My personal highlight: Relaxing in the oasis of wellness & health famous for its 36.5 degrees Celsius water – Flying my senses high with an exceptional fine dining experience at IGNIV

Bad Ragaz is a cozy small village in the canton of St. Gallen. It is the home of a famous natural spring. It’s a popular spa and health resort destination in Europe. Beside the wellbeing factor you find wonderful art & sculptures all over the Resort and the tiny village. This place is home of The Swiss Triennial Festival of Sculpture, called Bad RagARTz. An event of international fame visited from artists all over Europe.

Discovered accidentally in 1240, the salubrious effects of Pfäfers’ mineral springs were recognised early on. The famous natural scientist, physician and philosopher Paracelsus, who is regarded as the first spa physician of Bad Pfäfers, worked there in 1535 and wrote an entire book on the therapeutic effects of the water with a temperature of 36.5 degrees Celsius. 

Spoil your soul in the Thermal Water World

Experience a holistic wellness program that suits to all that want to maintain health or improve it, need relax or simply love to enjoy a swim. In the “Thermal Spa” you will find an extensive water world with the Helenabad (35°C) or Sportbad (29°C) pools. The Tamina Therme is the cherry on the top. It’s a public wellbeing oasis and haven of relaxation! Get more on the spa offer here. Enjoy their Garden Pool with an outdoor bar from May to September.

Get to know the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Located about three hours by car from Munich and one hour’s drive from Zurich you will find an excellent variety of hospitality. There are 4 different Grand Hotels. Three five stars: The Grand Hotel Quellenhof (as of 1000 CHF), the SPA Suites (suites as of 890 CHF), the GRAND HOTEL HOF RAGAZ (rooms as of 450 CHF) and the Palais Hotel (Relais & Chateaux Bad Ragaz) (Rooms as of 450 CHF). Further There is a Medical Center & Clinic Bad Ragaz, Thermal Spa’s and an Events & Conference center. From classic, opulent, traditional to purist design. Find an option for every taste.
For your culinary experience: choose out of seven restaurants, four bars, a bistro, a café and sushi takeaway for a variety of delights! Don’t miss the exhibition that brings you closer the complete history around the Grand Resort especially created in occasion of the 150 years of anniversary!
More on the culinary experiences in the blog post below!

The resort is also very popular among golfers. It is the only resort in Switzerland to have two golf courses of its own. One is suitable for beginners, the other for professionals.

The Grandhotel Quellenhof – My design eye-catchers

Last July, after only five months of construction and an investment of CHF 45 million, the completely renovated Grand Hotel Quellenhof once again opened its doors. The famous Swiss interior designer Claudio Carbone redesigned the Grand Hotel Quellenhof with a concept focussed around both the hotel’s history and its thermal water.
The 16 metre high chandelier is one of the highlights. 2500 impressive blue and white spheres made of mouth blown glass shines in the stairway.
The design and size of the wine counter around the entrance of the Restaurant Verve by Sven captured my attention, too. Not to mention the fabulous modern and elegant interior of the restaurant Verve by Sven made with natural materials paired with warm colours, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere!

Accommodation at Grand Hotel Quellenhof

Choose between different sized rooms as the Junior suite with 50 m2 with an elegant and seductive atmosphere! The materials and colors used for the interiors transmit the art of tradition meeting modernity with the special luxury touch. Explore the minibar with delicious soft drinks or and delicate red wine. What captured my attention was the bathroom! An image of the astonishing “Tamina Schlucht” overlooking the bath tube, an exceptional craftsmanship result lasered on a natural black stone. The parquet is made of Swiss natural wood and a dream to walk on. The view from the room overlooks the beautiful alps and is just the perfect setup for a peaceful treat.

A warm thank you to Grand Hotel Quellenhof for giving me the opportunity to be the first guest sleeping in the new suite!

