The hospitality in Lucern is something really rare that remains inside of you, but a true traveller cannot resist the lure of the road, especially if he’s facing a destination like Gstaad, in the Bernese Oberland, which is the second leg of our road trip.
March 5th. 10 AM
The start is blessed by a warm and bright sun that gives a postcard-like landscape feel. The Swiss Alps really does offer an exciting show.
The winding mountain roads are a gift to anyone who enjoys driving, but upon arriving to Lake Brienz, a pit stop is a must. It’s almost impossible to not stop and appreciate the clear blue water on which the Burgfeldstand is reflected, one of the most photographed mountain ranges of the Swiss Alps.
Here natural treasures and human mastery complement and enhance each other at every corner. One just needs a quick look at the collection of sailboats mirrored in the small but beautifully-kept freshwater harbor to understand why Lake Brienz is a staple on travel itineraries from Gentlemen all around the world.
Lakes inspire placid calmness, but travelling by car comes with constant surprises. Only a few dozen kilometers further, a heavy snowfall began to cover everything in a soft white blanket: some might call it bad luck, but the truth is that this unexpected event allowed us to enjoy the Swiss landscape in its most romantic and authentic state.
1 PM, arrival to Gstaad.
Even if the outside temperature has dropped, the warm welcome received in Gstaad restores us in an instant. At the entrance of the boutique hotel Ultima Gstaad the staff welcomes us with extreme kindness and professionalism, valeting our car and taking our luggage to our residence apartment.
Inside Ultima Gstaad hotel, acheiving excellence is the the norm: every detail, surface, piece of furniture speaks the international language of exclusivity. A refinement that is now part of the culture of Gstaad, a small town located at 1,050 meters above sea level which hosts a popular ski resort frequented mainly by the jet-setters, European aristocracy and many of the like. Everything here is just like a Gentleman would want it: even the welcome cocktails are masterpieces of taste and accuracy.
And that's just the beginning. After organizing the luggage, we decide to take advantage of the afternoon to give ourselves a total wellness break in the SPA of the hotel, which promises “timeless beauty and infinite luxury”.
A facility of exquisite refinement and luxury, where every element of interior design – including every surface and display of light – is designed for arousing a deep sense of exceeded satisfaction and creating an incredibly elegant and exclusive atmosphere. The peak of inner and outer well-being is reached at the Aesthetics Clinic®, a beauty center inside the hotel which pampers guests with Made to Measure treatments.
The day can only end with a dinner in the elegant restaurant of the hotel where we let ourselves be captured by the sophisticated flavors of delicious gourmet combinations.
Even the sight of the restaruant satisfies the appetite with it's beautiful interior, enhanced by the selection of fine sparkling and still wines that the restaurant keeps stored inside design showcases.
After such an intense day, the idea of retiring for the night has a completely different appeal. In this case, it is further enhanced by the beauty of the residence apartment where we are staying, inspired by the design of mountain cottages: intimate and warm environments, equipped with every comfort, where you feel perfectly at home. In places like this, the sleep always arrives once the dream has already begun...
To be continued...
Photos: Federico Bajetti for The Outlierman © 2017
Location: Ultima Gstaad
