Travelling to Bad Ragaz from Zurich airport couldn’t have been easier. Despite a slightly temperamental Tom Tom sat-nav – the man in the box having some difficulty connecting to his friends in the sky – it was down the main road from Zurich, take the Bad Ragaz exit, then look for the hotel on the right – not difficult to miss as it consists of two Grand Hotels, a tower of Spa Suites, a spa and medical centre, a public therme and a golf course. With California Sequoia trees (more of those later) growing on the front lawn.  Again, easy to spot!

We stayed at the Spa Suites and checking into the Hotel lobby (at the Grand Hotel Quellenhof in Bad Ragaz ) our first impressions were “big and grand,” “Swiss and swish” – a chocolate box palace in extensive, manicured gardens.

Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

The Spa Suites are gorgeous and completely contemporary, full of the latest technology (definitely not for the technophobe!). Every suite has everything – from B&O flat screen TV’s, Nespresso coffee machine, adjustable air filled individual mattresses (Cassandra said she felt like Goldilocks – filling her mattress with more and less air, until it was “just right”!), white leather furniture and a lighting system for all moods (romance, reading, spa-ing). PLUS a bathing area with jaccuzi bath, Swedish sauna and steam room/shower. And we’re not even at the hotel spa centre!

Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

As we arrived a bit late, we decided to go to the public Tamina Therme – a modern, light and airy mineral water swimming complex with different temperature pools and steam and sauna experiences that is right next door and open a bit later than the hotel’s spa. Great for just lounging in the waters and full of health afficionados – even on a Saturday evening.

I should say at this point that the rain was not dampening our enthusiasm. July had been one of the hottest months – gorgeous blue skies in a perfect Alpine setting (apparently!). But August had kicked off with a steady drizzle being the key metrological highlight. We were not dismayed (much) and accepted that we were here to blog where no one had blogged before!

So here we are in Bad Ragaz  and wow! – what a place – more of that next time.