Relax at the Spa Caldea – INUU in Andorra

A pointed dagger made of glass piercing the sky. That’s the first thing you see when you arrive in Andorra la Vella. On cloudy days, the dagger reflects the clouds down onto the city which makes it seem menacing. On sunny days, the dagger radiates pure light around the valley in the heart of the Pyrenees Mountains. This is the amazing Caldea INUU spa complex in Andorra.

Coming to Andorra was an obvious decision for us. We were in Barcelona for a week and this tiny principality was less than a two-hour drive away. Yes, we’ll admit it: country collecting had a little something to do with it. This would be my 55th country and Laura’s 43rd. But as we researched and planned the trip, I fell in love with the images of Jean-Michel Ruols’ modernist dagger piercing the sky –and the hot springs that lay within its walls.

I grew up in the hot springs of Colorado and some of our most memorable travel experiences have been to hot springs in Tuscany and Turkey. We also love visiting spas, including ones in Ireland, Germany and Slovakia. But the Caldea-INUU is special. It is Europe’s largest hot springs and spa complex. And it is massive: over 65,000 square feet of spa space!

Since opening in 1994, the Caldea spa has welcomed thousands of visitors – including us. We spent four hours roaming the two complexes and exploring each of the various pools. The two complexes have very different aesthetics.

The INUU spa, which joined its larger sibling in 2013, is the more sophisticated spa featuring an adult-only atmosphere, quiet and relaxation. INUU looks to be something out of a science fiction movie. The pools are all decorated in brightly polished stainless steel and there is a room with loungers to meditate or read a book in quiet contemplation.

Meanwhile, the Caldea spa is more lighthearted. It is family friendly and there are themed pools/rooms: an Aztec river, a Roman bath, an Icelandic chiller, a pool full of grapefruits, and a hammam. On some evenings, there is a giant party in the Caldea main pool complete with music and a laser light show.

The one thing we wished we’d known about the Caldea INUU spas, are that “hot springs” isn’t exactly accurate. These are thermal pools, but not hot pools. The water is warm – ranging from 89-93 degrees, but they are not “hot.” The warmest pool is the body temperature Roman bath at 97 degrees. This did not negatively impact our amazing experience; we were just expecting something warmer.

The on-site restaurant in the INUU spa features a light and healthy menu. Meals can be arranged with a thematic spa menu, or a la carte. We opted for a light a la carte lunch, which was surprisingly affordable. Given that guests are a captive audience in their plush robes, the meals could be much more expensive. It was nice to have a quick, light lunch before dipping back into the main INUU lagoon pool.

Overall, we appreciated how welcome the staff made us feel. We don’t speak Catalan (the official language of Andorra), or Spanish, or even French very well. No matter where we turned, there was a helpful staff member directing us and making us feel welcome. Visiting the Caldea and INUU spas was an amazing experience and everyone who comes to Andorra should soak in the warm thermal waters.

Visiting the INUU Spa

Location: Located in the Caldea INUU Spa Complex at Parc de la Mola, 10, AD700 Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra. There is a parking garage within the facility, as well as several parking lots adjacent to the park connected with the complex.

Hours: Open daily Sunday-Friday from 10:00 am to 10:00pm, and Saturday from 10:00am to midnight. In the winter (high season) from December 26-April 12 open daily from 10:00am to midnight.

Note: No Children under the age of 16. Bathing suits are required in all areas.

Visiting the Caldea Spa

Location: Located in the Caldea INUU Spa Complex at Parc de la Mola, 10, AD700 Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra. There is a parking garage within the facility, as well as several parking lots adjacent to the park connected with the complex.

Hours: Open daily from 10:00 am to 10:00pm, and Saturday nights the complex stays open until midnight.

Cost: An all-day adult ticket is €37.50 for morning entry and €37.50 for afternoon entry. Spa services, treatments and meals are additional.

Note: Bathing suits are required in all areas.

We were the guests of the Caldea INUU Spa. As always, all opinions of the wet, warm and beautiful are our own.