Dear Sir or Madam - The Alpina Gstaad

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Press Coverage and Valuation Chart for December 2013 – Meredith Pillon Marketing
Communications – North America
Date
Publication Name / Online Link
Profile
Size of
Article
12/17/2013 Forbes.com
One of the top
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013 business/financial
/12/17/europes-new-ski-scene-luxe-resortswebsites in the US
open-across-the-alps
3 web pages
1 image
(Gstaad)
One of the top
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013 business/financial
/12/20/hotels-of-the-year-2013/print
websites in the US
One of the top
http://www.forbes.com/sites/garywalther/2013/ business/financial
12/21/the-hotel-detectives-best-hotel-rooms-of- websites in the US
2013-part-two/print/
6 web pages
12/29/2013 New York Post – Page 6
1
paragraphiam
ge of DiCaprio
One of the top 4 daily
New York newspapers
known for its coverage
of the media &
celebrities
12/28/2013 New York Post.com – Page 6
Website of one of the
http://pagesix.com/2013/12/28/sneak-wolf-of- top 4 New York daily
wall-street-screening-in-gstaad
newspapers known for
its coverage of the
media & celebrities
December Cigar Aficionado
Glossy lifestyle magazine
2013
read by successful men
Out mid
& women who enjoy
November
premium cigars and
other great pleasures of
life: dining, entertainment, wines & spirits
and first-class travel
11/7/2013 Nuvomagazine.com
Website of Canadian
http://nuvomagazine.com/travel/the-alpinalifestyle magazine;
gstaad
covers the arts, fashion,
travel, food & wine,
design, architecture &
business; readers well-
3 web pages
1 image
1 web page
1 image of
TAG
1 color page
1 image
30 web pages
In sldie show
10 images
Expanded
from
November)
Circulation
Summary
14,113,366 Europe's New Ski
UVPM Scene: Luxe Resorts
Open Across The
Alps, by Larry
Olmsted
14,113,366 Hotels of the Year
UVPM 2013, by Larry
Olmsted
14,113,366 The Hotel Detective's
UVPM Best Hotel Rooms of
2013; Part Two, by
Gary Walther
516,165 "Wolf,' Swiss Style
circulation (screening at
2,129,500 "Alpina")
readership
3,953,037
UVPM
1,001,770
UVPM for page
six
243,713
circulation
Value in $US
$80,000
$80,000
$80,000
$25,000
Sneak 'Wolf of Wall
Street' screening in
Gstaad
$40,000
The Alpina Gstaad,
Switzerland, by Larry
Olmsted
$27,900
45,052 The Alpina Gstaad, A
Circulation Grand Chalet
$60,000
educated, travel
extensively & are
intellectually inquisitive
December Food Arts
Top trade magazine for
2013
food professionals, chefs
managers & caterers of
fine dining establishments with news &
information on products,
trends
12/10/2013 Food Arts.com
Website of top trade
http://www.foodarts.com/news/features/29596 magazine for food
/year-in-review-looks-we-love
professionals
12/19/2013 Elite Traveler.com
Website of magazine for
http://www.elitetraveler.com/travel-news/the- private jet and yacht
alpina-gstaad-debuts-new-suite
owners
1/6 of page
1 image
56,000 Looks We Love:
circulation Knives and forks
sculpure in Sommet
$15,000
1 web page
1 image
4,003 UVPM Year in Review: Looks
We Love
$20,000
2 web pages
1 image
14,266 UVPM The Alpina Gstaad
Debuts New Suite
$25,000
3 web pages
Debuts New Suite for
Winter Season
$20,000
35,166 UVPM Review: Swiss
Business Class, by
Ron Bernthal
$15,000
Awarded First
Michelin Star
N/A
2 web pages
1 image
Winter Season
N/A
12/27/2013 Financialist.com
Web publication of
9 web pages
http://www.thefinancialist.com/the-best-alpine- Credit Suisse with news 1 image of
apres-ski
on finance and
MEGU (dish)
4,285 Credit Living Well: Features
Suiss The Best Alpine Apres
employees Ski
No advertising
12/20/2013 Jetsetters Blog.com
http://www.jetsettersblog.com/blog/2013/12/2
0/the-alpina-gstaad-debuts-new-suite-forwinter-season/
12/11/2013 Global Traveler Email Newsletter
12/4/2013 Luxury Travel Magazine.com
http://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/newsarticles/the-alpina-gstaad-awarded-firstmichelin-star-20560.php
Website of business
2 pages
travel magazine for
executive business
travelers focusing on
their business & lifestyle
interests
A travel website
2 web pages
covering luxury travel
1 image
for affluent consumers
12/18/2013 Luxury Travel Magazine.com
A travel website
http://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news- covering luxury travel
articles/the-alpina-gstaad-debuts-new-suite-for- for affluent consumers
winter-season-20644.php
economy, emerging
markets and the art
business. Features
general lifestyle issues
with a business slant,
book reviews on
geopolitics, business,
technology
12/23/2013 Indulged Traveler
Blog/website of
http://indulgedtraveler.com/the-alpina-gstaad- Canadian travel writer
debuts-new-suite-for-winter-season/
1/26/2013 Fine Tobacco NYC.com
Dedicated to promoting
http://finetobacconyc.com/2013/01/26/thethe art, culture &
cigar-lounge-at-the-alpina-gstaad-switzerland/ enjoyment of fine
tobacco w news geared
to cigar lovers in the NY
metro area
12/23/2013 Travel Pulse.com
Daily travel trade
http://www.travelpulse.com/news/hotels-and- publication (one of top 3
resorts/european-hotels-news-luxury-swissin US)
resort-opens-megasuite.html?u=5A599C79E6A2-4671-B0D5-D42E325CB045
12/11/2013 Luxury Travel Advisor.com
Only travel trade
http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/switzerland dedicated to luxury
/alpina-gstaad-earns-first-michelin-star-11939 market
12/23/2013 Travel Daily News.com
Daily travel trade with
http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/5 international reach
8292/the-alpina-gstaad-debuts-new
1 web page
1 web page
1 image
2 web pages
1 image
N/A The Alpina Gstaad
Winter Season
N/A The Cigar Lounge at
the Alpina Gstaad,
Switzerland
N/A
N/A
132,405 UVPM European Hotel
News: Luxury Swiss
Resort Opens
Megasuite
$32,100
1 web page
25,535 UVPM Alpina Gstaad Earns
First Michelin Star
$10,000
2 web pages
1 image
45,000 debuts new suite for
subscribers winter season
$4,500
12/12/2013 Hotel Executive.com
Daily hospitality trade
1 web page
http://hotelexecutive.com/newswire/47295/the- reaching industry
alpina-gstaad-awarded-its-first-michelin-star
professionals around the
world
12/13/2013 Hotel Executive.com
Daily hospitality trade
1 web page
http://hotelexecutive.com/newswire/47309/new reaching industry
est-five-star-hotel-in-gstaad-named-european- professionals around the
design-hotel-of-the-year
world
Total
Audience:
35,684 UVPM Alpina Gstaad
Awarded Its First
Michelin Star
$13,095
35,684 UVPM Newest Five-star
Hotel in Gstaad
Named "European
Design Hotel of the
Year"
$13,095
Total
49,252,372 Value:
$560,690
Europe's New Ski Scene: Luxe Resorts Open Across The Alps - Forbes
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I travel to learn, eat, golf and ski, but mostly for travel’s sake
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Winter will be here any
day, but in Europe cold
weather just means
things are heating up
for the traveler. While
the coming ski season
will not see a single new
luxury hotel of note
open at a major resort
in this country, new
openings are coming to
the Alps at a frantic
pace.
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Towering over the fairy tale Swiss village of Gstaad, the $350 million
Alpina Gstaad (center on the hill) redefines the notion of a luxury
European ski resort.
The fervor started last
winter with the debut of the top tier Alpina Gstaad in one of Switzerland’s
most venerated “old money” mountain towns, Gstaad, where chalets routinely
run into the 8 and even 9-figures, yet there hadn’t been a new luxury hotel
opened in over a century. Now deep pocketed visitors without their own home
have a place to stay worthy of this see-and-be-seen destination. Built in
keeping with the town’s strict preservation zoning, the hotel resembles a
classic chalet, with many features underground and out of sight, including the
swank Six Senses Spa (a very high end Asian spa operator) facility with a
Roman grotto-themed zero entry Olympic-sized pool flanked by classical
columns, hot tubs, waterfall massage stations, and even sunlight courtesy of
an oculus in the high domed ceiling. There are locker rooms for each sex, each
boasting steam room, sauna, ice showers, and a salt inhalation room. Also
below ground here is a private 25-seat movie theater that can be rented
nightly, state of the art fitness center and coffee shop. The two-level lobby
includes an outpost of New York’s famed Japanese eatery Megu, a cigar
lounge with state of the art ventilation system, lobby bar, traditional Swiss
mountain restaurant and the fine dining Sommet, which just earned its first
Michelin star – despite having been open less than a year.
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Larry Olmsted
Contributor
Follow (304)
I have been traveling the world as a journalist and
passionate lover of all things fun for nearly 20 years.
I have had weekly columns in USA Today and
Investors Business Daily, published thousands of
articles in leading magazines from Playboy to
Popular Science, and am the author of Getting Into
Guinness. I am the Contributing Travel Editor for
Cigar Aficionado Magazine, have my own golf travel
+ show more
blog, larrygolfstheworld.com, and am a co-founder
The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed
are those of the writer.
L A R RY O LM ST E D ’S P O P U L AR P O S T S
12/17/2013 3:22 PM
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exposed stone and wood, mostly local in origin, yet
beneath this homey country decor are state of the
art comforts like Nespresso machines, heated floors,
automatic fireplaces and huge walk-in rain showers.
