The 7132

Text by Uracha Chaiyapinunt

There is no doubt that one of Vals’ main draws is its natural hot springs. Bringing in tourists for over a hundred years, the St. Peter spring offers richly mineralized water with a pleasant natural warmth of 30°C. For those looking to relax, heal and rejuvenate, there is one place in Vals that is not to be missed: 7132. Named after its postal code, 7132 is a place where architecture, design, gastronomy and wellness coalesce.

Located above Vals village in Switzerland’s Canton of Grisons, the 7132 Hotel offers a serene alpine getaway that includes accommodation, award-winning on-site dining options (such as the esteemed fine dining restaurant, 7132 Silver, run by Chef Mitja Birlo), and the famous thermal baths.

“Visiting Vals is all about leaving behind drab mainstream routines and experiencing a destination, a hotel or a restaurant in a much more conscious way,” General Manager Katrin Rüfenacht told L’Officiel. “We try to follow a philosophy of attention: attention to details and attention to a place’s particularity.

As hotel and thermal baths are closely intertwined with Vals’ history and life, our main concern is to put architecture and services in the cause of what makes Vals unique — an idyllic setting, an archaic alpine landscape, tradition and room for forward-thinking visions.”

Designed by some of this generation’s biggest names in the industry — Peter Zumthor, Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma and Thom Mayne — the hotel is on the bucket list of many architecture and interior fans. Each room type presents a different experience for guests. Swiss-Native Peter Zumthor, for example, has created 10 rooms in stucco lustro, a plastering technique from the Italian Renaissance that offers a refreshingly sensuous experience through red, black and yellow hues. Meanwhile, Ando’s architecture is inspired by Japanese tea houses and modernist influences through the use of a natural palette and materials such as concrete and timber. For Kuma, his 23 rooms and three penthouse suites all feature oak panels that are an homage to traditional Japanese artisanal carpentry. Last but not least,

Mayne’s rooms are paneled with domestic timber or dark Vals quartzite and includes a shower in the center of the room, acting as a sculptural piece.

The main attraction, though, is the thermal baths. Open to both guests and non-guests since 1996, the Therme’s mineral-rich waters originate from the nearby St. Peter’s hot springs, whose history dates back to the 17th century. Zumthor redesigned the baths using raw concrete and 60,000 slabs of Vals quartzite to create an unmatched sanctuary where modern architecture meets the natural world. The baths quickly gained protected heritage status shortly after opening, and earned the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2009.

With its vast amenities and design-forward accommodations, 7132 is your answer if you’re looking for a luxurious getaway that doesn’t require stepping foot outside the hotel property.

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