ALPINE SPAS

The altitude and fresh clean air instantly revive spirits and staying in an alpine spa, where the accent is on relaxation and restoration, is an ideal way to give your body and mind a treat. Therapies often incorporate products made from local herb and plant ingredients – making the treatments unique and unusual.

Nature dominates, whether you are surrounded by mountains or gently rolling landscapes, from the pure untreated drinking water from lakes, mountain springs or your hotel room, to the uplifting landscapes and the silence, often broken only by birdsong. Hotels tend to be built in traditional design, using plenty of local Austrian pine, which has been found to lift moods and increase sociability. A medical study, the Austrian Moderate Altitude Study 2000, discovered that after an activity-based three-week stay in the mountains, participants had lower blood pressure, had lost weight and had increased oxygen levels in their blood.

Being surrounded by such natural beauty cannot fail to lift the spirits, and the chance to be pampered in one of the state-of-the-art spas only adds to the sense of wellbeing. Well-trained therapists and clinicians can tailor specific treatments to individual needs, mixing a soothing massage with a traditional Austrian treatment. Therapies such as the renowned hay bath, which soothes away aches and pains, or a Tirolean stone oil treatment, which stimulates blood flow, are unique experiences.

New product ranges, produced exclusively in the Alps, add to the natural feel. Alpienne is a brand that has taken traditional Austrian remedies and ingredients and created a 21st century range of creams and oils. Chamomile and arnica, calendula and hypericum are all natural ingredients, which have excellent skincare properties.

To get the best from an alpine spa, you need to combine the outside with the inside. Beyond the hotel walls lie myriad ways to complement spa treatments: a hike along marked trails, a cycle ride across pastures and through villages, cantering across meadows on horseback. Taking exercise at altitude brings added health benefits and there are few sights more spiritually uplifting than lush green slopes against clear sapphire skies.

Food is an integral part of an alpine spa break, much of it locally sourced, and some produced by the hotels themselves, from home-grown herbs and vegetables, to home-baked cakes, breads and pastries. And that’s what makes a visit to an Austrian spa so unique; there is no need to spend days hiking in the hills and mountains or undergoing strenuous exercise. Simply spending a
few days at one of these luxurious hotels will do you the world of good.


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