Six Senses Crans-Montana

This was our first visit to a Six Senses Property. I am not certain we will return. Positive features: 1. The room was stunning and the facilities (spa, fitness center, etc.) are top notch. 2. Dinner at Byakko our first night was lovely. Issues during our stay: We used the six senses app for most communication. This was generally good but things were challenging on our last day. 1. We went to the outdoor pool in the afternoon but no one came to bring towels or check on us. 2. We went to dinner and were surprised no one turned down the room despite having the housekeeping sign on. 3. We asked for a ride home after dinner but got no response and ended up walking back. None of these issues are dealbreakers but at this price point I do not expect issues.

I live in the city and was a very regular customer (almost every day of the week) at six senses’ Ora bar, Wild cabin restaurant and Byakko restaurant. At first my friends and I were very pleased with the service, however, with time the staff became extremely rude and disregarding. There have been multiple situations after which our desire to come to Six Senses has completely disappeared. For example, I arrived with my friends and we had some younger people with us, we asked them to get a table at Wild Cabin for dinner while we use the restroom and they got told the restaurant was full. However, another friend of mine called the restaurant and asked for a booking, to which they said there is availability. We were told multiple times that we will ‘not be served’ or ‘have access to the hotel’ if we are seen using electronic cigarettes- when we weren’t the ones smoking. Additionally, after we decided to give the Wild Cabin restaurant another chance, we were disappointed once again. The waiters were rude to our face as behind our backs- pointing fingers and whispering. Overall our experience in Six Senses Crans Montana went from being great to absolutely horrible. We felt unwelcome and mocked.

This is a new build that just opened in March. It is in a very convenient location next to a ski run/bike road (so it is ski-in ski-out and bike-in bike-out). It is also just above and an easy walk to the Cry d’Er Gondola and Crans. It appears (I don’t know) that there were design challenges fitting it into its location, which may account for some of the comments below. The facilities are obviously quite new and modern. The lobby, restaurants, and rooms are open and airy - very modern combined with mountain traditional and outdoor themes. The rooms are large, comfortable and well-equipped. The bathroom is large (although the tub being in the center looks cool it is a bit in the way). Our room (and the rooms on our side of the hotel over a number of floors) have large terraces and full window walls. The views aren’t great, though - overlooking the ski run/gravel road and the side of a hill. It appears for a view you need to stay in one of the residences (there is a rental program) or perhaps a suite on the top floors. The staff is outstanding (though they seem a bit inexperienced, as to be expected for a new hotel). They were very friendly and helpful all through the hotel. The Guest experience Manager (GEM) greeted us upon arrival and helped with any arrangements. The activity staff (downstairs at the ski/bike area) were incredibly helpful in discussing activities and directing us how to get where we wanted to go (such as the easy access from the hotel to the Bisse du Ro hiking trail - an absolute must-do). The hotel provides lift ticket cards at a much lower cost than the ticket window rack rate, which is very convenient. The spa staff was excellent, including the massage therapists The spa facilities are huge, with an indoor/outdoor pool, relaxation areas, a variety of saunas, steam, etc., both coed as well as individual ones in each of the locker rooms. The indoor/outdoor pool is integral to the spa facilities ; the only drawback is that it is below grade so the outdoor potion of the pool is only semi-outdoor (there are no views - if you are looking for a great view of the mountains ala Hotel Mont Blanc in Chamonix, you will be sorely disappointed). There is a separate outdoor pool on the 5th (lobby) floor which is not connected to the spa. It’s location seems a bit odd other than that may have been the only place they could put it. There is free transportation to he Violette gondola in Montana, from where you can ride to the base of the tram to the top and to the glacier. From Violette there is also a free bus to reach the Bisse du Tsittoret trailhead - another great hike with waterfalls (the free bus runs all through Crans-Montana, to the Cry d’Er as well). Be warned - there is no AC (in the interest of sustainability I guess) or other air circulation system (or ceiling fan) and it was in the mid to high 80’s while we were there. The room was very hot (the window walls which face west didn’t help) and sleeping was very difficult. W

The place is great and has an amazing view. The staff were great and accommodating. And the services they provide were good as well. It’s a great place to get away from the busy cities and they are very environmentally conscious. However, I think the best time to visit will be during the winter season.

