The Alpina Gstaad opened in this lovely alpine village in 2012. With only 56 rooms and two chalets, a fantastic Six Sense Spa, and three sought after restaurants (Megu is the only Japanese restaurant in Gstaad and, so popular, it does three sittings a night in season), it is the first new five star hotel to open in Gstaad in the last one hundred years. Imagine! In a world that changes faster than milk sours on the shelf, Gstaad has managed to keep its physical chalet profile as well as its coziness and charm.
The Alpina was built with private money that spared nothing. The interiors blend the rustic with sophistication; ceilings, walls and floors are constructed out of old timber and local stone and are decorated with pieces from the family’s extensive contemporary art collection.
In two years, The Apina has walked away with a passel of awards recognizing its design, culinary excellence and service. It is a great addition to a refined tradition in this most special mountain resort.
John Derian is a treasure. It's not that there aren't many with talent and vision because there are, the world over. But Derian has other attributes that make him so beloved. His eye is unerring, his sense of scale is perfect, he layers cultures and eras seamlessly in a room. And he is accessible in brick and mortar. His two shops on East Second Street have been haunts for years. One carries the decoupage he designs and constructs locally (and that make the best gifts ever) along with the coveted ceramics of Astier de Villatte. The second Dry Goods store next door showcases quirky antiques, an assortment of vintage furniture, stacks of heavy french linen, Moroccan rugs and soft cotton Indian clothing. Both are small, but intriguing and interesting enough to seduce you on a journey of the senses.
And now, Derian has opened on Christopher Street in a double-windowed storefront of a two-story 18th century house. It's like walking in to another world. Traditional Astier, and the later Derian/Astier collaborative pieces, line the walls from roof to floor of the front room. The back room, wallpapered in his new cabbage rose design and lit by beautiful Balthus-designed standing lamps with parchment shades, offers a living room in which to settle in, thumb through books and albums, and rest the soul.
So, go to shop, or simply go to travel in spirit to another place and time.
https://www.johnderian.com/pages/our-locations"
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