Review – We Check in to Hotel Royal & evianSPA at Evian Resort

The ultimate healthy holiday looks different for everyone. But we can probably all agree that it involves returning feeling better than we left, and a general increased sense of well-being. Sometimes that means hiding away in a spa resort and intensively detoxing our body and mind. And sometimes that means taking the time to nourish our mind, body and soul…

The spa at The Hotel Royal – evianSPA – is absolutely somewhere to hide away from the world, with its luxe facilities and treatments drawing on the healing properties of the world-famous water brand synonymous with health and vitality.

But that’s just a part of the wellbeing experience at this impressive 5 star French property, being immersed in even more impressive nature; nestled between the foot of the Alps (those iconic three peaks of the Evian logo are based on the resort’s view of the mountains) and the banks of the glittering Lake Geneva.

The evianSPA is – of course – inspired by the local Evian natural mineral water. An ‘all-round wellness experience’ this brand new space features a collection of indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, the must-have ice room and – crucially – lots of spaces to relax and integrate all that aqua-based pampering. Visit early and you’ll have the place to yourself (the pool opens at 7am but the Hotel Royal is the kind of place where lie-ins are most definitely celebrated as a form of self-care) or stay late and stargaze from one of the outdoor hot tubs (open until 11pm).

The treatments here are also inspired by nature, with four ‘dimensions’ to choose from that follow the life cycle of the Evian water as it takes 15 years to travel through the mineral-drenched Alps to emerge pure and clear at the surface. From the treatment menu: “From its CELESTIAL origins, the rain and snow falling on the Gavot plateau, evian® water makes its way through the rock, on a journey that gives it a perfect balance of MINERALS and crystalline purity. It is then concentrated into a PRECIOUS reservoir, before springing from the ground in a flow of VITALITY.”

Each dimension has a couple of offerings and we experienced a delicious ‘Complice du Corps’ massage from the ‘Vitality’ collection, a body sculpting massage focusing on circulation and lymph drainage techniques that left us feeling lovely and light and energised.

It’s worth noting for families that kids are welcome in the spa outside the hours of 12-4 daily, and there are (super popular) Kids Treatments available, including mini massage and ‘baby’ facials (from age 4) that parents and children can enjoy together.

The hotel offers an array of sumptuous room and suites – most boasting lake and mountain views. We stayed in a Residence Lake View room on the 4th floor which features views of the lake, mountains and the hotel’s peaceful grounds. The style is ‘contemporary Belle Epoque’ – which translates as: lavish marble bathrooms, juliette balconies, supersized beds and bright, comfy armchairs. There are pillow menus and five-star citrus-scented products. And acres of space to unwind. But the real beauty of these rooms is what’s happening outside. Those armchairs are the perfect place to do a bit of bird spotting (thanks to the in-room guide), soak in the sunrise over a room service breakfast or – even better – witness the awe-inspiring coral sunsets (the pale pink bottle tops on the Evian bottles are in fact inspired by the sunset skies here, and it’s a beautiful way to close out a day in this pretty paradise).

We also peeked at the Royal Suite, the hotel’s most spacious and luxurious room, a penthouse apartment for up to 4 adults, featuring a private bar, two marble bathrooms and a 60m private terrace. And which is now pride of place on my vision board for my next visit.

The Hotel Royal understands that show stopping food can also be sustainable and our favourite meal (in months!) was the Gastronomic Menu at the Michelin-starred Les Fresques (vegetarian option available), where most of the menu features local produce; fruit and veg are harvested from the hotel’s 3,000m² vegetable gardens and orchards, the fish are caught in Lake Geneva and meat and dairy comes from the Chablais region. Reservations required, and please save room for the cheese course (you can thank us later).

There are various other eating options around the resort, including La Veranda for a lazy breakfast or al fresco lunch, and worth checking out is La Table at the resort’s Hôtel Ermitage, just a short walk away. Non-drinkers – or those simply embracing the healthy holiday vibe – will love the grown-up alcohol-free offerings, including; tea pairing with the various tasting menus, a stylish collection of non-alcoholic cocktails at the bar, and the super chic French Bloom 0% champagne available on room service.

You cannot fail to be impressed by the nature here. It’s stunning to look at and soul-affirming to step into, whether that’s taking a gentle walk around the parkland and kitchen gardens or sitting for a meditative moment in the woods. Or – highly recommended – in the form of a more formal hike to explore the area with the resort’s resident activity guide, Virgil, an expert on the local animal and plant life and a walking, talking (swimming, skiing, running) advert for getting outdoors and doing something you love.

In season, skiing is available locally, but as non-snow bunnies we also loved morning dips in the outside infinity pool (soaking up more views of that beautiful lake), jogging along the water’s edge, the 24 hour gym (the perfect complement to that insane cheese course) and a private yoga class overlooking the pretty gardens (outdoor yoga available in the summer).

Parents need to know that they take your downtime very seriously here, with an entire ‘Kids Resort’ programme featuring separate offerings to keep babies, kids AND teens happily busy for hours.

Don’t miss an icy dip in Lake Geneva. (This is an unofficial hotel activity but the team can recommend some safe swim spots). Take layers – it really is fresh! – and we’d advise walking down and then taking one of the hotel’s free shuttles up the steep hill back home to the sauna to thaw out.