel Slovakia, which is one of the largest investments of our company since 2010, when a comprehensive reconstruction of the PAX spa hotel took place. We will soon be able to offer our visitors the services of the reconstructed wellness hotel Slovakia with a newly built wellness.

The connection of the hotel with the Crimea spa hotel gives us a unique opportunity to combine modern wellness with traditional medical procedures and thus offer a comprehensive "wellness - medical". We believe that in this way we will attract even more new visitors to Trenčianske Teplice. The wellness will include not only the newly built sauna world or tepidarium with a salt wall, an icefall and much more.

5. How did the spa affect the year 2020?

What the year 2020 brought has not yet happened in our history in modern history. There have been wars, there have been several economic crises, but there has been no such situation. During the war, we provided our services to wounded soldiers or evacuated mothers with children, etc. We have always been able to find our place so that we can serve (help) people. So far, the spa has always managed to learn from every crisis and go into the future with even greater effort and determination. I have no choice but to believe that this time too it will not turn out differently.

The ongoing pandemic took us back several years. Our long-term successful position in foreign markets has been shaken to its foundations since March 2020. Restricting cross-border mobility means a significant decrease in foreign visitors to our spas, which we cannot simply replace in real terms. We also recorded a decrease, although not so significant, among domestic visitors. We have a long way to go and a lot of work when it comes to the number of visitors from previous years. I believe that we will use all opportunities leading to the improvement of our services on this journey.

6. Do you have an overview of how many guests you have accommodated to date?

In 2019, we accommodated more than 24,000 guests in our spa facilities. And for comparison in 2020 it was only about 13 thousand. For example, in January 2020 we accommodated almost 1,500 guests, where a year later in January 2021 it was only about 300 guests.

7. You have won the first place in the Heart Nearest poll. Out of 15 categories and 74 subjects, you have become an imaginary "king on the throne." What do you say to such public support?

Our position predestines us to a not entirely enviable position of a whole destination or region, ie who will determine the direction of further development not only of our spa company, but also the direction of tourism development in the region. We strive to make the most of cooperation within the OOCR as well as the KOCR, so that in fact all their members can participate in a certain way in the development of tourism in our city or region.

In Trenčín 9.3.2021

Text: MT