There is an onsite ski shop, Range Rovers as house
cars and a location overlooking charming
downtown Gstaad. Weighing in at nearly $350
million, the Alpina Gstaad was the most high profile
ski hotel opening in the world last season, and I had
the pleasure of visiting and skiing for several days
while on assignment for a major magazine – it is all
that. Rates for most of the winter start around $950
per night and you can learn more about the hotel at
Forbes Travel Guide.
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M OR E F RO M LA R R Y OL M S T E D
Another classic Swiss mountain town gets another
new hotel this winter in the form of the W Verbier
and The Residences at W Verbier, the first Swiss
property from W Hotels. Set in four wooden
chalet-style buildings connected by a glass atrium, it
is located right next to the main Medran gondola at
the foot of the mountain, with ski-in/ski-out access,
a full-service spa, fitness center, indoor/outdoor
pool deck with bar, 123 rooms, and 15 luxury
residences. All rooms and suites have fireplaces,
balconies and rustic wooden, chalet-style interiors.
Restaurant Arola comes from two Michelin-starred
Spanish Chef Sergi Arola, with two distinct venues,
one doing family style creative interpretations of
Swiss classics, the other offering an ever changing
tapas menu and cocktails at an 80-foot long bar
looking into an open kitchen. The lobby bar, W
Living Room, will have a focus on the après ski
scene, while a more nightclub-style bar, Carve, will
feature the hotel’s resident DJs. Outside the hotel
on the Place Blanche, is Off-Piste, an open air
apres-ski spot, also with a DJ. Rooms start from
$562 per night during the winter ski season,
including tax and breakfast.
The most recent salvo was fired less than a week ago
when L’Apogée Courchevel opened in France’s most
famous ski resort, Courchevel. It is part of the
Oetker Collection, a less well known group whose
portfolio includes some amazing properties, such as
Larry Olmsted
Contributor
Le Bristol in Paris, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in
Cap d’Antibes and Fregate Private Island in the
Seychelles. The hotel opened on December 11 and is
supervised by Philippe Perd, Managing Director of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
L’Apogée features a very high-end spa and wellness center, swimming pool,
and most notably its own private ski lift. For accommodations the hotel has
33 suites and 20 rooms, plus a lavish penthouse with its own Jacuzzi and
private terrace, all overlooking Courchevel village. It has a fine dining
Alta Ski Resort
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a champagne lounge.
I’ve skied at
Courchevel and there
is a ton of excellent
terrain here.
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This will be the first
complete winter for
Chalet Pelerin, in the
historic village of Le
Miroir in the French
The brand new W Verbier is bringing a healthy does of hip to the Swiss
mountain resort town, including Crave, its DJ-driven nightspot.
Alps (it opened late
last spring for the very
end of the season). The
six-bedroom chalet
was the second
property from a very
unique company,
Eleven Experience.
Billing itself as “21st
Century Travel,”
Eleven Experience
features intimate
homes and lodges,
L’Apogee in Courchevel does French luxury in traditional Alpine style.
many of which, like
Chalet Pelerin, are
available for private
hire only, by a single
group. They combine
the amenities of an
all-inclusive luxury
hotel with the
ambiance of a villa
rental, including
private chef, full
concierge service,
airport transfers and
amenities including an
Guests of the deluxe Chalet Pelerin in the French Alps get privately
guided ski tours of the five surrounding ski resorts.
indoor saltwater pool,
sauna, steam room,
hot tubs, and to help with the altitude, piped in oxygen. Chalet Pelerin is
within 10 minutes of three connected ski areas, Sainte Foy, Rosiere, and Les
Arcs, and 30 minutes from the famous Val D’Isere and Tignes resorts. Staffers
who are certified International Mountain Guides lead ski safaris suited to
guests’ desires and abilities over miles of on and off-piste ski terrain at and
between these five resorts. Custom made Wagner skis (see my article on these
works of art) are included in the rates for all guests, as are the guides, all
meals and activities, including lift tickets and one day of heli-skiing. Eleven’s
first property was the very well executed Scarp Ridge Lodge in Crested Butte,
CO with private luxury cat skiing, and if that is any indication, Chalet Pelerin
will be well worth checking out. In fact, this year Outside Magazine named it
the world’s “Best Lodge” – and not just for skiing.
12/17/2013 3:22 PM
Hotels Of The Year 2013 - Forbes
1 of 6
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/12/20/hotels-of-the-year...
Larry Olmsted, Contributor
I travel to learn, eat, golf and ski, but mostly for travel’s sake
LIF ESTYLE | 12/20/2013 @ 7:55AM | 210 views
As 2013 winds to a
close, I’m taking this
week to reflect on the
year in travel. First I
covered the “15 Most
Memorable Restaurant
Meals of 2013,” my
standout dining
experiences from
around the world.
Yesterday I reviewed
“My Year In Flight,”
covering aviation.
Today I am concluding
by revisiting the best
hotel experiences I had
in 2013.
Inn By The Sea is probably the best hotel on the Maine seacoast – and
definitely the most dog-friendly!
As a professional travel writer, I have always traveled a great deal, but never
as much as in 2013, a crazy year on the road even by my standards. I haven’t
had a chance to tally up exactly how many different places I stayed, but I
spent about half the nights away from home, and with an average stay of no
more than two nights, I figure that’s just shy of 100 different places.
Bearing in mind that my readership at the publications I regularly contribute
to skews towards the upscale and more luxurious traveler, the hotels I stay in
usually have the same slant and to a large degree should be pre-qualified. But
it never ceases to amaze me how many so called “luxury” hotels fail to amaze
me. That is why I created the “Hotels I Love” recurring feature here at
Forbes.com to pay tribute to the world’s truly spectacular accommodations
(the last one to make this elite group was the Peninsula Hong Kong, and that
column contains a list and links for all the other Hotels I Love).
Today my focus is a bit broader, on all the hotels I stayed in this year that
impressed me for one reason or another, enough so that I would recommend
them, though maybe not as emphatically as the Hotels I Love, which is a
world-class best of best collection. Most of these were properties I visited for
the first time this year, though there were a few two and even three time
repeats. Some of them I have covered here before in one way or another, and
in those cases, I have provided the links for more detail. Because there were
nearly two dozen standouts in 2013 I am trying to be as brief as possible
12/20/2013 9:25 AM
2 of 6
(Note: In nearly every case, I did not personally pay for my stays while
working – few business travelers do. Sometimes I had expenses from
publications, often the rooms were covered by a tourist board or similar
entity, and in other cases the rooms were simply provided free of charge by
the hotels. Of course this was also the case for the roughly 70 properties that
did not make the cut).
Hotel 32, Las Vegas: This one stands out because it was such an
unexpected surprise, so under the radar and a great bargain. Here at
Forbes.com I called it “Las Vegas’ Best Kept Hotel Secret and Best Hotel
Value,” and I stand by that. This hotel within a hotel occupies the top (32nd)
floor of the Monte Carlo, has its own staff, express elevators, VIP check in,
club lounge with free breakfast, snacks and drinks and much, much nicer
rooms. We’re talking automated room controls, super high-end espresso
makers, spa-worthy bathrooms with multiple jetted showers, whirlpool tubs
and so on. Rates at Hotel 32 start under $200 and every stay includes
roundtrip airport transfers in a stretch limo.
Rosewood Mayakoba, Mexico: I have been to the Riviera Maya on the
Yucatan Peninsula many times, and have even stayed at the grand Mayakoba
resort before but never in the Rosewood. I was missing something – this place
is probably the top resort in eastern Mexico. Rooms are gorgeous, all front
onto the water, you arrive at them upon check-in by private motor launch via
the resort’s canal system, and most have private plunge pools, outdoor
showers, spacious decks and more. Beachfront rooms literally open onto the
sand and all the amenities, especially the spa, fitness center and beach club
are first rate. But the highlight is amazing service. I shouldn’t have been too
surprised – this place is sister property to Las Ventanas al Paraiso, maybe my
favorite resort in the world, and the original Hotel I Love.
Dunton Hot
Springs, CO: Take an
abandoned Old West
mining town near
Telluride, lovingly
renovate it into a
luxury all-inclusive
wilderness boutique
hotel with excellent
cuisine,
accommodations in
one of a kind cabins,
Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado is a ghost town turned luxury boutique
and a wealth of
resort. All lodging is in one-of-a-kind restored 19th century cabins like
summer and winter
this one.
activities including the
namesake hot springs,
and you have what I named One of the Nation’s10 Most Romantic Resorts.
Dunton is great for couples, but also for families and makes an excellent
takeover for weddings, birthday parties – any occasion is a great excuse. This
year they added a second adjacent smaller resort , Cresto Ranch, focused on
fly-fishing.
Four Seasons Las Vegas: The first true luxury hotel in Las Vegas, the Four
Seasons pioneered the then novel – and still rare – concept of having normal
check in, bell service, valet parking and taxi queues in a city where most
hoteliers think 45 minute lines like airport check in counters are just fine,
12/20/2013 9:25 AM
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thank you very much. I stayed here for the third time this year, but it is better
than ever, just off a massive refresh that stripped and redid every room and
added a cool new indoor/outdoor lobby cafe and wine bar. It’s also now
completely non-smoking.
Charleston Place, SC: Charleston is one of the country’s great tourist cities,
perfect for a week or weekend, friendly, charming and historic, with great
food, beaches, golf and more. This Orient-Express icon remains the place to
stay, in a perfect location with wonderful rooms, fantastic spa and one of the
city’s standout restaurants.
