Bruno Kernen, the former skiracer and Schönried hotelier, must laugh. “On the one hand, it was the desire of the owner that I run the hotel,” Kernen said. “On the other, Saanenland has a large demand for warm beds and the 11 beautiful double rooms are a welcome addition to our 22-bed operation in Schönried.”The three-star hotel - which opens December 15 in Saanenmöser and for which architect Gottfried Hauswirth was responsible - will be a “Hotel Garni” or a bed and breakfast. In the mornings, guests will be greeted by a large breakfast buffet; the breakfast room will be enhanced with a comfortable lounge and bar, but there will be no restaurant. The possibility to book half-board nevertheless exists. Dinner can be taken at the Hotel Kernen in Schönried and a shuttle service is available for hotel guests.“The fact that a restaurant is missing is the main difference between this hotel and Hotel Kernen in Schönried,” Kernen said. “The style of the hotel will be similar. The interior will be made with a lot of wood work, and coziness is a priority.”

“The stars in the sky…”
Kernen’s philosophy remains: “Stars belong in the sky, and not on the hotel door.” The thing with stars is that although they are a categorization he can live with, they don’t really say something meaningful about the price to service performance ratio. And Kernen believes this is essential. “One is measured by it,” he said.One night in a double room at the Hotel des Alpes, depending on the season, costs between SFr 100 and SFr 230 per person. The hotel will only be open during high season for now. “First, we must see how it runs,” Kernen said. “It makes no sense when both houses are half full in the end.” The hotel is already well booked for Christmas and New Year. Now, it’s a waiting game. “We have not done much advertising,” Kernen said. The hotel website will be launched as of December 15.A big advantage the hotel has, is its proximity to the train station. It’s practically at the front door. “And one doesn’t have to say much regarding the ski area nearby,” Kernen said with a smile. The hotel offers awesome views to the west. Family Kernen invites all interested parties to the opening on December 15.

Translated and adapted from the Article by Christine Eisenbeis in AvS 15.11.11