For our ride on the Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt we were on the lookout for suitable lodgings at the jumping-off point.
Since on this occasion the St. Moritz grand hotel scene had less appeal, we diverted to Madulain and checked into the designer Hotel Chesa Stüva Colani. The name alone held plenty of promise, as the design connoisseurs among us will know…
Hotel Chesa Stüva Colani
Madulain, home to this small design hotel, is an idyllic Engadine village about 12 km from St. Moritz. To get us there, we decided to put taxi-limousine operator blacklane.com’s service to the test. And what do you know; you can drive up in a really big, black limousine for not much more than a regular taxi! Not a bad start!
The first thing that greets you on entering the lobby is the Italian designer furniture. That is, of course, unless the hotel manager opens the door for you, as in our case ;-).
A giant chandelier floats above a long glass table and elegant chairs upholstered in white. After this first visual treat, the roving eye discovers many more eye-catching details, like the pictures frames suspended in air or the assorted candles on display.
We are greeted by the Italian “Direttore” Jean Georges Comin and Claudia, the front desk receptionista. As the manager’s name suggests, he is French, but otherwise based in Sicily with the Exclusive Hotel Collection Group. Generally speaking, all of the staff (including the restaurant‘s) seem to have Italian roots. Italian is spoken so matter-of-factly in the hotel that you might think you are in Bella Italia. This also being the case in St. Moritz, where (almost) everyone speaks the language… we were accustomed to it.
The Chesa Stüva Colani has a small spa (made up of a Turkish bath and sauna) and a small gym. Having these areas visible from the lobby and watching the fitness hopefuls behind the glass wall might take a little getting used to. No one was getting fit while we were there, so it was all very peaceful.
The Rooms and Suites
The hotel offers just 13 rooms, with three each of Suites and Junior Suites as well as rooms in the Classic Superior and Classic Standard categories.
The rooms are furnished simply but are very comfortable, with plenty of closet space and a generously proportioned bathroom. Every room comes with floor heating that is adjustable by zones to suit personal temperature preferences.
A cozy smell of Swiss pine wood pervades the entire house. It helps create a noticeably relaxing atmosphere; in fact, it made it very easy to treat ourselves to a little power nap not long after check-in ;-).
The Restaurant
The hotel’s restaurant seats a maximum 20 guests and is in the older part of the Chesa (“house” in the Romantsch language.) It is appointed in a rather purist, simple way that comes off as quite stylish.
Besides pasta, the entrée menu lists other Italian specialties like broccoli flan with parmesan fondue or Culatello di Zibello “Salumificio Peveri” with pickled vegetables. I went for a smoked salmon in creamy cauliflower sauce. For the main dish I opted for a stock fish cooked in milk accompanied by buckwheat polenta. The dish did not quite come up to the level of Portuguese stock fish. But perhaps I was just idealizing in hindsight all the fine things we ate right by the seashore there…
Walter on the other hand was very content with his cheek of veal on potato puree and vegetable fritters. Camera-wise, he may not have done justice to it, but the palate impression after all is what mattered most, sir! For dessert he consoled himself with a carrot muffin in hazelnut soup. And he did manage to get it on film in the attractive convex dish it was served in. Way to go, Walter!
Also deserving mention is the respectable wine cellar. From Sassicaia to Ornellaia, here you can find, besides the “normal” Engadine wines, also the noblest Italian vintages. Anyone agonizing over too much choice can profit from the sommelier’s advice right there in the elegant wine cellar, very conveniently just a step from the restaurant.
Summing up: The hotel is well suited for couples looking for design and quiet and who like supping well in a beautiful ambiance. The spa area is not worth the drive to Madulain; for that you would be better off in one of the wellness hotels.
Incidentally, we chose the train for the return trip to St. Moritz, not being at all sure of how many meters of snow would fall during the night. The train station is located an easy 100 meters walk from the hotel. Just don’t forget to push the stop button (stop on demand), otherwise the train will fly right through the station…but don’t push it too soon, because then it stops the train coming from the other direction. One push of the button is good for 15 minutes, although in Switzerland that can mean be good for more than one train. But it’s less complicated than it sounds here!
And, for anyone intending to hop on the Glacier Express, there’s no need to drive all the way to St. Moritz, because the Gelati Express (to use the conductor’s slang) also stops in Samedan or Chur.
Grazie mille…
… to the “direttore” for the hospitality and to Claudia from reception for organizing our entire stay!
