In big, bold letters on the roof of this hotel, a sign reads: ‘Everything’s going to be alright’ and as you step inside, warmly greeted by attentive staff and the lobby’s fourstorey crystal waterfall chandelier, you feel sure it will be.
The town of Bad Ragaz, with its thermal springs from the Tamina Gorge, is nestled in the foothills of the Swiss Alps and its Grand Hotel has been one of Europe’s most famous luxury wellness and spa resorts since 1869.
Fed with the gorge’s 36.5°C water, the palatial spa offers a bespoke environment for healing and relaxation. Among the resort’s many pools, possibly the most impressive is the marblepillarlined 19thcentury Helena Bath.
Beyond it lies a dedicated sports pool (ideal for those who are feeling more active), while outdoors there’s a heated pool that overlooks the spectacular Graubünden mountains.
The resort is also home to a dedicated family spa, complete with childsized spa loungers, thermal pools and water games. This spa gives children aged under 16 their own space to relax and splash about in, keeping them entertained – and the Helena Bath strictly adultsonly.
To top it off, there’s the Tamina Therme public baths (integrated into the hotel, and free for guests), with its own variety of indoor and outdoor pools. This famous attraction is currently undergoing a huge redevelopment and is set to open again this October.
With so much pooling to do, it can be easy to forget there’s a long list of treatments available (not to mention three separate Michelinstarred restaurants to indulge in). GH tries the Swiss Back Relax (around £180), which incorporates facialstyle methods into a body massage, leaving our back not only relaxed but also freshly cleansed and feeling shiny and new.
If you need even more care and rehab, the resort also houses a medical centre specialising in nutrition, sports medicine, rheumatology, aesthetics and more. Doctors and nurses are available on site, and the spa is accessible to people with a variety of conditions to help aid their recovery. Everything, it seems, is going to be much more than alright.
Rooms from around £296 a night; treatments from around £40.
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