The Alpine Spa at the Bürgenstock Resort Review - A Luxury World Class Swiss Spa with a Difference.
Do you love a fantastic luxury spa? If so, read on to hear all about the Bürgenstock Resort Alpine Spa over Lake Lucerne, Switzerland.
I love all things spa related and like to find and research some of the best spas in the UK, Europe and throughout the world. From first seeing the stunning images of Bürgenstock online, I knew this was somewhere I had to visit and I recently had the opportunity to take a 4-day 3-night trip there. I’ve already posted my itinerary details which you can find here and also my hotel review of the absolutely incredible Bürgenstock hotel, where I stayed in their Heritage wing. Find that review here. As well as this review of the resort’s Alpine Spa, I will also separately be reviewing the treatments and facilities at the resort’s other main hotel and spa, the Waldhotel.
Burgenstock Resort Alpine Spa
Why choose The Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa for your spa break?
It was clear to me that I wanted to opt for the higher-rated five star Bürgenstock Hotel rather than the Waldhotel (which has views over the Alpine landscape rather than over Lake Lucerne) so then the choice was whether to book a room in either the Contemporary new building, or the Heritage wing which was the original Palace Hotel.
I booked through Leading Hotels of the World a package called Rejuvenation which included an IceLab cryotherapy session as well as either a massage or facial. I then researched some of the additional treatments and therapies available at both locations (the IceLab experience was to be taken at the Waldhotel) and booked a KOS Paris massage and the AMRA Men’s Meteorite Body Ritual. Read on to find out all about these three treatments (the IceLab experience had to be cancelled unfortunately due to a missing part), but was changed instead to a Vital Dome experience, their infra-red sauna) and I will review the Waldhotel Medical & Wellbeing facility separately.
“With views from all over Lake Lucerne, the Bürgenstock Alpine Spa offers 10,000 sqm with 5 pools, saunas to the relaxation room - there is something for everyone at the Alpine Spa.”
The Alpine Spa at The Bürgenstock Resort, Switzerland: The Important Details
Location - Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, CH-6363 Obbürgen, Switzerland
Contact - alpine.spa@burgenstockresort.com
Opening Hours - 8am to 8pm daily
Spa website - https://burgenstockresort.com/en/spa/buergenstock-alpine-spa
Hotel website - https://burgenstockresort.com/en
Treatments available - Facials & body treatments (DR Burgener, Biologique Recherche, Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics, AMRA, 111SKIN, and KOS Paris), private saline bath, beauty (hand and foot care), personal training, and yoga.
Facilities - Alpine Spa Beauty Lounge, Alpine Spa Boutique, Outdoor Infinity Pool, Indoor Pool, Hollywood (outside) Pool, Cold Pools, Floating Pool, Saunas, Hammam, Relaxation & Silent Areas, Spa Garden, Treatment Rooms, Gym & Fitness, Backstage Hair Spa, Private Spa Suites, Tennis.
Visited - August 2023
Burgenstock Resort Infinity Pool
Burgenstock Resort Alpine View
What are the best treatments at the Bürgenstock Alpine Spa?
If I had had a longer stay I would have tried out more, but here are some of the treatments I enjoyed during my visit to the Alpine Spa.
My first treatment - AMRA Men’s Meteorite Body Ritual
Cost - CHF570 (about £510 , €600 or $650)
Time - 2 hours
Waewdee was an excellent therapist, and explained from the outset what the treatment involved. First off I was given a choice of disposable mens underwear, one shorts style and one a thong. I normally find with the briefs style that I can never work out what’s front or back, but I went for the shorts which were actually quite big. The thong, which allowed for full frontal cover but pretty much nothing else probably would have been the better option for a treatment like this.
Coming from the Alpine Spa area anyway in one of their supersoft grey spa robes (with hood) it was a quick change into the disposable underwear and Waewdee then showed me where to lie on the Vichy shower type bed. It was super comfortable, like floating on a waterbed, and first my body was cleansed and massaged all over with the water jets. I was then going to be encased on the bed for a personal steam experience. Once Waewdee had cleansed and rinsed, she then pulled a plastic-style sheet over where I was lying to create the steam chamber. I was left for about 10 minutes, all very comfortable and though the steam was hot, it was in no way uncomfortable.
