I came to Neptunbad with my boyfriend after reading positive reviews on this site. The woman at the front desk spoke perfect English, nearly forgetting to mention that it is FKK (bathing suit forbidden). Luckily, this is one of the reasons we came in the first place...The atmosphere is amazing, very relaxing. There are many indoor and outdoor saunas (about 10). Outdoor and indoor pools with various temperatures, a Hamam, relaxation rooms and a wonderful pool that plays underwater music. Basically, there's something for every taste. Every hour the gong rings and there is a ritual of group aromatic sauna. A few times a day there are coffee or chocolate peelings in the Laconium. You can borrow a towel or robe, but it's extra charge. I recommend you bring a book, because it's a great place to spend a few relaxing hours.
I was really impressed with this Sauna & Bath.It is truly an oasis in the middle of the city. once you step in, you forget about the hustle & bustle of daily life..it's like stepping through a miraculous door into a different world.i loved how the whole sauna area was set-up, how attention went into every detail... the relaxation rooms, the swimming pool area, the natural-elements (stone, wood, ice, water...), everything combined into a truly relaxing sensory experience - light, sounds, touch.the highlights for me: 1) the underwater musical pool [incredibly relaxing! you feel like in your mother's womb! i could have stayed in forever!]2) the buttermilk offered to us at the end of one of the sauna events [a really nice surprise!]3) the rustling of the japanese maple trees during relaxation time [priceless!]
From the moment you arrive, there is the decadence of a bygone era, beautifully tiled walls and dark wood reception desks. There are robes and slippers available to hire but I brought my own with me. The whole place, indoor and outdoor, has an extremely relaxed feel, nudity with no issues, and the saunas are so varied with an intense heat that is relieved with an offering of ice/fruit shot mid way. I wish there were places like this in the UK, I would be there every week. There is also an array of pools to choose from, including one at a lovely warm temperature, which has music playing that you can only hear when your ears are under water, nothing more relaxing. Plus, the Ayurvedic massages which can be booked are pretty awesome too! All in all, this place is pretty heavenly!
I was traveling alone on business and needed something to do on my last night before an early flight. I was a bit nervous since I didn't speak a word of German but the lady at the front desk was very nice and spoke very good English and was able to point me in the right direction. I was a bit nervous about the nudity but laid down on a beautiful lounger and got acclimated to my surroundings before taking the plunge. The place is very gorgeous and was the perfect way to spend my night. I followed the majority of the people when they looked like they were lining up to attend one of the sauna rituals so that I didn't disturb anything and it went well. A really cool experience for an American though I didn't understand a word they said. Definitely stop into the restaurant too and have a drink and a bite to eat. Truly delicious! I spent around 5 hours (fell asleep for probably an hour) and spent around $60. Definitely was worth is and will be bringing my boyfriend with me next time I am in Cologne.
An experience not to be missed. We stayed 5 hours . hired everything towels gowns etc. Had 3 drinks ea. And paid 108e. And worth every penny
If you need to relax and unwind this is the place to do it! There are number of saunas at different temperatures and heated thermal pools too. Decorated in a Japanese/zen style, Neptunebad is just lovely! The restaurant is also very good and reasonably priced. NOTE
I've been to saunas in Berlin, Munich and Nuremberg and Bamberg and loved everyone but the best ever was Neptunbad in Cologne. I was put off by the prices and some unfavourable reviews of Claudius Therme and I am so glad I went to Neptunbad instead. The sauna is part of a leisure centre and has the best facilities I've ever seen; seven different saunas, an outdoor Asian sauna with zen garden, a stunning historic floating pool with a domed ceiling in which music is played through underwater speakers and a beautiful main indoor pool that has a glass ceiling.You can pay for a few hours or the whole day, I stayed for the day and had a blast. Every hour or so an attendant will perform a sauna ritual where he or she will pour scented oil on the hot rocks and fan the steam with a towel. It really pushes the temperature up and the saunas are damn hot to start with. At the end of the ritual everyone in the sauna applauds the attendant and it is surreal. You have twenty or thirty nude people packed in like sardines applauding the only clothed person in the room who is waving a towel at them. After you can rub yourself down with ice or jump in a ice pool or a hot pool, the feeling is exquisite.As mentioned everyone is nude and it is for men and woman together but it feels like the most natural thing in the world. Germans have a thing for casual nudity and wont give you a second look. There are only two rules, sit on your towel in the spa (hygene) and wearing clothes are a no no. The first time we went to one of these places, my wife got told off by an old lady for wearing bikini bottoms...oh the shame!!If this tempts you at all, then do it!! Holidays are for memories and doing what you can't do at home. TRUST ME
If you want to go where the Germans go to relax on a weekend or their free time, this is definitely one of the "insider" places! Neptunbad is a renovated beautiful spa with baths, pools and saunas to enjoy. The Germans bathe naked, so if you are not ready to try out their way, this might be too adventurous for some. However, I personally think it is a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the German saunas.They offer many many different kinds of saunas and steam baths. They also have a nice restaurant so you can enjoy the whole day there. They are open in the evenings too so you can start the day later and relax until the evening as well. If you have some days in Cologne and feel like resting, energizing and relaxing I would definitely put this on the travel list!
After climbing the Cathedral steps, we decided a nice hot jacuzzi and sauna would be nice. The front desk was very friendly and offered us towels for rent. We tried the Aufgass sauna and the chocolate rub in the steam room. Both are free with admission and well worth it. The age group was 20-50 year olds with women the slight majority. Everyone is naked and there are some outside hot tubs with apartments overlooking, but this does not seem to be an issue in Germany.We had to ask someone on the train what stop to get off. The Germans are very friendly and always willing to help a tourist. The stop is Ehrenfeld, and after you reach the street, just look around and it will be about 100 yards in front of you.
The Neptunbad is in a traditional-style building, somewhat far from Cologne center, as it takes two subway legs to reach it. It offers an "Asiatic sauna", a set of saunas around a pool with a small cascade, in a sort of Japanese-style decor. The "Historical sauna" offers a more traditional art-nouveau environment. The best part is its free air "Zen-garden", with hot and cold pools. No bathing suits, as usual in Germany.