Beside the Junior suites you find Junior suites Deluxe, (both 50 m2), Corner Junior suites (60 m2), Suites (80 m2), Grand Suites (100 m2), Royal suites (200 m2,  spacious lounge, living room, fireplace) and the legendary King Suite (270 – 600 m2 for luxury at the highest level).
Get more on the rooms here.

Gourmet Highlights at Grandresort Bad Ragaz

Choose out from local Swiss food to Asian specialities all the way to a modern fine-dining sharing experience and French haute cuisine. At Grand Resort Bad Ragaz you experience indulgence and style. Culinary art and atmosphere. The restaurants and Bars to choose out are:

• VERVE BY SVEN (Health & Lifestyle Cuisine & refined mixed drinks and cocktails)
• MEMORIES (Natural, local & fresh, delicate and puristic Cuisine)
• IGNIV BY ANDREAS CAMINADA (1 Michelin Star, Sharing Fine Dining Experience)
• OLIVES D´OR (sophisticated Mediterranean cuisine)
• NAMUN (A masterpiece of Asian cuisine. With 13 GaultMillau points)
• ZOLLSTUBE (Traditional & Charming, typical Swiss Cuisine & Swiss Beers)
• SCHLOSS WARTENSTEIN (Fresh seasonal & regional Cuisine with the majestic view)
• GLADYS (Club House Classics,
• Snacks, Sushi & Salads at Golf Bistro, Café Therme or Sushi Take away Koiso
• Bars, Get your drink at one of the 4 Bars at The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz: Verve by Sven Bar, Hof Bar, Salon Davidoff, Golden Wave Bar at the Casino Bad Ragaz

Absolutely to recommend: Get breakfast & lunch at “Verve by Sven”
The breakfast of my choice: Verve
Enjoy the healthy thermal drink water (36.5 °), a green smoothie.
Chia lone seed pudding, Granola with bee pollen, berries, a poached bio egg on a home made sour dough bread, tomato jam, Swiss tofu cream with lovage cress.

For lunch you can choose of daily menus that are prepared with healthy, ad fresh and seasonal ingredients. Absolutely to recommend: their cocktail with or without alcohol!

Fine Dining Experience at IGNIV by Andreas Caminada

IGNIV by Andreas Caminada is the place where your valuable time gets enriched by enjoyment and culinary temptations. This 1 Michelin star restaurant surprises and seduces you with a fine dining sharing experience prepared by Chef de cuisine Silvio Germann & his staff. Every course comes in small plates and is perfectly combined with a wine chosen from Chef de Service and Sommelier Francesco Benvenuto. I love the fact that most of the wines are local and let evolve every bite of the carefully prepared dishes to a high level of taste.
The ambience at IGNIV is stylish, modern with the special touch of a traditional ancient living room. The candy shop captured my attention immediately! These hand made sweets are THE must take home after the dining experience!

Try the Fine Dining sharing experience at IGNIV

The name IGNIV derives from the Rhaeto-Romanic word “nest“. Materials such as brass elements and wood as well as the arrangement of the tables give the guest the feeling of being in a nest. Every course served as for example the egg royal (served in an egg shell) makes you experience this element of the nest.

We had a 3 course sharing experience with 5 surprise components! The Sharing experience comes with a variety of very delicate prepared veggies, most of them grown local or regional. Same for the fish and meat. The dining concept is a true pleasure to share with friends, family or with your love!

The amuse bouches
Lettuce, dill – macaron, sour cream, cucumber – cabbage turnip, withe fish – egg royal

Champagne Résonance Marie Courtin

The starters
Char, radish, butter milk – Beef tartar with potato chips – lettuce, parmesan and herbs – foie gras, chocolate – mackerel Sahsimi on a table BBQ, celery – IGNIV salad –
The surprise starter: the chicken Nuggets with BBQ choco sauce

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc Opoka 2014 – Marjan Simcic

The mains
Zander filet – Beef êntrecote from Grison, celery, onions – Veal cheeks, gremolata, young carrots, bramata – Cauliflower, Grüscher Trüffel

Wine: 2017 Chardonnay Martha und Daniel Gantenbein (Fläsch) – 2010 Pinot noir “H”, Christian Hermann (Fläsch)

The Desserts
Egg royal with strawberry & basil – Cocos ice cream, Verveine – Millefeuille with cherry & pistachio, chocolate & sea ​​buckthorn – Quark Soufflé – almond apricots sphere

The costs of the menu per person: CHF 148 for the 3 course, additional you can choose 3 surprise sharing components for additional CHF 40 or 5 surprise sharing components for additional CHF 60.