The process was then repeated but this time instead of a cleanse she used a scrub, then rinse, then another steam session. Once that was complete I was invited to take a shower (where there was a special gel to cleanse), before drying and this time I tried the other disposable underwear choice, the thong which I thought would be better for the massage. I was then taken to another treatment room literally across the corridor for the next part of the treatment, an all-over massage. This was excellent too, pressure just right and I felt so relaxed afterwards. Here a serum was applied, before using an oil for the massage itself.
What was the spa treatment room like?
Like the entire resort, as you’d expect the treatment rooms were exceptional - the style, fittings, quality, lighting and presentation were all amazing. The room with the Vichy Shower (though I don’t think it was actually Vichy) but certainly a waterbed with the full-length body waterjets was just off the VIP waiting area and the spa treatment reception desk (the main spa reception was much bigger and in a different location). It was beautifully tiled on walls and floor, neutral but relaxing colours and very spacious. Near the entrance door was the private en-suite toilet and large walk-in shower, in the main room itself there was a large vanity unit with sink for the therapist and lots of storage space, a stool and a couple of large plants at the back.
Once I moved across the hallway to the massage room, this was similar in size and set up, albeit had a large picture window with the incredible view of the lake and surrounding landscape. The bed, as I realised when I had my second massage, had moveable armrest sections, so that rather than, when lying face down, having your arms by your side or dangling over the edge of the bed, you could have them resting either side of your head but lower down than the bed itself. The bed was super comfortable and, surprisingly as I often don’t find the section for your face to protrude through very comfortable, despite this looking extremely simple with just an oval hole which was surrounded by a soft folded towel, it was the perfect position and relaxing.
My second treatment - Dr. Barbara Strum Men’s Facial
Cost - CHF270 (about £240 , €280 or $300)
Time - 60 minutes
I was met again in the waiting lounge by Suzana, who was yet another excellent therapist. I think it was so clear with the standard overall in the spa, that they wouldn’t have any therapist who wasn’t an expert in their respective fields. I normally have only Environ (South Africa) facials with that being my skincare brand of choice, but equally I’ve also come across the Dr. Barbara Strum brand in a few high-end hotel spas already, and had always wanted to try one out.
As Suzana explained, this was going to be quite a traditional facial and it was (the Environ they use an electro-sonic DF machine) but really excellent. My skin went through so many stages of cleanse, tone, moisturise and finished with a relaxing facial and neck/shoulder massage. Fantastic treatment and excellent therapist in wonderful surroundings. Highly recommended.
What was the spa treatment room like?
With the spa being over three (vast) floors, this time I was taken from the VIP waiting area through the same treatment corridor as before but then up a staircase to the level above where they had most of the (specifically beauty) treatment rooms. On the way I passed some of the individually named private spa suites, these are available at extra cost. The Private Spa is an exclusive VIP experience - a luxury setting with your own private sauna, jacuzzi, treatment room and lounge area with of course views over Lake Lucerne.
On the level above, I was then shown into a beauty room, slightly smaller than downstairs but again beautifully fitted out with the same stunning view from a window overlooking the lake. The bed was super comfortable, but obviously with it being a face it was designed to be face up only and the appropriate brighter lighting.
My third treatment - KOS Paris Full Body Invigorating Massage
Cost - CHF380 (about £340 , €400 or $430)
Time - 90 minutes
After a morning out visiting nearby Lucerne (great being able to take the funicular down again to meet the resort’s catamaran), I came back at lunchtime to enjoy the facilities of the Alpine Spa (by this point I was hooked on the aroma steam room and the outdoor eco pool in the naturist section of the spa) before having the body massage later in the afternoon, before dinner.
Mari met me in what was rapidly becoming a very favourite and familiar place, the VIP waiting space , where I would meet previous therapists and in particular the man who did my first treatment in the Waldhotel Spa, who was always so friendly and would ask how I was getting on. I was then taken to a treatment room on the same level as before, again with the spectacular lake views. The massage room was similar to where I had finished the AMRA treatment, again so comfortable and beautifully kitted out, with the same relaxing bed with what seemed like all possible adjustment positions.
There was choice of KOS Paris oils, which Mari was going to let me smell the work out which my favourite was, as well as explain the ingredients (and benefits) of each, but with my sense of smell having been obliterated by Covid back in 2021 and never really returning, I do find it near impossible now to detect differences (or indeed any fragrance) from essential oils. I was assured by Mari that a good choice would be the eucalyptus and pine KOS oil, still getting the benefits regardless of whether I could smell or not!
