Showing posts with label alpine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alpine. Show all posts

Friday, March 7, 2014

Skiing in the real Swiss Alps




Staying at The Chedi Andermatt

The best inspiration always comes when you are really relaxed! So am I at the stunning 35-meter indoor pool at The Chedi Spa in the exciting and world-famous Chedi Andermatt (according to the several international press releases).


Did you ever heard of Andermatt?

The hotel itself could not be anyhow more luxurious and more decadent, 2400 square meters large and Asian influenced Spa, 35 meter indoor pool, 7 meter high ceilings in the lobby, wine and cigar library, 200 gas cheminees, a Japanese Restaurant, a main Restaurant where a two-michelin starred chef is working, enormous rooms and even larger suites, as well as ski butlers, just to mention some details of this fascinating property. 


As The Chedi recently opened, in late December 2013 to be more exactely, there are some problems occuring. The worst problem for me was the Front Desk staff, which was not really able to work as perfect as the restaurant or the spa team. I ordered a newspaper to be delivered to the room every day and did receive it upon complaining after the third night! Furthermore there was a hole in the bed sheet on the sofa bed at the fourth evening. Again, after complaining at the front desk, the wrong sheet (a sheet and a duvet for a 2x2 meter bed) was delivered. This happened to me again when I called the front desk to clean the minibar as there was water running outside it, but nobody ever arrived to clean it. 


There is a lot to do at the Chedi Andermatt to be perfect, but if they unwind all these circumstances, this hotel might be sometime the best in Southern Switzerland. 


I would also like to mention that there are also good points when staying at the Chedi, like the excellent culinary experience at the Japanese Restaurant as well as at the Restaurant, managed by chef Mansour Memerian where there are 4 show kitchens. Furthermore Joel, the Assistant Restaurant Manager did everything that my birthday is unforgettable, so did the kind Concierge Riccardo! I got a very nice birthday cake and some very nice and personal presents from the staff members of the Chedi!


Did I already mention that the Spa is world-class? I had an excellent 60 minutes treatment (by Sandra) in one of their wonderful and maybe most spacious treatment rooms I have ever been! For all those to who the indoor pool appeals too cold, 27 degrees celsius, there are three different Hydrotherapy pools at the lower floor of the spa, at 32c, 36c and 42c. 


Our suite, a Deluxe Suite, is simply cool, luxurious, enormous and fully sound proofed. I love the surround sound system by Bose, you can feel every beat of the music. The beds are like heaven, if no hole in the sheet, and the bathroom is definitely my style: walk in shower, electronic toilet, double vanities, free standing bath tub in front of a stunning stone wall, and finally Acqua di Parma toiletries! 


There is one more thing I learned while staying for 5 nights at this picturesque property:
The more you appreciate the staff members and the more you socialize with them, the friendlier and more personal they are! They will keep you in mind as a nice and convenient guest, which is always welcome! Extra amenities or special requests are never impossible for these sort of guests!






Monday, November 11, 2013

Restaurant Check - Innsbruck - Part III

Today me and my colleague tested one of Innsbrucks finest restaurants high above the city, more exately on the top floor of the town hall, which also accommodates a high-class shopping center. 

In general, the atmosphere is a kind of sophisticated and the interior stylish with great views of the Tyrolean capital. For such a high-price restaurant, the servers are not dressed adequate - they wear sport sneakers and a black shirt.



The first course was a soup of chestnut with a lot of foam and orange zests on top. All in all the soup was quite good at a reasonable price of 4,50 euro. The bread served with the soup was a bit dry and there was no butter on-site.


For main course we choose chicken breast with mushroom risotto and green salad with beef filet. The chicken was very good, spicy with a nice sauce and a risotto which was cooked perfectly. The salad and the beef filets were very good, too.



For 38 euro for two, this is an expensive venue for lunch in Innsbruck, but in my opinion it was worth the money for such atmosphere and quality of food. It really has to be a special occassion if you want to go there for dinner, because the prices can be twice compared to the set lunch menu.







  • Restaurant Lichtblick
    Maria-Theresien-Straße 18, 6020 Innsbruck
    T: 0043 (0) 512 566550
    http://www.restaurant-lichtblick.at/