Whether we believe in them or not, fairytales have the power of making us dream. They trigger our imagination and simulate our thoughts without any input of the senses.
Sometimes when the senses come into play, some fairytales don’t fade away. Rather they take you into a magical dreamy world that you can even see or feel, however cannot fully grasp! These fairytales can take the shape of a mountain lake that turned deep blue or a hotel SPA that infinitely impresses.
And that is about our stay at The Cambrian Adelboden, one of the best spa hotels in Switzerland, and the magical gems of the Adelboden region.
Blausee and the living fairytale
Our long weekend started at lake Blauseee. The legend says that Blausee took its deep blue color in memory of the deep blue eyes of the beautiful maiden who died of a broken heart. It might be the legend that brought us to Blausee, but it was the stunning sight of this small mountain lake that made us mesmerise in front of its beauty. We were monitoring the weather for few days before our visit. Feeling worried that it will be gloomy, rainy and cold. Little did we know that snow had another opinion. The sight of the snow falling on the lake, covering the trees surrounding it, was simply breathtaking. The white snow contour at the edges of the lake Blausee enhanced further the blueish colour of the lake water. Such a magical sight! We toured around this little gem, taking photos from every angle. As if we didn’t believe our eyes and we wanted to keep evidence of this image after we “wakeup from the dream”.
Blausee is also an organic farm for trout fish, so the sight of them swimming around adds to the magical feel of the place. We left the place wondering what is the Fairytale, is it the maiden story or is it the view?!
Kandersteg, the fairytale continues
Within 20 min from Blausee, settles Kandersteg. Kandersteg is also a little gem from the region, surrounded with giant mountains that give it a romantic atmosphere. The most stunning part of this small village is its stone bridge under which a sparkling river passes. Snow was still falling all round. It turned the village into a postcard that you see only in painting masterpieces. A stone bridge, a river with banks covered with snow, an old church just steps behind, and an overwhelming mountain touching the sky. All where elements, nature made & human made, that can make the best painters stand in awe. They might replicate the scene on canvas, and still not give justice to this dreamy place.
We turned to a restaurant next to the bridge. Sipping a coffee and peaking out of the window on this beautiful breathtaking sight. Most people have coffee to wake up, we had it to dream!
The Cambrian Adelboden, a SPA hotel that makes you dream
From legends and fairytales to dreams come true. Our host The Cambrian Adelboden had a wonderful story to tell. It’s the story of two brothers from Wales who used to come to Adelboden for an annual vacation with their parents when they were young. The parents could barely afford a humble room to stay in. Yet they insisted that their children have a memorable vacation once a year. The boys dreamt of growing up and rewarding back their parents with a nice stay in a luxurious hotel. Little did they know that their careers will get very successful that eventually they will buy an old hotel and turn it into the modern stunning The Cambrian Adelboden!
Everything in The Cambrian Adelboden is of refined taste and contemporary design. Very elegant yet very simple. The interior is very distinctive and majorly inspired by Wales, the country of origin of the owners. Actually “Cambrian” means Wales in old Latin. The green colour is ambient and is used even for the SPA robes. It gives the hotel a distinctive feel & look from other SPA hotels.
A view at The Cambrian Adelboden and ski resorts that are within reach
Both the interior lounge and exterior deck of The Cambrian are amazing. The lounge and salon are very tastefully furnished and are open to wide windows that bring the outside mountain ranges closer. A cosy and romantic place to have a coffee when it’s snowing or raining. Every detail is elaborated to make the guests feel at home. The books to borrow, the chimney place, the green plants distributed nicely throughout the hotel. There is even a billiard room that adjacent and adds to the lively atmosphere.
Once the sun shows its face, everybody is on the outside deck. A chilling and vibrant spot, that acts as a view platform also. Overlooking the outdoor pool and bringing the mountain range a stretch of an arm closer.
