Seeking a cure in Switzerland
Switzerland Tourism, the industry's marketing arm, has published its first ever guide to the top Swiss health spas and resorts.
The brochure, entitled “To be and let be”, gives details on 41 spas and resorts that have been awarded the coveted “Q” label for quality in tourism, or are in the process of attaining the label.
This means that a hotel has to offer more than a swimming pool, sauna and fitness room to meet the high standards, even if it claims to be a “wellness” centre, as German and Swiss spas have come to be known.
“The problem is that ‘wellness’ is not a registered title, so every hotel with a swimming pool can call itself a wellness hotel,” says Silvia De Vito of Switzerland Tourism.
“Switzerland Tourism is trying to make the wellness market more transparent,” De Vito adds.
The spas included in the guide offer the comfort of at least a three-star hotel, employ health consultants and include non-alcoholic drinks in the price of the package.
The wellness hotels put the accent on a wide range of activities and therapies, both in and out of the thermal bath. Most are located in leading alpine resorts, where mountain views are balm to the eyes.
Those that are also considered health resorts include alternative treatments such as acupuncture, acupressure, breathing and relaxation therapies as part of their packages.
The thermal springs at the spas listed in the guide must meet the minimum requirements set by the federal authorities concerning the mineral and chemical content of the water.
by Dale Bechtel
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.