An alpine temple of repose

It looks like a large chalet, blends in well with the village color scheme of Andermatt and from afar hardly looks like a five-star hotel. The Chedi Andermatt is a part of the tourism project by entrepreneur Samih Sawiris.

Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects says he oriented his design on the "grand old ladies". He means, of course, the legendary grand hotels of the Swiss Alps in St. Moritz and Gstaad. And in Andermatt. These hotels were all built around about the beginning of the 20th century.

Where The Chedi now stands was once the site of the Grand Hotel Bellevue. For Gathy, the interior design is reminiscent of the year 1904 and the great era of the Grand Hotels.

"We used etched glass, conical mirrors and heavy velvet curtains, one or two chandeliers and a few ornamental elements reminiscent of the 'grand old lady' of 1904", says the architect. A large amount of natural stone and a lot of local wood was used. The design is a mix-ture of Swiss-Alpine and Asiatic elements. The design mix matches the name. Chedi is Thai and describes a part of a temple.

The Chedi Andermatt has 123 rooms and suites, five lounges, bars and restaurants including The Japanese Restaurant and The Restaurant, where Asian and western cuisine is prepared in four studio kitchens before the eyes of the guests.

In most rooms, the bathroom is accessed through sliding doors that open fully. They lend the rooms a generous airy feeling. "The room feels bigger when all the doors are open", says architect Gathy.