A new wellness center will open on June 3 in Baile Olanesti, near Ramnicu Valcea, after a EUR 5.5 million investment. The development started in 2014 and was co-financed with EU funds through the Regio - Regional Operational Programme.

The new center, called Tisa Spa Resort, covers more than 4,000 sqm and will be the largest wellness center in this region of Romania. It has swimming pools, outdoor hot tubs, children’s pools, water slides, saunas, hammam, steam bath, playgrounds, Nature’s House herbal spa, gym, spacious relaxation areas, bars, and terraces.

Tickets’ prices start at RON 25 (some EUR 5.5). Thus, an adult would pay RON 25 for three hours and RON 50 (EUR 11) per day during weekends. Children aged under 14 will benefit from discounts.

Spa therapies prices start at RON 60 (EUR 13.4) for one hour of massage.

The Tisa spa programs are based on traditional Romanian procedures inspired by nature, and mostly use Romanian cosmetic brands and products such as Plantavorel, Pell Amar, and Farmec.

The therapies have names such as Queen Marie’s Ritual (with violet extract, the signature scent of the Queen), Endless Column (a mud-based back therapy, named after Romanian Constantin Brancusi’s famous sculpture), Aromaremediu, the Magic Birr, or Eternal Youth.

“It is the first time when a Romanian spa relies on its own resources to create a menu. Besides the already famous Gerovital, I chose to work with other Romanian brands and laboratories hoping that the public will appreciate these product lines, often superior in terms of quality to other lines from the external market. I want to celebrate Brancusi and Queen Marie’s legacies, and the legacies of a long series of Romanian healers who have kept alive the traditions of beauty, wellness and therapy,” said Oana Manole, owner of Spa d’Or Consulting, a local consultancy form that helped Tisa Spa Resort in shaping its offer.

The spa also offers international therapies such as Turkish hammam, Moroccan hammam, and Russian-inspired Parenie Venik.

The Tisa Group was launched more than 20 years ago and comprises Tisa Hotel, Casa Tisa, and Vila Tisa in Baile Olanesti, and Vila Tisa in Ocnele Mari. The group, which is controlled by local investors, offers a total of 200 accommodation places.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com