Hermitage, Nashville, TN: Perhaps the least well-known – and most
affordable – Forbes 5-Star hotel in the country, the Hermitage flies under the
radar but remains easily the best choice in Music City. Service is perfect,
rooms and common areas grand, the bar historic and charming and the hotel
even has its own grass fed natural cattle farm providing beef to its standout
restaurant. But sometimes with hotels what really impresses are the little
touches and the Hermitage is the only place I have ever seen that has a full
slate of espresso drinks and cappuccino as part of the daily self-serve
complimentary lobby coffee set up.
Boston Harbor
Hotel: Another
Forbes 5-Star that
somehow remains a
secret of savvy
travelers, this is my
favorite hotel in
Boston, and I’m glad I
got to visit again this
year. It is located right
on the waterfront,
close to everything
The Forbes 5-Star Boston Harbor Hotel is one of the best kept secrets
from the financial
in luxury lodging.
district to the airport
(via direct water taxi!),
and it is home to one of the country’s greatest wine-centric restaurants,
Meritage – as well as the nation’s longest running wine festival. Boston
Harbor is one of my elite Hotels I Love so you can read lots more about it
here.
One Ski Hill Place, Breckenridge, CO: I’ve got a soft spot for Breck,
which is the second most visited ski resort in the country yet still doesn’t get
the media attention it deserves. It has every kind of skiing, the charming town
includes Colorado’s largest historic district, and for this season it is
undertaking the biggest terrain expansion in the country with the all new
Peak 6. Like Breckenridge itself, One Ski Hill Place, a Rockresort property,
deserves more attention – it is a ski-in/out property with a perfect location at
the top of the town gondola and base of the ski area, it has one of the hottest
après ski bar scenes in the entire country, full spa, accommodations are in
large, well appointed condo residences – and it even has a bowling alley. New
for this season all guests get free “First Track Fridays,” access to the lifts an
hour before they open to the public.
Inn By The Sea, Port Elizabeth, ME: Everyone loves the Maine coast as a
tourist destination and Inn By The Sea is the best place to stay here. It has
great rooms and suites that are spacious and very well appointed, one of the
12/20/2013 9:25 AM
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state’s best restaurant’s, Seaglass, a fantastic beach, and an unbeatable
location that is secluded yet just a 10-minute drive from Portland’s historic
waterfront. I wrote earlier this year about its unique lobster program where
guests can go out on a working boat and catch their own, followed by a
5-course gourmet lobster dinner, but my favorite thing about the resort is that
it is one of the country’s most truly pet friendly hotels.
Alpina Gstaad, Switzerland: I just wrote about this new property here in
my roundup of new luxury European ski hotels. Simply put, the Alpina Gstaad
is one of the world’s finest ski accommodations, a top to bottom luxury
undertaking that includes a massive Six Senses Spa, Roman pool grotto,
Michelin-starred eatery, gorgeous rooms and a fairy tale setting.
CuisinArt Golf
Resort & Spa,
Anguilla: This
food-centric resort has
palatial rooms with
outdoor showers and
ocean view balconies,
cooking, wine and rum
tasting classes, its own
vast hydroponic farm
providing fresh
produce, the second
Anguilla’s CuisinArt Resort has a gorgeous beach with views to St.
largest spa in the
Maarten and Saba.
Caribbean, a gorgeous
beach and one of the
best golf courses in the Caribbean, a stunning Greg Norman design. That is
more than enough for CuisinArt but my favorite touch was the signature
oxtail empanadas at the golf clubhouse. Yum!
Lumiere, Telluride, CO: Charming is the only way to describe this hidden
gem. It’s a boutique residence hotel with lavishly appointed condos for guest
rooms, run in an intimate European style where every guest meets the
manager and staff falls over themselves to be helpful. The après bar snacks
are fun and inventive, the included chef cooked daily breakfast understated
but scrumptious, the ski valet friendly and helpful, and it has a great
ski-in/out location in Mountain Village. Lumiere was one of my most pleasant
surprises of the year.
Park Hyatt Tokyo:
The first time I stayed
at this hotel it was new
and so cutting edge
that every guest room
had a LaserDisc player.
Remember those? The
rooms are still cutting
edge, with updated
entertainment systems
and upscale coffee
makers, but the rest of
the hotel has stayed
pleasantly consistent –
the famed New York
The Peak Lounge at the Park Hyatt Tokyo has incredible views of the
city – so do all the guest rooms and restaurants.
12/20/2013 9:25 AM
5 of 6
Bar and Grill that starred in Lost in Translation is as I fondly remembered it,
as is the lavish pool and health center also featured in the film – in fact the
locker room facilities at the spa are among the best I have seen. The Park
Hyatt Tokyo is just a wonderful urban hotel that blends the comfort and
warmth of a leisure property with the efficiency of a business hotel and does
both spectacularly.
The Little Nell, Aspen, CO: Easily one of the top luxury ski hotels in the
nation, this perennial Forbes 5-Star winner has the best location in a town
where location is everything, but never rests on its laurels. In the past two
years it has done major renovations of common areas, suites and its signature
restaurant, but through all these changes – for the better – The Nell’s service
remains unflappable. It was my third visit in the past decade and I explain
much more about why it is so great in my Hotels I Love piece.
Sky Lofts at MGM
Grand, Las Vegas:
These two-story butlerequipped units are
more luxury urban
residences than hotel
rooms, with features
like billiard tables,
home theaters and
chromotherapy steam
showers. With private
entrance, lobby, staff,
elevators and even
complimentary Rolls
Royce airport transfers, Aspen’s 5-Star Little Nell has an unbeatable location at the base of the
main ski gondola.
Sky Lofts, a Forbes
5-Star hotel within the
larger MGM Grand is the most luxurious place to stay in Vegas and offers
both total privacy and total access.
Alfonso XIII, Seville, Spain: I stayed at more than half a dozen luxury
hotels during my two week trip through Spain but this Starwood Luxury
Collection property was my favorite. Truly palatial, the hotel was built by King
Alfonso XIII for his VIP guests at the 1928 Iber-American Exhibition, and
remains suitable for international dignitaries. Most importantly it commands
a grand setting and unbeatable location in the heart of the old city, nearly
adjacent to the fabulous Alcazar royal palace, and steps from winding tapasstrewn lanes and the city’s main pedestrian shopping district.
Ritz Carlton Cleveland, OH: To be honest I wasn’t expecting much of this
urban hotel in downtown Cleveland, but the Ritz wowed me with its great
service, fantastic club floor lounge, and unique setting, connected directly to
an upscale shopping mall, and within walking distance of the city’s best
restaurants (see Greenhouse Tavern in my 15 Most Memorable Restaurants of
2013) and theater district. The hotel also offers all sorts of creative
experiential packages ranging from culinary experiences to programs with the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Four Seasons Hualalai, HI: This was a glorious return for me to Hualalai,
a property that had already made my Hotels I Love list (read more about it
here). It has a wonderful golf course carved from black lava fields, large
indoor & outdoor spa complex, beautiful beach and excellent food. But two
12/20/2013 9:25 AM
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things set this Forbes
5-Star property apart
from all others: its
unique Hawaiian
cultural program
where guests can learn
the language, crafts
and even to play
ukulele, and the five
very different and all
stunning pool
complexes – it has the
best array of pools of
any hotel I know.
Carved through oceanfront black lava fields, the golf course at the Four
Seasons Hualalai is unbelievable.
Nobu Hotel, Las Vegas: I wrote a detailed review of this new hotel within a
hotel at Caesars Palace just after it opened. Nobu Hotel is an oasis of serenity
smack in the middle of the action, with private elevators, check-in and staff,
and Zen like rooms with incredible bathrooms. It also houses the largest
Nobu eatery on earth and has the only Nobu room service, including
breakfast.
Beau Rivage, Biloxi, MS: I described it here earlier this year as “The Best
Casino Hotel Outside Las Vegas,” and that’s thanks to very friendly Southern
hospitality along with an array of impressive facilities such as its luxe
steakhouse and large spa. But what really sets the Beau Rivage apart is the
best casino golf course outside Vegas – and one of best publics in the country
– Tom Fazio’s Fallen Oak.
Topnotch at Stowe, VT: What a difference a year makes! I’d stayed at
Topnotch twice before, but the resort got a massive renovation and suddenly
it is sleek, hip and buzzy. You wouldn’t recognize it, in a good way. But still
very dog friendly (!) and has the great facilities, large Nordic ski center in
winter, world-class tennis and equestrian in summer, great access to outdoor
rec and downhill skiing, a complete package for charming Stowe. Love the
après ski bar shuffleboard!
Hotel Jerome, Aspen, CO: Another massive change for the better. I’d
stayed here too, and it was tired and dull. Then Auberge Resorts (Auberge du
Soleil, Esperanza, Palmetto Bluff) came in and made an all new – and all great
– Jerome. Rooms are stunning (and very dark at night!), great spa services,
the formerly dead lobby bar is now Aspen’s hippest après spot, the restaurant
is back from the dead, all an about face that creates a new luxury contender in
Aspen. I wrote much more about the changes in my Top 10 Hotel Renovations
of the Year piece.
Thanks for reading and safe travels in 2014!
Follow Me on Twitter Here
This article is available online at:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/12/20/hotels-of-the-year-2013/
12/20/2013 9:25 AM
The Hotel Detective's Best Hotel Rooms Of 2013: Part Two - Forbes
1 of 4
http://www.forbes.com/sites/garywalther/2013/12/21/the-hotel-detectives...
Gary Walther, Contributor
I solve the key hotel mystery: Which rooms are best?
F O RBESLIF E M AG AZINE | 12/21/2013 @ 6:13PM | 1,093 views
Part two of The Hotel Detective’s Best Rooms of 2013 takes you from
traditional luxury destinations (Gstaad, Lake Como) to new outposts (Fogo
Island Inn) and even up into the sky (the best Business Class seat). You can
read longer write-ups of most of them on the site. (Fogo Island Inn and Grand
Hotel Tremezzo will be described in much more detail in March.)
