By LAWRENCE TAN

Starting August 2009, Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St Moritz, Switzerland will complete the first phase of the hotel’s three-stage renovations, which totaled 50 million Swiss francs (or US$47 million).

Phase One will involve upgrades to the hotel’s wellness center, adding a Wet Zone, which comprises an ice room and fog shower, two saunas, a tropical rainforest shower and the center’s showpiece oval pool with a swim-up bar.

The latter stages will include a restaurant, Kids’ Club, treatment rooms, fitness and changing rooms in time for winter this year. Renovations to the 113-year-old Badrutt's Palace Hotel, which has a storied history dating back to 1856, kicked off in the summer of 2008 and are expected to continue till 2010.