What an amazing way to start the new year! We were so lucky to have been invited to visit the iconic AlpenGold hotel in the world famous ski resort of Davos.
It was quite a long journey for us to reach there from Vaud but it was definitely worth it. The AlpenGold hotel appears on the horizon as you approach and we were immediately impressed by its unique shape as it basked in the winter sunshine. The check-in process was really efficient and we were met by Mr. Mario Gubi, the general manager, who welcomed us alongside the executive chef who had come to check the arrangements for Elio’s meals. Before we went up to our room we were also greeted by Léo from the kids club who came to introduce himself which we really appreciated and put the children at ease.
When we arrived in our rooms, we couldn’t believe our eyes as we had been given a lovely double room AND an adjoining Master suite. We hadn’t expected this and stood open mouthed for a minute or two before exploring. The children’s room was lovely with huge double bed and a single, large terrace, huge bathroom with shower and bath and lots of treats including some alcohol free champagne and champagne flutes, vegetable crisps, sweets and chocolates, a bag each and drawing kit to keep them busy. In the bathroom they had their own products and a body buffer each. Jude and Alba were so excited, they were literally jumping up and down.
The rest of the accommodation was jaw dropping with a huge living space, very large bedroom and bathroom and an enormous terrace that stretched around the length of the rooms offering beautiful views of the mountains and the town of Davos below. We were equally spoilt with fresh fruit and snacks and a bottle of wine to welcome us. I set about unpacking while Jude and Alba sipped their “champagne” on the balcony :-).
We had decided to play safe during out stay at AlpenGold and asked the hotel to arrange a babysitter for Elio in the evenings so that we could focus our attention on Jude and Alba and feel a bit less rushed at mealtimes. This meant that Elio was sampling room service and it was a big hit. When we met the chef earlier, he checked the kinds of things that Elio could eat and the quantities in order to get the portions right and Elio’s first meal was a mix of potatoes, vegetables and chicken prepared as a puree so that he could eat it easily and he demolished the lot. The babysitter turned out to be Léo from the kids club who brought his guitar to help calm Elio if needed. We went down to dinner feeling happy that he was in safe hands.
For the first night, we ate in Sapori which is the hotel's Italian restaurant. We were all really hungry and the food all looked so delicious, it was hard to choose but we eventually made up our minds and were soon tucking into our dinners. Jude amazed us by eating an adults portion of spaghetti bolognese and Alba managed to eat most of her pizza. Jean started with the Vitello tonnato which he thoroughly recommends, followed by tournedos Rossini while I had beef carpaccio and perch fillets.
Back in the room and Elio had had a lovely time with Léo and was very calm and relaxed after some massage and music. Jude and Alba fell asleep almost immediately and we woke up feeling fresh and energised for the day ahead. The first morning we decided to try breakfast in the room which arrived promptly and was copious. Lots of viennoiserie, fresh fruit, juice, bread and jams to choose from,
To start the day, the hotel had arranged for Jude and Alba to have a skiing lesson and it couldn’t be easier to get there from the hotel which offers a shuttle service and with the accompaniment of Léo, they were soon in place and ready to start. During this time, I stayed in the room with Elio where I did a quick yoga session and some exercises for Elio before we got ourselves ready for the return of the rest of the team. Alice, their ski instructor, was really nice and gave excellent tips to Jude and Alba who are making good progress on the slopes.
Jude and Alba came back pink cheeked, happy and starving hungry so we popped down for lunch in the hotel bar Nuts & Co. where they have a good choice to light meals and Elio once again had a delicious puree prepared especially for him.
Our plan for the afternoon was to take a walk so we set off on the bus in the direction of Davos but Elio was quite agitated so we decided to hop off and walk. In the end we covered about 7km on foot which enabled us to get a good overview of the town where preparations were in full swing for the World Economic Forum which is taking place soon. This gave the town a nice bustle and there was plenty to look at as we strolled along.