Panorama Suite, Alpina Gstaad, Gstaad,
Switzerland
This duplex penthouse at Gstaad’s
first new luxury hotel in 100 years is
on a residential scale, a virtuoso
display of woodwork and
understated color orchestration
(ivories, oxbloods, and green-grays).
The highlight is the second-floor,
cathedral ceiling spa relax-room,
Spa Relax Room in the Panorama Suite at Hotel
one of the most extraordinary hotel
Gstaad Alpina.
rooms that The Hotel Detective has
ever seen: sculptural gas fireplace,
large windows cut into the sloping roof, steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi on the
terrace, and massage room. The suite comes with a chef. You may not even
make it down to the hotel’s Restaurant Sommet, which received a Michelin
star this year.
Fogo Island Inn, Fogo Island, Newfoundland,
Canada
Luxury in about the last place you’d expect to find it:
an island off the north-central coast of
Newfoundland.The scenery is spectacularly bleak and
the history a tale of rugged souls making a subsistence
living by fishing for cod—until the fishery
The Fogo Island Inn. The
top suite is visible in the
upper right-hand corner of
collapsed in the ‘60s. The hotel opens up both vistas to
you, the latter through one-on-one encounters with
12/22/2013 5:50 PM
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the building.
Fogo Islanders. All the rooms face the ocean, but the
suites (at the end of the building shown here), with
their window walls, make you feel nature’s vast sway and man’s tenuous hold
on it here.
El Encanto, Santa Barbara, California
Orient Express revived this vintage hotel, which sits on the heights above
Santa Barbara. The rooms have been beautifully decorated in a contemporary
Santa Barbara idiom. What makes some of them singular is the ocean view.
Room 703, a Premier Bedroom, has a grandstand ocean view from the porch,
a corner fireplace, and a good sized living room—and it’s far from the most
expensive room. Given the view-value ratio, THD would make this his first
choice. An even better value-for-view is 702, a Superior King, the lowest level
room, but because of property’s quirky layout, it is blessed with a fine ocean
view. Other such rooms include 102, a Craftsman Superior Suite; 2303 and
2703, which have perfect ocean sightlines from the terrace; 2904, 05, and 06;
3101 and 02, with 02 having a bigger deck and a slightly better vista.
Kingsbrae Arms, St. Andrews, New
Brunswick, Canada
This Relais & Chateaux may be the best-kept
hotel secret in North America. It occupies a
rambling 1897 house that seems made for a
boutique hotel. The steeply pitched gable roofs
promise romantic attic rooms, and the
syncopated rhythm of the windows on the front,
architectural eccentricity. The hotel delivers
both.
Get a one-bedroom Grand King Suite for the
Bay of Fundy views, either the aptly named
Pinnacle (no. 16), which has a garret feel and an
expansive water view from the balcony, or Earl
The Pinnacle Suite at Kingsbrae
Arms.
(no. 18), which has a huge roof deck. One step
down is a Grand King Room and the one to get
is the second-floor Queen Room. Stepping down in price again, THD would
nab the second-floor King Suite for its window-wall and long terrace.
The hotel is in the handsome town of St. Andrews, a tidy grid of Georgian and
Greek Revival houses and shingle-style mansions from the Gilded Age, when
the town was Canada’s version of Newport, Rhode Island. It’s just over the
Maine border and right on the Bay of Fundy.
Chateau D’ouchy, Lausanne, Switzerland
This hotel on Lake Geneva has a tower with two fabulous rooms. The
19th-century Grande Chevalier Suite (1,400 sq. ft.), a historical monument,
has a muscular beamed ceiling, elaborate (if sober) woodwork, rich red wall
covering, and stained-glass windows. Want to feel like a Cardinal? Here are
your private quarters. The elaborate Neo-Gothic style woodwork of the
Riviera Suite (710 sq. ft.), on the other hand, appears more suited to a captain
12/22/2013 5:50 PM
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of industry or a financier. The bed is
dramatically placed and the room
has a 360-degree view of Lake
Geneva, the only room that does.
Singapore Airlines B-777ER
Business Class Seat
It’s the best room-in-the-air THD
had this year. It’s not a seat, but
rather a cushioned and cushy cubicle, ingeniously and
The Chevalier Suite at Chateau d’Ouchy
compactly designed by James Park
Associates, which also did the
Eastern & Orient Express train. The
wingchair style seat, at 34 inches the
widest business class one in the air
by far, folds down to become a
76-inch-long bed. It has reading
lights (two brightness levels) on
each side to supplement (and
soften) the overhead light. There’s a
place to stow your shoes so they
Singapore Airlines Business Class seat on B777ER.
don’t end up pinioned beneath the
seat once it’s extended, and there’s a
cubby for your briefcase. The seatback flanking the monitor holds a bento box
of compartments that pop open at the push of a finger—a place to stow your
glasses, the power outlet for your computer, a one-glass drinks tray, and a
make-up mirror. Practicality, vanity, pleasure, and power, all in one place,
rigorously thought-out, trim as a typesetters tray, a tiny studio apartment in
the air that made flying New York-Singapore a nice get-away from the world.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Tremezzo Como, Italy
Open the door to one of the six new
Rooftop Suites here and the view of
Lake Como just washes over you.
Simple as that. Of course, the suites
offer space, with the Rooftop
Penthouse the largest, but it’s the
view of the lake that holds you.
Downstairs the hotel is
The vista from Suite 504 at the Grand Hotel
old-fashioned—a billiard room, a
Tremezzo.
room for reading the paper,
demi-grand dining room—yet not at
all stuffy, in fact, slightly jazzy in its décor.
This article is available online at:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/garywalther/2013/12/21/the-hotel-detectives-best-hotel-roomsof-2013-part-two/
12/22/2013 5:50 PM
Sneak ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ screening in Gstaad | Page Six
1 of 3
http://pagesix.com/2013/12/28/sneak-wolf-of-wall-street-screening-in-gs...
12/30/2013 2:26 PM
The Alpina Gstaad | NUVO Magazine
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http://nuvomagazine.com/travel/the-alpina-gstaad
11/8/2013 3:47 PM
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Driving up and away from the central ski village of Gstaad, guests of the Alpina hotel
will first encounter not its parking lot, nor its welcoming front door, but instead a
striking tunnel that has been carved underground. The creation was masterminded by
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, the London-based design firm responsible for the
Alpina which itself sits embedded in the Bernese Oberland region, surrounded by the
Swiss Alps.
Not only does the noise-absorbing tunnel block the din of traffic from guests’ ears
within, but its subterranean placement allowed for 20,000 square metres of Jean
Mus-designed gardens to be built atop. Suffice it to say, the Alpina Gstaad understands
that first impressions count. Step inside into the lobby and the refined impressions
continue with the warmth of reclaimed Swiss farmhouse wood and hanging lights, a
grand staircase, and high ceilings.
It has taken over a century for an all-new, chalet-style hotel in Gstaad to garner a
five-star ranking and the Alpina has done just that since opening in December of last
year. Twelve years’ worth of planning and construction take shape in its modern chalet
décor, which makes use of materials and craftsmanship typical to the region. The 56
rooms and suites hint at rustic luxe, with hewn stone, leather, and centuries-old fir, and
are offset by cosy nods to Swiss heritage, like cashmere blankets emblazoned with
traditional scherenschnitte (scissor cut) prints. The most impressive booking is the
multilevel Panorama Suite—a veritable chalet within a chalet—which is outfitted with
three bedrooms, a kitchen, massage facilities, sauna, and private spa, and can cost up to
$21,000 per night to stay during high season.
The hotel’s Six Senses Spa is the only one in the country, and in the cold weather it heats
up with a passive therapy approach in the Himalayan rock salt room, an Eastern heat
with Hammam offerings, and Jacuzzi and steam rooms as well. That warmth prevails in
the culinary realm with three separate restaurants, including the Swiss Stübli which
turns out hearty fondues and raclettes, and there is a Cuban cigar room which provides
yet another après-ski locale.
11/8/2013 3:47 PM
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“The Alpina is something completely different—not just for Gstaad, but for the whole
Alpine region,” says Stefan Schär, director of marketing and sales. The hotel is already a
vacation destination for celebrities and Madonna was one of the first to be spotted
staying there—and probably the last. “Let’s just put it this way,” says Schär discreetly.
“The ski instructor who said that Madonna stayed here is no longer a ski instructor
anymore.”
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Driving up and away from the central ski village of Gstaad, guests of the Alpina
hotel will first encounter not its parking lot, nor its welcoming front door, but
instead a striking tunnel that has been carved underground. The creation was
masterminded by HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, the London-based design
firm responsible for the Alpina which itself sits embedded in the Bernese
Oberland region, surrounded by the Swiss Alps.
Not only does the noise-absorbing tunnel block the din of traffic from guests’
ears within, but its subterranean placement allowed for 20,000 square metres
of Jean Mus-designed gardens to be built atop. Suffice it to say, the Alpina
Gstaad understands that first impressions count. Step inside into the lobby and
the refined impressions continue with the warmth of reclaimed Swiss
farmhouse wood and hanging lights, a grand staircase, and high ceilings.
