 Poster: A snowHead
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For me, one of the biggest things I enjoy about trips to the Alps is the chance to indulge in some thermal spas. The Spa culture around that region of the world is very different to the UK, and the prices for an afternoon in a top-level spa complex is very reasonable, anyway, I am looking wondering if anyone had any tips for destinations is exceptional Therma bath spas in addition to a hearty selection of slopes. Austria seems particularly good for this kind of thing. I have previously visited the AquaDome near Solden, and the tauern spa in Kaprun.
Any tips?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 9-12-17 14:35; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Balnea at Loudenvielle in the Pyrenees is the best one I've come across.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The Alpentherme Gastein in Bad Hofgastein is excellent. (Austrian rules for the sauna area). The skiing in the Gastein region is good too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I can recommend the Bains de Saillon in the Swiss Valais. Close to Verbier and Crans-Montana if you want to mix it with some skiing. This isn't one of the 5-Star super-expensive places like those of Leukerbad etc., it's more family-oriented but with a strong Wellness element too. If you're a culture type, it's near to places like the Fondation Giannada in Martigny and the NE end of Lake Geneva (Chateau Chillion, Montreux etc.) as well as the old town of Sion. If you are happy with more limited skiing then there are combined ski+spa places in some of the smaller resorts that aren't very well-known outside of Switzerland, such as Ovronnaz.
Bains de Saillon: https://www.bainsdesaillon.ch/en/
Fondation Giannada: http://www.gianadda.ch/
Verbier Winter: http://www.verbier.ch/en/ski-area-lifts/index-ski-area-lifts.htm
Ovronnaz: http://www.ovronnaz.ch/?season=winter
Valais Magic Pass: https://www.magicpass.ch/en/?SID=uffl9n73kf8vb0k0664nu6j920
You can now fly directly into Sion from the UK with both Swiss and Powdair airlines: Saillon is about 20 minutes away from the airport.
The Valais offers a 25-centre winter whole-season pass (including thermal resorts) for CHF 399 ('Magic Pass') but this explicitly excludes Verbier and the other connected 4 Valley resorts like Nendaz, La Tzoumaz and Veysonnaz (all of which are a shortish drive up from the valley bottom. If you're prepared to do a valley-floor type holiday with drives to different places, this is very good value, especially if you might return again during the season, say for a long Weekend.
If you have any under-25s in your group then there's a fanastic offer on currently from Téléverbier, the 4 Valleys lift company - CHF 400 for the 'Mt.Fort Card' which is for an entire 12 months. This is a discount of over CHF 1,000 over the usual annual rate and less than a typical 6-day pass in peak winter season. https://verbier.skipass-4vallees.ch/en/forfait-ski/mont4card-4-vallees-850/?sk%5B0%5D%5Bage%5D=19
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went to the Grands Bains du Monetier in the summer. They are similar to the Balnea at Loudenvielle. However I would say that the Balnea was better as it was modern and in good condition throughout. There were a few rusty bits inside at the Grands Bains du Monetier, although generally we enjoyed our time there.
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@snowymum, this summer? It was extensively refurbished less than 12 months ago. Another vote here for les Grands Bains in Le Monetier-les-Bains. No rust last week.
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You need to check out Hungary
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| sugarmoma666 wrote: |
| The Alpentherme Gastein in Bad Hofgastein is excellent. (Austrian rules for the sauna area). The skiing in the Gastein region is good too. |
Visited Bad Hofgastein just for a day; my impression tied in with yours.
Brides Les Bains is another thought. 20 minutes ride up the godola, though.
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The Aqua Dome at Langenfeld is pretty cool. I've not skied from there but it's just a 30 minute bus ride from Solden.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| BoardieK wrote: |
| The Aqua Dome at Langenfeld is pretty cool. I've not skied from there but it's just a 30 minute bus ride from Solden. |
I keep driving past it, but the spas in Sölden aren't great (although the town pool is pretty good), and that does look interesting. What's it like?
