So where do billionaires go to escape the millionaires? The Alpina, of course. Arriving at Gstaad station, we whizzed uphill in the hotel’s Range Rover into an underground James Bond-esque lair that opens into the lobby of this majestic, newly built luxury hotel. You’d think the place had been there forever – sitting on the site of a Grande Dame; boasting delicately crafted Ringgenberg limestone and reclaimed barn wood architecture; and featuring an impressive array of antique furniture – it’s the perfect, Alpine classic. But also, you won’t miss the lashings of contemporary art – a collection worth millions; or the perfectly curated humidor; or the fine-dining Japanese restaurant; or the Six Senses spa featuring a real Tibetan monk – a head-on collision of old world charm and new world luxury. Our suite overlooked the steaming outdoor pool and the glacier beyond. It was beautifully designed, complete with a homely fireplace and a sumptuous sofa where we enjoyed some Roederer Cristal, the hotel’s signature bubbly. For the ultimate getaway, the Panorama suite calls, a 3-bedroom playpen of pure indulgence, so perfect that even the Queen (Madonna) couldn’t stay away.