It has taken over a century for an all-new, chalet-style hotel in Gstaad to garner
a five-star ranking and the Alpina has done just that since opening in December
of last year. Twelve years’ worth of planning and construction take shape in its
modern chalet décor, which makes use of materials and craftsmanship typical
to the region. The 56 rooms and suites hint at rustic luxe, with hewn stone,
leather, and centuries-old fir, and are offset by cosy nods to Swiss heritage, like
12/18/2013 5:30 PM
3 of 4
cashmere blankets emblazoned with traditional scherenschnitte (scissor cut)
prints. The most impressive booking is the multilevel Panorama Suite—a
veritable chalet within a chalet—which is outfitted with three bedrooms, a
kitchen, massage facilities, sauna, and private spa, and can cost up to $21,000
per night to stay during high season.
The hotel’s Six Senses Spa is the only one in the country, and in the cold
weather it heats up with a passive therapy approach in the Himalayan rock salt
room, an Eastern heat with Hammam offerings, and Jacuzzi and steam rooms
as well. That warmth prevails in the culinary realm with three separate
restaurants, including the Swiss Stübli which turns out hearty fondues and
raclettes, and there is a Cuban cigar room which provides yet another après-ski
locale.
“The Alpina is something completely different—not just for Gstaad, but for the
whole Alpine region,” says Stefan Schär, director of marketing and sales. The
hotel is already a vacation destination for celebrities and Madonna was one of
the first to be spotted staying there—and probably the last. “Let’s just put it this
way,” says Schär discreetly. “The ski instructor who said that Madonna stayed
here is no longer a ski instructor anymore.”
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4
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12/18/2013 5:30 PM
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12/18/2013 5:31 PM
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locale.
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1/10/2014 5:33 PM
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Swiss Alps.
anymore.”
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12/18/2013 5:32 PM
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locale.
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1/10/2014 5:38 PM
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Swiss Alps.
anymore.”
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12/18/2013 5:33 PM
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locale.
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locale.
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1/10/2014 5:43 PM
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1/10/2014 5:43 PM
3 of 6
1/10/2014 5:43 PM
4 of 6
1/10/2014 5:43 PM
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Swiss Alps.
anymore.”
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1/10/2014 5:43 PM
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1/10/2014 5:45 PM
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Swiss Alps.
anymore.”
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1/10/2014 5:45 PM
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Swiss Alps.
anymore.”
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The Alpina Gstaad Debuts New Suite | Elite Traveler
1 of 3
http://www.elitetraveler.com/travel-news/the-alpina-gstaad-debuts-new-suite
12/20/2013 2:14 PM
The Alpina Gstaad Debuts New Suite | Elite Traveler
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http://www.elitetraveler.com/travel-news/the-alpina-gstaad-debuts-new-suite
12/20/2013 2:14 PM
Year In Review Looks We Love | News | Features | Food Arts
http://www.foodarts.com/news/features/29596/year-in-review-looks-we-love
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Mountain goat horns fashioned
from hundreds of antique bone and
horn handled knives and forks at
Restaurant Sommet in The Alpina
Gstaad. Sculpture by Ann
Corrington. Photo by Reto Guntli.
Click image to view more.
1 of 1
12/10/2013 6:00 PM
Jetsettersblog » The Alpina Gstaad Debuts New Suite for Winter Season
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Newest Luxury Hotel in Swiss Alpine Resort Continues to Receive Accolades
GSTAAD, Switzerland, December 18, 2013 – The award-winning Alpina Gstaad will debut a stunning new
five-bedroom, six-bath suite on December 15. Gstaad’s newest luxury hotel in 100 years is looking forward
to a second successful season and is already booked for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Located on the ground floor with two expansive terraces and superb views of the surrounding mountains, the
9,150-square-foot Alpina Suite has its own private gardens with whirlpools and features direct access to the
hotel and to the Six Senses Spa. A large foyer opens on to a 65-foot long gallery that leads to a very spacious
living room with a bar and lounge. Fourteen arched floor-to-ceiling windows in the rotunda-like living room
give direct access to the west-facing terrace. Other features include a library with fireplace and a stateof-the-art kitchen with dining area.
The Master Suite and the other four bedrooms all feature dressing rooms and walk-in closets. Two double
rooms connect to the master suite, making them convenient for guests with children.
In creating this new suite, HBA London continued with its contemporary interpretation of traditional Swiss
chalet architecture using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding Alps and
weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in Saanenland. Lined with antique fir wood, the Alpina
Suite is cozy and very comfortable with oversized leather chairs and large down-filled sofas. Bespoke
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1/11/2014 5:29 PM
modern furniture and pieces by Holly Hunt, Minotti, Kettall and Stephane Duceteau provide elegant modern
accents.
“We have families staying during the holidays and our Panorama Suite is always the first to sell out,”
explained Managing Director Eric Favre. “The new Alpina Suite will give our guests another very
comfortable option.”
The rate for the Alpina Suite starts at CHF 20,000, varying with the seasons and includes the following:
Ø In room or buffet breakfast at Restaurant Sommet
Ø Daily culinary resort credit of CHF100 per person
Ø Mini fridge with complimentary wine, soft drinks & spirits restocked daily
Ø Guaranteed reservations at Restaurant Sommet
Ø Free use of any all terrain vehicles (Range Rover or Land Rover)
Ø Transfers to and from Gstaad shopping area, railway station, ski lifts
Ø Two fully equipped studios with bath for employees (hotel basement)
Ø Free parking (six private parking spaces in underground garage)
Ø All taxes, service charges and VAT.
During The Alpina Gstaad’s high season (December through March and July and August), the minimum stay
is 14 days. In the shoulder months of June and September, it is seven days.
The Alpina Gstaad Draws Raves
Since opening in December 2012, The Alpina Gstaad has drawn raves from guests and locals. Last month, it
was awarded its first Michelin star and voted “European Design Hotel of the Year” at the European Hotel
Design Awards. The luxury hotel has earned top reviews from such prestigious organizations as Gault Millau
and Virtuoso as well as leading travel and lifestyle publications including: Conde Nast Traveler, Travel +
Leisure, The Robb Report, Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report and Switzerland’s Schweizer
SonntagsZeitung. The Alpina Gstaad is a member of Virtuoso and Preferred Hotels.
For more information about The Alpina Gstaad, please visit www.thealpinagstaad.ch.
About The Alpina Gstaad
The Alpina Gstaad is set on five acres in Oberbort, the exclusive hilltop area of the village which is in
Saanenland in the heart of the Bernese Alps. Part of a CHF300 million luxury development which includes
private chalets and apartments, The Alpina Gstaad is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Swiss
architecture incorporating local materials and authentic Alpine style. Blocks of Ringgenberg limestone, the
rich brown stone from local quarries; hundred-year-old fir wood, gathered from old Alpine farm houses, and
natural slate have been used in the construction.
The Alpina Gstaad has three restaurants: the first European outpost of MEGU, the renowned Japanese
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restaurant; a traditional Swiss stübli, and Restaurant Sommet serving contemporary cuisine. The luxury hotel
features a 21,500-square -foot Six Senses Spa, a bar and lounge, wine-tasting room, private cinema, cigar
lounge, a ballroom and several boardrooms. The 56 spacious rooms and suites – all with balconies – range
from 333 square feet to 4,305 square feet.
Gault Millau Swiss named The Alpina Gstaad Hotel of the Year for 2013.
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TSA To Remove Exit Lane Security
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 12:02:06 PM
Volume 11, Issue 50, Dec. 11, 2013
View this email in your browser
© Phartisan
AIRPORT EXITS: The TSA plans to stop staffing exit lanes beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
TSA To Remove Security From
Exit Lanes
Airports across the nation where federal officers monitor exit security lanes are
attempting to halt a new Transportation Security Administration rule that requires
local airport authorities to start guarding the doors.
Beginning Jan. 1, the TSA will no longer monitor exit lanes at various airports,
including Newark Liberty International (EWR), John F. Kennedy International (JFK)
and LaGuardia (LGA). According to a TSA statement, giving the responsibility for
those gates to airport authorities will allow the agency “to focus on the priority of
screening passengers and baggage” and will cut $88.1 million a year from its
budget.
Last week, two industry groups, the Association of Airport Executives and Airports
Council International-North America, joined 19 airports in requesting the D.C. Circuit
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia delay the change, which would cost
them millions of dollars per year.
If the plan is implemented, airports will need to fill 1,897 TSA slots at 348 exit lanes
or offer fewer exit lanes per concourse.
The TSA currently guards exit lanes at approximately one-third of the nation’s 450
commercial airports, while the other two-thirds provide security themselves or share
the responsibility with the TSA. Some airports, including Philadelphia International
(PHL), Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) and McCarran International (LAS)
installed unmanned, automated exit lanes that replace paid officers.
Do you think staffing the exit lanes should be the TSA’s responsibility? Email us.
Please include your full name with your email.
REVIEW
Swiss International Air Lines
Business Class
tel 877 359 7947
New York (JFK) to Zürich (ZRH)
With my passport and printed boarding pass in hand, I went directly to the
first/business security line at JFK's Terminal 4 with no need to stop at the SWISS
ticket counter. I arrived at the SWISS business-class lounge at 6:30 p.m. for the 9
p.m. flight on SWISS LX15, the airline's evening JFK–Zürich flight.
After settling into a comfortable leather seat and working a bit on my laptop using
the complimentary WiFi connection, I helped myself to a light dinner of pasta with
chicken, salad and fresh strawberries from the buffet. No boarding announcements
were made, but the large departure screen in the lounge showed LX15 was
boarding at gate B27, a short walk down the departure hall. The dedicated
first/business boarding lane was open and empty, a welcome alternative to the line
waiting to board economy.
The new Airbus A330-300 aircraft SWISS is now using for LX15 has two sections
for business passengers, with rows 4 and 5 separated from rows 6–14 by
bathrooms and a galley. Almost all 45 brown-accented business seats have access
to an aisle in a staggered 1-2-1 or 2-2-1 configuration, and my stand-alone seat,
5G, had the added benefit of being in the smaller two-row business section. Lighting
and seating controls in the armrest included a mood lighting setting and a firmer or
softer seat cushion button. We pulled back from the gate at 9:05 p.m., with lift-off at
9:55 due to heavy departing traffic at JFK.
