Gstaad Palace, Switzerland

This week we took part in the Mason Rose FAM trip to Gstaad Switzerland! With great flight access from London City and only a short 1.5-hour flight, before you know it you have landed in Geneva and begin the scenic journey to the Palace! The train journey to Gstaad consists of two different trains (changing at Montreux) but showcases beautiful views of Lake Geneva.  Along with breathtaking views, why not upgrade the train travel to include a cheese and chocolate experience – something unique to Switzerland!  As you pull into the hotel it invites you to get immersed in their “over one-hundred-year-old history” of the Gstaad Palace: the luxury hotel in Switzerland which opened its doors on 8 December 1913.

The opening of the railway line from Montreux to Gstaad on 20 December 1904 heralds the start of tourism in Gstaad.  Soon afterwards the local secondary school teacher Robert Steffen recognises the potential for a luxury hotel on the Oberbort, which found him purchasing the first plots of land and looked for investors.  In April 1912 the first cut of the spade was made for the building of the Palace Hotel, which was finally opened on 8 December 1913 under the management of the Directors Albert Steudler and Hans Pünter.  The investors set the highest standards of luxury right from the start with central heating and the hotel’s own telegrapher.  The first winter season was so successful that they then decided to build a ballroom extension on the ground floor in spring 1914.  Up to 350 people still celebrate in the “Salle Baccarat” today.

From an elegant dinner to a casual get-together, from original Swiss specialities to international haute cuisine – you can find the restaurant for every occasion here.  We took advantage of the June warmth and dined outdoors each evening on the FAM trip.  It was great to experience two very different styles of dining throughout the stay; a 3 course set menu and then a high-end buffet.  Each experience showcased outstanding food and the highest of service.

I was very intrigued to see what activities they would suggest doing in the heat of the summer, but was pleasantly surprised to see that they could accommodate the 3 main objectives in any activity; Relaxation, traditional touches and a unique “wow”!  The in house spa offers eight treatment rooms, a private spa suite, sauna, steam baths, a unique hammam experience, and an outdoor pool – all of which are included within your stay at the Place!  The traditional touch was learning about their local paper cutting talents, which saw us getting hands-on with miniature scissors and cutting our very own masterpieces to take home!  Then finally the unique “wow ” moment where we had a horse and cart transfer down to the beautiful Lake Lauenen.

Finding the right location for your event can be challenging, that’s why we make sure we try out as many as possible, so we can provide you with the right option for you.  If you want to find out more about how we do this, contact a member of our events team, they will be happy to tell you all about their experiences.  To have a look at some of the other amazing events we have organised click on the link below.  https://www.sevenevents.co.uk/casestudies/