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My contribution:- Scandinave Spa Whistler. A romantic setting amongst the trees in the snow, if that's your thing. Lots of things to dip yourself into. They have a silence rule so no rowdy people. There's nothing good for real swimmers. It's North America so sauna etiquette is "pants on". Well run and clean, no decent food on location. It's a drive/ taxi from the village.
- Harrison Hot Springs . The resort hotel has multiple large pools including one 30m which is laned. Not as cool as the Scandinave, and they do have kids in there now and then. You can get a day ticket or just stay in the hotel and schlep down in your slippers. Cheap, and a short drive from some good tourist-free powder (check conditions before you go as it may be raining in a bad season, and you will need to know how to drive in snow on forest roads).
- An honourable mention for the Revelstoke town pool, because it has a couple of pools with a climbing wall over one of them.
- The Freizeit Arena Sölden. Not bad for a town pool, at least out of season. Good hot saunas plus a reasonable pool.
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You know it makes sense.
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15 minutes from Munich Airport is Therme Erding. Stay an extra day after an Austrian holiday. The best you will ever visit anywhere. Something like 30 sauna's and a separate large slide section that will keep the kids happy all day.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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St Moritz has several public spas and quite a few hotels have their own. I haven't been to any others in that part of the world, so can't compare.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| philwig wrote: |
| BoardieK wrote: |
| The Aqua Dome at Langenfeld is pretty cool. I've not skied from there but it's just a 30 minute bus ride from Solden. |
I keep driving past it, but the spas in Sölden aren't great (although the town pool is pretty good), and that does look interesting. What's it like?
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I'm the sort who gets dragged along to these places so I asked my wifes opinion (she does the dragging).
Langenfeld: FANTASTIC
Monetier: "which one was that"?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| @snowymum, this summer? It was extensively refurbished less than 12 months ago. Another vote here for les Grands Bains in Le Monetier-les-Bains. No rust last week. |
Yes it was this summer. There was a wide pipe with water coming out in the section with the hot, medium and very cold pools that looked completely rusty to me and I think there was paint peeling on the ceiling in the same section. I think it might have been over the medium pool. The main baths inside and out were very nice and in good clean condition. There were one or two things closed (a steam room maybe) near the place where you can lie and listen to music underwater. Overall we had a good time there particularly as it was a lovely sunny day so the outside pools were most enjoyable.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Pre St Didier, just down form Courmayeur. I wasn't into Spa's having been spoiled by super cheap and great quality Onsen in Japan. But over the last 3 summers of guiding the Tour du Mont Blanc, I've been 14 times! I still keep finding new stuff.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@escooler, Don't know if you'll have kids in tow, but Pre St Didier minimum age is 14 for entry, may be similar in others
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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the one in Saint Gervias has been taken over by Loreal.
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| Quote: |
15 minutes from Munich Airport is Therme Erding. Stay an extra day after an Austrian holiday. The best you will ever visit anywhere. Something like 30 sauna's and a separate large slide section that will keep the kids happy all day.
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Seconded. Have been many times. Fantastic.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| downhillalltheway wrote: |
| 15 minutes from Munich Airport is Therme Erding. Stay an extra day after an Austrian holiday. The best you will ever visit anywhere. Something like 30 sauna's and a separate large slide section that will keep the kids happy all day. |
If you are flying to/from Memmingen, Therme Bad Worishofen is part of the same group and a similar distance away. And travelling a day earlier/later can make a big difference to flight price.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Therme listed in the link at Bad Ischl is rather good. Quite grand. The town has had spa status since the turn of the last century and is the regional capital.
Skiing-wise, choice if 2 areas, both within 30 minutes....Dachstein West and Feuerkogel, Ebensee. The former offers 140km of pistes.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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This thread has made me very happy - I loved the Grands Bains du Monetier for a post-ski spa day at the end of a week's skiing, and am going to both Solden and likely Bad Gastein next year so have two more that sound even better to try. Looking forward to these trips even more now.
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