H2O Herford

What H2O Herford does

H2O Herford is a municipal leisure, sports and wellness complex located in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, operating continuously since its founding in 1997. The facility is structured around three integrated core areas: the Freizeitbad (a leisure pool with water slides, children's areas and a sports pool), the Saunawelt (a textile-free sauna world carrying the German Sauna Federation's "Premium" quality mark and featuring what is described as Germany's largest snow cabin at over 14 sqm, plus an event sauna for approximately 100 guests), and the Refugium spa offering massages, scrubs, wraps and cosmetic treatments.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with on-site walk-in ticket sales, online booking for courses, lessons and vouchers, and on-site gastronomy. Revenue is generated across five streams: admission tickets across fitness, sports, leisure and sauna tiers; courses and lessons (aqua fitness, swimming, baby, diving, yoga, Pilates, fasting programs); gastronomy; spa treatments and camper wellness packages; and retail/vouchers valid for five years. Customer segments span families and individual leisure visitors, health and fitness enthusiasts, wellness and sauna seekers, local sports clubs (with formal usage arrangements with at least eight Herford associations), and motorhome tourists using the on-site 22-space port. Marketing is conducted via the company website, Facebook, Instagram, TripAdvisor, email newsletter, special events (Long Sauna Nights, Ladies Special, pool parties), and community partnerships including bundled Show&Sauna packages with GOP Varieté-Theater Bad Oeynhausen. The operating entity is Freizeiteinrichtungen Stadtwerke Herford GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the municipal utility Stadtwerke Herford GmbH, managed by Oliver Daun. The company is privately held under municipal ownership, is not venture-backed, and has no external institutional investors.

Name

H2O Herford

Legal name

Freizeiteinrichtungen Stadtwerke Herford GmbH

Website

https://h2o-herford.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

H2O Herford is a municipal leisure, sports and wellness complex in Herford, Germany, operating since 1997 a leisure pool, Premium-certified sauna world, Refugium spa, aquatic courses, gastronomy and motorhome port for families, fitness enthusiasts, sauna visitors and local sports clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leisure and Wellness Facilities

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Parks (Outdoor/Indoor, Wave Pools & Slides) (THAJAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Thermal Baths, Hot Springs & Saunas (Onsen, Hammams, Banya, Sauna Worlds) (THAJAHAD), Aquatic Family Entertainment Centers (Splash Pads, Aquatic Playgrounds, Swim Parks) (THAJAEAL)

Keywords

• Leisure pool facilities
• Sauna and spa services
• Aquatic fitness courses
• Wellness center operations
• Swimming pool recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Herford

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Visitors pay admission fees to access the leisure pool, sauna world, or both. Multiple pricing tiers exist including fitness rate, sports rate, and leisure fare for different visit durations and purposes.
2. Courses and Lessons: Revenue generated from aqua courses, swimming lessons, baby courses, diving courses, yoga and Pilates sessions, and other wellness programs booked online or on-site.
3. Gastronomy: On-site dining facilities serving meals, snacks, refreshments, and ice cream under palm trees in the leisure pool area.
4. Spa Treatments and Packages: Refugium spa offers treatments including massages, body scrubs, wraps, and cosmetic treatments, plus camper wellness packages combining accommodation and spa access.
5. Retail and Vouchers: Sale of vouchers (value vouchers valid for 5 years), gift items, and merchandise through the on-site shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

H2O Herford operates a municipal wellness, sports, and leisure pool facility in Herford, Germany, comprising three integrated areas: a leisure pool with water slides and children's areas, a textile-free sauna world with infusion ceremonies, and the Refugium premium spa offering massages, body scrubs, wraps, and cosmetic treatments. The facility supplements these with structured aquatic courses, on-site gastronomy, children's birthday party packages, a 22-space motorhome port, and seasonal events for individual consumers, families, and local sports clubs.

