Overview
About this location
Băile Felix, the largest year-round spa resort in Romania: oligomineral water of 40–49 °C, two aquaparks open all year — Apollo-Felix at 65 lei, Aqua Park President at 80 lei — and a five-star hotel opened in June 2026.
Weather – 3 day forecast
Details
General Information
Water temperature
40–49 °C at source (stated by Turism Felix); 37–38 °C in the pools and procedures
Water type
Oligomineral (acratothermal) waters, weakly mineralised
Entry price
Apollo-Felix 65 lei / adult, 35 lei / child 4-14 (55/30 lei after 15:00); Aqua Park President 80 lei / day or 45 lei / 5 hours, children 30/25 lei
Accessibility
Open all year, complete facilities
Wellness
Therapeutic indications
Rheumatic and musculoskeletal, gynaecological, nervous system conditions, post-traumatic and post-operative recovery
About Băile Felix
The largest permanent-regime spa resort in Romania, in Sânmartin commune, Bihor County, 8 to 9 km from Oradea. At the end of 2024 the statistics institute counted 9,591 beds here, of which 5,560 in hotels. Together with Băile 1 Mai, two kilometres away, the two resorts draw over 200,000 tourists a year. The waters won a Gold Medal at the 1896 Berlin Universal Exhibition.
Two things changed in 2026, in opposite directions. Grand Hotel President, five stars, opened on 27 June with over 20 million euro invested — 118 rooms, an infinity pool on the roof, and around 98% occupancy in its first month. At the same time, this is the weakest tourist season since the pandemic: the mayor of Sânmartin cites a 30% drop in the statistics, holiday vouchers have fallen from about 40% of bookings to under 15%, and guesthouses along the main road are being put up for sale. In practice you will find a room more easily than in previous years.
Region & access
- Bihor County, Sânmartin commune, reached from Oradea on DN76 (E79). Cluj-Napoca 140 to 155 km depending on the source, Timișoara around 160 km.
- There is no train. Băile Felix station is abandoned — the last service from Oradea ran in 2014. The nearest working station is Oradea Vest, about 16 km away.
- Oradea International Airport is about 11 km away and handled 256,945 passengers in 2025, with scheduled flights to Bucharest, Warsaw, London Stansted, Munich, Milan and Rome.
Water & minerals
- The operator states it plainly: source temperatures between 40 and 49 °C and a salt concentration just above 1 g per litre, which places these waters in the oligomineral category. Bicarbonate, sulphate, calcic, sodic and silicious.
- The water is around 24,400 years old. The first aquifer, at 47 to 150 m, gives 49 °C at Felix against 42 °C at 1 Mai; the second, at 340 to 410 m, gives 43 °C against 35 °C.
- Secondary sources mention low radioactivity and sapropelic mud from Lake Peța, but Turism Felix publishes neither a radioactivity characterisation nor any analysis of the mud. Do not treat either as an official fact.
A story that ended badly
- Nymphaea lotus var. thermalis is a Tertiary relict endemic to the Băile 1 Mai area — the only place in Europe where it grows naturally. Discovered in 1789, declared a natural monument in 1931.
- From December 2011 the Peța stream dropped to 4 °C, froze and dried up, because of boreholes drilled for private pools and local heating. Three protected species vanished from the lake. The spring last flowed on 25 April 2021.
- The species was saved ex situ on the University of Oradea campus, and from 2015 replanted in the Lacul cu Nuferi reserve in Băile Felix. No official update on the reserve has been published for 2025 or 2026.
The two that matter
- Complexul Apollo-Felix, Str. Victoria 30: ten pools including a wave pool, four outdoor thermal pools, two children pools and five slides. Posted temperatures run 30–33 °C in the rectangular outdoor pool, 34–36 °C in the round one and 37–39 °C in the covered children pool.
- Aqua Park President: 14 indoor and 6 outdoor pools, a wave pool, a Mediterranean grotto, six slides, a Turkish and a Finnish sauna, two massage centres. Also open all year, on Băile Felix thermal water.
- Venus Waterland, in Băile 1 Mai: 4.3 hectares, six thermal or heated pools plus two for children, opened in August 2023. Felixarium, at the five-star Lotus Therm, runs 10:00–22:00 and is free for hotel guests.
- Payment systems catch people out. Apollo-Felix uses a cashless wristband valid only on the day of purchase, for a single entry — leave and you pay again. Aqua Park President gives you a watch that must be loaded with at least 10 lei, with the balance returned at the exit.
- Felix or 1 Mai: Felix has the hotter water, the treatment bases, the CNPP tickets and pools that stay open in winter. 1 Mai is smaller and quieter, closer to Oradea, with the newer Venus Waterland, better for families with small children.