Back in the hotel and it was time to get ready for dinner. Jude and Alba insisted on a nice soak in the bath while we fed Elio and Alba decided that she didn’t fancy dinner with us and would rather stay with Léo so she tried some chicken from the room service menu.
This worked out well as it meant that we could have a “grown up” evening with Jude in the hotels very cool “cheese bubble”. This is a transparent tunnel shaped structure on the terrace of the hotel where guests can enjoy cheese specialities under the twinkling lights. We opted for raclette and a selection of charcuteries and it was lovely to chat to Jude about school and life as we ate. The location is really cool and must be amazing when there is snow. Jude was keen to go to the bar for a nightcap but we decided we should probably get him into bed a a decent time after a busy day. Alba had an amazing evening singing and dancing with Léo as he played his guitar and even Elio had a strum or two during the evening. Needless to say that she didn’t want to come to eat with us on the final evening :-).
After another good sleep we were up early and went down for breakfast. There is lots of choice of hot and cold dishes with something for everyone. Alba tucked into eggs and bacon while Jude stuck to muffins and fruit, Jean tried everything and I had some bircher muesli and fruit. There were also a few things Elio could eat including yoghurts and compotes.
Our plan for the second day had been to go for a walk around the lake, then drop the children off at the kids club for the afternoon but in fact neither Jude nor Alba wanted to come with us and decided they would rather go straight to the kids club! We kept Elio with us and checked in on the children before we went for our walk. Jude had found a huge box of Lego and Alba was exploring the slide and they were happy to stay.
The lake we explored is just at the foot of the hotel (follow the pink signs) and is a nice flat walk which we were able to do in the pushchair because there wasn’t much snow (it would probably have been more difficult if there had been). It’s a good length walk with nice views so a good outdoor activity for those not skiing.
Back at the hotel and we took a moment to chill. Elio had a little nap and Jean could catch up on some work while I did some planning for the week ahead. Jude and Alba didn’t want to join us for lunch either so they ate at the kids club while the rest of us went back to the bar for lunch. Sledging was on the agenda for the kids club crew in the afternoon so we dropped off their ski gear before lunch so that they could safely enjoy being outside. When they got back we dropped off Elio and Jean and I decided to head to the spa.
The spa is lovely with indoor and outdoor pools, sauna and steam rooms as well as treatments on offer. I was happy to sit and read for a while and Jean decided to swim. It was wonderful to have this moment of peace but it was soon time to collect the children again and get ready for the evening.
Our numbers dwindled further on this last evening when Jude decided that he would rather stay with Léo too but this meant that we could try the amazing La Muña restaurant on the top floor of the hotel. We had a drink in the stylish bar before sitting down to enjoy one of the best meals we have ever eaten. The style of the restaurant is Japanese and Peruvian fusion and its a marriage that works perfectly with dishes such as ceviche, sushi, gyoza, cod and wagyu beef on the menu, all packed with flavour and expertly prepared. Jean and I have eaten in a lot of very nice restaurants over the years and this definitely ranks among the top 3. We saw that there were children in the restaurant but we felt that it was a good thing ours had stayed with Léo because they perhaps wouldn’t have fully appreciated the menu.
When we got back to the room, Alba was sleep, Elio was in bed but calm and Jude was enjoying a moment with Léo. We have to make a special mention for Léo here who was absolutely amazing with the children, calm and unflappable, full of fun and entertainment and some really good ideas for how to calm Elio before bed. The children were really sad to say goodbye at the end of the evening.
Sunday morning came round all too fast and it was time to enjoy a last breakfast at the hotel before we set off for home. We had such an amazing time and left feeling thoroughly spoilt, refreshed and recharged which is everything we had hoped for when we arrived.
The hotel is a really beautiful and luxurious place and ideally located so close to the ski slopes, it makes life really easy. The dining facilities are excellent and the staff were all really helpful and friendly. The kids club is a huge plus for parents hoping for a few moments to relax, use the spa or go off to ski without the children.
We really hope this won’t be our last trip to this magnificent place.
Information AlpenGold Hotel
Baslerstrasse 9,
7260 Davos
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