My personal highlights

The dinner at IGNIV was without doubt my absolutely memorable highlight. Each course was prepared with care and love. On the one hand, this is visible by admiring the presentation of the plates, including the artistic crockery and even more as a taste experience on the palate.
The way the all the staff welcomed me at the Grand Resort from the check in to check out is warm and attentive. Thank you Grand Resort Bad Ragaz especially Mrs. Astrid Hüni for having me.

In the mood of other accommodation suggestions? Visit my travel guide!

www.resortragaz.ch

My personal highlight: Feeling home in the midst of 33,000 books. In a sea of ​​poetry and history I fantasize about what happened in the beer brewery Hürlimann back in the year 1836. 

Do you know the feeling of forgetting every thought around you while time looses its value? This is what happened to me during my stay at B2 Boutique Hotel in Zurich. The hotel is built in the former Hürlimann brewery and full of history and architectural highlights. The Wine Library at B2 Boutique Hotel is memorable. On the ceiling you find lamps constructed from old original beer bottles. All books that fill the hotel library – 33000 of them – come from the inventory of a former antiquarian bookshop in Zurich. This boutique hotel is ideal if you are traveling to Zurich for a business trip or a SPA weekend. It is connected with a thermal bath and a marvellous temple of relax.
The thermal bath offers 3500 sqm of pure joy for body & soul. Take a bath in the rooftop infinity pool overlooking the city of Zurich. The fresh thermal water bubbles directly from Zurich’s “Aqui” spring and offers guests relaxation with valuable minerals in 35 to 41 degree warm water. A delight especially in cold winter days.  Find all of their packages here.

B2 Boutique hotel in a glimpse

• 51 rooms and suites between 28 sqm – 55 sqm, book a room here
• Meeting rooms for up to 18 people as well as a large room for events called Machine hall / 370sqm. A historic, landmarked event location for up to 100 persons as an extraordinary backdrop for special events, such as expositions, film or photo shootings, openings and presentations
• Wine Library and restaurant with selected Swiss Wines from Caduff’s Wine loft.
• Personalized Guest Ambassador service
• Direct access to the Spa & thermal bath with 3500 sqm of Roman Bath and an infinity pool on the rooftop

Accommodation

The hotel offers 51 modern rooms in different categories. Each room is characterized by the industrial history of the house, yet so authentic that you feel thrown back in time. The rooms are specious and offer a warm interior. The parquet invites to walk around barefoot. Selected designer armchairs with classics ranging from Artifort to de Sede to Willudsen and Dixon lamps create a sense of urban living in an avant-garde atmosphere. The cherry on the top is the Hürlimann beer that waits for you in the mini-bar.

Food & Drinks

Small dishes even at exceptional times. The food choice is small but special and ideal for lunch or dinner. Get some vegetarian or meat ravioli, a burger with Swiss Cheese or just an apéro plate to accompany with a glass of delicious Swiss wine. Discover exclusive Swiss wines at the Wine Library designed by the famous restaurant in town called Caduff’s Wine Loft. It includes wines from well-known Swiss wine makers as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Pinot noir or Cabernet.

The breakfast is regional from the Zurich Oberland and offers a buffet with fresh bread, fruits and vegetables as well as homemade Bircher muesli and fresh juices.

In the mood to discover more accommodations in the Lovefoodish guide ? Zurich, Hamburg or Munich for example? Get more here.