Destination: The Chedi Andermatt

Throughout January we've been profiling some of our favorite ski destinations, from Park City to Gstaad. To round out the series, we're taking a trip to one of our favorite ski hotels anywhere in the world, The Chedi in Andermatt, Switzerland. 

Andermatt, a charming village set amidst the 2,961 meter Gemsstock Mountain, has not always been a haven for the well-heeled. Historically, more of a working class ski town, attracting powder hungry expert skiers, Andermatt was never mentioned in the same breath as St. Moritz or Verbier. Not the case anymore. Wealthy Egyptian Developer Samis Sawiris has invested £1.2bn in a massive revitalization project in Andermatt, encompassing the construction of 6 luxury hotels, 25 chalets, and 490 apartments as well as shops, a conference center and more. 

Sawiris has committed to expanding the ski infrastructure as well, undertaking the construction of 7 new lifts, updating 7 existing lifts, and linking Andermatt with the high plateau at Oberalp and the Sedrun, to create the largest ski resort in Switzerland. 

The Chedi, the first of the new hotels, opened in 2013 to wide acclaim. Boasting a 7,900 SF spa, a wine and cigar library, four restaurants, and ski butlers ready to kit you out for a day on the slopes, this five-star property designed by Jean-Michel Gathy fuses Swiss design elements with Asian minimalism, creating something unexpected in the land of chalet style. 

With the recent addition of some creature comforts, Andermatt not only offers luxe accommodations, expert terrain, abundant snow, and Swiss charm, but it'll be a few years before the crowds really start to arrive in earnest.