My dinner choice, served shortly after takeoff, included an appetizer of lemongrassmarinated king prawns, with poached halibut fillet, vegetable couscous and sautéed
artichoke as a main. Dessert was raspberry mousse, melon and Manjari chocolate
ganache. A selection of seven wines and Champagne was offered.
After dinner, I watched a movie on the large, flip-up screen, ordered a cup of
chocolate ice cream and fell asleep before the movie ended. I awoke a few hours
later to have breakfast (croissant, yogurt, orange juice and fresh fruit) before we
descended over the snowy peaks of the Alps. We landed in Zürich at 11:19 a.m.,
just 29 minutes late after the 55-minute delay departing JFK.
SWISS business-cabin service on the A330 aircraft was friendly and attentive, and
the 60-inch-pitch seat/lie-flat bed was extremely comfortable. Within minutes of
landing I was through passport control and on a Swiss train leaving Zürich Airport
Station for the Bernese Alps. The headline on a previous SWISS print ad best sums
up my flight experience: "The quality of a Swiss watch, neatly packaged in an
airline." It's nice when an airline truly delivers on their promise.
Ron Bernthal
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The Alpina Gstaad Awarded First Michelin Star
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The Alpina Gstaad has been awarded one of the highest honors in gastronomy and the hospitality industry –
its first Michelin Star.
Restaurant Sommet in this Swiss Alpine resort's newest luxury hotel was recognized as a very good
restaurant, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard. The MICHELIN Guide to Restaurants,
known by food lovers as simply the "Red Guide," suggests Sommet is a "good place to stop" on a traveler's
journey.
More than a directory of restaurants and hotel, the iconic guide is known for its clandestine inspection process
that has been refined since 1926 when the first stars were awarded. (The Red Guide debuted 113 years ago in
1900). Michelin inspectors anonymously analyze restaurants and hotels throughout the year judging what is on
the plate, the quality of the products, the mastering of flavors and cooking, the "personality of the cuisine,"
value for money and the consistency the restaurant offers through the menu and during the year.
Executive Chef Marcus Lindner has been with Restaurant Sommet since The Alpina Gstaad opened in
December 2012. For 28 of his 33 years in the culinary field, Chef Lindner has held the title of head chef. He
has directed the kitchens of some of the Europe’s most renowned luxury hotels including the Grand Hotel
Victoria-Jungfrau, Strandhotel & Restaurant Belvédère and the Kurhaus Baden-Baden.
Before joining The Alpina Gstaad, Chef Lindner was Executive Chef at Mesa, one of Zurich’s top restaurants
where he earned two Michelin stars and 18 points from Gault Millau. In 2010, Gault Millau also named him “Up
and Coming Chef of the Year.” In September, The Alpina Gstaad was voted "Hotel of the Year for 2013" by the
Swiss Gault Millau for its "world-class gastronomy."
"We are immensely proud of this recognition from gastronomy's unchallenged authority," said Eric Favre, The
Alpina Gstaad's Managing Director. "The entire team has put in tremendous effort and it is very gratifying that
their hard work has been acknowledged, especially since the hotel has been open less than a year."
European Hotel Design Awards Named The Alpina Gstaad "Hotel of the Year"
The longest-running and most prestigious architecture and design awards for the European hospitality sector,
the European Hotel Design Awards, named The Alpina Gstaad the "European Design Hotel of the Year" at its
award ceremony in London on November 19.
Praising the attention to detail and the quality of the finishes, the judges voted the hotel the winner in two
additional categories: "Interior Design of the Year – Lobby, Lounge and Public Areas" and "Interior Design of
the Year – Bedrooms and Bathrooms."
December 2013: Editor's Picks
Italian Rentals 4U
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local knowledge, high standards of
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Nestled among the plush Wailea
resorts, Wailea Beach Villas stands out
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Poised on an elevated plateau that
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Ideally located on the sunny western
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VICTORIA-JUNGFRAU Grand Hotel &
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newest five-star property that debuted December 1, 2012 was selected based on its aesthetic appeal
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"theatre" of hotel life. In envisioning the first new luxury hotel to open in this Alpine village in 100 years, The
hotels in Switzerland in the picturesque
Gallery HBA London began with the principles of traditional Swiss chalet architecture and fashioned a
mountain setting
of
the
Bernese
© 2013 Luxury Travel Media.
Oberland. TheAll
5-star
resort
is steeped
contemporary interpretation using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding Alps
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in tradition and luxury in the heart of Interlaken.
and weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in the Saanenland.
[ SMC/CMS ]
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The Alpina Gstaad Debuts New Suite for Winter Season
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The Alpina Gstaad Debuts New Suite for Winter Season
December 18, 2013 -
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The award-winning Alpina Gstaad will debut a stunning new five-bedroom, six-bath suite on December 15.
Gstaad's newest luxury hotel in 100 years is looking forward to a second successful season and is already
booked for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Located on the ground floor with two expansive terraces and superb views of the surrounding mountains, the
9,150-square-foot Alpina Suite has its own private gardens with whirlpools and features direct access to the
hotel and to the Six Senses Spa. A large foyer opens on to a 65-foot long gallery that leads to a very spacious
living room with a bar and lounge. Fourteen arched floor-to-ceiling windows in the rotunda-like living room give
direct access to the west-facing terrace. Other features include a library with fireplace and a state-of-the-art
kitchen with dining area.
The Master Suite and the other four bedrooms all feature dressing rooms and walk-in closets. Two double
rooms connect to the master suite, making them convenient for guests with children.
In creating this new suite, HBA London continued with its contemporary interpretation of traditional Swiss
chalet architecture using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding Alps and
weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in Saanenland. Lined with antique fir wood, the Alpina Suite
is cozy and very comfortable with oversized leather chairs and large down-filled sofas. Bespoke modern
furniture and pieces by Holly Hunt, Minotti, Kettall and Stephane Duceteau provide elegant modern accents.
"We have families staying during the holidays and our Panorama Suite is always the first to sell out," explained
Managing Director Eric Favre. "The new Alpina Suite will give our guests another very comfortable option."
The rate for the Alpina Suite starts at CHF 20,000, varying with the seasons and includes the following:
- In room or buffet breakfast at Restaurant Sommet
- Daily culinary resort credit of CHF100 per person
- Mini fridge with complimentary wine, soft drinks & spirits restocked daily
- Guaranteed reservations at Restaurant Sommet
- Free use of any all terrain vehicles (Range Rover or Land Rover)
- Transfers to and from Gstaad shopping area, railway station, ski lifts
- Two fully equipped studios with bath for employees (hotel basement)
- Free parking (six private parking spaces in underground garage)
- All taxes, service charges and VAT.
During The Alpina Gstaad's high season (December through March and July and August), the minimum stay is
14 days. In the shoulder months of June and September, it is seven days.
The Alpina Gstaad Draws Raves
Since opening in December 2012, The Alpina Gstaad has drawn raves from guests and locals. Last month, it
was awarded its first Michelin star and voted "European Design Hotel of the Year" at the European Hotel
December 2013: Editor's Picks
Italian Rentals 4U
Italian Rentals 4U offers the finest
collection of hand-picked Italian villas.
You benefit from their travel experts’
local knowledge, high standards of
personal service, and meticulous
attention to detail.
Fare Buzz
Flight Bookings is their forte, especially
high-end Business & First Class
Tickets. Savings can be up to 70% off
the regular full published fares
depending on the travel dates.
Wailea Beach Villas
Nestled among the plush Wailea
resorts, Wailea Beach Villas stands out
as Maui's most exclusive beachfront
villa resort.
Alila Villas Uluwatu
Poised on an elevated plateau that
meets with limestone cliffs sweeping
down to the ocean, the view from the
Alila Villas Uluwatu is nothing less than
picture-perfect.
JW Marriott Ihilani
Ideally located on the sunny western
shore of Oahu in the secluded 640-acre
oceanfront Ko Olina Resort, a mere
25-minute drive from the Honolulu
International Airport.
12/19/2013 3:29 PM
The Best Alpine Après Ski | The Financialist
1 of 9
http://www.thefinancialist.com/the-best-alpine-apres-ski/
By: Financialist Staff
Published: December 27, 2013
Skiing in the Alps is as old as, well, the hills. But there’s a reason
these storied mountains remain one of the ultimate luxury vacation
destinations – and the ruggedly beautiful slopes are only part of it.
Thanks to a number of world-class chefs, the food at many top skiing
destinations is just as impressive as the powder itself.
Consider France’s Courchevel 1850, a favorite of wealthy Russian
tourists. Between them, the resort’s eight restaurants have 13
Michelin stars. One standout is La Table du Kilimandjaro, which
earned its second star this year. Chef Nicolas Sale has been widely
lauded for his fresh products and unique dishes, such as a duck foie
gras accompanied by a black truffle tart, wild mushrooms and a rustic
slab of Beaufort, a local cheese.
As befits a clientele wearing ski boots and not wingtips, most of the
Alps’ best eateries offer no-fuss menus and casual atmospheres,
providing an ideal setting for a leisurely lunch before heading back to
the slopes for a few afternoon runs. If you have been waxing your
skis in anticipation of a trip to the mountains, The Financialist has
compiled a list of the best places to sate your appetite after you’re
12/28/2013 1:37 PM
2 of 9
done getting your exercise.
FRANCE
Le Cap Horn, Courchevel
Photo courtesy of Le Cap Horn.
