Sat. Nov 2nd, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

Naturhotel Chesa Valisa, Hirschegg, Austria

The first certified bio-organic hotel in the Vorarlberg region, this 500-year-old building is now home to a soothing mountain retreat, combining a programme of outdoor hikes, indoor yoga and spa treatments with plenty of cosy spaces for relaxing with a book or just drinking in the glorious views. The nightly rate includes all of the above, along with free use of the local bus network, making it easy to get out and explore the local countryside. The restaurant offers excellent vegetarian and vegan dishes alongside the best organic local produce.
Doubles from £281, including dinner, B&B; naturhotel.at

Tauern Spa, Kaprun, Austria

Tauern Spa, Kaprun, Austria

A destination in its own right, the Tauern offers a sprawling 20,000 sq metres of spa facilities, including 12 indoor and outdoor pools, a huge thermal complex with 13 saunas and the Kidstein children’s spa, with its own pools, climbing wall and adventure grotto. Treatments range from Thai and Swedish massages to body peels, wraps and organic Thalgo therapies, with the opportunity to try snowshoe hiking in the surrounding mountains. In the evening, guests can choose from traditional Austrian dishes in the Lichtblick restaurant or a 10-course tasting menu in Finessen.
Doubles from £274, B&B; tauernspakaprun.com

Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa, Dolomites, Italy

Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa, Dolomites, Italy
Photograph: Fiorenzo Calosso

Gardena Grödnerhof is a classic Tirolean-style family-run hotel in the pretty town of Ortesei. Summer or winter, it’s location is spectacular, just moments away from the cable car that runs up to the Alpe di Siusi, the largest Alpine plateau in Europe. After a day’s skiing or hiking, it’s time to relax in the hotel’s marvellous new spa. It’s hung with chandeliers and boasts numerous steam rooms, saunas, a hamman and pools with mountain views. The hay bath and deep tissue massage are must-tries. There’s also yoga and a well-equipped gym.
Doubles from £297, B&B; gardena.it

The Comodo, Bad Gastein, Austria

The Comodo, Bad Gastein, Austria
Photograph: Matthias Heiderich

Brand new this winter, the Comodo brings a hip, bohemian vibe to the quiet village of Bad Gastein, with spa treatments utilising Gastein’s thermal waters, said to offer anti-inflammatory properties. The sizeable indoor pool offers wonderful views over the surrounding peaks and valley, with traditional and cutting-edge therapies, including magnesium treatments and plant power shots. Rooms mix contemporary styling with vintage furniture, and the restaurant does wonderful things with ingredients from local organic farms.
Doubles from £222, B&B; thecomodo.com

Naturhotel die Waldruhe, South Tyrol, Italy

Back Sports Massage TherapyPhysiotherapist massaging female patient with injured lower back muscle. Sports injury treatment.
Photograph: Getty Images

Waldruhe is a great option if you’re looking for a wellness break that combines outdoor activities – hiking, snowshoeing, sledging – with a good-sized spa. The indoor and outdoor pools have mountain views, spa treatments use only natural ingredients, and there’s a three-level sauna complex. Bedrooms are sleek and crisp, with blond-wood panelling and furniture, and the restaurant offers the best of traditional South Tyrolean dishes.
Doubles from £162, including dinner, B&B; diewaldruhe.com

Hotel Voulez Vous, Tignes le Lac, France

Hôtel VoulezVous - Reception & Bar

A new hotel close to the busy ski slopes of Tignes, Voulez Vous is ideal for those who want to combine a wellness break with time on the slopes. The vegan spa offers an indoor pool with spectacular mountain views and sauna and steam facilities. Dinners make the most of the rich Savoyard cuisine and the Icebreaker bar offers everything from potent cocktails to silent discos.
Doubles from £244, B&B; etincelles.com

Hotel de Len, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Hotel de Len, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Photograph: Alessandro Amodio

Every floor, ceiling and door is carved from sustainably sourced wood at the Hotel de Len, the leading spa hotel in the Cortina region. The spa is set on the rooftop with floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s a varied programme of treatments and therapies alongside a relaxing indoor pool, sauna and steam. The restaurant is open all day.
Doubles from £289, B&B; hoteldelen.it

Die Berge Lifestyle-hotel, Sölden, Austria

Die Berge Lifestyle-hotel, Sölden, Austria

Surrounded by the snow-drenched Ötztal valley, Die Berge bills itself as a hotel for mountain sports lovers, with widescreen views from the outdoor Sky Pool. Four different saunas offer the chance to detox, with massages in the sleek treatment rooms. There’s no restaurant, but the hotel has a guide to all the best eating places nearby.
Doubles from £161, B&B; dieberge.at

QC Terme, Monte Bianco, Italy

Women in bathrobes wearing eye masksGettyImages-138300747
Photograph: Dirk Lindner/Getty Images

Perched on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, the Monte Bianco offers a restorative package of thermal baths, hamam, saunas, Kneipp footpaths and an outdoor panoramic pool that create a wonderful feeling of being cocooned among the mountains. Relaxation spaces include a hay room and reading lounge, with bedrooms channelling a cosy old-fashioned vibe. Dinners in La Refuge are an elegant affair, with hearty breakfasts and lunches to keep you fuelled for walks and sleigh rides.
Doubles from £271, B&B; qcterme.com

Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen, Andermatt, Switzerland

Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen, Andermatt
Photograph: Soeren Dam Thomsen

The Swiss Alps are dotted with high-end spa resorts, almost all of which are stratospherically expensive, making the Radisson one of the best choices for a restorative mountain break. Situated in the peaceful Ursern valley, the hotel is well situated for hiking and snowshoeing as well as relaxing in the spa. The 25m pool comes with stunning mountain views, while spa treatments use local herbs, spring water and honey for organic, restorative therapies. Bedrooms are sleek and unfussy with lovely mountain views.
Doubles from £225, room-only; radissonhotels.com

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