Product overview

H2O Herford operates as a multi-faceted leisure and wellness complex consisting of three core areas: the Freizeitbad (leisure pool) for recreational swimming and water activities, the Saunawelt (sauna world) offering textile-free wellness experiences, and the Refugium (spa) providing premium treatments. The facility supplements these with aquatic courses, on-site dining, children's birthday parties, a motorhome port, and seasonal events. The three main areas function as integrated parts of a unified wellness destination, with tickets to the Sauna World also providing access to the leisure pool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freizeitbad (Leisure Pool) The main waterpark and sports pool facility offering recreational swimming, water slides, children's areas, and sports facilities for families and individuals.
• Saunawelt (Sauna World) A textile-free sauna area featuring multiple sauna types, infusion ceremonies, relaxation zones, and wellness treatments; certified as a Premium Sauna by the German Sauna Federation. Includes Germany's largest snow cabin at over 14 square meters and an event sauna accommodating approximately 100 guests.
• Refugium (Spa & Wellness)

Quantifiable outcome

• H2O Herford ranked 9th in Travelcircus TOP Thermal Baths Award 2021/22 out of hundreds of facilities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GOP Varieté Theatre Bad OeynhausencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperation between H2O and GOP Varieté-Theater Bad Oeynhausen offering 'Show&Sauna' package combining H2O day tickets with varieté show access. The GOP Kaiserpalais is located in Bad Oeynhausen spa gardens and attracts over 135,000 visitors annually. Extended packages including meals or buffet at GOP can also be booked.
• FastenPowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth fasting cooperation partner offering structured fasting programs at H2O. FastenPower provides an 8-day all-inclusive health fasting program with accommodation and wellness activities at the facility.
• Rio NegrominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWater sports provider for the 'Herford by the Water - Werre Picnic' event. Rio Negro provides canoeing and stand-up paddling activities, and Captain Eddy character for family events along the Werre River.
• Echtzeit FloristikminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlower Crown Workshop partner for creative activities and hen parties at H2O. Echtzeit Floristik provides approximately 1.5-2 hour workshops where participants create flower crowns from dried or fresh flowers.
• Digitale Offensive GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite accessibility service provider responsible for accessibility improvements and statement maintenance for h2o-herford.de according to WCAG 2.2 guidelines.
• European Waterpark AssociationminorOthersH2O Herford is a member of the European Waterpark Association, providing industry networking and standards alignment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Caracalla Therme: Large thermal bath and sauna complex in Baden-Baden, Germany, with extensive sauna world, spa, and aqua offerings. Comparable premium wellness positioning and multi-revenue model to H2O's Saunawelt and Refugium.
• Taunus Therme: Thermal bath and sauna complex in Bad Homburg, Germany. Direct comparable to H2O's Saunawelt and thermal bath product offering, with similar single-location, regional visitor profile.
• Badeparadies Schwarzwald: Water park and sauna complex in Titisee-Neustadt in the Black Forest, offering pools, slides, multiple saunas, and spa. Direct peer in scale and product mix: regional German water park destination with multi-revenue stream model and tourist + local visitor base.
• Claudius Therme: Thermal bath and spa facility in Cologne, Germany, with a thermal pool, saunas, and spa treatments. Comparable wellness/leisure pool business model targeting regional visitors in a German mid-sized city context.
• Miramar Freizeitbad: Water park and wellness complex in Weinheim, Germany, with leisure pools, slides, saunas, and spa treatments. Closely comparable mid-sized German water park + sauna destination serving regional visitors.

Broad incumbents

• Tropical Islands Resort: Large-scale indoor water park and tropical spa destination in Brandenburg built inside a former airship hangar. Comparable indoor water park and sauna experience concept, serving a broader tourist catchment including overnight stays.
• Europa-Park (Rulantica): Indoor water world adjacent to the Europa-Park resort in Rust, Germany, featuring Nordic-themed pools, slides, and saunas. Comparable leisure pool + sauna product mix with a regional tourism focus similar to H2O Herford.
• Therme Erding: World's largest thermal bath complex near Munich, combining multiple saunas, water slides, wave pools, and spa. Directly comparable operating model to H2O's leisure pool + sauna world + spa combination, but at significantly larger scale and tourist draw.

Regional players

• Westfalen Therme: Thermal bath and wellness facility in Bad Lippspringe, North Rhine-Westphalia, directly serving the same regional market (NRW/Teutoburger Wald area) as H2O Herford with overlapping visitor catchment.
• AquaMarin Freizeitbad: Leisure pool and wellness facility in NRW, serving a similar regional German catchment and product mix of swimming, sauna, and family leisure. Comparable to H2O's single-site, family + wellness visitor profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/h2oherford
• Instagraminstagram.com/h2o_herford
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/h2o-herford

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about H2O Herford