Chill Out and Warm up, in These Designer Spas Dotted Across The Alps
Come for the snow, stay for the steam.
The Swiss have a knack for getting things just right, and making use of their myriad mountain springs is no exception. When looking for your next Alpine retreat, don’t just check for thread counts and butler service, ask about the spa – that’s where the real luxury lies.
You'd think nothing could improve on the blissful 30°C water that springs eternal from the St. Peter spring, but 60,000 slabs of Vals quartzite can really do the trick. 7132 Thermal Baths have exactly this, and upon completion, they were instantly granted protected heritage status.
That's not the only cultural claim they have either, as they were the inspiration for a graphic novel. Stay at the 7132 House of Architects to enjoy both a copy of said novel, and a few days in these incredibly luxurious surroundings.
Take a glamorous mountain resort, add a pinch of chalet style, a side of art, and a generous pour of contemporary design, et voilà: the Alpine Gstaad Six Senses Spa, the only of its kind in Switzerland.
Guests and locals flock to this oasis of serenity among the natural splendor of the Bernese Oberland to enjoy the plethora of spa services and Asian-inspired treatments.
Once the base ingredient in one of Switzerland’s most popular beers, the mineral-rich waters of the Aqui source now flow through the Thermalbad & Spa Zurich, which celebrates optimum health and ancient Roman-Irish bathing culture.
The former Hürlimann brewery now houses the B2 Boutique Hotel, whose guests enjoy priority access to the spa in the early morning. The evening shouldn't be missed though – sunset is the time, and the bubbling rooftop pool is the place, to watch the silhouettes of the Alps light up in oranges and pinks at the far end of Lake Zürich.
Drop us a message and we'll start planning your spa hopping trip across the Alps.
Images courtesy of 7132 House of Architects, The Alpina Gstaad, B2 Boutique Hotels and Aqua Spa Resorts Thermalbath & Spa Zurich
Jurriaan Teulings
Jurriaan dreamt of becoming either an astronomer or a circus clown. He became a lawyer instead, but finally found the ultimate fit for his free-range mind as a travel writer and photographer. A Stroopwafel evangelist, he's also won a few awards: two in plexiglass, one in bronze, and one made of beads. The biggest prize: 20 years of travel to all continents and 99 countries so far.