Editor Pick
A Wellness SPA-Resort Where you Least Expect It!
- January 23, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
manumombo from Travel Town, California
A wellness resort where you least expect it!
The first time I visited and stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton Panoramahaus in Dornbirn – Vorarlberg – I walked across the parking lot of the local county fair and truly had no high expectations other the fact that they had built a Starwood property here a few months earlier.
The building itself is a sleek glass and steel tower in the middle of a place where cow fields meet local fairgrounds and businesses.
Upon entering I was greeted with a warm Austrian smile and just at that time already knew I would love this place forever.
But then I entered the room of a so called wellness suite and I knew that there had to be way more that would leave a lasting impact on me.
First of all I have to admit, that I never wanted to leave my room – the sunset over the Swiss Mountains and the stylish design just didn’t seem to leave me another choice.
The hotel however prides itself of having the largest spa and health club facility of any Starwood property so – and I had to check it out.
Wooahhh! They did not exaggerate at all! The entire Home of Balance wellness and fitness club (a fee is waived for hotel guests at this time – but things have changed over time – sometime there was a $ 30 for two hour visit and other rates) spans over three floors totaling more than 6000 sq meters or 64’000 sq feet of work-out equipment, various saunas, steam rooms indoor pool, outdoor pool – outdoor sauna and lounges and the hot – really hot outdoor showers – not to be missed.
The entire spa is designed only for adults – some areas are clothing optional such as all the saunas and steam rooms.
On the fitness level – the work out stations are of the latest design. What made this experience especially cool were the outside treadmills, bikes that face the mountains in the near back.
After spending hours in the sauna and pool I returned to the room, only to find a bottle of champagne welcoming me to the hotel.
My body felt so good and worked out that I really had no intention of leaving the hotel again to go into the nearby cute downtown of Dornbirn for a dinner.
The room service dinner was great, the choices ok, but by the time the food arrived it was rather on the warm side. So if you ever stay at the hotel and order room service, make sure you ask for your food to be delivered HOT.
The night was great given the workout of the day before and I really slept well and enjoyed the quiet night, despite the highway being only a few hundred yards from the hotel.
The morning breakfast is being served on the top floor of the building with a view as fast as you can see. On a sunny day you can sit outside and the glass walls serve both for a great view and a wind-free breakfast.
Later this place turns into the restaurant serving lunch and dinner. There is also a bar on the 11th floor. But with all the workouts and the hiking in the area on all my return trips I never had time or lust to experience the high above everything restaurant other than for the varied and healthy breakfast.
I really had never expected such a resort at this place and that was one of the reasons I just had to come back time and time again.
Can’t wait to return for a few days of relaxing and fitness.