Sármellék International Airport: where to stay, areas and recommended…

The small Sármellék airport lives mainly on seasonal charter flights, from long-standing links with Germany to the new summer route to Antalya launched in 2026, and serves those heading to Hévíz or Zalakaros more than Budapest or Lake Balaton in the strict sense. There is no direct public transport connection at all: the only options are a taxi, a transfer booked in advance or a rental car, with 13 km to Hévíz and 14 km to Zalakaros. Anyone coming for the thermal baths can therefore choose the town based on the type of treatment: the thermal lake of Hévíz for outdoor bathing all year round, the covered baths of Zalakaros for all-inclusive hotel stays.

Hévíz and the thermal lake

Nearby town · 13 km from the airport, 15-20 minutes by taxi or rental car; no bus connects the airport directly to Hévíz.

Best for: For those who want to bathe in the Hévíz thermal lake, the largest biologically active natural thermal lake in the world, swimmable all year round.

Pros

The lake stays swimmable even in winter, with water that never drops below 22°C and reaches 35-38°C in summer
Several hotels in the town have direct or covered access to the thermal basin, with no need to travel

Cons

From the airport you always need a taxi or your own car, with no budget alternatives
The town lives on thermal tourism: little evening life outside the hotels

Recommended hotels in this area

Amira Boutique Hotel Hévíz Wellness & Spa: Boutique hotel with 12 rooms about 1 km from the centre of Hévíz, with an outdoor pool and an oriental-style hot tub fed with thermal water all year round.

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Zalakaros

Nearby town · 14 km from the airport, 15-20 minutes by taxi or rental car; here too, no direct bus from the airport.

Best for: For those looking for an all-inclusive stay with direct access to the thermal baths, without leaving the property for meals or the pool.

Pros

Covered, direct access to the Zalakaros thermal baths, useful in the colder months
All-inclusive package with meals and basic drinks included in the room price

Cons

Zalakaros is a small thermal town, with little to do beyond the baths
It's not on Lake Balaton: reaching the lake's beach needs another 30-40 minutes by car

Recommended hotels in this area

Park Inn by Radisson Zalakaros Hotel & Spa - All inclusive: In the centre of Zalakaros, with heated, covered access to the Zalakaros thermal baths right next to the property; all-inclusive package with indoor and outdoor pools, sauna and salt rooms.

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