“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate…..But thy eternal summer shall not fade…”
Starting with quotes from Shakespeare’s famous “Sonnet 18” is not to talk about love or eternity but to raise a question that came to mind with the start of the season: “is there a perfect summer day or is that a mere dream?” We count the days till summer arrives with its sun and fun, yet are our plans ready for it?
Before attempting to answer this “existential “ question☺️, let’s start with sharing with you our start of summer experience at Crans-Montana and our stay at Crans Ambassador, one of the best wellness hotels we stayed at, where we spent couple of the longest days of the year.
Usually the impression of any hotel stay, be it a wellness hotel or family hotel starts with that beep sound when the magnetic key opens the door & when we are so eager to check quickly the room or suite and jump on the bed or open the curtains.
Our first impression was relatively earlier & 2 km away, when we recognised the iconic Crans Ambassador façade from the Crans-Montana main square, the Etang Grenon with its famous wooden letters sign. The triangular façade of the Crans Ambassador hotel became an architectural landmark that reflects both modernism and aspiration from the surrounding nature. No wonder! as the hotel is nested right opposite to the most majestic and mesmerising peaks of the Alps, making it standout among the hotels in Crans-Montana and within wellness hotels overall.
The always “ON” view of Crans-Montana
The view from the hotel over Crans-Montana and the surrounding Swiss Alps was not only overwhelming but also continuous around the clock! Morning coffee from our Crans Ambassador suite’s terrace came with a view. Breakfast at the restaurants balcony – with a view. Lunch at “La Terrasse” – with a view… The SPA of this wellness hotel, the afternoon drinks & aperitifs, and the dinners on the terrace all came with a view over Crans-Montana!
And what a view!! Even the panoramic mode of the camera can’t give justice to this 180 degrees open landscape. It’s like a fashion show of Swiss Alps and mountain lakes posing in front of you. And we were having the highly sought after front row seats for it!
To be in the heart of action in the mountains, we got a gourmet picnic basket from the hotel and took the cable car to Crans Cry d’Er. Mountain biking and hiking is a common sports here in Crans-Montana and you will meet many bikers & hikers on the way. We eventually found our spot near a small but beautiful lake, spread our blanket and sat for a couple of hours, completely disconnecting and contemplating…
The SPA of Crans Ambassador: an unwinding recipe for couples
Back in the afternoon we hit the SPA. It was a dilemma whether to stay in the indoor pool or sunbathe on the SPA’s garden chaises-longues and enjoy Crans-Montana weather. The spacious SPA (1300 m2) gives multiple diverse options for this wellness hotel. Relaxation and re-energising became part of our experience rituals. So we went for a massage and a facial. To make it particularly special, the massage was as a duo! There is something magical about the sync of going through a massage treatment together. Does it make your relationship stronger? Mhm, but it does make you free from stress, more re-engerised and more willing to accept your partner’s demands 😁. Truly the Crans Ambassador SPA, makes it an attraction within hotels in Crans-Montana and the top wellness hotels in Switzerland in our opinion.
The Crans-Montana deal: a moment for us, moments for them
And by them I mean the kids! Since we had our pampering moment as the SPA of this wellness hotel, they needed to have theirs! The “private” garden extending the suite was our haven, spending family moments, playing & running around. What made our deal easier is the real care the Crans Ambassador exerts to suit the little ones: kids menu at restaurant, kids kits in the toilet, colourful crayons & paper to draw and even puzzles (very useful to keep them busy 😁).
The real deal was the “navette”! The hotel provided transportation service that was making our moves super fast and comfy as we could even take the big stroller with us!
Actually the hotel service overall was simply impeccable!! It was a true reflection of the elegance of the hotel & the knowledge & friendliness of the staff! Making them one of the best hotels in Crans-Montana and the whole region.
The flavours of simplicity & sophistication at Crans Ambassador
Sipping on summer cocktails was a regular routine! After amusing ourselves with watching the bartender preparing her signature cocktails, we headed to “La Terrace” to indulge in the Crans-Montana view.
We split our culinary stay between the traditional Swiss menu at “Le Carnotzet”, contemporary style cuisine of “La Terrasse” and the gourmet flavours of “La Muña”. The latter is a gourmet restaurant particularly inspired by the Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. The ceviche of Saint Jaques is to die for. It melts in the mouth in a second but fills it with a boost of flavours that makes you literally close your eyes and mumble in awe… only to open them again to the spectacular surrounding view.
Being in the heart of the Valais alps, a fondue was a must to complete this particular Swiss experience in Crans-Montana. The cheese is local, the charcuterie is local, and the recommended wine was also local. To complement this all – the fireplace was on. Despite that it’s summer but there is always something romantic and charming about sitting next to a fire in an open air. So the plot was as follows: a glance at the fire place, a dip of bread or potato in the fondue, a sip of wine, a long scroll from right to left of the mesmerising sunset view and the grande finale is a deep look into her eyes and a shy smile, realising that you have made her day…a perfect summer day….
Planned and unplanned, this trip to Crans-Montana was an amazing escape from the heat wave of the last few days. A great way to start summer and enjoy its long days. To integrate in a mesmerising view, to quench the need to re-energize and unwind, to indulge in gourmet flavours, to experience luxurious treatment and finally to reread Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18” and his play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” !
