Spa hotels and thermal spas in Portugal

Hotel spa, thermal spa or thalassotherapy

They are not the same thing. A hotel spa usually has a heated pool, a hot tub, a sauna, a steam room and massage rooms. A thermal spa (balneario) uses mineral water from a natural spring and often offers treatments with medical advice. Thalassotherapy uses seawater and is found in coastal hotels.

What to check before booking

Check whether access to the spa circuit is included in the rate or paid separately, whether you have to book a time slot and whether there is a minimum age: many spas don’t admit children, or only at certain hours. Massages are nearly always extra, and at weekends it pays to book them in advance.

For a short break, a spa hotel in the city works well; for a proper rest, the thermal spas inland and the mountain hotels are usually quieter.