Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding - Jan/Feb 2018 (Issue 37)

S witzerland has been on my bucket list for what feels like forever and before the plane had even landed in Geneva I knew I was in for something special – just the views of the lake and the backdrop of mountains were absolutely stunning. Gstaad was a three-hour train ride away from the airport with a quick change in Montreux for good measure. The Golden Pass train itself is comfortable, but I’d suggest paying the extra for the plush benefits of first class including plenty of leg room and a fabulously large window. The first leg of the journey, the train hugged the edge of Lake Geneva while the final leg weaved up and through mountains with deep valleys, streams, and trees galore – you’ll not want to blink and miss a thing. FIRST IMPRESSION Pulling into Gstaad station is an experience in itself, like something off a luxury chocolate box there are chalet’s as far as the eye can see with plenty of greenery in between – space is in abundance here. Being September the weather was still fair and only the very tops of the tallest mountains boasted a sprinkle of snow. The sun was out in all its glory and shone brightly, making it hard to believe we were up in the mountains. The first stop was my hotel for the next two nights, The Alpina Gstaad, around a ten- minute walk from the station or one smooth, three-minute ride in the hotel ’ s sleek white Tesla complete with falcon doors, which is available for guests when visiting the village. Arriving though the hotel’s underground driveway, a glass façade gives you your first look of a warm and cosy entrance hall complete with wooden décor and furnishings as well as some interesting modern artwork. There is really no other way to describe the hotel other than alpine-chic and I instantly fell in love with it, especially upon entering my plush junior suite, which boasted a bedroom, lounge, a handmade stone fireplace just waiting for me to curl up in front of with a book after a hard day’s exploring the local area. Annie Cannock travels to Switzerland to explore Gstaad, popular with skiers and jetsetters alike Alps amour Getting settled into the surroundings wasn’t hard; Gstaad’s motto is ‘Come up – slow down’ and I was more than ready to do so, but before slipping into bed, there were a few activities planned. A short drive to the village Schönried brought us to a shop and dairy, where local farmers bring their milk to be processed into cheese. This was followed by welcome drinks at Fondueland, a local initiative, which is essentially a Swiss version of a picnic in the park, except the benches are shaped like giant fondue pots. I was then treated to a wonderful dinner at the five-star Hotel Ermitage, which of course included delicious, local cheeses. A LAKE WITH A VIEW Waking up refreshed, my doorbell rang and All images courtesy of Gstaad Saanenland Tourismus ‘‘ Gstaad is the last paradise in a crazy world, ’’ – Julie Andrews 94