Le Grand Bellevue Gstaad, Switzerland (SLH)
Feb 5, 2021, 11:32 pm
#1
formerly a193991
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,577
Le Grand Bellevue Gstaad, Switzerland (SLH)
Booked 3 nights on points, Cat 8. surprised to see that points reservations include half-board, just as the cash reservations, at least during winter season. All restaurants are closed due to Covid, except in hotels and accessible only for staying guests.
Checkin was super friendly and we got upgraded to a Tower Suite. Great stay so far.
will report back with more details after our stay.
Checkin was super friendly and we got upgraded to a Tower Suite. Great stay so far.
will report back with more details after our stay.
Last edited by 59Impala; Feb 6, 2021 at 12:44 am
Feb 9, 2021, 5:03 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,838
I was booked there for New Year until plans got cancelled due to covid. I noticed too that half board was quite a deal with points! Looking forward to your detailed review.
Feb 14, 2021, 9:13 am
#3
formerly a193991
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,577
Finally found time to write a review of our 3-night stay.
We're in a hard lockdown in Switzerland again since January. Shops (except for essential needs such as food, drugstores etc) restaurants (except take away or deliveries), fitness centers etc are closed until at least end of February. We miss eating in restaurants and having a change from the daily routine, home office and simply just staying at home all the time, having only limited possibilites to meet friends.
Hotels may remain open, as well as restaurants in hotels, which are only available for staying guests. So we opted for this hotel for a 3-night stay.
The Grand Bellevue is a Category 8 hotel, meaning 40k points per night. There is a 14 day cancellation policy. I contacted my concierge, what would happen if I need to cancel within the 14 days due to us catching the virus or needing to quarantine. Not a decision WOH can take, and they contacted the hotel directly. Points would be refunded, but a cash penalty would be levied. Hotel was expected to be completely sold out for the weekend of 5-8 Feb. I hardly could believe that, as everything was still wide open 3 weeks prior, with all room categories available. We just took the risk.
The hotel has 7 room categories. The basic room is the "Chic Room", which is fairly a big room around 350 sqf/32 sqm. A points reservation books into this room. Cash rate was around 1200$. next category was the "Deluxe Chic Room" , 400 sqf/37sqm, with balcony. Rate 100$ more than the basic room. We actually wanted this room because of the balcony, and as per the T&C should get upgraded upon check-in and availability. I contacted the hotel, if they can do anything in advance, and offered us a cash upgrade for 100$ difference. We opted for this and our room was confirmed. Happy we took this option, as the hotel truly was completely sold out for the weekend.
Welcome letter received about 10 days in advance, requesting passport copies in order to limit the contact and speed up checkin. We reserved a parking space in advance as well for our Tesla with charging possibilities, 25$ per night. open space parking is free of charge.
We checked in at 3:30pm, it was very busy, lots of cars at the entrance. the door man (1 of about 3) asked for our name and immediately recognized we had a parking space reserved. This included valet parking, too! very nice. Check-in was efficient and very friendly, received an espresso-sized "hot chocolate" and some cookies while waiting.
Then they announce, we had been upgraded to the Tower Suite! I recall the price tag, about 2300$ a night!. It is a further 2 category upgrade. we were a bit disappointed to be honest, as we wanted the balcony, and only the Deluxe Chic rooms have balconies. They tried to downgrade us, which proved a bit difficult, while my wife and I discussed what we should do, insist on the reserved room or accept the upgrade. At the end, as the weather was not that good and probably could not really use the balcony, we opted for the upgrade. I think staff were thankful, as they really needed the lower category rooms for the one-nighters :-)
We were really happy that we took the upgrade option. The Tower Suite was a marvelous room, an additional 2 category room upgrade with a large sitting area, which we also really used/enjoyed.
Interestingly, the points reservation included half-board. Never seen this elsewhere (except of course the AI's such as Ziva/Zilara). Breakfast was fantastic. Due to COVID not a full buffet, they had single portions of yoghurt, birchermüesli, nuts, butter, jam, etc as self-service. Then you could order anything off the menue, such as eggs benedict, florentine, eggs any style with bacon, ham, pancakes, french toast, waffles. They came around with wonderful fresh bread, cold cuts and cheeses. Really fantastic.
On the 2nd day, we had breakfast in the room. typically only continental breakfst is included with room service, anything else off the menu was extremely pricy (small plate of cheese for 27$ for instance) - rediculous to be honest. But due to Covid and on request, they did not charge us anything. They don't specifically promote this option either, and honestly, in-room breakfast was not that good either with the limited selection of e.g. bread and cheeses. on the 3rd day we had breakfast in the restaurant again.
Dinner was fantastic. "Leonardo" is actually a 15 point Gault Millau accredited restaurant. Every evening we had a 3-course dinner, which was included. fantastic. You could also order anything off the menue, for that you'd get a 55$ or so credit, which honestly would not really suffice. but we always had the 3-course dinner, which consisted of a cold starter, warm starter, main dish, desert (you could chose any combination of 3 courses out of the 4). Drinks were not included (obviously). Huge wine selection, and also pricey. The wine by the glass option we had on day 2 and 3 where really good and price-wise ok. Supperb service.
other restaurants, such as the Sushi Bar, were closed.
hotel has a Spa, which however we did not use (we are not the SPA-ers)
Check-out was speedy, too. Folio sent via e-mail prior to check-out, you only needed to take action if you do not agree to the charges.
