Ann's Peat Spa
n 1872, the estate of Belohrad was bought by a Prague-based industrialist Dormitzer from Count Aichelburg. On the left bank of the Javorka stream, the new owner had a wooden cabin built with three bathrooms on a site known as Na Sadkach, facing the church. Even though bathing only took place here in the summer and was just for the purposes of personal hygiene, announcing such bathing procedures became an important event. However, the person who deserves credit for founding Ann's Peat Spa was a Prussian countess, Anna of Asseburg, who conducted the first successful tests on the curative effects of local peat in 1885 - hence the name of the spa. By 1888, the resort had already become officially recognised as a curative institution that was authorised to bear the title of a sulphur peat spa.
Three years later, in 1891, a large spa centre in the Swiss style with wings on both sides was built on the land, just as it appears today. These wings served for administering baths, whilst the original layout of this hydrotherapy treatment pavilion has remained unchanged to this very day. The beginning of the 20th century ushered in new developments for Ann's Peat Spa.
In 1901, an arsenic-ferrous spring was successfully drilled in the spa park of Bazantnice and named the Mary-Anne Spring. Due to its composition, it is classified as an iron mineral spring.
The fame and reputation of the spa grew rapidly. In 1905, the municipality was permitted to change its name to Lazne Belohrad (the spa town of Belohrad), which obviously reflects the existence of the spa. In 1936, a new luxury hotel was completed, which today is called the Grand Hotel, and the former hotel of U lazni was redesigned by MUDr Janecek into the Hydrotherapy and Examination Institute. Initially a hostel for guests of the spa, and later a children's convalescent facility, the property called Esplanade has housed the musculoskeletal disorders clinic since 1963, which is provided for children and adolescents and boasts a separate rehabilitation department and primary school classrooms.
Until 1989, Ann's Peat Spa was part of the Podebrady Spa. The process of restitution following the fall of communism returned some of the property to the family of MUDr Janecek, while the remainder was privatised. In 1992, a public limited company was founded and named Ann's Peat Spa to revive the original name of the resort. The rapid expansion of the spa resort dates back to 1995, when PURO-KLIMA plc joined Ann's Peat Spa.
In 1991, a small rehabilitation pool was put into service. At the end of 1995, a newly developed spa hotel - Anna Marie - was opened for business. In 1998, construction work on the Grand Hotel drew to a close, which provided the spa resort with a new state-of-the-art kitchen and dining room, plus 41 beds in comfortable rooms. The same year saw the completion of the treatment pavilion connected to the Grand Hotel. Guests now have premises for individual therapy and wheelchair access to all spa procedures and to their doctors.
In the following years, the company managed to restore the residence called Karluska to its original design, and this now provides accommodation. In addition, the Janecek spa hotel was modernised, the spa residence of Stefanie redesigned to meet the heightened needs of clients, and a new rehabilitation pool opened. At the end of 2005, reconstruction of the balneotherapy premises commenced. The covered footbridges, completed in 2008, interconnected the hotels and increased comfort for spa guests. The well-proven positive effects of the spa and its health benefits are appreciated by many generations of guests, with many famous personalities amongst their number. Away from the busy cities and surrounded by beautiful countryside, one can truly relax, recuperate and recover strength, as well as discover new places.
Spa Resort Tree of Life
The Tree of Life spa resort was officially opened on 22 September 2009. The ceremonial opening was attended by many foreign guests, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of Czech and foreign companies and partners of Ann's Peat Spa. Another important guest was the wife of the President of the Republic, Mrs. Livia Klaus. The gala opening witnessed people from ten countries meeting at the spa resort.
The building was designed by Ing. Arch. Adam and its concept results in clients benefiting from the fact that all the activities they enjoy throughout their stay are under one roof. The reception area opens onto a bamboo garden via a columned hallway. The interior design was the work of Ing. Arch. Drobny and MUDr Ferbrova.
The whole block was built in record time, with just 13 months passing between construction work getting started and the first guests arriving on 29 July 2009. The company was granted funding from the Regional Operation Programme NUTS II Northeast, with co-funding received from Komercni banka plc. This project has helped the company to create the most advanced and comprehensive facility of spa tourism in the Hradec Kralove region.
