With a location to die for and a service that was irreproachable, we were easily persuaded to stay longer that we were supposed to … need we say anymore! They do say actions speak louder than words.
Located at 2112 metres altitude in Crans Montana, this former gondola station has been beautifully converted into a rather fabulous, achingly cool, designer hotel-restaurant – The Chetzeron away from the hustle and bustle of life!
The building itself is quite something and has been renovated with ecology at its core. The building benefits from solar and photovoltaic panels, a pellet-fired boiler…even down to the choice of toiletries in the bathrooms…everything has been carefully considered creating a minimalistic, no waste feel.
Location, location, location…
The Chetzeron is perched above Crans Montana looking over the valley with views over the French and Swiss Alpine mountain ranges opposite. You can literally see from the Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn and beyond.
As night falls their promise of getting “away from the crowds” comes to life. We went at the end of the season and were treated to a much appreciated peaceful vibe and near on privatisation on our last night. The owner Sami Lamaa was super welcoming and we also enjoyed chatting to him and his family.
From the pink mountain glow, to the star filled sky and most beautiful morning sunrise mother nature well and truly spoilt us …
Need to know facts & Figures:
• 16 rooms/suites all with panoramic views of the Rhone valley & the Alpine peaks (Our room was amazing)
• 2 Hot Tubs – looking back towards the mountains of Crans Montana
• 1 gorgeous restaurant with a fabulous menu (focusing on what they define as refined Alpine eating (locally sourced produce with and without a modern twist) and the most beautiful breakfast restaurant with a chef cooking up breakfast delights on demand.
• South facing terraces on three levels that are dotted with hammocks and sun loungers
• Private & public bars
Absolutely Crans
The hotel is as close as you will ever get to ‘Ski in-Ski out’, it’s literally on a ski slope! If you like, you don’t need to take any lifts for the first run of the day …
We were pleasantly surprised by the variety of the skiing in Crans Montana. It is also cited as being the sunniest ski resorts in Switzerland combined with its panoramic views, we could see why its so popular.
The pistes are varied in both terrain and level… There are some wonderful runs that make you feel like you are in the Rockies skiing through boulders and larch trees, whilst you can also go up to 3000m on the glacier where you are treated to vast open runs with spectacular scenery.
We noticed a whole host of other Snowsport options on offer other than traditional skiing, from the renowned snow park (where the Swiss team were training whilst we were there) to vast tracks for walking (apparently 63km in the winter and 280km in the summer), cross country skiing, ski touring…
However, do note the ski passes are Swiss prices.
Practicalities regarding the access:
You can only reach the hotel by foot, ski, or snowmobile (a snowcat service is also available in winter).
We found it very entertaining to ski down in our jeans with my handbag …I had visions of Edina and Patsy from Absolutey Fabulous, as I thought of the resort’s motto “Absolutely…Crans!” … 😉
Be prepared timing wise to allocate the transfer of your bags back down the hill when you leave. We followed a rather strapping young ski porter who skied our bags down the hill on a ski sledge.
Family:
This hotel caters well for families. The owners themselves have children (who were toing and froing from ski school during our visit). They even have a children’s room, healthy options on the menu that are appropriate for kids , they can organise babysitting and the location is easy to reach by skiing in the winter (a blue run) or walking in the summer…however it can also be a special treat for the mummies & daddies too 😉
The verdict:
We loved it… and the location also seems like a true paradise for nature lovers in the summer too.
For further info:
The Chetzeron
