AUGUST 2021
Ever since I had seen pictures of the amazing spa hotel Aqua Dome in Tyrol, I wanted to go there, but it never felt like the right time. But when our France plans fell through with all the new restrictions for unvaccinated people, Austria became a very attractive alternative. Even though the time had not passed 14 days until I received my second vaccine dosis, Austria was already welcoming us with open arms. So, it was finally time to visit Aqua Dome. The complicating factor was that I was traveling with a baby and I did not know if Aqua Dome would be baby friendly. You will find out in this blog!
Practical information
Aqua Dome is located in Tyrol, in the Ötztal to be specific. You might know this region from the popular winter destination Sölden. Aqua Dome is famous for its circular outdoor thermal pools, that offer an amazing view of the Alps. If you book a room in Aqua Dome this includes a halfboard option; your breakfast, dinner and the non-alcoholic drinks in your minibar are included in the price. You also get unlimited access to the pools, spa and saunas. Prices for the basic room range from € 300 – € 500 per night, depending on the season. We had a basic room and were very impressed, we had a lovely balcony with Alps view. The room was incredibly spacious, with a separate toilet and bath. The bed was gigantic and the baby bed was very good too. The facilities in the room were great, we had a mini bar which we could use as a fridge, a kettle, a TV with international channels, a large couch and spa towels and bathrobes. The style of the room was simple, but Alps chic. Aqua Dome also has family rooms, with interconnecting sleeping rooms. Those are more expensive, but as you occupy these rooms with more people, they are cheaper per person. Once you check in, you receive a wristband that gives you access to the pools, spa and with which you can pay for your drinks and lunch.
The food
One of the best things about Aqua Dome is the food. They have an enormous breakfast buffet, offering freshly baked pancakes, eggs, local meats and bread and dietary options such as lactose free yoghurt and gluten free bread. Coffee is provided to your table according to your choice of liking. Lunch is not included but you can have a simple lunch in the restaurant at the pool or the hotel lounge. I absolutely loved the dinner, which consists of an appetizer, soup, a salad bar, main course, dessert, cheeses and ice cream. Every day you had three choices for the appetizer and the main course, one being vegetarian, one fish and one meat. Everything can be adjusted to your dietary preferences. The personnel at Aqua Dome is well trained and super friendly. I can’t remember another restaurant where customer service was so important. Depending on your preferences the food can be served quickly or slow. Aqua Dome is able to offer al these amazing dishes because they are a very large hotel. The variety in dishes is amazing, but you are sharing the experience with a lot of other people. The restaurant is really big, though they have split it up nicely in different areas, so it doesn’t feel like a gigantic canteen. Just be mindful of the enormity of it. If you don’t like to eat in the restaurant they can also offer the dinner as room service. We had dinner in the restaurant for one evening and our other evening we used room service.
The activities
If you want to visit the thermal pools for a day, you can also book a day pass. This day pass doesn’t give access to all the spa facilities or lounges, so as a hotel guest you have some spots that are less crowded for you to enjoy. The thermal pools are open to hotel guests only from 7AM – 9AM. It was super relaxing to visit at this time, enjoying the sunrise from the pool in all quietness. It does get pretty busy during the day. Aqua Dome has a separate kids pool and they even have a few slides. So you really can find something to do for all ages. The sauna is divided in a clothed and naked area, so everyone can enjoy it. At the spa you can book all sorts of different treatments, such as massages and skincare. You really do not need to leave the hotel ever, but if you want to explore some more of the region that is a possibility too. The hotel also offers daily activities such as hikes, alpaca yoga and other sport classes. You do not have to get bored one minute.
The Ötztal is super beautiful, so make sure you get out of the hotel for a bit to explore. We didn’t have the best weather, but in case it’s sunny there are sufficient lounge chairs in the grass for the hotel guests!
Is it baby/kid friendly?
I was surprised at how baby friendly Aqua Dome was. When Hugo’s super cozy baby bed was rolled into the room, it came with a changing mattress, a set of towels and a baby bathrobe. As you are expected to dress accordingly for dinner I did not expect Aqua Dome to be baby friendly, but it totally was. During dinner all the waiters were greeting and entertaining little Hugo and we felt super welcome. The families with children are grouped in the restaurant, so the people without children do not get too bothered by this. Aqua Dome also has a kids entertainment program offering childcare for kids from 3 years old. It was also possible to hire a babysitter for Hugo, which we ended up not doing as we found the hotel kids friendly enough to take him everywhere anyway. The cost of the baby sitter is € 15 per hour, which I find reasonable. I ended up not using the spa facilities and relaxing rooms, because I spent my time swimming with Hugo instead. Aqua Dome is really expensive, but if you want a relaxing holiday with children it is the perfect spot to do so. We loved that we were able to eat fancy food with Hugo present, as that usually does not happen. But you can start having dinner at 6AM and they can serve quickly if you want, giving us just enough of a window to have dinner with Hugo before he went to bed. If Hugo is a little older I would love to go back to Aqua Dome, so we can really experience everything the hotel and pools have to offer. Yes, Aqua Dome is really expensive, but I think it matches up to the service and the facilities offered. I personally have never been to Club Med, but I expect Club Med to have a similar vibe. Club Med hotels always have the best location, are super kid friendly but also have high class food and comfortable rooms for the parents and you are able to go on little adventures. I always said that I would go on a Club Med vacation if I would have a kid, so I guess this is my first experience. But up next are many road trips with our van!
Hello,
Very nice of you for doing this article! Something that I’m curious of, what age was hugo when you were there?
Hi, thank you! He was about six months old, worked perfectly fine!