As one of Courchevel’s most exclusive lunch spots, Le Cap Horn is
equal parts restaurant and social scene. The lounge-like vibe makes
it the wintertime equivalent of famous beach clubs on the Riviera,
such as Nikki Beach or Les Palmiers in Saint Tropez. The menu isn’t
pretentious, but it is pricey: Pizzas run to more than €30 ($41), and a
truffle-laden spaghetti with chicken supreme will cost you €68 ($91).
La Table du Kilimandjaro ** – Hotel Le Kilimandjaro, Courchevel
The Michelin reviewers who gave this restaurant its second star this
year clearly love Chef Nicolas Sale’s food, but they also praised the
staff’s discreet and professional service. One of Sale’s most-loved
12/28/2013 1:37 PM
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dishes is the blue lobster with saffron quenelle, artichoke and raw
beetroot. If there are no tables at La Table du Kilimandjaro, you can
still get a taste of Sale’s cooking in the nearby K2 Hotel, where he
presides over the kitchen at Le Kintessence, the hotel’s one-star
restaurant.
Flocons de Sel *** – Relais et Chateau Flocons de Sel, Megève
Photo of Chef Emmanuel Renaut courtesy of Flocons de Sel.
The Rothschild banking dynasty put the quaint alpine village of
Megève on the map in the early 1900s, when Baroness Noémie de
Rothschild turned an existing guesthouse into a hotel. Today, the
town boasts one of the European Alps’ rare three-star restaurants,
Flocons de Sel. Chef Emmanuel Renaut, who oversaw the kitchens
at Claridge’s before heading to France, sticks to a simple regional
cuisine. A highlight from his 10-course tasting menu: a combination
of pike and monkfish from Lake Geneva served on a crunchy biscuit
with golden onions.
L’Atelier d’Edmond, * Val d’Isère
Val d’Isère was the site of the downhill skiing competition in the 1968
Olympics, so it’s not surprising that it is home to some of Europe’s
most challenging skiing. But the resort’s charming restaurants are
just the thing to soothe the nerves after a day hurtling down a rather
unforgiving mountain. The Atelier d’Edmond, housed in a traditional
wooden chalet at the foot of the slopes, welcomes visitors into a
rustic, candlelit dining room with stone walls and wooden beams. And
don’t leave without trying the marbled duck foie gras with coffee and
cèpes jelly.
SWITZERLAND
12/28/2013 1:37 PM
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Photo courtesy of L’Atelier d’Edmond.
The Chesery, * Gstaad
Photo courtesy of The Chesery.
The new money flocks to Courchevel, but the old money gathers in
Gstaad. And when they’ve gathered in Gstaad, they tend to gather at
The Chesery. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, a former U.N. High
Commissioner for Refugees, who built the restaurant in the same
place a dairy farm once stood, first opened its doors in 1962. Today,
Chef Robert Speth’s ever-changing menu features simple but
delicious fares , such as a delectable duck liver terrine.
12/28/2013 1:37 PM
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Megu – The Alpina Gstaad, Gstaad
Photo courtesy of the Alpina Gstaad.
At Megu, the alpine outpost of the high-end New York eatery, non-fish
dishes such as a Kobe beef carpaccio add tasty variety to the
excellent sashimi and sushi menu. Alpina Gstaad, the hotel that
houses Megu, is the first new luxury property to open in the village in
a century.
El Paradiso, St. Moritz
Photo courtesy of El Paradiso.
European skiing has room for more than one grand dame, and when
it comes to old-money glitz, St. Moritz is evenly matched with Gstaad.
In this particular moneyed haunt, the slope-side El Paradiso
is the place to do lunch. But don’t expect the standard, jam-packed,
self-service après ski restaurant. At El Paradiso, terrace patrons sit
on sheepskin-covered wooden benches while enjoying eclectic
12/28/2013 1:37 PM
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dishes such as spaghetti with Maine lobster. The comprehensive
wine list includes leading vintages from Italy, France and Switzerland.
La Marmite at Mathis Food Affairs, St. Moritz
Photo courtesy of Mathis Food Affairs
Set in a yellow, modernist cube of a lodge 2,486 meters (8,156 feet)
above sea level, owner and Chef Reto Mathis says La Marmite is
Europe’s highest-altitude gourmet restaurant. The ultra-luxe eatery
specializes in truffles and caviar, but lodge guests also have the
option of a more low-key brasserie and the
buffet-style Bütschella. On sunny days, guests can wrap themselves
in beaver lap blankets or mingle outside, perhaps indulging in a
vodka shot from the ice bar.
Heimberg, * Zermatt
Don’t ask for the menu at Heimberg: There isn’t one. Instead, the
staff customizes dishes based on each individual guest’s tastes.
(And, of course, in this day and age, his or her food allergies.)
Well-chosen ingredients are key to this curated food strategy, and
some of Chef Christian Geisler’s favorite building blocks include
venison, wild mushrooms, pumpkin and artichokes.
Chez Vrony, Zermatt
Chez Vrony, run by Vrony Cotting-Julen and her husband, Max, is
one of Zermatt’s culinary institutions. The converted wooden
farmhouse, with a perfect balcony view of the Matterhorn, exudes a
hearty rusticity, one that’s backed up by dried meats hanging from the
rafters and the fact that the restaurant has its own dairy. House
specialties include a risotto with venison sausage and a pan-fried foie
gras accompanied by an assortment of apple, pear and berries.
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Photo of a dish at Heimberg, courtesy of the restaurant.
Photo courtesy of Chez Vrony.
ITALY
Tivoli,* Cortina d’Ampezzo
Chef Graziano Prest’s homemade pasta — try the maccheroncini
with lamb and chicory sauce — is just as homey and inviting as this
eatery’s intimate, wood-panelled dining room. If you want your meat
straight up, try the venison fillet with gnocchetti and ginger sauce.
AUSTRIA
Verwallstube, St. Anton
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Photo courtesy of Tivoli.
Photo courtesy of Verwallstube.
Verwallstube is located at the top of the Galzig gondola, which brings
skiers to some of St. Anton’s most popular trails. The restaurant’s
devotees claim its bouillabaisse rivals those prepared in Marseille,
the birthplace of the hearty fish stew. On Thursdays, patrons can also
ditch their ski suits for formalwear and enjoy a candlelight dinner at
the top of the slopes. The last gondola back to St. Anton leaves at 11
p.m.
Neuwirt * – Hotel Schwarzer Adler, Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel is the home of the epic Hahnenkamm run, one of the most
challenging downhill races on the World Cup ski circuit. For that
reason, it’s better known for its white-knuckle skiing than as a
culinary hotspot. Still, foodies hungry for haute cuisine can find it at
Neuwirt, which traces its roots all the way back to 1844. Chef Stefan
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Photo courtesy of Hotel Schwarzer.
Hofer’s impeccably plated preparations include a wild salmon with
cucumber, buttermilk and horseradish.
Photo of La Marmite courtesy of Mathis Food Affairs. Photo of Chef
Nicolas Sale courtesy of Hotel Le Kilimandjaro.
© Copyright 2013
12/28/2013 1:37 PM
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1/11/2014 5:32 PM
The Cigar Lounge at the Alpina Gstaad, Switzerland
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http://finetobacconyc.com/2013/01/26/the-cigar-lounge-at-the-alpina-gst...
Fine Tobacco NYC
by Matthias Clock
The handsome masculinity of the Cigar Lounge at The Alpina Gstaad is based on one of Havana’s most famous
establishments. Chic, 1930s glamour is reflected in the warm colour palette, while the cigar selection is for true
aficionados. The walk-in humidor features a selection of over 50 cigars.
Classic, deep-buttoned armchairs are attached to small, custom-designed tables, each supporting a bespoke ashtray.
From the leather and dark wood interior, you look out through windows to rolling Alpine countryside north of the
hotel.
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1/11/2014 8:03 PM
Alpina Gstaad Earns First Michelin Star | Luxury Travel Advisor
http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/switzerland/alpina-gstaad-earns-firs...
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Alpina Gstaad Earns First Michelin Star
December 11, 2013
Heads up, foodies! You may want to head to the Alps in Switzerland, where the
year-old Alpina Gstaad has earned its first Michelin Star.
The "Red Guide" (officially, the Michelin Guide to Restaurants) called the hotel's
Restaurant Sommet a "good place to stop" on a traveler's journey.
Executive Chef Marcus Lindner has been with Restaurant Sommet since The Alpina
Gstaad opened a year ago. For 28 of his 33 years in the culinary field, Chef Lindner has
held the title of head chef. He has directed the kitchens of some of the Europe’s top
hotels including the Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau, Strandhotel & Restaurant Belvédère
and the Kurhaus Baden-Baden.
Before joining The Alpina Gstaad, Chef Lindner was Executive Chef at Mesa, one of
Zurich’s top restaurants where he earned two Michelin stars and 18 points from Gault
Millau. In 2010, Gault Millau also named him “Up and Coming Chef of the Year.” In
September, The Alpina Gstaad was voted "Hotel of the Year for 2013" by the Swiss
Gault Millau for its "world-class gastronomy."
For more information, visit www.thealpinagstaad.ch.
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Related Links :
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Foodie Buzz: Alpina Gstaad Gets Executive Chef
Alpina Gstaad Names General Manager
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The Alpina Gstaad debuts new suite for winter season
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GSTAAD, SWITZERLAND - The award-winning Alpina Gstaad will debut a stunning new five-bedroom,
six-bath suite on December 15. Gstaad's newest luxury hotel in 100 years is looking forward to a
second successful season and is already booked for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Located on the ground floor with two expansive terraces and superb views of the surrounding
mountains, the 9,150-square-foot Alpina Suite has its own private gardens with whirlpools and
Trends in European Tourism
features direct access to the hotel and to the Six Senses Spa. A large foyer opens on to a 65-foot long
gallery that leads to a very spacious living room with a bar and lounge. Fourteen arched floorto-ceiling windows in the rotunda-like living room give direct access to the west-facing terrace. Other
features include a library with fireplace and a state-of-the-art kitchen with dining area.
