The thermal waters spa at SDG’s 51o
development in Leukerbad
R
eturning to Switzerland for the fi rst time since I did a ski season many moons ago, I was reminded why I love it
so much. The backdrop of lakes and mountains is almost ethereal in its beauty. The towns are immaculate. The people are super stylish. And they make two of my favourite things – wine and chocolate – incredibly well. The Swiss attention to detail is what drives up the quality of the tourism offer and while as an 18-year-old hotel wait- ress this attitude seemed frustratingly pernickety, being on the receiving end of uncompromisingly good service and the fi nest ingredients is marvellous. The Swiss Development Group
(SDG), which is working on a portfolio of projects aimed at the high end mar- ket, is typically Swiss in its drive for quality and understands what this dis- cerning demographic wants. “We are not prêt-à-porter, we are couture,” explains Jean-Francois Garneau, SDG’s managing director and chief executive. “Each of our sites has a tailored approach. We are site-spe- cifi c, location-specifi c, and we design all of our sites around the people who will be using them.
“Our products are about lifestyle as much as they are about bricks and mortar. We aim to connect with the environment, the locals, the commu- nity and try to understand the genius and the spirt of the place.”
ISSUE 3 2013 © cybertrek 2013
This philosophy is illustrated by a project which got underway last sum- mer, in the Alpine town of Leukerbad, two hours from Geneva. Although a small skiing destination, this resort is popular all year round, as it also offers great hiking, mountain biking and parasailing. However, despite being renowned for its thermal waters, this potential had never been realised. “We wanted to fully celebrate the
town’s long history with water,” says Garneau. “It has 65 different sources of water, which come out at 51 degrees Celsius; it actually has to be cooled down to be used. We wanted to create a true, novelty spa experience.” The project, named 51O
, is made
up of a 90 room Kempinski hotel and 28 residences which will be sold pri- vately. When SDG acquired the land, it secured the rights to use the water in the residences. This means people will be able to bathe in quasi-medicinal waters in their own homes. For the 1,500sqm spa, SDG has
worked with spa consultant Amy McDonald from consulting fi rm Under A Tree to create a ‘traditional bathhouse meets Russian banya’ experience. “I had a bit of experience with the Japanese onsen, but also started to research the Russian banya experi- ence,” says Garneau. “The onsen experience is about purifying one- self and then going for a sushi dinner, while the banya experience is a very social experience about enjoying the
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