Spa Zuiver is the best authentic Dutch spa close to the heart of Amsterdam. There are plenty of similar spa’s (Dutch word: “Thermen”) dispersed throughout the Netherlands, as well as in other European countries like Germany (e.g. Friedrichsbad). A spa in Europe is basically a concentration of saunas, plunge pools, swimming pools, jacuzzi’s, and relaxation rooms, all under the same roof. There’s often also an outside area with reclining chairs, plus sometimes a lake for swimming.
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Different Types of Saunas at Spa Zuiver
After sweating in the 85 °C Finnish Sauna for 20 minutes, take a dip in the ice-cold plunge pool. The difference in temperatures can cause a temporary shock to your mind. But it’s refreshing physically and causes blood to circulate vigorously throughout your body. The more “relaxing” saunas are around 60 °C (or even colder). Variations include herbal infusions, as well as steam baths which are great for clearing the lungs, and opening up skin pores.
Spa Zuiver has 8 different Saunas and 2 steam baths. This includes:
Finnish Sauna: Usually the hottest sauna at any spa. At Spa Zuiver the temperature is around 85 °C. This is not a chill-out sauna.
Japanese sauna: Small sauna with Japanese bamboo decor and relaxing Asian instrumental music in the background. Temperature around 70 °C.
Color Sauna: It’s believed that each color helps with something different. For example, Turquoise to unblock, Red for more confidence, Blue for relaxation, and Yellow to alleviate headaches and to inspire. Of course, not everyone believes that color can affect mood. As for alleviating headaches, sitting in almost any sauna can help. But will it also inspire? Who knows, give it a shot.
Caldarium: Usually around 40 °C (or less). Caldariums are more for meditation and relaxation instead of breaking a sweat. It’s simply a warm room, comfortable for lying down. There may also be slightly increased humidity and herbal oil scents.
Fireplace Sauna: Definitely one of the best saunas at Spa Zuiver. There is a spa employee going around every few hours to add extra wood to the fire in the sauna. It’s quite intense without being as hot as the Finnish sauna. Similar to sitting in front of a fireplace in the Winter at your home, it’s both relaxing and a good sweat session. Moreover, your clothing won’t smell of burned ash afterwards.
Music Sauna: Enjoy the low-volume chill music, while sitting in a relatively mild environment of elevated humidity (around 60 °C). You’ll still get a good sweat in this relaxing environment with soft lighting.
Inside Steam Bath: Who doesn’t like the intense humidity and warm temperature of a real steam bath. You can’t see more than 1 or 2 meters in front of you, but the blue lightning helps with the ambiance.
Outside Steam Bath: Less warm than the inside steam bath. It’s used for the Steam Bath Opgieting (in Germany, the word Aufguss is used, and in Finland – Löyly). Opgieting / Aufguss refers to a spa employee temporarily heating up the room, for +-15 minutes, by pouring water on the sauna rocks and spreading the heat with a towel. However, the Steam Bath version is much less intense than the Sauna Aufguss.
There’s the opportunity to apply ice to your body next to the steam bath. Or cool down by dipping a bucket with ice cold water on your body.
How To Get To Spa Zuiver
Spa Zuiver is very easily reachable by public transport bus from the Central station. Use your maps app to find a suitable quick route (+- 30 minutes by bus). Otherwise you could also try cycling (around 30 minutes), or use your own vehicle (25 minutes). There is paid parking at the spa. Even if you only have a long layover at Schiphol Airport, you could spend a few hours at Spa Zuiver before your next flight. No doubt it’s a good remedy for the stress of traveling.
More Tips And Info
During Summer, everyone chills outside on the reclining chairs to get a nice tan. But in Winter, the Jacuzzi’s are more popular for some heat in the cold temperatures.
To keep warm outside in freezing Winter temperatures, bring a bathrobe along (or rent one at the Spa). It’s not compulsory for the sauna area – only for the optional restaurant and bar lounge. On the other hand, a towel and a pair of slippers are mandatory all the time. In Summer, a bathrobe is only needed if you plan on visiting the restaurant or lounge.
Visit when you have a couple of hours of free time, as opposed to rushing through your spa experience. If you attend the sauna, do an Aufguss or two, then swim or chill in the Jacuzzi, it can be both tiring and very relaxing at the same time. Thus don’t plan anything else during your visit, and set aside those 2 to 3 hours or more. If you feel you’d have to rush, go another day instead.
