A matter of location. Jump out of bed and straight onto the piste.
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Chetzeron
To some, it’s a power spot, to others it’s a gourmet palace. To winter sports enthusiasts, it’s the perfect ski-in ski-out hotel: Hotel Chetzeron lies high above Crans-Montana, at the heart of the ski resort, and is an ideal place to escape the daily grind. Its location is true luxury.
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Ski-in ski-out hotels
Straight out of bed and onto the piste. Ski-in ski-out hotels are popular because they are close to the slopes and cable cars, offering unique winter experiences next to the piste.
Mont Blanc on the left and the Matterhorn on the right.
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Great views are a given.
“Look out the window”, says Sami Lamaa, “and you see the Matterhorn to your right and Mont Blanc to your left.” In between lies the promised land of snow sports enthusiasts, winter holidaymakers and fine diners alike. When asked about what makes Chetzeron such a fantastic place, Lamaa lists three things: “location, location, location”.
Getting there is an experience in itself. During the daytime, you can descend on foot, skis or snowboard from Cry d’Er to the former upper station of the Crans-Chetzeron cable car. At night, the hotel shuttles guests to and from the village in one of its two snowcats.
From a former cable car station to a hotel.
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In the 1960s and 1970s, the slope-side restaurant was a favourite among the Italian and French high society. Shortly after, it deteriorated into a mere snack bar. And when the cable car ceased operating in 2001, there was even talk of tearing the conspicuous concrete block down.
But Sami Lamaa saw its potential and jumped at the opportunity. In 2008, he opened the gourmet restaurant; the hotel followed in 2015.
Many hotels in Switzerland offer their guests direct access to the slopes. But only a few are as exclusive as the Chetzeron. If you head out on your skis right after breakfast, you can enjoy the rush of having one of the most beautiful downhill runs around Crans-Montana all to yourself.
The Chetzeron’s staff also have the piste to themselves every night after the end of their shift, because there’s only one way to get home: by skiing down the slope in the dark. Provided it’s not snowing or stormy, this can be a truly mystical experience; one that many guests envy.
