HotelsMag January-February 2013 | Page 37

DESIGN : THE ALPINA GSTAAD
the

ALPINA GSTAAD
The Alpina Gstaad ’ s 21,500-sq-ft ( 1,997-sq-m ) Six Senses Spa , designed by Bangkok-based P49 Deesign , features a relaxation area where guests can warm themselves with stones from a heated pit . A vertical garden hangs on one wall , while against another , firewood is stacked ornamentally with bookcases flanking both sides .
OPENING DATE :
December 1 , 2012
GUESTROOMS :
56 guestrooms and suites with floor-toceiling windows promising impressive Alps views as well as design details such as walls lined in rough fir wood and ceilings carved in traditional Swiss style
OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES :
Three restaurants including a traditional Swiss stübli , all-daydining Restaurant Sommet and Megu , the first European outpost of the Japanese restaurant ; a 21,500-sq-ft
( 1,997-sq-m ) Six Senses Spa ; a multi-functional cinema space ; and a Havana-inspired cigar lounge
LOCATION :
5 acres ( 2 hectares ) in the exclusive hilltop area of Oberbort overlooking the village of Gstaad , Switzerland , as well as other parts of Saanenland and the surrounding Bernese Alps
COST :
US $ 337 million for the development , which includes the hotel with guestrooms and private apartments as well as two chalets
MANAGING DIRECTOR :
Niklaus Leuenberger
OWNER :
Grand Hotel Alpina Gstaad AG
ARCHITECT :
Jaggi & Partner AG , Gstaad
LEAD INTERIOR DESIGNER :
HBA London
DESIGN AESTHETIC :
Rustic Swiss chic with authentic details that aim to convey a timeless quality as well as the comfort of a home-away-from-home
Niklaus Leuenberger , managing director of The Alpina Gstaad , identifies leisure guests from North America , the United Kingdom , France , Switzerland , Germany , Italy , Russia and the Middle East as the hotel ’ s core clientele , but adds , “ We are not in competition with any of the luxury hotels in Gstaad . Rather , we believe The Alpina Gstaad will bring a new type of visitor who might not have thought about Gstaad before .”
Consequently , in addition to somewhat traditional amenities such as a Swiss stübli serving dishes like fondue and raclette , The Alpina Gstaad offers a Havana-inspired cigar lounge as well as a high-tech cinema with seating for 14 in oversized armchairs and sofas as part of an array of furniture that can be adapted to a variety of events .
The property appears to be off to a strong start . Leuenberger notes that as of late December The Alpina Gstaad was fully booked through mid-January and almost booked for February as well .
“ There already is a buzz about The Alpina Gstaad in the village ,” he says . “ We are seeing lots of local residents coming in for lunch and dinner , and Swiss hoteliers , travel agents and media have been visiting .”
No matter who visits the hotel , however , Hutchins says he hopes to make a relatively simple yet powerful impression : “ complete luxury in the craftsmanship and materials that have surrounded them and , at the same time , a design that simply wouldn ’ t feel appropriate in any other place .”
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