REVIEWS


THE CHEDI ANDERMATT Andermatt, Switzerland


LOCATION: Residing in the mountain village of Andermatt in the Swiss Alps, The Chedi Andermatt is a 90-minute drive from Zürich airport. Set within the Urseren Valley at the foot of the Gotthard Pass, the village ià ÃÕÀÀoÕn`i` LÞ Üil`yoÜiÀ mi>`oÜà and snow-capped mountains and has all the Swiss charm you might expect. But it’s undergoing a reinvention. Inspired by the success of its glitzy neighbours Zermatt and St Moritz, the former military base has turned an eye to tourism and there is major investment going on in the area.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS: A Leading Hotel of the World with a Michelin-starred restaurant and one of the top-voted suites on the planet, The Chedi Andermatt’s reputation precedes it. Thankfully, it more than lives up to the hype. The hotel marries all the features of an authentic alpine chalet with contemporary, Asian-inspired design for a mountain stay quite unlike any other. The lobby is bedecked in black marble, dark wood and hues of crimson. The space boasts an eclectic collection of ornaments, including large crystals, oversized arrangements of orchids and a huge Swarovski chandelier designed for the hotel. The alpine-meets-Asian inyÕinVi ià iÛi`inÌ vÀom Ìhi ÃÌ>ÀÌ] ÜiÌh reception staff proffering sweet iced tea and Swiss chocolates.


THE FACTS: Andermatt’s reinvention is largely down to one man, Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris, who saw its potential in 2005 and has spearheaded a large-scale construction project to reinvigorate the area. It started with The Chedi Andermatt, which was completed in 2013. The property was built sympathetically to its surrounds, arranged as a series of buildings set among existing ski chalets and constructed using local materials. The hotel features 123 rooms and suites. Its top accommodation, the Gotthard -ÕiÌi] vi>ÌÕÀià wÛi Li`ÀoomÃ] wÛi bathrooms and its own sauna. But every accommodation is divine, with generous space, a seductive colour palette and iPad-controlled wÀi«l>Við /hi «Ào«iÀÌÞ ià homi Ìo the world’s largest hotel collection of Vi}>ÀÃÆ > wÛi-miÌÀi-Ì>ll Àoom wlli` with Swiss cheeses; and a wine cave stocked with some of the best and oldest vintages. The spa is a big draw, with a 35-metre swimming pool that looks out over snowy peaks, as well as an outdoor pool, hydrothermal baths and products from beauty brand Tata Harper. The Chedi Andermatt boasts wÛi ÀiÃÌ>ÕÀ>nÌà >n` L>Àð /hi hoÌil ià known for doing something extravagant at Christmastime and this year, it has transformed its courtyard into a traditional mountain winter village Lo>ÃÌin} Ài>l wÀ ÌÀiià >n` ÌÀ>`iÌion>l


Swiss and Scandinavian cabins housing a range of festive experiences.


IDEAL FOR: Families, couples, singles with pets – The Chedi Andermatt serves a wide variety of traveller. Despite its prestige, the hotel rarely feels pretentious and there were plenty of children and dogs during my visit. The property operates a kids’ club only during the winter season but families are well catered for in the summer too.


116 ASPIRE DECEMBER 2022


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


CREDIT: VALENTIN LUTHIGER/SVEN PIEK


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