Overall, an excellent stay, and so far the best hotel in the SLH collection I have experienced (together with The Palazzo Vecchietti in Florence) so far. This was truly a "luxury": service, friendlyness, quality, room size.
We're in a hard lockdown in Switzerland again since January. Shops (except for essential needs such as food, drugstores etc) restaurants (except take away or deliveries), fitness centers etc are closed until at least end of February. We miss eating in restaurants and having a change from the daily routine, home office and simply just staying at home all the time, having only limited possibilites to meet friends.
Hotels may remain open, as well as restaurants in hotels, which are only available for staying guests. So we opted for this hotel for a 3-night stay.
The Grand Bellevue is a Category 8 hotel, meaning 40k points per night. There is a 14 day cancellation policy. I contacted my concierge, what would happen if I need to cancel within the 14 days due to us catching the virus or needing to quarantine. Not a decision WOH can take, and they contacted the hotel directly. Points would be refunded, but a cash penalty would be levied. Hotel was expected to be completely sold out for the weekend of 5-8 Feb. I hardly could believe that, as everything was still wide open 3 weeks prior, with all room categories available. We just took the risk.
The hotel has 7 room categories. The basic room is the "Chic Room", which is fairly a big room around 350 sqf/32 sqm. A points reservation books into this room. Cash rate was around 1200$. next category was the "Deluxe Chic Room" , 400 sqf/37sqm, with balcony. Rate 100$ more than the basic room. We actually wanted this room because of the balcony, and as per the T&C should get upgraded upon check-in and availability. I contacted the hotel, if they can do anything in advance, and offered us a cash upgrade for 100$ difference. We opted for this and our room was confirmed. Happy we took this option, as the hotel truly was completely sold out for the weekend.
Welcome letter received about 10 days in advance, requesting passport copies in order to limit the contact and speed up checkin. We reserved a parking space in advance as well for our Tesla with charging possibilities, 25$ per night. open space parking is free of charge.
We checked in at 3:30pm, it was very busy, lots of cars at the entrance. the door man (1 of about 3) asked for our name and immediately recognized we had a parking space reserved. This included valet parking, too! very nice. Check-in was efficient and very friendly, received an espresso-sized "hot chocolate" and some cookies while waiting.
Then they announce, we had been upgraded to the Tower Suite! I recall the price tag, about 2300$ a night!. It is a further 2 category upgrade. we were a bit disappointed to be honest, as we wanted the balcony, and only the Deluxe Chic rooms have balconies. They tried to downgrade us, which proved a bit difficult, while my wife and I discussed what we should do, insist on the reserved room or accept the upgrade. At the end, as the weather was not that good and probably could not really use the balcony, we opted for the upgrade. I think staff were thankful, as they really needed the lower category rooms for the one-nighters :-)
We were really happy that we took the upgrade option. The Tower Suite was a marvelous room, an additional 2 category room upgrade with a large sitting area, which we also really used/enjoyed.
Interestingly, the points reservation included half-board. Never seen this elsewhere (except of course the AI's such as Ziva/Zilara). Breakfast was fantastic. Due to COVID not a full buffet, they had single portions of yoghurt, birchermüesli, nuts, butter, jam, etc as self-service. Then you could order anything off the menue, such as eggs benedict, florentine, eggs any style with bacon, ham, pancakes, french toast, waffles. They came around with wonderful fresh bread, cold cuts and cheeses. Really fantastic.
On the 2nd day, we had breakfast in the room. typically only continental breakfst is included with room service, anything else off the menu was extremely pricy (small plate of cheese for 27$ for instance) - rediculous to be honest. But due to Covid and on request, they did not charge us anything. They don't specifically promote this option either, and honestly, in-room breakfast was not that good either with the limited selection of e.g. bread and cheeses. on the 3rd day we had breakfast in the restaurant again.
Dinner was fantastic. "Leonardo" is actually a 15 point Gault Millau accredited restaurant. Every evening we had a 3-course dinner, which was included. fantastic. You could also order anything off the menue, for that you'd get a 55$ or so credit, which honestly would not really suffice. but we always had the 3-course dinner, which consisted of a cold starter, warm starter, main dish, desert (you could chose any combination of 3 courses out of the 4). Drinks were not included (obviously). Huge wine selection, and also pricey. The wine by the glass option we had on day 2 and 3 where really good and price-wise ok. Supperb service.
other restaurants, such as the Sushi Bar, were closed.
hotel has a Spa, which however we did not use (we are not the SPA-ers)
Check-out was speedy, too. Folio sent via e-mail prior to check-out, you only needed to take action if you do not agree to the charges.
Overall, an excellent stay, and so far the best hotel in the SLH collection I have experienced (together with The Palazzo Vecchietti in Florence) so far. This was truly a "luxury": service, friendlyness, quality, room size.
Last edited by 59Impala; Feb 14, 2021 at 9:38 pm Reason: Multiple typos :)
Feb 14, 2021, 5:46 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,838
Thanks for the review, I am looking forward to try this property in the future. I am glad that they show willingness to upgrade Hyatt members 
Aug 2, 2021, 4:08 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,048
Very glad to read this report. We actually have a booking for 7 nights from Xmas to New Years and I was very curious if the half-board is included on a points booking. Wonderful news that it is. Interesting thought also about paying directly to the hotel to upgrade. I do not expect a large upgrade like you had given the time of year we will be staying, but I would probably pay 100CHF/night to upgrade into a slightly larger room for a week.