Casinos and spas have kept each other company for a very long time. Long before resort spas appeared on the Las Vegas Strip, Europe's fashionable visitors were combining mineral baths by day with card games by night.
Spa, Belgium
The small town of Spa, in the Ardennes, was so famous for its mineral springs that its name became the English word for a health resort. It also became a gambling destination: its casino traces its origins to the eighteenth century and is often described as one of the oldest in the world. Visitors took the waters for their health and spent the evenings at the tables.
Baden-Baden, Germany
Baden-Baden in the Black Forest has been known for its thermal springs since Roman times. In the nineteenth century it drew aristocrats, writers and composers from across Europe, and its casino in the Kurhaus became famous for its grand interiors. The town still pairs historic bathhouses with gaming rooms, a direct descendant of the old spa-and-casino formula.
Monte Carlo, Monaco
The Casino de Monte-Carlo opened in the 1860s and turned a struggling principality into a playground for the wealthy. Wellness followed the gaming crowd: Monaco is known today for seawater spa treatments, often called thalassotherapy, alongside its casino, opera house and hotels.
Las Vegas and Macau
Modern integrated resorts made the spa a standard part of the casino experience. In Las Vegas and Macau, the larger properties include extensive spas with hot and cold pools, steam rooms and long treatment menus. For many visitors a spa morning is now as much part of the trip as an evening at the tables.
Taking the waters today
Mineral baths and thalassotherapy are relaxing, and warm water and massage can ease tired muscles. Claims that mineral water cures skin disease go beyond the evidence, though some people with psoriasis or eczema find certain spa treatments soothing. If you have a skin condition, check with your doctor before long or very hot soaks, and moisturise afterwards: hot water and minerals can leave skin drier than before.
Whichever spa town you choose, the old pattern still works well: unwind in the water by day, dress up for the casino by night, and leave enough time for sleep in between.