The suite at The Cambrian Adelboden was very spacious and elegantly designed. The balcony overlooked the magnificent mountains of the region and its different ski resorts. Especially the well-known ski resort of Adelboden-Lenk, host of the FIS Ski World cup. The view range here is wider and even higher. Talking of ski resorts, the hotel provides a shuttle bus that takes you to Oye, the base of Oye-Bergläger-Sillerenbühl cable car.
A SPA and outdoor pool open to a marvellous view, a benchmark for SPA hotels
The SPA zone of The Cambrian Adelboden is a feast to the eyes. It makes it one of the best SPA hotels in Switzerland. An indoor pool opens to glass windows all along. It is beautifully lit with stars-like ceiling and coloured entourage, making it a very romantic spot. Different saunas and 24/7 gym facilities. The SPA treatments are excellent! We tried the massage, and it was so relaxing and reviving. The most gorgeous of all is heated outside pool. It’s a marvel on its own. A world of attracting opposites coming together beautifully. Cosy while at the same time open to the wonderful view of the mountains surrounding Adelboden. Contained, but infinite, warm but refreshing. Relaxing due to the jets and bubbles area, but lively and active of the fresh air from the surrounding mountain.
The snowy weather by that time cleared out and the sun was shining bright. The view of the snow-covered mountains was stunning so we cancelled all outside plans and decided to enjoy the pool to the max! No rush, the waterfalls will be there tomorrow !
Bryn Williams is here! The remarkable hotel restaurant
The Wales influence spreads to the main hotel restaurant, the Bryn Williams!
Bryn became well-known even as a sous-chef. He was selected to cook the fish course for the late Queen Elizabeth’s 80th birthday celebration on the TV program Great British Menu, ahead of several well known and established Chefs. He soon became one of Wales best chefs and Britain’s new generation of “famous” chefs.
Simplicity is beauty in his approach. Leveraging the best of local fresh ingredients. The slow cooked egg starter is a reward to the taste buds. Presented on a layer of mature Gruyere, mushroom and Pata Negra, a combination of flavours that are so delicious. The main course was the Luma ribeye with hollandaise sauce and a side of Truffle cheese fries, can’t match that! The dessert was a mouthwatering Swiss chocolate hot pot, with yoghurt ice cream. The set menu comes with wine pairing with every course and the choice was excellent in each.
The other hotel restaurant The Axe Bar, is more casual with an open bar as the name indicates. The beef burger is delicious, and the truffled rösti is a great twist to the classic Swiss rösti. The cocktails are also to go for.
Breakfast is beautifully displayed. You feel as if the bakeries, cheese cuts, colourful fruits and juices are part of the restaurant design. So beautiful that you might choose to face the mouthwatering buffet instead of the windows. The omelette was one of the best we ever had!
Engstligen waterfall and Tschentenalp Giant swing
Just steps from the hotel, the cable car takes you the Tshcentenalp top. It’s a frequented ski resort and slope. However, there is also a giant swing installed which became a destination on its own. Swinging there is amazing as you have the whole mountain ranges and ski slopes of Adelboden and region facing you.
From the hotel also you can take the bus, and then a short winter hike through a snowy path to the well known Engstligen waterfall. The sight of the half frozen waterfall is beautiful especially that by noon the sun was directly above it. Several Alpine streams join together at Engstligen Falls to become the Engstligen River. Farther North, the river forms the deep, narrow Choleren Gorge, which is accessible via bridges and walkways. Hiking and enjoying the charm of the nature there is unmatchable!
A fire made of fairytales and dreams
The weather completely changed after the white snowy welcome we had. In half a day the layer of snow covering the base of the mountains melted, leaving place for vivid green pastures. On the last evening we had a fire lit on the terrace facing the mountain backdrop. We recited the magical experiences we had. In a long weekend we managed to have two wonderful faces of the region, the bright white wintery one and the green springy outfit. We encountered the marvellous transition between seasons. More importantly we experienced the magic of fairy tales that can turn mountain lakes into marvellous blue. And encountered dreams that turn childhood vacations into a brilliant destination.
