In the heart of See, an Alpine village in Austria’s Tyrol region, cable cars and gondolas float up to 42km of pistes in winter. Come summer, the 10-minute ride is a gateway to endless scenic trails, a colourful playground and a shady mountain forest housing a Wellness Park. Everything is natural in this dappled glade, from the textured reflexology path to the icy Kneipp pool. Bring a picnic, calm your mind, bond with your kids – the goal is wellness.
The area has been long associated with sports and wellbeing, hosting global events such as the Winter Olympics in the colder months. But summer tourism is now almost on par with the winter season.
It’s a fitting location for family spa hotel Das SeeMount which reopened with nature-inspired biophilic interiors, following a €14m (US$13.6m, £12.5m) investment, in late 2021.
Happy kids, happy parents
I visited Das SeeMount with my husband and four children – ages 20 months, five, seven and nine – in the summer. Like many parents, we teach our children about the importance of nutrition and exercise. The spa factor and its benefits are more complicated to demonstrate, however, because spas don’t usually welcome babies and young children and heat experiences/spa pools are off-limits.
Yet Sabrina Mallaun, owner and manager of Das SeeMount (see p72), designed her new hotel with family spa time as part of the criteria. The fourth floor is an adult-only spa area and includes a steamroom, Finnish sauna and infrared sauna and has a strict spa etiquette of no bathing suits. The family-friendly fifth floor, however, is more relaxed. Guests can turn up in any kind of swimwear or casual clothing, and all facilities, including the vitality pool, hot tub and bio sauna, are open to everyone.
“Children have such a busy world, they also need me time,” Mallaun told me during our stay. “To relax deeply, I think they need that. If the children are happy, the parents are relaxed and happy.”
Of course, for parents, the reality is that spa time without kids is always going to be the optimal restorative option. However, Mallaun’s vision bridges the gap for families who value wellness practices and wish to share them with their children. It not only introduces a future generation to this form of self-care but also allows them to discover the joy of rejuvenation that spa services deliver so uniquely.
Genuine bonding time
The indoor/outdoor design vitality pool has been designed with families in mind, whatever the weather. “It’s possible for a family to be in the water together, even with a baby and even when it’s cold outside.” By the time my toddler had tentatively made his way down the steps, the three bigger kids had whipped through the flap to the outdoor infinity space and were already basking in sunshine and experiencing bubble beds for the first time. Our pool sessions are habitually filled with swimming, diving and underwater gymnastics, but I witnessed moments where they actually paused, lay amidst the bubbles and then swam to the edge taking in the pure air and breathtaking Alpine mountainscape.
As the family area was open until 10pm, we indulged in after-dinner swims on several occasions. The illuminated infinity pool with its panoramas under the night sky was an unforgettable experience, for us and the children. When we weren’t here, we’d spend an hour or so in the playroom, where the kids could play games and enjoy the mini climbing wall.
Outside, the pool connects to exterior terraces and a hot tub which all six of us could fit in comfortably. “This is amazing!” the girls squealed. They alternated between quiet moments, closing their eyes to feel the sun’s rays as the water bubbled, chatting animatedly and feeling for the water jets. It truly was genuine bonding family time and, unbelievably, the toddler even paused at times too.
The following day each of the children had 20-minute back and leg massages, using essential oils mixed with a little lemon. It was the first massage they’d ever experienced. “It made me feel like I was flying, I felt so dreamy,” said my seven-year-old daughter. My nine-year-old son said he felt relaxed afterwards and that his post-hike legs were less achy.
My husband and I found our full-body massages as equally soothing and the unexpected hot stones were particularly beneficial for muscle tension.
Base for wellness
Das SeeMount is an excellent base to stay for family wellbeing. See’s sports park and swimming lake is a five minute walk away. Twenty minutes by car in Ischgl, there’s an open pool with a waterslide, as well as mountain-top adventure park Vida Truja for boating, rafting and trampolining – there’s even a music-theme hiking trail. All mountain parks in the area are free, fun and designed to attract families.
For those with more ambitious fitness goals, there are challenging hikes, a glacier safari and some top-notch bouldering parks.
Coming up to her second summer season, Mallaun is looking to expand children’s treatment options and, in keeping with the unique wellness region, is creating a signature massage that guests won’t find anywhere else.
