Enjoy true happiness at the Hotel Andreus and relax in a cosy ambience
Relaxation, good taste and style permeates every aspect of the Hotel Andreus in Val Passiria. From the moment I entered in my room, finding on the writing table a copy of Being Happy! A Handbook to Greater Confidence & Security by Andrew Matthews, to the moment I left, relaxation and style defined my stay in this hotel, together with a pleasant flowery scent drifting through the hall and the floors of the hotel.
Talking about floors, did you know that the entrance and reception of the hotel are on the fourth floor? And that the restaurant is in the attic on the fifth floor? You may not believe it, but it’s true. The uphill road taking to the entrance can mislead you, since what you think is the first floor is actually the fourth. I realized it when I got into the lift and pressed the button to get to my room, number 404, and the lift didn’t move. I thought the lift was out of order or I didn’t understand how to make it work properly, and when I asked the staff about it, they explained I was already on the right floor… This made quite a positive impression on me, since losing the sense of space and time was exactly what I was trying to attain during this holiday, to be able to forget stress and to fully relax.
I started with a 50 minute long classic massage. The masseur was very skilled, gentle yet energetic, and helped relieve all my physical and mental tensions. He used a lot of hypericum oil for specific massage techniques relaxing the muscles of the spinal area, and I felt a regenerating effect on my nervous system.
The hotel Andreus has a Vital-Spa developed on a surface of 5,000 sq m, including indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, saunas, steam bath, herbal bath, sauna with panoramic view, sauna for families, panoramic relax room, gym, beauty salon and massage area. I especially liked the Kneipp therapy pool: a shallow pool where you put your feet in. It has 3 different programs: relaxing, revitalizing and refreshing. I tried the relaxing one: the pool filled with scented water up to my calves and water jets started a massaging action on the soles of my feet. I instantly felt a soothing effect not only on my feet, but also up on my ankles and calves. I also tried the infrared sauna, a new type of sauna having a lot of beneficial effects: the heat it creates in fact reduces pain and stress and purifies the skin. I had a 20 minute long session and the temperature was not as high as the traditional sauna, thus making it more bearable, and my perspiration increased without that feeling of breathlessness: a wonderfully beneficial, healthy and relaxing treatment.
After a dive in the swimming pool I went back to my room, the Panorama-Suite with bed opposite to the panoramic window, from where I admired the wonderful view of the surrounding mountains. I took a shower and went to the dining hall, where I had a delicious dinner with a glass of good wine enjoying the background music and the relaxing atmosphere.
The morning after I went to the 18 hole golf course which is right outside the hotel. Guests get a 25% discount on the Green Fee. Andrea, the attentive and friendly marketing manager, told me that every year this course hosts a golf tournament, the Andreus Golf Cup, and this year on October the 20th more than 100 competitors took part to it. Among them were both sportsmen and politicians well known in South Tyrol. Traditionally, before the competition a happy hour is organized at the Golf Club, and after, at about 4 pm, there is a buffet at the hotel. The present Miss South Tyrol, Michaela Moser, was the guest of honor during the 2010 award ceremony, and the day ended with a tombola game.
The Hotel Andreus organizes trekking tours and is only a 30 minute drive away from three ski resorts: Merano 2000, Plan and Racines-Giovo, perfect for families and skiers, but also for those who love sledding, winter trekking, snowshoeing and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
I reluctantly checked out, preparing to return to everyday life, and to overcome the sadness I felt when I had to leave the hotel that made me experience the perfect holiday, I promised myself to come back soon and try all the beauty treatments, now that I know how attentive, professional and hospitable the staff is.
The Andreus meets the needs of every kind of guest: couples, singles and families. In the children playroom “Golfino Club” children from 3 to 10 years of age are looked after by qualified baby sitters and have a lot of toys to play with: stuffed animals and slides for the younger ones, Play Station and table tennis for the older ones. Thanks to a rich entertainment programme for kids parents have the chance to relax and indulge in some wellness treatments. The Andreus offers also the “Teen Wellness” package, with special massages and beauty treatments for young guests.
It’s supposed to be a secret so I will whisper it in your ear… I already booked a week at the Andreus for the Easter holidays. A present for my husband, who will get the holiday of his dreams.
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