- Treatment requires a medical consultation. Packages include one initial consultation plus three procedures a day, excluding weekends and public holidays, with missed days rescheduled. Bring the referral form and proof of insured status, or pay privately. Băile Felix is in the CNPP circuit; the exact units contracted for 2026 are not readable on the CNPP portal.
Opening hours
- Aqua Park President, from its official site: Monday to Thursday 09:00–19:00, Friday to Sunday 09:00–20:00, open all year.
- Apollo-Felix does not publish its 2026 timetable clearly. Third-party listings give 08:00–20:00 on weekdays and 07:00–20:00 at weekends, but that schedule dates from 2017. Phone +40 259 318 204 before you set out.
- Venus Waterland 08:00–20:00; Felixarium daily 10:00–22:00; Aquapark Nymphaea in Oradea 10:00–22:00. Both Apollo-Felix and Aqua Park President keep outdoor thermal pools running in winter, so bathing outdoors in the snow is possible.
- Peștera Urșilor at Chișcău, the usual day trip: 09:00–18:00 daily including public holidays, last entry 17:00, 40 lei for adults and children alike.
Read on 1 August 2026
- Apollo-Felix, from the board at the entrance: adult 65 lei, child 4 to 14 35 lei; after 15:00, 55 and 30 lei. Season pass of 10, 20 or 30 entries at 35 lei each. Sauna 30 minutes 25 lei, sub-aquatic shower 30 lei.
- Aqua Park President, from its official site: adults 45 lei for five hours and 80 lei for the day, children up to 14 25 and 30 lei, hotel guests 40 and 50 lei, under 3 free. Happy Hour after 17:00 at 35 lei. Overstaying costs 0.17 lei a minute.
- Venus Waterland: adult 70 lei on weekdays and 80 lei at weekends, child 45 lei. Aquapark Nymphaea in Oradea: 110 and 120 lei for adults, 60 and 65 lei for children. Ștrandul Ioșia in Oradea, the cheapest option in the area: 32 lei.
- No pensioner rate is published at either Apollo-Felix or Aqua Park President, and one third-party page states that holiday vouchers are not accepted at the strand. Pages still quoting 50 lei a day for Apollo-Felix are using an old price.
- CNPP framework for 2026: a 16-day stay with 12 days of treatment, one ticket per calendar year, the pensioner paying 50% of their gross pension. Full price in CNPP-owned units 3,480 to 3,688 lei. Applications go to your county pension house at least 30 days before the series.
Good to know
- Hotel Internațional is closed. It shut on 28 September 2025 for a full renovation, reopening estimated for mid-2027. Watch the branding: the December 2024 Accor contract named Mercure, but the company announced in October 2025 that it would be ibis Styles instead. In 2026 the correct answer is ibis Styles.
- What is old and what is new: Termal and Nufărul are next in line after Internațional in the same 12 million euro programme, so probably after 2027, and Mureș is the most basic unit. At the other end, Grand Hotel President from June 2026 and Lotus Therm from 2015 are the premium options.
- Book ahead at the top end, less so elsewhere. Grand Hotel President reported around 98% occupancy in June 2026 with all rooms taken straight after opening, while the rest of the resort is under pressure. CNPP summer series fill quickly.
- Around the resort: Oradea, 8 to 9 km away, has 89 Art Nouveau landmarks plus the citadel, the Sion Neolog Synagogue and the Darvas-La Roche House. Also Peștera Urșilor at Chișcău, Aquapark Nymphaea and the Lacul cu Nuferi reserve.
- Felix competes directly with the Hungarian complexes about an hour away: from Oradea, Gyula Várfürdő about 75 km, Aquaticum Debrecen about 75 km, Hungarospa Hajdúszoboszló about 110 km.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee at Felix Baths?
Apollo-Felix 65 lei / adult, 35 lei / child 4-14 (55/30 lei after 15:00); Aqua Park President 80 lei / day or 45 lei / 5 hours, children 30/25 lei. Prices can change, so check the official information before visiting.
What are the opening hours at Felix Baths?
Aqua Park President Monday-Thursday 09:00-19:00, Friday-Sunday 09:00-20:00, all year; Apollo-Felix does not publish its 2026 hours (tel. +40 259 318 204).
What is the water temperature at Felix Baths?
40–49 °C at source (stated by Turism Felix); 37–38 °C in the pools and procedures.
Is Felix Baths open in winter?
Open all year, complete facilities.
What is the therapeutic profile of Felix Baths?
Felix Baths is a balneary resort with a profile covering: Rheumatic and musculoskeletal, gynaecological, nervous system conditions, post-traumatic and post-operative recovery. Whether a balneary cure is appropriate is a decision to make together with a physician.