Six Senses Crans-Montana, Switzerland
The new Six Senses Crans-Montana is the most exciting luxury ski hotel opening in Europe this winter. It debuts as the sixth Six Senses property in Europe, joining others in France, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.
The brand is luxury personified, but the resort may not be familiar to Americans who only know such Swiss resorts as Zermatt and St. Moritz. Crans-Montana is one of Switzerland’s largest ski resorts, situated on the north side of the Rhone Valley, not far from Verbier. Thanks to a broad south-facing location just shy of 5,000 feet, the twin towns of Crans and Montana offer two of the most desirable amenities of any European ski resort: abundant sunshine and panoramic views. The resort claims 300 days of sunshine a year, a boast only matched by the sunny slopes of St. Moritz.
Getting to the resort is relatively easy, as it lies just two hours from Geneva Airport by train and three hours from Zurich Airport.
It seems purpose-built for skiers, with 87 miles of ski runs served by 40 lifts. Those runs include the slopes at the Plaine Morte Glacier, which tops out at nearly 10,000 feet. But there are also wide-open pistes that are ideal for beginners and intermediates. Those who are better skiers and in good shape may opt for the descent down the Piste Nationale, a red run nearly seven and a half miles long.
Beyond alpine skiing, the mountain is a mecca for snowboarders and has a distinctive terrain park. There are cross-country trails, ice skating, and tobogganing for those who want to add to their downhill pursuits. The villages of Crans and Montana offer an estimable dining scene, a handful of five-star hotels, luxury shopping from high-end European labels, lively nightlife, and even a casino. If that sounds rather James Bond-ish, it’s fitting, as Roger Moore lived in the ski resort for years.
Six Senses Crans-Montana Deluxe Terrace Room
The Six Senses Crans Montana promises to take this to another level of luxury, branding it with their trademark concepts of wellness and sustainability. The new property is positioned just above the main gondola in Crans. It has 78 Terrace Rooms and one- and three-bedroom Suites designed to have the feel of a Swiss chalet, albeit one that has never seen a mountain shepherd. The designers used larch and oak for interiors with a warm yet minimal feel. They also created private terraces with a million-dollar view. The view from the rooms offers a similar panorama as the higher slopes of Crans-Montana, looking across the Valais valley and taking in a range of peaks, including the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe.
Lounge at Six Senses Crans-Montana
The resort will have two restaurants. Byakko is the signature restaurant, and it will offer hoba miso, hot stones, sushi and fish, grilled meats and hotpots with Japanese influences, and exotic sake blends. An all-day dining brasserie, Wild Cabin, has a large open terrace and will serve classic Swiss fare with a twist. The Ora Bar & Lounge is where to unwind apres ski.
The 21,500-square-foot Six Senses Spa has nine treatment rooms, a Stretch Pod, fitness facilities and a yoga studio. There’s a large indoor pool, a rooftop swimming pool, Alpine Garden, a steam room, a hammam, a hot tub and a cold plunge pool. The Biohack Recovery Lounge also utilizes innovative technology to optimize the body’s natural healing processes. That includes NormaTec compression boots and Hypervolt percussion massagers.
The Six Senses Crans-Montana also has 17 private residences for sale, and 13 of them can be bought as second homes by international residents. That’s worth noting, as foreigners are not always permitted to buy real estate in this country. These residences range in size from 2,260 to 3,550 square feet and include three- to five-bedroom apartments with two to three bathrooms and private parking spaces. Besides a menu of maintenance and hospitality services, residents have access to all the amenities of the Six Senses resort.
Six Senses Crans Montana is scheduled to open on February 1, 2023.