I first lay face down, with my arms resting to the side on the heated bed, while the therapist (who had asked for any areas of concern or an areas to have primary focus) massaged by back so expertly - the perfect balance of pressure and tension relief yet relaxing and nourishing at the same time. Once my back had been thoroughly released, and on each section Mari first used the massage oil, then it was legs before turning over to have more focus on my front and neck and shoulder area. As well as just massage release, there was a fair amount of joint manipulation and flexibility, finishing last with my arms being massaged all over.
Sadly my last treatment at Bürgenstock, but like all others, so expertly put together and executed.
What was the spa treatment room like?
Mari met me in what was rapidly becoming a very favourite and familiar place, the VIP waiting space , where I would meet previous therapists and in particular the man who did my first treatment in the Waldhotel Spa, who was always so friendly and would ask how I was getting on. I was then taken to a treatment room on the same level as before, again with the spectacular lake views. The massage room was similar to where I had finished the AMRA treatment, again so comfortable and beautifully kitted out, with the same relaxing bed with what seemed like all possible adjustment positions.
Burgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne View
The Alpine Spa at The Bürgenstock Resort Spa Review
This has to be one of my all-time favourite spas visited to date (and I have been to many, many which I felt were exceptional). The resort was a wonderful combination of history with modern, the stunning views and on reading that the resort had taken 9 years and the princely sum of CHF 550m (about $630m or £500m) to redevelop, it was clear to see where this money was spent, and that it had been spent so well on creating such an intoxicating environment.
Spa facilities to enjoy during your stay
You entered the spa (through the hotel) from the 4th floor of the Contemporary building, where a glass box walkway linked the two buildings together. Off that corridor before you entered the spa itself was a huge gym, with a main area filled with all high-tech gym and fitness equipment, then a separate (again huge) room off to one side for more functional training and PT and on the other an open balcony area with outdoor spin bikes overlooking the most spectacular alpine views.
There was then the main spa reception with lots of seating areas and a real log fire (not on when I was there in August) which would be amazing as a winter arrival. Here you were provided with an electronic wristband that would give you access to the changing facilities, and if you needed one a spa robe. Some guests would come from their rooms in the hotel in their room’s robe (which were white) and I probably would have done that too if I’d stayed in the Contemporary Wing, but with being in the Heritage Wing this would have meant a bit of a walk and passing through the main reception too.
I’ll review the changing facilities later, but in terms of spa facilities these were absolutely incredible. On the same floor as the mens and ladies changing rooms (and some of the treatment rooms, VIP waiting area and the spa boutique) there is also both the main indoor pool which is surrounded on two sides by the outside spa infinity pool. This is such an Instragramable view, but I’m glad there was specific photography and kids times, to allow more privacy at others. I’m just not too sure how rigorously these photography times would be observed though.
Surrounding the indoor pool, on different levels and on an outside deck too were relaxation loungers. It was good to see signs asking guests not to reserve loungers unless using them, albeit there were dozens of them as so much relaxation space has been built in. As well as there being copious amounts of fresh towels throughout the spa, there were also lots of hanging spaces for your robe. Not bringing one from the room, I was always provided with a spa one - amazing dark grey and so soft, with a hood - a really great robe!
On the level below the main swimming pools, either accessible by lift or down a stunning staircase with a running wall of water on one side, you would access the thermal floor. There were so many different heat or cold experiences, too many to list them all but what was consistent was perfect cleanliness, supreme organisation and layout with an attention to detail that was clearly second to none, and just such a perfect ambience of the amount of facilities balanced out with so much space too, whether this was just vacant (corridor/flow) space or relaxation space mainly with stunning exterior views.
In the main area there was also a refreshment station, not only did this have a choice of waters, there was also a choice of tea, with a selection of fresh fruit pieces, dried fruits, nuts etc. Surrounding this was a (huge) floating bath (so atmospheric), napshells (for taking a nap), an infra-red (two-person) cabin, a Hammam, a (ladies only) sauna one of many shower areas.
Burgenstock Resort Contemporary Hotel
There was then a large separate area which was meant to be clothing-free/naturist. This again was hugely spacious with lots of sunken pools of differing temperatures (some with jets and some Japanese style just for soaking), as well as an aroma sauna, panoramic glass-fronted on two sides sauna (one-way glass for privacy though), a huge steam room and my favourites after the hot steam was the inside large cold plunge pool before venturing out (nude) to the exterior eco pool. This was left as a natural temperature (cold to begin with, but you got used to it) with the most exceptional views of the Contemporary Wing hotel building and out to the lake view below. Natural reeds had been planted into the sides of the pool, so it really did feel natural to be out there.
