Taking to Spa

Named after an icon of the 19th century, Brenners Park Hotel & Spa’s Villa Stéphanie has been reimagined for modern-day wellness aficionados.

It would not be remiss to say that the grand tradition of European hotel culture began with the Villa Stéphanie destination spa. It is described as a spa that merged past with present and future, the first of which had a story that began two millennia ago when the Romans introduced the culture of bathing to Baden-Baden. By doing so, they set the scene for what is now legendarily known as ‘douceur de vivre’.

Fast forward to the 19th century, when a hotelier named Anton Alois Brenner introduced to Baden-Baden the novel Stephanie-les-Bains, a property that has since become the benchmark for elegance and sophistication. This extends to both the hotel’s headline-making bathing facilities and unique building design. This spirit of creativity continued with Brenner’s son Camille who matched the hotel’s sense of luxury with a new focus on health, beauty and wellness. These tenets still hold true for Brenners Park Hotel & Spa in the present day, of which an 1890 annexe – Villa Stéphanie –named after Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Baden, the adopted daughter of Napoleon I, continues to be both an inspiration and an icon of the illustrious hotel.

For today’s discerning guests, who like many before them come to Baden-Baden for its healing waters, Villa Stéphanie has been beautifully restored – besides the original walls and the staircase, the building’s structure is new. The interiors by Bergit Countess Douglas conjure an exceptional setting, with a total floor space of 5,000 square metres in the style of a grand spa villa. There are a total of 12 rooms and three suites, which include their own private customisable spas. Guests may select from a range of fitness equipment to create a wellness-focussed environment tailored to their goals.

As in Brenners Park Hotel, the interiors at Villa Stéphanie are tastefully appointed with a more contemporary design direction, such as brighter hues, light wood panelling, and calming limestone shades for walls and flooring. At Le Salon, social meetings can be conducted stylishly. The space features both a library and an enchanting private terrace that fronts Brenners Park. With artworks spanning both classics and more modern pieces, the design scheme is both unique and conversation-starting. The central premise behind Villa Stéphanie is to allow guests to be both inspired and cognizant of the destination’s original intention of being a wellspring that restores good health and vitality.

With this in mind, Villa Stéphanie Spa & Wellbeing collaborates with skincare brand Augustinus Bader to offer guests specialised treatments with products formulated by Professor Augustinus Bader, head of stem cell research at the University of Leipzig and the world’s leading expert in regenerative skin care. The spa comprises a 500 square metre sauna, an indoor pool, a plunge pool, and a ladies sauna on each of the building’s five floors. The spa’s latest addition is Augustinus Bader’s new spa menu that focuses on treatments using Professor Bader’s luxurious skincare products imbued with TFC8 technology. This patented and highly effective modality channels key nutrients into the skin, resulting in optimal cell renewal.

For the face, both the facial treatment and super facial treatment work cohesively using patented TFC8 technology to bring about impressive results, both instantly and over a series of treatments. For the body, the signature Augustinus Bader Full Body Treatment is a series of therapies that includes exfoliation, superficial fascia massage, and application of Augustine Bader’s The Body Cream that minimises cellulite while promoting smoother and firmer skin in a single treatment.

“Guests can indulge themselves here surrounded by understated yet engaging luxury, stylish ambience and excellent service, using our world-renowned products,” says Christiane Werron, Head of Spa & Clinic by Augustinus Bader. “This outer beauty, combined with Augustinus Bader’s philosophy of bringing out a person’s inner beauty, makes for the magical symbiosis of Villa Stéphanie Spa & Wellbeing x Augustinus Bader.”