Aruna Rathod comes back rejuvenated as wellness and luxury go hand-in-hand at plush Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.
A stay at the Bad Ragaz spa in Switzerland, especially during Christmas season is soothing, yet invigorating for the body and soul. Advent is full of lights in Europe and at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley, Switzerland, the Christmas tree is unique. On November 19th, the Resort set up the fabulous Christmas tree – a living one and the largest living tree of Europe.
The good news is that the lights and decorations can be admired till January 22 2017. The festive season offers many innovations – like innovative lifestyle programmes for relaxation, vitality, weight loss or detox. A unique Advent Magic package is available and a ski and well-being package too that extends well into mid- April.
Luxury from the start
A chauffeur picks you up in a Mercedes E350, and within minutes you are in the lap of luxury. Check-in over a welcome drink was a breeze and the spa suite.
The entire resort is built around a natural hot water spring that comes from a gorge 4km uphill. Over a million litres of water gushes out every single day, at a consistent temperature of 36.5 degrees and apparently has been flowing for 800 years.
Snow and well-being
Hit the slopes for action as the well-being packages include rigorous skiing at the Pizol mountain, and then soothing their muscles in the 36.5°C thermal water, sauna and Swarovski crystal steam bath.
Caviar Tastings and caviar-based treatments
This year Bad Ragaz is offering guests the chance to sample another exclusive speciality – Oona caviar, a pure Swiss Alpine caviar. Those looking for pure decadence and glamour this festive season need look no further as on the 28th December 2016 guests can treat themselves to an exclusive tasting event, where this special caviar will be severed with Charles Heidsieck Champagne – the perfect way to prolong the Christmas magic and toast to 2017. Alternatively, to experience the nurturing and regenerative benefits of caviar from the outside in, guests of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz can pamper themselves with an indulgent caviar-based beauty treatment using La Prairie’s Skin Caviar Collection. The Caviar Spectaculaire treatment uses Skin Caviar Luxe Cream that aims to improve the tone, firmness, elasticity and suppleness of the skin, the ideal way to rejuvenate and enhance your winter glow.
Thermal therapy
Tamina Therme, the public area of the spa, with half a dozen pools with different temperatures of water – ranging from 17 degrees to 36.5 degrees, is great for relaxing.
The Tamina spring has lent its name to the thermal spa and supplies its water to Bad Ragaz. Europe’s fastest-flowing thermal spring rises in the Tamina Gorge near Bad Ragaz and was discovered in the early middle ages. Among those to praise the healing benefits of the water, classified as an acratotherm on account of its low mineral content and temperature of 36.5 °C, was the physician and alchemist Paracelsus. After the spring had been connected to Bad Ragaz through the construction of a four-kilometre long pipe in 1840, the Tamina Therme came into being in 1872 as the first thermal water indoor pool in Europe. This proved to be the foundation stone on which the worldwide reputation of the commune as a spa and heath resort grew, attracting famous guests from across Europe.
Sauna and steam
The in-house and the indoor spa in the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz offers so much to choose from in its 5,500 square metres that spa fans have a tough time making up their minds. The accent is very much on wellness. In the stylishly opulent Helenabad pool, one can swim in Ragaz thermal spa water whose healing properties were confirmed already by Paracelsus.
The world’s first Swarovski-encrusted steam room has glittering gems adorning every surface. It’s not called grand for nothing. Other details include mineral water on tap, open fires in the suites and mood lighting. There is also a huge circular private spa featuring a hi-tech cinema, ‘cuddle lounge’ and private dining area. Plus spa butlers are on hand to attend to your every whim.
From the 45-degree sauna where you sweat it out to the crystal embellished steam where you feel the pores open up, a session at the spa is all it takes to unwind.
A member of the ‘Leading Spas of the World’, the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is situated in the Heidiland holiday region of eastern Switzerland, just an hour’s drive by car from Zurich.
Address: Bernhard-Simonstrasse, 7310 Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
Phone: +41 81 303 30 30