Throughout the whole spa area, as I said the design was incredible, but there was such a good mix of relaxation and treatment space, some extremely well lit and some areas more atmospherically kept darker. There were always lots of towels and cloths to wear for privacy in this area, but although the signage was so clear (visually and in two languages, German and English) I’d say at least half of the guests ignored the naturist part and just wore swimming attire throughout.
Changing facilities
Once you were granted access with your private coded wristband, it was self-evident that no lack of resources had been invested in even the changing facilities. I assume, though only seeing the male side, that the female section would be a mirror image. There was a large vanity area with stools and a full-width mirror, with everything you might need, hair dryers etc. and what is always a bug-bear of ‘Mrs’ ThePrivateTraveller if a changing rooms doesn’t have one, a swimsuit spinner to dry off your togs!
There were then two large changing areas with electronic lockers, all so perfectly clean and well maintained with always a fresh pair of spa slippers and a branded drawstring bag for your wet swimsuit. Lockers were controlled by the same entry wristband to lock and unlock, all you had to do was to remember which numbered one you had used. There was then a large shower area with a number of individual shower suites, all with a dry area and bench, before going into the large rainfall shower itself. Stainless steel bottles held shampoo, conditioner and shower gels (body lotion was out on the vanity area). There were loads of towels, as there was in various stations through the whole spa area.
Luxury Spa Treatments at The Alpine Spa at The Bürgenstock Resort
There was such a good choice and the brands they feature are DR Burgener, Biologique Recherche, Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics, AMRA, 111SKIN, and KOS Paris).
From massage and facials, to hand or feet treatments, hair, beauty or so many options for just relaxation, the Alpine Spa has it all.
The Bürgenstock Resort: My review of the luxury hotel
This was such an exceptional hotel, well really in fact what felt like a choice of three options - Contemporary or Heritage at The Bürgenstock Hotel (both Leading Hotels of the World) or the Waldhotel just a couple of minutes away. I had initially thought I’d booked the Contemporary Wing, but in actual fact I was located in the former Palace Hotel building, now seamlessly linked into the overall hotel complex, and indeed this is where I had booked.
It’s a good chance to go back another time, and then I think I would try staying in the Contemporary part for a different experience. Service was exemplary throughout, and there was such a phenomenal selection of food and drink options, as well as so many things to do or see apart from the Spa facilities. You can read my full hotel review here.
Alpine Spa, Bürgenstock Resort: The Highlights
Where to start, this spa at 10,000sq m (or 110,000sq ft) was just vast but so exceptional.
The panoramic glass walled sauna - one-way glass so privacy assured (it’s clothes off)
Loved the Eco pool, where you could swim au naturel (and nice and cool after the hot steam or saunas) - incredible views across the lake too
The infinity pool on the main level - such an experience to lie in warm bubbles with that Lake Lucerne view
Treatments - what a selection and so well executed
Relaxation space - so many options throughout both floors of the spa, again all with amazing views
Refreshment area - what a choice of teas, waters and snacks (dried and fresh fruit, nuts etc)
Cleanliness - for such a huge facility with a decent amount of traffic, every area was always kept pristine
The spa robes - lovely colour and comfort
Did I mention the views across the lakes and to the mountains behind?
Areas for improvement
Nude sauna area - while the signage was apparently (to me) very obvious that this should be swimwear free (with areas for leaving your trunks/suits) I’d say probably more than half of guests didn’t participate.
It’s a small thing, but I had expected a bit more advance help with formulating a treatment plan for my stay. This didn’t happen, but it was more a case of bookings just being processed.
Burgenstock Resort Contemporary Building
Final thoughts on the Alpine Spa at The Bürgenstock Resort
I had been so looking forward to coming here and it did not disappoint in any way. The spa has become one of my all-time favourites and I would recommend it to anyone. Coupled with the private hotel funicular and their lake catamaran, not to mention the outstanding accommodations and delicious restaurant options, this isn’t a health resort (too many G&T’s and Moets for that) but it is a wonderful Leading Hotel of the World and I want to go back.
Have you visited Alpine Spa at The Bürgenstock Resort or any Swiss spa before? I’d love to hear your own thoughts and opinions on it as well as your impression of Switzerland in general as a travel destination!
Comment below to share your thoughts and opinions.
Let me know which spa I should review next!
