The Alpine Gstaad in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps is slated to debut in December 2012. The 5-Star hotel-spearheaded by lead architects Roger Jaggi & Partner AG-will be a contemporary interpretation of traditional Swiss architecture incorporating local materials and time-honored Alpine style. Massive blocks of Ringgenberg limestone, the rich brown stone from local quarries, have been handcarved for the entrance and ground floor. One-gundred-year-old fir wood, gathered from old Alpine farm houses, decorates the façade and lines the walls of the public rooms. The gabled roof, embellished with dormers and peaks, comprises natural slate. The ground floor’s huge windows allow for plenty of natural light and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Bordered by 1.5 acres of gardens, the hotel will have three restaurants featuring traditional Swiss, international, and Asian cuisines; a bar and lounge; wine-tasting room; private cinema; cigar room; and a ballroom and several boardrooms. The 21,500-square-foot spa will include a hammam, fitness center, and an 82-foot lap pool. A large outdoor swimming pool will be set in the gardens. The 57 spacious rooms and suites, all with balconies, range from 333 square feet for a standard room to 4,305 square feet for the Panorama Suite.
