Overlooking the alpine village, this five-star hotel opened in 2012 with 56 suites and bedrooms and has already won numerous awards, including a Michelin star for its restaurant, Sommet. It was at this family-friendly mountain hideaway that I finally learnt how to let go, giving myself permission to leave my fast-paced lifestyle behind and do absolutely nothing, while being treated like a princess. The epitome of alpine chic, the hotel has been thoughtfully designed and decorated using traditional Swiss craftsmanship and materials, including stone, leather and centuries-old fir crafted by local artisans. Contemporary accents have been mixed with antique wood, while a traditional Swiss flavour is maintained and the hotel is full of cultural, ethnic and funky contemporary art. One of my favourite rooms has to be the huge basement cinema with around 40 big, comfy chairs and a popcorn cart. Perfect. Outside the surrounding natural landscape is forested, with dark green firs that frame lush open pastures full of grazing cows. Dotted around the rolling hills are traditional Swiss chalet-style homes with carved wooden shutters, mixed with chic accommodation belonging to the world’s rich and famous who come here to escape. Here in Gstaad, discretion is respected: you can be anonymous. The wealthy and well-known are left alone, their privacy respected, and they can move about incognito. Ask a local where pop star Madonna’s house is and they will tell you they don’t know who you are talking about. My opulent and spacious suite (larger than my own two-bedroom London apartment) was thoughtfully planned to the minutest detail. Rustic yet modern, the room has a wood-burning fire, cosy designer chairs and deep, sprawling couches. Soft suede lined the chest of drawers, and the king-sized bed seemed lost in the cavernous space. From the balcony I overlooked the hotel’s heated outdoor garden pool, surrounded by lounge chairs and with attentive staff always at the ready to supply guests with exotic refreshments. The mountains felt so close they seemed to rise from around the edge of the pool. I looked down into the quaint village centre, where, on the coming weekend, a big international volleyball competition would be held. I struggled to leave my balcony, pressing the shutter on my camera over and over, trying to capture the majestic setting. I had come to The Alpina Gstaad to experience the Six Senses Spa. This includes an indoor pool, a garden pool, a Himalayan salt grotto, a Turkish bath, a gym and yoga studio, and facial and massage treatment rooms. And things were about to get personal. I was ushered into a consultation room, where I was introduced to spa manager and Six Senses trainer Antonis Sarris. My wellness screening consisted of a 60-minute consultation, using advanced technology that analyses key physiological biomarkers of health, including body composition, metabolism, oxygen distribution and heart function and circulation, as well as stress parameters. The results are used to prepare a wellness programme specific to your individual needs. “The test involves the conducting of six different movements, with their execution being registered to Fusionetics software,” said Antonis. “It is an evidence-based sports science platform, helping you to understand, monitor and optimise your performance while reducing the risk of injury.” Antonis attached electric pads to my forehead and a clip to a finger, while my feet were placed on a pad that read my body stats. Hooked up like a lab rat, I tried to relax while the screening progressed. My results would help to create a personalised, week-long wellness programme to include fitness and nutrition advice, and a programme to take home. There was a follow-up consultation to monitor results before I left the hotel. Without going into detail, I had room for improvement. The screening made me realise that I’d slacked off a little with my exercise routine because of my travelling lifestyle: not relaxing, no regular routine, and not always eating regularly or the right things. It was a reminder to reconnect with myself, to try to keep a healthy body by fuelling it with the right food, and to live a healthy life to its full potential, while focusing on particular points uncovered by the spa’s screening programme. I celebrated my new approach to eating with a visit to the hotel’s Megu Japanese restaurant, where I dined on maguro tuna with spicy miso, crispy kanzuri shrimp and silver cod with yuzu miso. The hotel’s Sommet restaurant is the jewel in The Alpina Gstaad’s crown, earning a well-deserved Michelin star for its exceptional gourmet food. There’s also the Cigar Lounge, Wine Cellar and, of course, the cinema for after-dinner relaxation. The following morning, I strolled into the pristine town of Gstaad. A welcome retreat from the heat in summer thanks to its elevation and mountain breezes, it is small, but packed with quaint cafés, top class restaurants, and shops selling designerwear, sporting gear and exquisite Swiss food specialities – from cheeses to meats and pastries that, on sight, will make you drool. No cars are allowed so you can walk at ease through the town, but cycling is permitted and makes a great way to explore. Be prepared for hills should you go farther afield, and take drinking water with you. In the heart of the town is a bronze statue of a cow, named Daisy, drinking from a trough. It was designed by Liza Todd, whose mother, Elizabeth Taylor, lived in Gstaad for 30 years; it’s where she married and divorced Richard Burton. There are 200 farmers in and around Gstaad. During the soaring summer heat, the cows spend their days on top of the mountains where it’s cooler. At the end of August, they descend to the village for winter, an event celebrated by a festival, and they are welcomed as they pass through the centre of the village with big bells around their necks and wild flowers on their heads. “My heart beats faster and tears fall down; it is very emotional to see this,” said a local shop owner. One year, as the cows passed through town, one of them entered the pharmacy through its automatic doors, until it was respectfully herded out. Summer skiing is possible on the nearby glaciers, but it’s during the winter season that international skiers really descend on this chocolate-box town. In summer, there are plenty of hikes or short walks around the nearby alpine lakes, where lush fields overflow with beautiful wild flowers. No matter what time of year you might choose to go, there is always something exciting going on in Gstaad. FACTBOX The Alpina Gstaad, Alpinastrasse 23, 3780 Gstaad, Switzerland (+41 33 888 98 88, www.thealpinagstaad.ch) Lead in room price is 850 CHF (£687) until 19 March (end of winter season). Rates are per room in double use and per night, including breakfast, daily credit of CHF 100 (£80) per person and day for food and beverage consumption in restaurants, pool bar or spa juice lounge, free access to pools, saunas, steam-baths and relaxation areas at the Six Senses Spa, parking as well as service charge, all taxes and VAT. For more information on Switzerland visit www.MySwitzerland.com or call Switzerland Travel Centre on the International free phone number 00800 100 200 30 or e-mail, for information, info.uk@myswitzerland.com. For packages, trains and air tickets visit sales@stc.co.uk.