GSTAAD, Switzerland, December 6, 2012 – This weekend The Alpina Gstaad opened its doors to its first guests.  Four years in the making, the $337 million (300 million Swiss francs) luxury development includes the first new five-star hotel to be built in this alpine village in 100 years. Crowning Gstaad’s exclusive hilltop area of Oberbort, just five minutes from the center of the village, The Alpina Gstaad overlooks beautiful Saanenland in the heart of the Bernese Alps.

Set on five acres, the luxury development includes 14 private apartments within the 56- room hotel and two chalets.  The Alpina Gstaad is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Swiss architecture incorporating authentic local materials and time-honored Alpine style.  Hotellerie Suisse bestowed Switzerland’s highest rating on the property, awarding it the Five Star Superior designation.

Bordered by an acre and a half of gardens, The Alpina Gstaad has three restaurants including the first European outpost of MEGU, the celebrated Japanese restaurant, a traditional Swiss stübli and Restaurant Sommet – open throughout the day and evening – offering contemporary cuisine.  A 21,500-square-foot Six Senses Spa offers holistic treatments and rejuvenation programs and includes a hammam, a fitness center and an 82-foot lap pool.  Among the special features of The Alpina Gstaad are: a Havana-inspired cigar lounge, a wine tasting room, a private cinema and an outdoor swimming pool.

The Alpina Gstaad’s owners Marcel Bach and Jean-Claude Mimran commented, “The long-awaited opening of The Alpina Gstaad would not have been possible without the support and hard work of our team and we’d like to thank all those who helped create this very special hotel.  We are confident that the hotel team led by Mr. Leuenberger will establish a new level of distinction in Gstaad.”

Niklaus Leuenberger, Managing Director added, “We are honored and delighted to be able to share with our guests our unique vision for The Alpina Gstaad.  Much passion has gone into the construction of this extraordinary hotel.  Along with the support of our hotel owners, and the development and pre-opening team, we are extremely proud to have created a modern, elegant, authentic and comfortable Swiss alpine hotel which promises to be the new luxurious destination for visitors to the Saanenland region for many years to come.”

Massive blocks of Ringgenberg limestone, the rich brown stone from local quarries, were hand carved for the entrance and ground floor. Hundred-year-old fir wood, gathered from old Alpine farm houses, decorates the façade and lines the walls of the public rooms.  The gabled roof, embellished with dormers and peaks, is of natural slate.  The ground floor’s huge windows allow for plenty of natural light and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

No two of the hotel’s 56 spacious rooms and suites are alike and range from 333 square feet for a standard room to 4,305 square feet for the Panorama Suite.

The Alpina Gstaad is a member of the Preferred Hotel Group and Virtuoso’s Preview Program. For more information on The Alpina Gstaad, please visit, www.thealpinagstaad.com.