An independent guide to luxury ski chalets
From £22,000 for main house only,
£30,000 exclusive chalet – plus food & drink
Superb chalet in charming village
five minutes from St Moritz
usp
Chalet Chesetta, which means little house in Romansch, has a clear USP: it is a chalet in St Moritz, a resort better known for its top-end historic hotels (St Moritz has five, five-star hotels) rather than chalets. In fact, Chesetta is one of only a handful of chalets there – and, we would argue, the very best.
location
Chesetta is located in exclusive Silvaplana, five minutes along the valley from St Moritz. This is far better than being in St Moritz itself because A. St Moritz is big and concretey and surprisingly without charm; B. Silvaplana is a delightful little old village with ancient buildings and cobbled streets, the chosen location of numerous celebrities, European royals and wealthy business folk and C. the chalet still has easy access to all the bright lights and Bond Street shopping facilities of St Moritz as well as the breathtaking scenery of the Engadin valley.
style
This new-build chalet is rather eclectic in style – the soft furnishings are all by Etro, hence there are lots of classic paisleys throughout, mixed up with more contemporary Etro fabrics such as brightly-striped velvets. There are Philippe Starck garden gnome side tables, which do not quite lend themselves to an authentic mountain chalet vibe, giant pouffes from Morocco, and witty pieces of art on the walls such as a Vivienne Westwood Union Jack and a stainless steel set of antlers. ^
rooms
These are all gorgeous and well-sized. The master suite is massive, although it is just off the living area which might not be ideal if there are noisy late-night sessions. There are two charming rooms tucked at the top in the eaves of the roof, with hefty wooden beams and sloping ceilings, and other rooms are spread out downstairs and in the annexe – a handy extension which can be shut off if the chalet is not booked out to capacity, but which provides useful privacy for separate parties within a group. It even has its own living room and kitchen. The toiletries are all lovely Miller Harris.
food & drink
This is quite excellent – among the best we have experienced. The chalet uses local staff who are employed all year round, and their commitment combined with local charm and top-notch ability is a winning combination. Bettina the chef quietly rustled up the most perfect dishes in the delightful, all-wood open-plan kitchen, from traditional Engadin barley soups to melt-in-the-mouth risottos and fluffy pancakes for breakfast. Second portions were always available – you will not go hungry here. One note: all food and wine is extra, but is charged at trade price. And the wine can be anything from local wines such as Bonner Grand Cru to classic Rothchilds and Cristal Champagnes. Guests are sent a comprehensive questionnaire before staying, where they can select everything in advance. ^
service
Once again, faultless. We kept thinking there were little elves at work, so discrete was the making of our beds or the turn-down service in the evening. But there was entertaining interaction too, not just silent, hotel-style stuffiness. ^
spa facilities
Chesetta has a sauna which can also be a steam room, a fully equipped gym, plus space for massages by Christof, the local physio with magical hands. St Moritz does not allow outdoor hot tubs (not green enough, apparently), so this facility is sadly lacking. ^
children
The owners have three children so the chalet is fully set up, from high chairs to baby cots, sterilizers, nappies and wipes. Food can be freshly steamed and pureed, and there are every variety of toy from board games to a Wii (which has 50 games). ^
extras
A private ski instructor in included in the price at Christmas and New Year, transport is laid on to and from the lifts each day all day, and every room is connected with mega fast internet with a lead but you can plug into a booster and be fully wireless if you prefer (the owner is rather wary of the health implications of high-speed wireless connectivity). The chalet also has a fab cinema, complete with massive, fall-asleep-on sofas and Apple TV which has a full selection of DVDs and access to endless more that guests are encouraged to download, to build up the chalet’s collection further. There is also a chalet computer, with printer and fax. ^
for skiers
Instruction in St Moritz is mostly done on a one-to-one basis – there is not really an adult ski school, largely because so many visitors to the resort do not ski and are just there for the shops and the fur coats. The resort, nevertheless, is great for skiers, and 80% of the slopes have snow-making facilities so there is no worry about not having snow. Chesetta works with two top local mountain guides who are permanently on stand-by for guests. The chalet is also only five minutes by car from the nearest lift station. ^
for non skiers
Given that 60% of visitors to St Moritz in the winter do not buy a lift pass, the resort is one of the best for non-skiers. For starters, there are the shops – a glittering array of Bond Street emporiums, from Gucci to Prada to Ralph Lauren. Then there is the lake, which freezes over each winter and creates a vast, icy stage for polo, horse racing and even golf. Ice climbing is also possible, together with sledding, horse carriage rides around the lake and beautiful walking in the valley.
best thing
The exquisite food and impeccable service. ^
worst thing
Those Philippe Starck gnomes – but some guests may love them. ^
getting there
The best route is to fly into Zurich then catch the train up to St Moritz. The journey, particularly for the last hour, is stunning, threading its way up through the Engadin valley. The chalet will pick you up at the station. It will also pick you up at the airport if you wish, but that costs extra. ^
bottom line
Chesetta is priced from £2525 pp per week based on 12 sharing. St Moritz is an extremely expensive resort and the pricing is the same as one suite plus five standard rooms in the cheapest five star hotel in resort. It is far more affordable than staying en-masse in, say, Badrutt’s Palace or the Kulm. ^
bookings & enquiries
If you would like to make an enquiry or a booking, please email enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk. Remember, we have visited all the chalets we feature so can give you totally unbiased, independent advice on all of them. The prices we quote are also the list prices quoted by the chalets themselves, so there is no advantage in going to the chalets direct.
Chalet - 9
Service - 9
Room - 8
Food & Drink - 10
Luxury - 8
Bring your own slippers; the chalet, which has wooden floors throughout, provides a selection of Moroccan babouches, but they may not have your size. And don’t miss Bettina’s bircher muesli for breakfast – a perfect and healthy way to prepare you for the slopes.
Quickfinder
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• Non Skiers
• Best Thing
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• Getting There
• Bottom Line
• Bookings & Enquiries
• Other chalets to suit corporate groups
Bookings and enquiries: enquiries at chicchaletguide.co.uk Telephone:
+44 (0)7772 853996
guest book
"We loved your cooking, your thoughtfulness and your help with all our unreasonable demands. The chalet is stunning and the skiing excellent."
"One of the best vacations ever. It felt like home."
“Chesetta is indeed a home from home. Bettina, master chef, and Gold Key concierge facilities. We enjoyed ourselves as much as one possibly could.”
“The chalet and Bettina and Kat have made our stay such a pleasure that we are sad to leave. We shall definitely return.”
summeR
Open from mid June to mid September. Booked from July 18th to mid August. The summer service includes the house manager chef, a housekeeper and concierge, and costs from £1200 pp per week.
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