Welcome to my blog. I’m a Traveller of the Continents and a Luxury Travel Advisor. I hope you enjoy my travel reviews!
All tagged Switzerland
Geneva, where the Rhône gracefully meets Lake Geneva, is a city synonymous with luxury and elegance. Recently, I embarked on a site inspection tour of four of its most prestigious hotels. Each offers a unique blend of style, service, and ambiance that caters to the most discerning travellers. Here’s my insider’s take on the Four Seasons Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Geneva, Ritz-Carlton Geneva, and The Woodward by Oetker Collection.
Swiss author Johanna Spyri was inspired to write her world-famous children’s book in 1879 after going on spa visits in Bad Ragaz. Just like you and me, her famous heroine Heidi was enchanted by the mountains and didn't want to go back to the dirty city she came from.
Well, to me this town in the Swiss canton St. Gallen at the gate to the Alps was put on the map by the Leading Hotels of the World group. The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is one of the oldest hotels of its kind and wants to adhere to the highest standards of the business to this day. Let’s see if we want to stay with Heidi or rather go back to the big city...
If you want to have a White Christmas™ in continental Europe, you either need to go up north to the country of reindeers or climb the snowy mountains of the Swiss alps. Especially in the first ski resort ever, St. Moritz, you are quite sure to have snow over the holidays with its 1800 m altitude. For this occasion I tested the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski. It’s located near the mineral springs in the lower part of St. Moritz where the alpine spa history of the town originated in 1831.
St. Moritz - a name of glamour and prestige regarding winter holidays since 1864, where Shahs, playboys and all the other jet set of the 60s and 70s reigned supreme and today mingle with the newly rich and wannabe riches. Located in the always sunny, but high-altitudinal, Engadin county of Switzerland it really delivered on the clearest air I have experienced at -4° F (-20° C) in mid-December. Similar to the heat of Dubai, it was a dry cold that felt slightly more bearable than elsewhere.
The Crystal hotel is part of the SLH network, and, uncommon for them, only has 4 stars. This doesn’t have to be bad - I stayed at wonderful 4 or 3 star hotels - but does the Crystal surprise with unsuspected wonder?
Founded in 1877 the Waldhaus Flims since had a long and moving history. Today it’s a modern 5 star luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps and member of the Leading Hotels of the World. I visited this winter hotel on a summer weekend this year.
Parts of the 2010 movie Youth with Michael Caine were filmed at the Waldhaus while the whole cast was living there. Let’s see whether I came back younger after a night in the Waldhaus…
People travel to the little mountain village of Vals deep in the Alps of Switzerland for the thermal baths: 7132 Therme & Spa designed by famed Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. But to that you should add another reason to visit: Sven Wassmer and his two Michelin stars and 18 Gault&Millau points that he and his team are showing off in the Silver, the restaurant of the thermal baths hotel 7132.
Hygge = Danish word for a feeling of home, comfort, like a hot chocolate sitting by the fire reading a book
You might know Vals in the mountains of Switzerland from the thermal baths: 7132 Therme & Spa designed by famed Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. To finally visit the hyped baths I went to Vals for a weekend and stayed in the wonderful Brücke 49.
The heart of Switzerland is arguably Lake Lucerne, a mountain lake as clear and turquoise as you won't ever see again.
Some of the most luxurious hotels settled all around the lake and among those is the Park Weggis, a 5 star retreat and member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux guild.
What does Olympia have to do with Jazz?
I made that connection when I stayed in Lausanne next to the Olympic Museum at the IOC headquarters and visited the famous Montreux Jazz Festival not far from there.
The pristine location directly at Lake Geneva, the world's best names in Jazz and some Pop, Rock and R&B stars in the middle make up for a fun and diverse event.
