I had seen this incredible post online about this spectacular spa in Milan. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. A thunderstorm rolled in and suddenly the rain came down. You could literally dance in the rain. I remember thinking, as a marketer, what an incredible concept! I had to check it out for myself.

After a nice 20-minute morning walk from where I was staying, I arrived at QC Termemilano, a multi-sensory bio-sauna with more than 30 wellness experiences located in an ancient terminal. How could a serene spa be located smack in the middle of a roundabout in a big bustling city and be peaceful, I questioned. The front entry gates were stunning and greenery lined the walls. I marched over to the oversized double doors to enter and boom, a large crowd filled the large lobby. My stomach instantly sank. It looked like un-serene chaos.

One by one I finally made my way to the front counter for check-in. There were a couple of attendants and a few kiosks. Opinion: when a spa needs kiosks to check people in – 1) there’s way too many people, 2) they’re making a hell of a lot of money. I was given a laminated wrist band which listed my name and reservations, including a 75-minute massage and lunch at 1:30 pm which I had booked weeks in advance. The wristband also listed a specific locker number which I would later find in a sea of red lockers in the ladies changing room where directional signs finally led me to mine. Inside the locker was a white bath robe, white towel and transparent feet slippers.

Despite the rowdiness of the masses, I was excited about a relaxing day at the spa and with the unique features that this particular one held, I was determined not to let a moment of crowd anxiety ruin this experience for me. I scanned the walls and exit doors for confirmation that perhaps ‘no cell phones were allowed’ or ‘mute your phones’ or ‘be considerate of others,’ but I didn’t see any. Maybe they were in Italian and I missed them. I changed into my bathing suit (required), I tied up my pocketless robe, leaving my cell phone behind, and off I went to explore.

Now, this is the point where I’m going to break this post up into 3 parts: the good, the bad, and the compromise.

The Good

I decided to give myself a tour of the place to get the lay of the land before engaging in any of the options, I first set out down the stairs to to find what I like to call Sauna Mecca.

Again, the concept of this is on another level of cool, so let me tell you about that first.

Down a long hallway, on both sides, were rooms with different saunas, spas, and wellness journeys. At each entrance was a sign written in both Italian and English. A title, the experience of the room, and the recommendations of how to use this experience for health and wellness. Here’s some images:

Pretty cool, huh?

The concept or theme of each experience was really well thought out. I visited everything, but didn’t capture them all in memory. The ones I do recall included:

  1. Water and Salt – A “relaxation” of Himalayan Sea Salt which covers every inch of this steam room. The benefits explained to oxygenate skin and free the respiratory tract.
  2. Cinema Pool – Also known on the internet as the “storm pool,” this is an immersive experience that leaves you in awe and to “beautify” the senses. The Cinema Pool is by far the most popular attraction. It’s also the video I saw which led me to booking this adventure. Video screens surround this small dark pool entertaining you with reels of everything from thunderstorms to sea life. (see the video at the end of this article)
  3. Waterfalls – A room of powerful waterfalls to stand under will transport you and refresh your senses.
  4. Kneipp Path – Waterways that lead to wellness and “detoxing.” The instructions state to get the maximum benefit of activating the immune system and stimulating circulation, start by walking the hot water path and then the cold water path at least 5 times.
  5. Rose Sauna – This aromatic sauna filled with the incredible and intoxicating scent of roses leaves you feeling refreshed and feminine.
  6. Table Showers – Concrete pilar tables are lined side-by-side as rains both heavy and light pours down from above.
  7. The Hay Biosauna – A “detox” with balsamic and relaxing effects. The “hay loft” emits a scent reminiscent of the city and connection with it’s roots.
  8. Basic Steam Room – I can’t remember the specifics or specialties about this room, but I do remember burning my ankle on the steam which came from the floor – ouch!
  9. Pediluvi – A foot spa for “beauty.” This room contained multiple small concrete foot baths surrounded by cold exterior waters. Soaking your feet in cold water and then switching to hot definitely activates your body.
  10. Large Hot Tub Area – These were not as popular, probably because they weren’t hot.
  11. The Room of Dreams – A “mindful” experience of water beds to enjoy with the intent of allowing your dreams and imagination to flow.
  12. The Bird Nest & Infrared – The second most popular location was a large black room with a bird cage theme. Here you could, if you were lucky to get one, score a round sofa in a bird cage to simply lounge upon. Birds chirping as the wind blew played on audio to really set the scene. In the back of the room were a handful of individual beds with infrared lights overhead.

You can choose if you’d like to include lunch, snack, dinner. I did, and I thought it was delicious and worth the price. It was a buffet of fresh Italian classics. They even had wine, of course. Having lunch while in your robe felt cozy and comfortable.

Outside of the locker rooms every so often was also a snack cart attendant that carried the most beautiful, colorful display of flavored meringue drops.

The Bad

This big, beautiful, brilliant concept can quickly and easily be negative and/or annoying because of a few things.

  1. Before you enter each experience, the hallway walls are lined with hooks for your robe and towel. I cannot tell you how many times my items were taken and I was left trekking to the front counter wet, cold, and awkward for another set, and another set, and another set. There are so many people and no one remembers their robe number or where they hung their items.
  2. With the masses of people you often have to wait your turn to enter or find a seat in any of the above experiences.
  3. After waiting for your turn and finally securing a spot, the water was cold or barely room temperature at best. None were serene or relaxing or peaceful.
  4. The social media youngsters were out in full force. Groups posing one-by-one in their special bikinis snapping dozens and dozens of photos and taking up areas to get the perfect filtered pic. #annoyed

The Compromise

The outdoors. It was a beautiful day and I spent most of it outside by the main pool and trolley. This historic trolley car was converted into a dry sauna with stunning wood features and beautiful views from the inside and out. The city towers around you and the ancient archeological remains are something to marvel. The music coming through the speakers was nice and soft; and I was able to doze away for a refreshing nap.

Two large swimming pools are great for cooling off. One of the pools, in fact, was named 2016 best outdoor pool and contains a crystal wall which allows parts of the old ancient walls to be visible underwater.

I will finish this by saying, I’m aware it was a social media post that led me to this place and also allow me to do this post, but it is also social media that will keep me from returning. If they could actually heat the saunas and create quiet/no phone hours, I would visit every week.

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