The Stunning Spas in Kitz IV: Grand Alps Spa at luxury resort Grand Tirolia
If you are into Golf & Spa in Tirol, this is where you want to be!
A splendid Alpine hotel, a lovely spa and a magnificent golf course in one spot in one of the prime areas in the Austrian Alps, what more do you need?
Golf & Spa in Tirol
The luxury resort Grand Tirolia is located on the sunny side of the Kitzbuehel valley with breathtaking views in all directions over majestic mountain ranges.
With its restaurants for connoisseurs, cosy bar areas, and spacious rooms in modern Alpine decor, it is set amidst a fun and challenging 18 hole golf course, that requires accuracy of the players.
But… surprise, surprise, I am happy to skip all those lovely facilities and head straight to the 1500 m2 Grand Alps Spa on the ground floor.
For me, Golf & Spa in Tirol works perfectly fine: I spa, hubby golfs… classic!
Yoga, Fitness, Power Plate
Tirol is Wellness Country and one of the best places to experience Austrian outdoors, there is skiing, hiking, biking, swimming, climbing, snowboarding, rafting, golfing, fishing, canoeing, running, paragliding – whatever your heart beats for.
As guest of the Grand Tirolia, you do not need to fear a day of poor weather. The hotel offers some nice indoor facilities too, such as a golf swing simulator, a fully equipped gym, a yoga studio and Power Plate machines.
Equipment is available for rent and purchase at the pro shop and a sports shop.
There are instructors available for Personal Training and other activities.
The weekly schedule reads nicely: Nordic walking at 10 am one day, aquafit another day, sauna infusion every day.
Johanna, a teacher for yin and gentle flow yoga, has set up her yoga studio in Grand Alps Spa and offers open classes to hotel guests, day spa guests and the community alike four times a week.
Spa Brands
Grand Alps Spa offers three different spa brands with products ranging from basic to luxurious:
Alpienne, a local Tyrollean family business for natural care. Small batch handmade all natural products such as lotions, salt peelings, or soaps contain local ingredients such as herbs. Other products like wooden massage roller, pillows and more are made from swiss stone pine. A few Wellness Hotels in Tirol have actually adapted Alpienne for their bathroom amenities.
French brand Sothy’s Paris, exclusive in Spas and with flagship stores in New York, Paris and Tokio.
And Swiss high tech brand Niance World of Luxury, competence in anti ageing.
The Pool
Yes! When I read the sign indicating the water temperature (at 30o C that day!) I cannot wait to jump in! What a lovely change from the ice cold mountain lake water high above 1000m altitude, that I usually swim in in summer…
The pool’s outdoor section is larger and totally suitable for swimming laps. A small Jacuzzi outlet invites me to linger and let the sun shine in my face.
Afterwards I rest on a sun-bed on an upper outdoor level with my back against the golf course. And enjoy the sound of bamboo branches swaying in the wind softly.
Both areas, indoor and outdoor pools, are surrounded by plenty of sun-beds and loungers, and of course the spa has a spacious relaxation room for those who want to fully retreat.
Above, there is a family steam room to be used with swim wear.
Heat experiences
A separate section holds the nude area with heat experiences.
There are many, and I am working my way through:
a traditional and spacious Finnish sauna,
a bio sauna,
a Tyrolean herbal sauna with a large center piece full of different local herbs
an Aroma steam room
a grey/white marble Hamam with ‘kurna’ and ‘gobek tasi’
a private Russian Bania
and an infrared sauna cubicle, that has an old wooden ski as door handle…
Centre piece of the sauna area is a water basin for water wading à la Kneipp.
My treatment
I am so being spoilt!
Tom, the new spa manager, invites me to a deluxe anti ageing facial treatment by Niance, provided by lovely Anastasia.
Anastasia is pretty, cute, petite and friendly, and she makes me feel beautiful just by looking at her.
But, boy, this beautician can do a lot of magic with her fingertips in my face!
She takes me to the unique and all white Niance ladies treatment lounge (they do have a matching gent’s one in black!) and asks me on the comfortable bed. It is a hot summer day, and we keep the large window open, letting in sunshine, a summer breeze and the soothing sounds of gurgling water from the pool…
Anastasia talks me through the treatment protocol and shares some product information with me.
Niance offers different lines. Grand Alps Spa uses the deluxe line for most of its Niance treatments. The treatment protocol includes all the steps I expect from a high-end facial: cleanse, polish, massage (including trigger point and lymph drainage), mask, serum, final moisturiser.
Super relaxing experience
Whilst the mask was sitting and my face half way covered with a warm compress (only leaving nose and mouth free for ease of breath) I enjoyed hand and arm peeling and lotion.
I nearly fell asleep (which I always do during treatments) and did not like the moment when Anastasia did her finishing touches. I could have stayed forever!
My skin felt lovely, refines, rejuvenated.
Note to self: have more of those facials!
Other treatments at Grand Alps Spa offered include LPG Endermology, massages, packages, face & beauty treatments.
Wrap Up
Let me be honest with you. Grand Alps Spa has been a little challenged in the past by name changes due to strategy changes, partner changes, staff fluctuation and other reasons I do not know of.
My impression now: under this new management and with all these fresh and dedicated staff members, Grand Alps Spa is spot on the right track!
The facilities are very well kept, staff members super friendly, and all services offered are genuine and of high quality.
Suddenly I somehow wish I were a golfer, so that I had an excuse to go back to Grand Alps Spa more often from now on and practise Golf & Spa in Tirol…
You can’t wait to get there or want to become a member? Contact the spa at spa@grand-tirolia.com.
header pic (c) Grand Tirolia