Ski Resort Spa venues

A ski resort spa is a spa section set up in hotels at ski resorts so that guests coming back from the slopes can warm up and rest. What sets it apart from other resort spas is that it works around the rhythm of the day: daytime is spent on the slopes, the spa is mostly used in the late afternoon and evening, and demand is concentrated in the snow season.

Facilities at ski resort spas

Gul Sise Spa, listed in the guide as a ski resort spa, is inside the Dedeman Ski Lodge at Palandöken Ski Resort in Erzurum and, according to the property information, offers spa and relaxation areas to holidaymakers staying at the hotel. Ski resort spas usually have a sauna, a hammam or steam room, an indoor pool and massage rooms; you should ask the property before you go which sections are open and what massage options there are.

Treatments that suit you after skiing

Skiing keeps the thigh, hip and calf muscles under load for long periods. After coming back from the slopes, a short sauna or hammam warms the body up; a sports massage or foot and leg massage focusing on the legs afterwards may help reduce muscle tension. Telling the therapist before the session how much skiing you have done that day and which areas ache allows the pressure to be adjusted accordingly. If you have had a hard fall, or have swelling or joint pain, a medical check is needed before massage and heat treatments. For family members who do not ski, too, the spa is somewhere they can make use of during the day without leaving the hotel.

Points to watch in cold weather

In the cold, dry air of ski resorts, fluid loss can increase without you noticing; you should drink water before going into the sauna and hammam. Rather than putting hands and feet numbed by the cold straight into the heat of the sauna, it is better to warm them up first somewhere lukewarm; if discolouration of the skin or loss of sensation persists, seek medical help. The hot areas should not be used after drinking alcohol; people who are pregnant or have cardiovascular disease or blood pressure problems should consult a doctor first.

How it differs from a mountain resort spa, and booking

The ski resort spa is the subgroup most tightly bound to the season within the resort spa parent category. Although it shares the same mountain setting, a mountain resort spa is not tied to skiing; it works around nature holidays and is used all year round. Whether non-residents can use ski resort spas varies by venue. In the season, booking your massage appointment when you check in at the hotel, and asking whether robes and slippers are provided and whether swimwear is required for the pool, makes things easier.