There are certain buildings in Gstaad that people follow like old friends, structures whose evolution we observe with curiosity, attachment, and occasionally, a raised eyebrow. The former Chéséry is one of them. When the doors finally reopened this winter under their stewardship, I walked in with the accumulated expectations of many years of watching scaffolding, listening to speculation, and remembering its earlier life as a beloved restaurant.

What I found inside is neither a reinvention nor a pastiche of what once was. It is, instead, something surprisingly gentle, an ultra-luxury chalet that doesn’t scream for attention, despite being one of the most exclusive addresses in town.

It feels, in many ways, like a home returned to purpose.

A house with a past — and now, a very polished present
The press release points out that the property was initially built by the late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV as a place to gather friends and family. Knowing this gives the new Ultima Promenade Gstaad a certain narrative weight: this was always meant to be a house filled with people, conversations, and late-night laughter.

The renovation took four years, a timeline that makes sense once you stand inside. Only the outer shell is familiar; everything else has been re-imagined, layer by layer, with the kind of precision that suggests limitless patience and an equally generous budget. Amandine, the chalet’s property manager, walked me through the house with the quiet pride of someone who has witnessed the transformation from bare skeleton to what it is today.

Eight suites and a four-bed children’s dormitory spread across multiple floors; two living rooms that flow into wrap-around terraces; a dining room with mirror ceilings that look high enough to make even the most jaded chalet-owner pause. Every corner has been considered, but nothing feels ostentatious. Ultima Collection have clearly abandoned its earlier flirtation with “bling” in favour of a softer, more Gstaad-appropriate aesthetic: warm woods, textured fabrics, and an architectural language that is more whispered confidence than glossy excess.

The surprising luxury of being in the middle of town
What sets this chalet apart is its location. You step out the door and you’re quite literally on the Promenade. For some families, this might be a non-negotiable luxury: the ability to walk to Louis Vuitton, Hermès, the Posthotel, or simply go for an early-morning stroll without having to rustle up the driver. As I said during my visit, Gstaad is one of the few Alpine destinations where living in the centre is, paradoxically, the ultimate privacy. Everyone is here, and therefore no one is looking at you.

Inside, the atmosphere is cocooned. The neighbouring buildings embrace the chalet in that uniquely Gstaad way, close enough to feel human, far enough to feel private. Not once did I sense that someone might be peering in, despite windows framing the village like a living portrait.

Service worth its reputation
Ultima Collection’s model relies on a simple principle: you rent the entire chalet or not at all. With this comes a full in-house team, property manager, chef, butlers, housekeeping, spa therapist, driver—11 staff members in total during the winter season.

What sets them apart from a typical five-star hotel isn't the range of services, but the way they are delivered so seamlessly. After arrival, Amandine explained, the team discreetly notes who prefers which coffee and brand of water within the first night, never asking again. Preferences are recorded, allergies pre-emptively managed, and special requests (truffle, lobster, “anything tonight but fish,” etc.) are met with composed ease.

Dinner on the first night is served family-style, a gesture that feels deliberate. Guests ease into the space before deciding whether they want a gastronomic evening or something entirely different. The kitchen, a professional workspace with beautiful light and views, allows the chef to operate with the same freedom he would in a boutique hotel.

An entire floor for wellness and play
Basement spas often disappoint me. They tend to feel either like bunkers or clinical lab extensions. The chalets’ wellness floor does not fall into this trap. The salvaged glass dome from the old restaurant casts natural light into the pool, and the wood-softened aesthetic ties it harmoniously to the rest of the chalet. Sauna, hammam, a sensorial shower with sound and coloured light, a snow fountain, gym, massage room, the completeness is impressive and not at all claustrophobic.

And then there is the nightclub.
Yes, a nightclub—elegant, intimate, with a proper bar, sound system, and the option to host large dinners or New Year’s parties for as many as 100 people. Few chalets in Gstaad accommodate this level of private entertainment without feeling like a converted basement.

A cinema completes the floor, plush and acoustically superb.

The art matters too
Ultima Collection has partnered with Artion Galleries to curate artwork throughout the property, rotating pieces based on guest preferences. It’s a gentle commercial concept: pieces can be purchased, but they don't push it. For a chalet with such neutral elegance, the art gives just enough personality without overwhelming the interior.

So, what does it feel like?
Editorially speaking, it feels like a confident return to form. Not showy. Not unnecessarily large. Not desperate to prove anything.

A house built for friends and family nearly 60 years ago has been carefully revived—not replicated, not over-polished—into a place where today’s extended families and multi-generational travellers can live, eat, celebrate, and retreat in genuine privacy.

The price point (from CHF 175,000 per week during winter) will naturally place it in rarefied territory, but the offering matches it. And unlike many ultra-luxe chalets built to be Instagrammable, this one is built to be lived in.

As a local resident, I find that meaningful.

This is not a loud arrival to the Promenade.
It is a quiet, confident return.

by JEANETTE WICHMANN

Read more about Ultima Promenade