Travel

A fairy tale Swiss break

Whether you are looking for a skiing holiday, a spa break or just a fabulous winter trip, head to Switzerland for breathtaking alpine scenery and fantastic food and wine.

From the moment I stepped off the plane at Geneva airport I could tell I was in for a stress-free break. At customs every single counter was manned, at baggage claim there was a screen counting down the minutes until your suitcase would appear and in the railway station my train arrived bang on time. All in all, a great start to a pampered break in the Swiss alps.

For the ultimate luxurious holiday, book into the Gstaad Palace in Gstaad. This fairy-tale hotel – complete with turrets – opened in 1913 and has been serving Europe’s elite ever since. Whether you want to ski, dog sled, ride in a horse and carriage or a hot air balloon the hotel will help you arrange it. In fact, the staff will see to your every whim before you’ve even had chance to think of the whim yourself. Hand your coat to a porter when you arrive in reception and you’ll find it hung in your wardrobe barely a moment later.

The rooms themselves are spacious and well equipped – although three televisions is possibly a little excessive. For those who want something really special, book the hotel’s penthouse suite. Taking up the entire top floor of the hotel with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a dining/living room complete with log fire, this is one of the most impressive penthouses Europe can offer. And that’s before you look out of the window and discover the enormous 150 sq m terrace with jacuzzi. One of the hotel’s four turrets has even been turned into a private sauna for the use of penthouse residents. It’s no surprise this suite is booked up months in advance.

The hotel has five restaurants offering cuisine from around the world. The best is La Fromagerie. This traditional Swiss restaurant is housed beneath the hotel in an underground vault. The room was built by the Swiss bank as a place to store some of the country’s money during the Second World War. Now it has been decorated to look like the inside of a traditional wooden chalet, although the enormous reinforced vault door remains. The restaurant’s champagne and black truffle fondue is delicious and reasonably priced at CHF42 for two.

The latest addition is the spa, which opened in 2007. The spa looks like it should be in a Bond villain’s lair thanks to the stone walls with water running down them and circular central fireplace. The signature treatment is its Hammam. A traditional Hammam consists of sitting in several different rooms of varying temperatures to cleanse and purify the body – an experience that can get a little boring. To address this, the Gstaad Palace has create a Hammam experience that incorporates foot massages, body scrubs and back massages to entertain you as the varying room temperatures work their magic. Allowing you to finish your mountain holiday totally relaxed – and about a stone heavier thanks to all the wonderful food.

• A double room at the Gstaad Palace costs from CHF720 half-board. The penthouse costs from CHF9,900. The hotel has a varying minimum stay policy depending on time of year and is closed in spring and autumn. Call 00 41 33 748 50 00 or visit www.palace.ch .

Switzerland: two more luxurious Alpine retreats

Badrutt’s Palace, St Moritz

Prices from CHF365 for a double room in a hotel favoured by royalty since it opened in 1896. Contact: 00 41 81 837 1100, www.badruttspalace.com.

The Lodge, Verbier

Prices from £43,500 full-board for exclusive use of the chalet, which sleeps 18 adults and six children. Contact: 0800-716 919, www.thelodge.virgin.com.