Tuesday and Thursdays are swimwear days, while the rest of the week is without swimming clothes (naked with towel/bathrobe). Opening hours are from 9am to 22h30pm at night, Fridays and Saturdays until 23h30pm.
Leave Cameras and Phones in your locker or at home.
Guests must be 16 or over.
Your whole body should be on a towel at the sauna. For example, if you sit on the top bunk in the sauna, keep the towel vertical across the bench. One half for your feet, and the other half for you to sit or lie on.
Spa Zuiver Negatives
- The daypass can be expensive (unless you get the discount mentioned below).
- There’s no cold outdoors winter lake to go for a dip. But these are usually only available at spa’s that are further outside the city, in the countryside. For example, Thermen Soesterberg and Thermen Berendonck have direct access to lakes for an icy swim and polar bear plunge after your sauna session. However, when weighing the pros and cons, I still prefer a spa like Zuiver that’s closer to the city center, instead of having to travel more than an hour outside Amsterdam on public transport (which is harder for tourists).
- The Swimming pool would ideally be a few degrees warmer in Winter. Most go for a swim around ten minutes, and then get out again. It is heated, but not enough if it’s below Zero degrees outside. Understandably, it is a huge pool, so it would raise entry fees to heat up the pool more. On the positive side, the Jacuzzi’s and Roman baths are at perfect warm temperature. So you are not limited to the pool in any way.
- Food and drinks can be expensive at spa restaurants. Bring your own water bottles along, and eat beforehand if you’re on a budget. It’s not allowed to bring food into the spa. However, there is a discount on the lunch with this link.
Spa Zuiver Positives
- Good Fitness and Sport facilities: Spa Zuiver is surrounded by a gym, lake, tennis and squash facilities, plus a small forest for jogging. They’re about the healthy active life, and getting in shape in general – not only sauna culture.
- Cheaper prices are available from time to time at SpaOnline (or for members of their gym).
- Although the spa is accessible twice a week with clothing (Tuesdays and Thursdays), they do good work to promote body positivity, the rest of the week.
- Its easy to reach with public transport from central Amsterdam. Avoid taxis, which are too expensive.
- Intense sauna is a great “workout” by itself. The health benefits of spending 3 or 4 hours at a spa like this is obvious. Drink a lot of water, and sweat your toxins out.
Spa Zuiver Fitness and Hotel
You can buy a Fitness day-pass for 20 Euros at Spa Zuiver reception. Included is the use of machinery and exercise equipment, as well as any fitness class available at the time that you visit. However, the gym day-pass does not include access to the sauna and swimming area.
If your budget allows it, stay at the Spa Zuiver Hotel and also get your accommodation needs handled for your trip to Amsterdam.
Normally, a full day at the spa will set you back around 40 Euros (30 euros for after 5pm entry). But we offer a discount link below.
Get a Discounted Spa Ticket
If you speak Dutch, get a discounted Spa Zuiver price at SpaOnline with this link. After clicking through, follow the purchase instructions. Unfortunately, SpaOnline is not available in English. Ask your Dutch-speaking hotel receptionist to help with translation. Or send a Dutch friend a link to this post and let him/her reserve for both of you.
After buying the SpaOnline ticket, a voucher/coupon will immediately be sent to your email address. Bring the voucher online document along, to show on your cellphone, when you visit Spa Zuiver (you don’t need to print it out).
Each spa has their own rules on whether you need to make a reservation for the date on which you’ll use the coupon. This info is available on SpaOnline, which is trustworthy and extremely user-friendly IF you understand Dutch.
Unless it’s a really busy time like Christmas season or some weekends, if you intend to go to the spa in the next 2 hours, you could still buy a ticket right now, immediately receive the coupon by email, make a reservation for the same day (if available), and check-in to the spa right away. Otherwise, keep the coupon for the next few months (as long as you use it before the expiration date).
Have you ever been to Spa Zuiver, or another Sauna Park in the Netherlands? Comment below your tips or questions for other wellness travelers!
The photos in this post belongs to Spa Zuiver.
Click here for the Dutch Version of this article.