The Alpina Gstaad Awarded First Michelin Star

Restaurant Sommet in this Swiss Alpine resort's newest luxury hotel was recognized as a very good restaurant, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard. The MICHELIN Guide to Restaurants, known by food lovers as simply the "Red Guide," suggests Sommet is a "good place to stop" on a traveler's journey.

More than a directory of restaurants and hotel, the iconic guide is known for its clandestine inspection process that has been refined since 1926 when the first stars were awarded. (The Red Guide debuted 113 years ago in 1900). Michelin inspectors anonymously analyze restaurants and hotels throughout the year judging what is on the plate, the quality of the products, the mastering of flavors and cooking, the "personality of the cuisine," value for money and the consistency the restaurant offers through the menu and during the year.

Executive Chef Marcus Lindner has been with Restaurant Sommet since The Alpina Gstaad opened in December 2012. For 28 of his 33 years in the culinary field, Chef Lindner has held the title of head chef. He has directed the kitchens of some of the Europe’s most renowned luxury hotels including the Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau, Strandhotel & Restaurant Belvédère and the Kurhaus Baden-Baden.

Before joining The Alpina Gstaad, Chef Lindner was Executive Chef at Mesa, one of Zurich’s top restaurants where he earned two Michelin stars and 18 points from Gault Millau. In 2010, Gault Millau also named him “Up and Coming Chef of the Year.” In September, The Alpina Gstaad was voted "Hotel of the Year for 2013" by the Swiss Gault Millau for its "world-class gastronomy."

"We are immensely proud of this recognition from gastronomy's unchallenged authority," said Eric Favre, The Alpina Gstaad's Managing Director. "The entire team has put in tremendous effort and it is very gratifying that their hard work has been acknowledged, especially since the hotel has been open less than a year."

European Hotel Design Awards Named The Alpina Gstaad "Hotel of the Year"

The longest-running and most prestigious architecture and design awards for the European hospitality sector, the European Hotel Design Awards, named The Alpina Gstaad the "European Design Hotel of the Year" at its award ceremony in London on November 19.

Praising the attention to detail and the quality of the finishes, the judges voted the hotel the winner in two additional categories: "Interior Design of the Year – Lobby, Lounge and Public Areas" and "Interior Design of the Year – Bedrooms and Bathrooms."

Gstaad's newest five-star property that debuted December 1, 2012 was selected based on its aesthetic appeal and the practicality and functionality of design demonstrating its contribution to the guest experience and the "theatre" of hotel life. In envisioning the first new luxury hotel to open in this Alpine village in 100 years, The Gallery HBA London began with the principles of traditional Swiss chalet architecture and fashioned a contemporary interpretation using local materials from the Bernese Oberland, stone from the surrounding Alps and weathered timber from centuries-old farmhouses in the Saanenland.

For more information and high resolution images of The Alpina Gstaad, please visit www.thealpinagstaad.ch.