November 2014 Celebrated Living - page 83

THESWISSALPS presentthequintessentialskiex-
perience, fromcharmingchaletsand fashionable
après-skientertainmenttogondolasthatcarry
gueststosunnymountaintopterraces.Schedule
private limousinetransportbetweenmajorgateway
citiesandsecludedskidestinations,ortravel thisrug-
gedlybeautifulcountry likea local, resort-hoppingby
train(manyhaveFirstClasscabins).
“IntheAlps, it’saboutmorethan justskiing. It’s
a lifestyle,”saysMajaGartmannwithSwitzerland
Tourism.
Fly intoZurichandgetacclimatedatthe iconic
DOLDERGRAND .The lodgeoverlooksLakeZurichand
boastsa43,000-square-footspawithheatedpebble
poolsandacoolingsnowroom.Suite interiorsrange
fromromantictoretro,andthehotel’s in-houseart
collection includesworksbySalvadorDaliandAndy
Warhol.Beforedeparting fortheslopes,browsehigh-
endshopsalongtheexclusiveboulevardofBahnhof-
strasseand fuelupat HAUSHILTL ,arustic littlebistro
that’sbeenservingvegetarian faresince1898.
FromZurich, it’sabout130miles(orascenic3.5-
hourtrainride)totheGerman-speakingvillageof
Gstaad.Thischicdestination inthestunningBernese
Oberlandregiondraws luminariesand jet-setterswith
itsfive-starwinteradventures,wellnessactivitiesand
culinaryo—erings,andtheannual
10-day GSTAADNEWYEARMUSIC
FESTIVAL opensDec.26.
Designerboutiquesandauthen-
ticAlpinechalets lineGstaad’s
downtownpromenade,andgondo-
lasconnecttoseveralbustlingski
regionsaroundthecommunity.Lo-
caloutfitterso—ersnowboarding,
snowhikingandnightskiing,along
withglacierhelicopterflights,dog-sledtoursandtrips
toobservationplatformswithpanoramicJungfrauand
Matterhornviews.Andthiswinter, the GLACIER3000
skiarea isopeningthePeakWalksuspensionbridge
betweentwonearly9,800-footsummits.
Bookanewlyrefurbishedtowersuiteat GSTAAD
PALACE, fresho— its100thanniversary.Theupscale
resortandspahandlesskiingarrangementsand
coordinatesovernight igloostaysuponrequest.
Nearby, thenewer ALPINAGSTAAD putsastylishspin
onSwissdesignwithrusticwood, richtextilesand
soaringskylights.ThePanoramaSuitehouses itsown
privatespa,andtheproperty’sSommetrestaurant
earnedaMichelinstar in itsfirstyear.Ÿ
Starpoweralsodistinguishes DAVOS and KLOSTERS,
neighboringcommunitiesapproximately90miles
southeastofZurich.The formerhoststheannualWorld
EconomicForum; the latterdrewHollywoodgreats like
GretaGarboandGregoryPeck inthe1950s,andtoday it
countsBritishroyal familymembersasguests.
Davosbecomesaholidaywonderlandduring its
annual CHRISTMASMARKET Dec. 19and20.Throughout
theseason, theregion’sskiresortsaccommodatevari-
ousskill levelswithdownhillandcross-countrytrails,
plussnowboarding, skating, iceclimbingandeques-
triantreksalongpowder-coveredpeaks.Unwindwith
cocktailsatthe HOTELSEEHOFDAVOS,nearthePar-
sennski-area lift.Later, tuck inatthe CHESAFALCUN-
KLOSTERS,asix-bedroomchaletthato—ersdinnersby
aprivatechefandoptionalhelicoptertransfers.Ÿ
THECHEDI debuted inunder-the-radarAndermatt
lastwinter,bringingaposhalternativetothepictur-
esque URSERNVALLEY.Here,75milessouthof theflight
gates inZurich, skibutlersassistwithequipment,
transportationandski-runsuggestions.O—-slopeac-
tivities includeyogaclasses, indoorandoutdoorpools,
personal trainingsessionsandspatreatmentsthat
incorporateAlpine ingredients.
SWITZERLAND Let
It
Snow
BY RENEEBRINCKS
TheAlpinaGstaad
From$910
www.thealpina
gstaad.ch
TheChediAndermatt
From$749
www.ghmhotels
.com/en/
andermatt
ChesaFalcun-Klosters
From$47,800per
weekduringo -peak
and$110,800perweek
duringholidays
www.elysian
collection.com/
en/chesa-falcun
TheDolderGrand
From$694
www.thedolder
grand.com
Glacier3000
www.glacier
3000.ch
GstaadPalace
From$519
www.palace.ch
HausHiltl
www.hiltl.ch
Hotel SeehofDavos
From$172
www.seehof
davos.ch
RENEEBRINCKS is aSanFrancisco-based journalistwho covers travel,
foodandculture for WhereSanFrancisco, CarmelMagazine, Zagat.com
andanumber of other publications.
Junior Suiteat
TheAlpinaGstaad
TheAlpinaGstaad
IF
YOU
GO
AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING WINTER
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