The Waldhotel Fletschhorn was one of the first hotels to pioneer the original well-being escape. Known for its holistic air, the hotel offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a less structured holiday experience, where they can switch off, paint, read, walk and re-connect to the spectacular landscapes surrounding it.
Time-honoured, established, and to those in the know, the Waldhotel Fletschhorn sits in a magical pine forest in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, where it provides guests with high-quality, healthy cuisine and captivating surroundings.
A phrase frequently linked with property is “Location, Location, Location”, and these three words are all you need to describe Waldhotel Fletschhorn, a beautiful lodge hotel set within an extraordinary pine forest in Saas-Fee.
The largest summer-ski area in the world, known as ‘The Pearl of the Alps’, Saas-Fee is only a two-hour transfer from Geneva and just six kilometres from the Italian border. This remote, car-free village is incredibly unique as it has not been allowed to develop like many other settlements in the country, which makes it uncannily quiet and uncommercial, with houses and stable buildings remaining unchanged through the generations.
The only way to get to Waldhotel Fletschhorn is via an electric buggy along a private road, which is a 15-minute ride from the village. This 100-year-old property is a firm favourite; some would consider it a closely-guarded secret of those who put peace, privacy, pastoral pursuits, and the promise of eating incredibly well at the forefront.
In winter, many choose to make it their luxurious base for cross-country skiing from the back door; in the summer months, the hotel comes into its own as a glorious alternative to the Med’s crowded, noisy beaches and its oppressive heat.
Each of the 13 bedrooms has a balcony overlooking a valley of evergreen pines to the Mischabel mountains, some of which are more than 4,000 metres high.
Spaces are generous with a strong focus on real comfort rather than impressive but awkward innovation. The bedroom decor boasts muted, calming tones with splashes of colour on select walls and through furniture and artwork.
There is still enough space left for enormous open-plan bathrooms with powerful showers and corner bathtubs. As you’d expect, bedroom and bathroom linens are by Frette.
With temperatures barely above 20°C even in summer – and always the chance of the mountaintops being snow-sprinkled overnight – Waldhotel Fletschhorn offers soothing summertime seclusion with exclusivity, openness and sincerity in equal measure.
Spa and wellness
Head Therapist Gergo Aradi – formerly Head Therapist at London’s prestigious Soho House – is an internationally recognised massage therapist, yoga and meditation teacher, and life coach.
The Fletschhorn Bespoke Swedish Massage is the one the hotel is famed for, but the treatment menu is all enticing, including holistic life coaching and guided meditation and relaxation, which couples can enjoy together.
Some guests will wander through the forest, feed the marmots, read, write, paint and hunt for mushrooms, take a trip to Mattmark, the largest earth dam in Europe, drawn by its wild and romantic Norwegian-style landscape, explore the area by e-bike, or make the most of the free use of cable cars during the summer season. Others will head to Zermatt and Lake Garda or hike to local vineyards to familiarise themselves with the history and process of wine-making in the Valais.
There is also the option of taking part in a cooking class, which can be organised by Waldhotel Fletschhorn on request, or they can choose to do nothing and opt to enjoy the stunning scenery. Things to do are not only limited to daylight hours. When night falls, there is also the option to go stargazing with a local astronomer, the perfect prelude to a wondrously deep sleep, undisturbed by ambient light and noise.
Fine food and wine
Waldhotel Fletschhorn’s Executive Chef Zhanna Blashchenko, originally from Kyiv in Ukraine, has over 15 years of experience in some of the Ukrainian capital’s most well-known restaurants. Her menus are Swiss-influenced but also inspired by Italian, German and French cuisine.
Chef Zhanna chooses the freshest ingredients, which come from the hotel’s local suppliers whom they know and trust. Ingredients include dairy products from the Simplon area, organic fruits, vegetables and meats, and locally crafted Swiss cheeses and chocolates. Patisserie Chef Yana, also from Ukraine, delights guests with her experiments in taste.
The hotel’s wine cellar, aligned with the organic theme, holds over 9,000 bottles of the finest wines from the region and beyond.
Rooms at Waldhotel Fletschhorn start from 192 CHF (£168) per room, based on double occupancy, including breakfast. For further information or to book a stay, please call 0207 184 9837 or visit www.fletschhorn.ch.
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