It’s my birthday. As my luck would have it, this year the date falls on a weekend. Last year I celebrated up in Andermatt at The Chedi. So this year, I figured I’d give the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz a try. And as the icing on the cake, the weather is absolutely gorgeous in the mountains.

Location

The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz sits in a lush park with a perfectly manicured lawn. The resort is made up of four buildings that cater to different price segments.

Bad Ragaz is a small town in the Rhine valley, just a short distance to Chur, the capital of Canton Graubünden, although Bad Ragaz is still technically in Canton St. Gallen. From Zürich Airport, it’s about ninety minutes to Bad Ragaz, depending on which connection and route you take.

Check-In

I arrive in Bad Ragaz late on Friday evening after work. From the station it’s either a fifteen minute walk, or you can take a bus 451. The bus only runs hourly in the evenings. It stop is just around the corner from the hotel.

The young lady at the front desk makes quick work checking me in. She inquires if I’d like a newspaper to my room in the morning. And with that out of the way, she volunteers to show me around the hotel. But I tell her I’d prefer to go straight to my room as it’s late. So then she offers to show me up to my room, but I tell her that I should be able to find my way. She relents and wishes me a pleasant stay and a good night’s rest.

Staff

The efficient but friendly young lady at reception sets the tone for my stay at the hotel. All the staff are eager, friendly, and polite. They’re constantly checking that guests have everything they need, inquiring if there’s anything they can do. You don’t get customer service like that very often in Europe. When I reach my room, the nightly turn down service has already prepared the room for the night.

The Room

I’m staying in a Comfort Room with Mountain View. The room is a good size and features a working desk and an armchair and coffee table by the window. The bed is made up of two singles that have been pushed together. The mattress has a good firmness to it. The pillows on the bed are fine for me. However, there’s a whole menu by the bedside with pillows of varying size and firmness to choose from that should cover all tastes.

The balcony is a good size, and the view looking towards the mountains is rather nice, especially at this time of year, when the foliage has started to turn a golden brown, red, and yellow.

The bathroom is a good size and features a separate bath and shower. The cosmetics are hotel branded and smell very nice. The shower gets a mixed result on the Knight of Malta test. Temperature control and pressure are very good. However, the spillage is bad. I try out different things but find no way to avoid flooding the bathroom.

Amenities

There’s a kettle with a wide selection of black and herbal teas. There’s also a coffee machine with eight different types of coffee. The minibar contains complimentary cream for the tea or coffee, as well as soft drinks. There are also alcoholic drinks in the minibar. However, those you need to pay for.

There’s also a plate with fresh fruit on it.

On my actual birthday I go for a hike the long way around to Tamina Gorge. When I return a few hours later, there’s a bottle of Ruinart Champagne waiting for me in an ice bucket, together with a card with the hotel management’s compliments. I think that’s a really thoughtful gesture!

Dining

There are five restaurants and two bars spread out across the resort, serving Italian, Thai, Swiss, and international cuisine, respectively. I have dinner at The Verve by Sven, which offers haute cuisine in a nice, informal setting. The restaurant has a nice selection that includes some very nicely done vegetarian options.

Here too, the staff are just lovely. After we’re done with the meal and finished dessert, the waiter brings out a small Black Forest gâteau with a single birthday candle on it. He tells me the entire kitchen team wishes me a happy birthday and hope I’ll enjoy this second dessert with the chef’s compliments. So nice!

Breakfast is served at The Verve and Olives d’Or restaurants. The latter is where I have breakfast during my stay. There’s an extensive buffet. In addition, there are further items available from the menu. I think what impresses me most about breakfast, is that the selection changes ever day.

Tamina Gorge

As previously mentioned, I take a hike up to Tamina Gorge. I decide to take quite a detour to take full advantage of the beautiful weather. The direct route should take you about ninety minutes.

Tamina Gorge is the source of a small river by the same name. Where the water springs from the ground, it has a temperature of 36.7 degrees Celsius. The gorge itself is very tight and dark, as the overhanging rocks don’t let in much light. It’s also very cold for the same reason. However, as you approach the actual source, the temperature and the humidity rise. You know you’re at the source when your glasses are completely fogged up.

Conclusion

I greatly enjoyed my stay at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. While the room was, admittedly, quite generic, I think it’s quite obvious that the room’s finish is of very good quality. Everything was in perfect working order and well maintained. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the hotel, though, is its staff. They’re just great. I also appreciated both the bottle of Champagne and the birthday cake. I mean, just one or the other would have been a nice gesture, but getting both is quite generous, I think.