The last hotel night and activities for the 3-day “post-TBEX Europe 2012 Girona, Spain” Costa Brava Tourism sponsored tour for a van full of eight travel bloggers was at the spa hotel Balneari Prats in Caldes de Malavella.
Balneari Prats Hotel & Spa, Caldes de Malavella
The small town of Caldes de Malavella, population under 5,000 residents today, is prominent for Roman spa ruins and bottled mineral water.
2,000 years ago Romans settled in this location for its thermal springs.
Roman thermal baths in Caldes de Malavella, a block from Balneari Prats Hotel & Spa.
Balneari Prats, located in the town center, is surrounded by historic archaeological sites, thermal fountains and bottled water factories. I enjoyed the small town residential feel of Caldes de Malavella.
Our day had been stuffed with activities and I was tired when we arrived. We had driven into the hills to ride electric bikes, ride in a horse-drawn carriage, toured a 1,000 year old castle, eaten a salsify (goatsbeard) infused meal, and visited a residential model home at a PGA golf course.
I was handed my key at the Balneari Prats front desk…
Hotel Balneari Prats lobby and reception.
… and headed to the room to be quietly alone…and pleasantly surprised.
Balneari Prats Hotel Room 222.
Spa jets and church bells at sunset. Room 222 Balneari Prats Hotel & Spa.
The patio view with the evening light captivated my attention.
Pool view from Room 222 patio, Balneari Prats, Caldes de Malavella.
Balneari Prats Room 222 patio table and frosted glass dividers between room patios.
Room 222, Balneari Prats, Caldes de Malavella
This cozy rainshower is a feature I used several times in about 15 hours at the hotel between hotel spa, hotel pool, and walking around town.
Sant Esteve, Saint Stephen Church. The old church in Caldes de Malavella.
Room 222, Balneari Prats, Caldes de Malavella
The Spa, Balneari Prats
We were offered a 20-minute water treatment massage before our dinner. A dark room, lots of water and some woman smacking my body around on a table got blood flowing back to my brain and reenergized me for another four hours of evening conversation.
“Vittel” shower massage
Manual massage on a couch with showers of thermal water, ending with cold water on the legs, with continuous hot water at the same time. With relaxing properties, it’s suitable for combating stress, and the different showers have an effect from head to toe.
Price: 28 €
Duration:20 minshttp://www.balneariprats.com/en/treatments/thermal-hydrotherapy
It truly is amazing how a 20 minute massage is rejuvenating. The leg twisting and swinging had me ready for another four hours of dining and conversation at the hotel restaurant.
The Pool
Too bad I left my camera in my room since the empty pool at night under the bright, nearly full moon was absolutely gorgeous in blue color glow. A hot water fountain feeds the pool. I took advantage of the relaxing warm water to swim around before dinner.
Pool exercisers kept the space active and crowded during much of the day.
Dinner at Balneari Prats
Eating at 9:30pm was something I had grown accustomed on this third night of our Costa Brava tour.
Appetizer Plate #1.
Appetizer Plate #2 – Calamari.
Calamari was a staple appetizer for all our lunch and dinner meals.
Monkfish seafood entrée.
This was our last evening together as the travel blogger group.
After the meal Kate McCulley, aka blogger Adventurous Kate, played the restaurant’s grand piano with her display of professional quality talent. Kate studied classical piano at the Boston Conservatory as a 12-year-old.
The talented Adventurous Kate
Balneari Prats bar on left, lobby and restaurant down the hall.
Caldes de Malavella train station is about a one mile walk from the hotel.
Caldes de Malavella is 25 km inland from Tossa de Mar-Blue Paradise on the Costa Brava and 90 km north of Barcelona. Train travel to/from Barcelona Sants station in central city Barcelona is about 75 minutes and trains run about every 30 minutes. The train ticket was less than 10 EUR.
Disclosure: Costa Brava Tourism sponsored this press trip to Balneari Prats, Caldes de Malavella.
Ric Garrido, writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests. You can follow Loyalty Traveler on Twitter and Facebook and RSS feed.
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