Mention Gstaad and visions of glamour abound - a shopping street that features just about every covetable designer brand in the world and a jet set clientele for whom luxury is a non negotiable.
The Gstaad Palace against the mountains | © Gstaad Palace_Melanie Uhkötter
It’s a place I’ve always wanted to see and I recently got my wish. But my adventure started before I got there, via the Belle Epoque train from the elegant town of Montreux of jazz festival fame.
Enveloped in the upholstered glamour and polished wood of a bygone age, I settled into my armchair and watched the stunning lake and alpine scenery roll by until we reached Gstaad. Absolutely the perfect way to become immersed in the landscape that Switzerland is so famous for.
As I descended the train my eyes caught sight of a grand Belle Epoque castle like building high on the hill, and I realised I was looking at the world renowned Gstaad Palace hotel and my final destination.
Bedside detail, Room 227 | © Gstaad Palace_Melanie Uhkötter
I have visited many countries and many delightful hotels in my time, but I have to say straight up that the Gstaad Palace now ranks amongst my absolute favourites.
Beloved by generational families and celebrities alike, and voted best hotel in Switzerland for the past four years in a row, nothing quite prepares you for this tour de force of Swiss hospitality at its best.
Built in 1913 and still run by the Scherz family, the Gstaad Palace somehow manages seamlessly to combine traditional Swiss elegance with every possible modern amenity.
Room 227 | © Gstaad Palace_Melanie Uhkötter
From the elegant entrance, where the ceiling still has the gold painted constellation that was the night sky when the hotel was opened, to the wonderfully plush but extremely comfortable main reception, fumoir and dining rooms, this hotel is an essay in effortless style.
The various flower filled terraces all look onto the glorious Saanenland mountains beyond, as do many of the beautifully appointed rooms, with mattresses and pillows so comfortable that on my first night I actually fell asleep sitting up in bed!
The spa’s fireside relaxation lounge | © Gstaad Palace_Melanie Uhkötter
The hotel spa is a true wellness sanctuary with hand mixed blends used in treatments such as the massages. Indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, sunbathing decks, immaculate lawns and relaxation areas mean you could literally stay in the hotel and not stray if that’s what you wanted.
The outdoor pool | © Gstaad Palace_Melanie Uhkötter
But you probably do need to force yourself outdoors, not least because the food is so good it would be folly not to burn a few calories in penance. There are several restaurants in the hotel and I ate both in Le Grand (on the delightful terrace) and the outdoor Italian called Gildo’s al fresco.
Breakfast on the terrace of Deluxe Suite 516 | © Gstaad Palace_Stefano Scatà
But let’s start with breakfast. A buffet to sustain you for ever. Imagine everything Switzerland does best - cured meats, fresh fruits, cheeses, breads, eggs any which way and sustaining porridges. Highlights for me were the detox pomegranate and beetroot juice and a truffle omelette.
Dinner on the Le Grand terrace on a balmy September evening was an artichoke salad, followed by sublime beef carpaccio, lobster salad and a glass of my favourite non alcoholic wine Wild Idol. The next evening in Gildo’s I ate mouth watering prosciutto, followed by seared sea bass and a local cheese plate.
Relaxing by the pool | © Gstaad Palace_Stefano Scatà_Leonardo Golzato
The food at the Gstaad Palace is one thing, but as a former restaurant critic I know that great restaurants don’t run themselves. They are like a piece of theatre, where every element has to play its part for the result to be perfect, and the staff at this great hotel are undoubtedly what makes it so special.
Swiss hospitality is world renowned in any case, but at the Gstaad Palace they go beyond. Everything appears effortless and is done with grace and efficiency. Everyone knows your name and nothing is too much trouble. There is a reason why the Palace has been voted best hotel in Switzerland four years running. The staff ARE the hotel. The guests know this, and that’s why generations of families come back again and again. Yes, many celebrities stay here too, but it is the families who underpin the traditions of this hotel, itself still family run.
The tennis courts and the hills above Gstaad | © Gstaad Palace_Melanie Uhkötter
As I most certainly did feel the need to do some exercise I took the cable car up to Wispile and followed the spectacular 3 hour trail to Lauenensee, a relatively easy walk through utterly breathtaking scenery, with a great little restaurant on the lake at the end. Alternatively, if you wanted it, open fire pits in the picnic area to barbecue your own meats.
When the time came to go, my only consolation was the panoramic train ride back to Geneva via Montreux. The green majesty of the mountains against a perfect blue sky will be my lasting impression of this very lovely, albeit brief, sojourn.
Thank you to the Swiss Tourist Board, Swiss Air and the Gstaad Palace Hotel for arranging my trip.
Photography by Melanie Uhkötter and Stefano Scatà, courtesy of the Gstaad Palace.
