 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok, this isn't a ski trip but is a trip to a ski resort (albeit very tiny one). Anyone every skied at Vals, Switzerland? http://vals3000.ch
It's nearest town is Illanz 20k, near Chur. We were there last week because we stayed at the Hotel Therme http://www.therme-vals.ch/hotel/index.html
Forget all your impressions of spas as it's not a 'frilly' place, there are no scented candles, jacuzzis or piped music here. The therme spa is a vast minimalistic slate building containing many different pools (all natural water) of different temperatures ranging from 42oc to 14oc all carved out of slate. It's winner is the outdoor one (accessed by swimming along a corridor and through a small chain-link curtain to the outdoors. Here is a heated pool with a backdrop of snow capped mountains (even now) and grassy slopes of sheep and cows, their bells tinkling. Some nights you can swim until midnight. It is simply quite unique and a stunning backdrop. To one side you can look down to the village of Vals (5 min walk). The food is first class and bedrooms (styled on cruise ship cabins) are stylish - ours was mainly white. They do various treatments and my husband came out of a full body massage with a slightly glazed look on his face which remained there all day! We lay in bed and looked out of the glass doors and balcony to nothing but slopes and sheep. Magical. The hotel is attached so you only need to don your costume/fluffy bathrobe. Some accommodation is separate.
If feeling energetic you can take a mountain walk (ours took 5 hours) and climbed to over 2000m and all we saw was 5 mad looking horses  . At the end you finish by a magnificent dam and hire a bike called at 'Trottie' from the cafe (I heartily recommend the apple fritters/cinimon custard). You stand on the bike (like a snowboard), no seat, no pedals, no gears. Just brakes as this is all you need for the 6k downhill trip back along the winding roads and through a long tunnel and them leave them back in the village. You'll find yourself laughing all the way as you just can't help it!
The food is fantastic, at half board you have 6 courses (all quite small) of wonderfully cooked food. Breakfast is definitely not to be missed either.
The resort itself has about 5 reds, 4 blacks and 1 blue (accessed via a red), 4 drag lifts and 1 gondola. Ok, it's not going to keep you occupied for long, but stay at the spa a couple of days as well and it could make an amazing winter weekend. (roughly 9 hour drive from Calais) or stay en-route to bigger resort. Out of season, mountain bike, or just chill out!
Warning - it's a bit of a 'loved up place'. We were the only Brits but the Germans and Swiss were all showing their affectionate sides! Big mix of ages - old and young, singles and people like husband and me that don't snog in the corner of the pool! 
Vals is also home to Valser Water.
Definitely worth that special trip - but not cheap (however, day tickets can be purchased so you don't have to stay there).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Never been to Vals but I know Ilanz reasonably well
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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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I had a go at trotti biking in Grindelwald.....it's awesome fun!
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brian
brian
Guest
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