Hôtel Chetzeron
Architect: Actes Collectifs
Location: Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Type: Restaurant, Hotel
Year: 2009
Photographs: Photography by Claus Brechenmacher & Reiner Baumann
Location
The following description is courtesy of Chetzeron. Chetzeron nestles at 2112 meters above sea level. It offers direct access to the skiing and hiking area of Crans-Montana. The destination is one of the Alps most significant and most modern skiing areas and offers numerous hiking, mountain biking, and, of course, golfing opportunities during summer.
History
Chetzeron has a rich and proud history. As an old cable car station, it dates back to the sixties and was permanently shut down in 2003. Sami Lamaa who came up with the idea, that it would be an ideal location for a restaurant and a hotel. An offer to buy the former restaurant and the station was made in 2004 by Sami Lamaa and his partner Louis Bégault. Followed by long years of negotiations with the previous owners and the government to get all authorizations.
In 2006, they contacted the architect Ambroise Bonvin (Actes Collectifs). Design work began almost immediately, and the first construction permit was filed in February 2008 with construction starting two months later. The restaurant section of the project was completed in December 2009. After a period of administrative procedures related to the high-altitude location and the definition of the precise skiing areas and facilities that could be proposed at Chetzeron, the building permit for the hotel was granted in April 2012 and the project delivered by the architects to the client in December 2014. The facility was a finalist in the 2015 European Hotel Design Awards in the category “Architecture adaptive reuse.”
In the end, a haven has been built, a place to unwind, to recharge and to find inner peace, where the staff treats each guest with personal and genuine respect, always looking to making their stay as unique as possible.
Architecture & Design
Chetzeron’s puristic design was created by the architect Ambroise Bonvin, his team (Actes Collectifs), Sami Lamaa and his partner. The original volumes of the structure including the large opening for the arrival of the cabin cars were maintained, albeit covered with glass and stone, just as the load-bearing structure of the older building was reused. They consciously combined different, yet unobtrusive materials like local oak, natural stone, glass, and rough concrete as well as wrought iron. This timeless aesthetic allows nature itself to take center stage.
Chetzeron has 16 rooms, a lobby bar. a public restaurant, a dining room, a smoking lounge, a lounge bar, three panoramic terraces, a wellness area with an outdoor heated pool and a conference room. The hotel offers spectacular views on the Rhone Valley and the Alps, with the chain of 4,000-meter mountains from the Mont-Blanc to the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. Each private or public space has its window on an unobstructed and beautiful landscape.
Cuisine
The magnificent views of the mountains are entirely in tune with the Alpine cuisine, and mostly Swiss wines that are carefully selected for Chetzeron by the sommelier. Fresh, healthy traditional products of the highest quality are used. Cheeses from Swiss pastures, home-baked rolls and bread, locally produced eggs and Muesli specially made by the chef along with freshly squeezed juices or old-fashioned hot chocolate allow guests to start the day in the area reserved for breakfast. Overall, the menu evolves according to the seasons and is conceived in the mode of “slow food,” where mostly local products are selected for their quality, diversity, and taste in an environment where guests have the time to enjoy and appreciate every detail.
In the early morning hours, the scent of freshly baked bread, hot chocolate, coffee, and tea wafts in the lobby. Their oven-fresh bread is served with assorted home-made jams and artisanal spreads. Complemented by a spectacular view of the Alps summit, this low-key area exudes a mellow atmosphere, inviting guests to enjoy the magnificent nature surrounding us. Inside, the comfortable restaurant entices guests to pamper themselves with exquisite dishes prepared from fresh organic and local products.
Wellness
Chetzeron wellness is everywhere, inside and outside a place of peace and tranquility where nature itself sets the tone.
To ensure absolute relaxation a breathtaking swimming pool is located on the top of the building. Szilvi, our therapist, provides unique massages from New Zealand. This massage service is available in very few hotels in Europe.
Activities
Crans-Montana offers plenty of options for friends of active pursuits. In the winter, hotel guests enjoy a direct ski-in/ski-out access to more than 740 km of perfectly prepared guaranteed snow-sure slopes in the entire skiing region. During summer guests can go climbing, hiking or mountain biking to their hearts’ content. Cyclists eager to explore the surrounding nature will find 777 km of charted and signposted trails for all levels of expertise. Golfers too are spoiled for choice. Within a 5-km radius, golf aficionados can enjoy the most beautiful beautifully landscaped and technically challenging courses. Imagine a plateau at 7500 meters high overlooking the Rhone valley. Here, golf is in conquered territory, with four courses, including the famous 78 holes, named after its prestigious creator, Severiano Ballesteros, classified by golf magazines as one of the nicest in the world and host of the European Masters, a significant event.
Rooms and Rates
The exclusive hideaway comprises a total of 16 rooms, each with a breathtaking view on the Rhone valley. During summer, rates start at CHF 325 per night and at CHF 425 per night in the winter.
Experience/uniqueness
- snowcat access in winter, original land rover Defender access in summer
- real ski in ski out
- total silence
- huge empty spaces with warm atmosphere
- alpine cuisine at his best
- wedding and event perfect location
- exclusive corporate meeting privatizing the property