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Sales Executive for
The Master Suite and the other four bedrooms all feature dressing rooms and walk-in closets. Two
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double rooms connect to the master suite, making them convenient for guests with children.
03 July 2012, 17:08
In creating this new suite, HBA London continued with its contemporary interpretation of traditional
1 of 5
12/23/2013 4:52 PM
http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/58292/the-alpina-gstaad-d...
Swiss chalet architecture using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding
Alps and weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in Saanenland. Lined with antique fir wood,
Featured Articles
the Alpina Suite is cozy and very comfortable with oversized leather chairs and large down-filled sofas.
Bespoke modern furniture and pieces by Holly Hunt, Minotti, Kettall and Stephane Duceteau provide
And the title for 'the world's most
eclectic hotel-suite' goes to... The
elegant modern accents.
Thief!
"We have families staying during the holidays and our Panorama Suite is always the first to sell out,"
17 September 2013, 14:30
explained Managing Director Eric Favre. "The new Alpina Suite will give our guests another very
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comfortable option."
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12/23/2013 4:52 PM
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PHOTO: They said it wasn't possible: Gstaad’s latest luxury resort has gotten
even more luxurious lately.
The Alpina Gstaad, the newest luxury hotel to open in the Swiss resort of Gstaad
in 100 years has opened a new 9,150-square-foot suite, the Alpina Suite.
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The five-bedroom, six-bath suite opened on Dec. 15 and is situated on the year
old hotel’s ground floor with two expansive terraces and views of the
surrounding Alps.
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It has its own private gardens with whirlpools and features direct access to the
hotel and to a Six Senses Spa. A large foyer opens on to a 65-foot long gallery
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that leads to a very spacious living room with a bar and lounge.
Some 14 arched floor-to-ceiling windows in the rotunda-like living room give
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direct access to the west-facing terrace. Other features include a library with
fireplace and a kitchen with dining area.
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The Master Suite and the other four bedrooms all feature dressing rooms and
walk-in closets. Two double rooms connect to the master suite, making them
convenient for guests with children. The rate for the Alpina Suite starts at CHF
Holiday
FEATURES & ADVICE
5
20,000, varying with the seasons
Last month, the hotel was awarded its first Michelin star and voted "European
Design Hotel of the Year" at the European Hotel Design Awards.
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Hilton to Manage Paris’ Opéra Hotel as Hilton Paris Opéra
Paris’ stately 124 year old hotel landmark, the Concorde Opéra Hotel, will be
given a complete multi-million dollar refurbishment and will reopen after
rebranding as the Hilton Paris Opéra. Recently acquired by Blackstone Real
Estate Partners Europe IV ("Blackstone"), Hilton will manage the 266-room
property.
Located in the Eighth Arrondissement, which is undergoing many
refurbishments, the hotel sits across from the Gare Saint Lazare and is near such
attractions as the Opéra, The Louvre, the Sacré Cœur and the Arc de Triomphe.
"More than 70 million people travel to Paris each year, placing it in the top five
most popular cities to visit globally,” said Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice
president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide.”
Sofitel Berlin Kurfürstendamm will be Brand’s Fourth German Hotel
Beginning in February, Sofitel will manage the 311-room Hotel Concorde Berlin
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under its new name, the Sofitel Berlin Kurfürstendamm.
Combined with Sofitel Berlin Gendarmenmarkt, Sofitel Hamburg Alter Wall and
Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, the brand already manages four properties in Germany
- due to be joined by the Sofitel Frankfurt am Alte Oper, as of 2015.
Between February and the third quarter of 2014, hotel architect Jan Kleihues will
renovate the public areas, the restaurants and the bar of the Sofitel Berlin
Kurfürstendamm.
In Amsterdam, the former office building of the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant,
currently housing workspaces for creative businesses, artists and a rooftop bar,
is being transformed into a 172-room hotel. The Volkshotel is scheduled to
open in April.
The property will remain a meeting place, as areas of the building will continue
to serve as office space for creative professionals. The building is set to contain
a grand café, novelty shop, a recording studio and a nightclub with rooftop
terrace.
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1/2/2014 10:11 AM
The Alpina Gstaad Awarded Its First Michelin Star
1 of 2
http://hotelexecutive.com/newswire/47295/the-alpina-gstaad-awarded-its-...
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The Alpina Gstaad Awarded Its First Michelin Star
Newest Luxury Hotel in Swiss Alpine Resort to Open in 100 Years
GSTAAD, Switzerland - December 12, 2013 – The Alpina Gstaad has been awarded one of
the highest honors in gastronomy and the hospitality industry – its first Michelin Star.
Restaurant Sommet in this Swiss Alpine resort's newest luxury hotel was recognized as a
very good restaurant, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard. The
MICHELIN Guide to Restaurants, known by food lovers as simply the "Red Guide,"
suggests Sommet is a "good place to stop" on a traveler's journey.
More than a directory of restaurants
and hotel, the iconic guide is known
for its clandestine inspection process
that has been refined since 1926
when the first stars were awarded.
(The Red Guide debuted 113 years
ago in 1900). Michelin inspectors
anonymously analyze restaurants
and hotels throughout the year
judging what is on the plate, the
quality of the products, the mastering
of flavors and cooking, the
"personality of the cuisine," value for
money and the consistency the
restaurant offers through the menu
and during the year.
Executive Chef Marcus Lindner has been with Restaurant Sommet since The Alpina
Gstaad opened in December 2012. For 28 of his 33 years in the culinary field, Chef Lindner
has held the title of head chef. He has directed the kitchens of some of the Europe’s most
renowned luxury hotels including the Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau, Strandhotel &
Restaurant Belvédère and the Kurhaus Baden-Baden.
Before joining The Alpina Gstaad, Chef Lindner was Executive Chef at Mesa, one of
Zurich’s top restaurants where he earned two Michelin stars and 18 points from Gault
Millau. In 2010, Gault Millau also named him “Up and Coming Chef of the Year.” In
September, The Alpina Gstaad was voted "Hotel of the Year for 2013" by the Swiss Gault
Millau for its "world-class gastronomy."
"We are immensely proud of this recognition from gastronomy's unchallenged authority,"
said Eric Favre, The Alpina Gstaad's Managing Director. "The entire team has put in
tremendous effort and it is very gratifying that their hard work has been acknowledged,
especially since the hotel has been open less than a year."
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Part of a CHF300 million luxury development which includes private chalets and
apartments, The Alpina Gstaad is set on five acres in Oberbort, the exclusive hilltop area of
the village which is in Saanenland in the heart of the Bernese Alps. The Alpina Gstaad has
two other restaurants: the first European outpost of MEGU, the renowned Japanese
restaurant and a traditional Swiss stübli. The luxury hotel has a bar and lounge,
wine-tasting room, private cinema, cigar lounge, a ballroom and several boardrooms. The
21,500-square-foot Six Senses Spa includes a fitness center and an 82-foot lap pool. A
large outdoor swimming pool is set in the gardens. The 56 spacious rooms and suites – all
with balconies – range from 333 square feet to 9,150 square feet for the new Alpina Suite.
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12/12/2013 11:04 AM
Newest Five-star Hotel in Gstaad Named "European Design Hotel of the...
http://hotelexecutive.com/newswire/47309/newest-five-star-hotel-in-gsta...
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Newest Five-star Hotel in Gstaad Named "European
Design Hotel of the Year"
The Alpina Gstaad Wins in Three Categories
GSTAAD, Switzerland - December 13, 2013 - The longest-running and most prestigious
architecture and design awards for the European hospitality sector, the European Hotel
Design Awards, named The Alpina Gstaad the "European Design Hotel of the Year" at its
award ceremony in London on November 19.
Praising the attention to detail and
the quality of the finishes, the judges
voted the hotel the winner in two
additional
categories:
"Interior
Design of the Year – Lobby, Lounge
and Public Areas" and "Interior
Design of the Year – Bedrooms and
Bathrooms."
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BUSINESS & FINANCE
Cornell University and Sathguru to Jointly Deliver the Hospitality
Management Program
Gstaad's newest five-star property
that debuted December 1, 2012 was
selected based on its aesthetic
appeal and the practicality and
functionality of design demonstrating
its contribution to the guest
experience and the "theatre" of hotel
life. In envisioning the first new
luxury hotel to open in this Alpine village in 100 years, The Gallery HBA London began with
the principles of traditional Swiss chalet architecture and fashioned a contemporary
interpretation using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding
Alps and weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in the Saanenland.
For more information and high resolution images of The Alpina Gstaad, please visit
www.thealpinagstaad.ch.
Part of a CHF300 million luxury development which includes private chalets and
apartments, The Alpina Gstaad is set on five acres in Oberbort, the exclusive hilltop area of
the village which is in Saanenland in the heart of the Bernese Alps. The Alpina Gstaad has
two other restaurants: the first European outpost of MEGU, the renowned Japanese
restaurant and a traditional Swiss stübli. The luxury hotel has a bar and lounge,
wine-tasting room, private cinema, cigar lounge, a ballroom and several boardrooms. The
21,500-square-foot Six Senses Spa includes a fitness center and an 82-foot lap pool. A
large outdoor swimming pool is set in the gardens. The 56 spacious rooms and suites – all
with balconies – range from 333 square feet to 9,150 square feet for the new Alpina Suite.
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1 of 2
12/16/2013 11:54 AM

Dear Sir or Madam - The Alpina Gstaad

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