Our visit was during the February half term when ski resorts are packed and we are in Switzerland so probably highest priced week of the year so excuse me if I comment on this in the context of price a little too often… Pros: Location is beautiful and easy walking distance from the beautiful village. Crans Montana is lovely Hotel is truly ski-in, ski-out and the ski room/area/staff is first class Rooms in the hotel are great, new, well laid out and (for the most part, see below) very quiet Cons: Too many service items which are taken from granted at other high-end hotels missing (see below) Conclusion: for the price, this should be a perfect stay but it had frustrations. I would rate on the service alone that this was comparable at about 50% of the price (still an expensive holiday) but maybe that’s the Swiss/half term premium. We are a family of four booked in to a Terrace Suite (King Bed) connecting to a Deluxe Terrace Room (configured as a twin). My stock questions to start were to make sure all the facilities in the hotel would be open, there was no work happening in the hotel which might disturb us and that the rooms we would be choosing would be quiet. All confirmed. Ahead of time, it was pretty smooth sailing and we arranged a pick up from the airport which was seamless, comfortable door-to-door and while no doubt more expensive than getting the train, didn’t require changes with suitcases etc. Because we booked late, we had limited choice of ski instructor times but that was our bad - the hotel helped get this organised and we were v happy with the result. Only one comment on the pre-arrival: my wife was intrigued by the biohacking program on offer but the pressure to book - including offers to call her the morning we were departing - just became too intense and created more stress than anything so although she would have done it, the process of getting it organised turned her off. We’ve been to many nice places with Spas and never experienced this level of pressure so although the hotel’s fear of her missing out if she didn’t book was obviously high (and I’m sure some guests are more demanding if they don’t get what they want), the way it was communicated was not ideal. On arriving, the rooms were as described and v nice; the resort opened recently so it still feels quite new. Wood panelling throughout - note that as it’s new, a couple of us suffered splinters but I am sure over the years, those sharp edges will wear off (sorry for all those in future who help with that process as we did LOL!). We had a large terrace off the Suite where we would happily sit any time of year as it is bathed in sun and has great views over the piste directly below and Alps all around. A good range of furniture options to eat, work and relax on the terrace. This is a great space. However, as we discovered on Day 1, the first surprise (!) for us and no doubt all those in the suites above and below us, was that at sometime between 3-4pm, di

I have waited a few days after my checkout to do this review in order to give time to the hotel management and see if there has been any formal attempt to rectify my terrible stay in Six Senses Crans Montana. The only reason i gave this rating because the fit-out and building of the hotel is amazing. However when it comes to basic service it is appalling and not up or even close to a 5 star hotel. 1st Encounter was with the in-room dining upon arrival - since i was informed all the restaurants in the hotel are closed at 3:00pm which i found out later on it was not the case as they serve apres ski and food in the wild cabin at that time. I have made clear instructions when taking my order that i have a dietary restriction of pork this was also noted during my stay preferences - however they disregarded that and delivered my food with pork - which had to be redone again. I cant imagine what will happen if it was a person with a fatal allergic reaction and the hotel disregarded these restrictions such as my case 2nd encounter when i went downstairs to the cigar lounge around 10:00PM , the lounge was full as it only had 4 chairs and a table so i requested to be seated outside in the heated area. I was informed that the bar is closing - however this is not correct as the bar closes at 11-11:30 PM depending on the guests. I did not feel welcomed as a guest and decided to go back to my room and have my cigar session in my cold balcony. 3rd Encounter was on the second day during turndown service , they had not replenished the basic amenities such as water and have not even replaced the empty tissue box in the washroom. This has been reported in the application and the response was - “ we will pass it on to the team Tommorow” Third day - the tissues and amenities have not been replenished even after housekeeping service - i have informed the hotel and the house keeping supervisor came to deliver the amenities and specifically asked for the turndown service time - i have informed him 8:30-9pm - which is the same which i noted on my preferences. However the turn down was not done. Upon checkout - i have called the concierge to assist with my luggage and have made it clear that i have 3 bags that need to be out in my car. However upon inspecting the luggage before i leave - they forgot to bring the third bag - which might have potentially ruined my trip if i did not find out. The front desk manager apologized during checkout how ever we felt this is not enough since we were paying over 1,300 CHF per night

The hotel is located right inside a ski slope, making it extremely convenient for those who like to ski. In fact, it is possible to leave the hotel directly on skis and reach the ski lift. The architecture is well integrated into the context, lots of wood and natural materials. The structure of the hotel itself is peculiar, the entrance to the parking lots leads to a first reception desk underground, here the car is parked by a valet, and you are greeted with initial explanations and a fun experiment with bells inspired just by the "six senses." Shortly thereafter, we were escorted to the main reception where we did the check-in paperwork. The hotel maintains its style and stands out in many details that we will see in a moment. Each guest is provided with a GEM member - Guest Experience Management. These people are also available via the Six Senses App to answer guest inquiries. We found a young and friendly team. Even though the room was a simple double, we found it quite spacious and well finished. Lots of wood and stone, virtually no plastic, and more than enough amenities. The toilet has a bidet built in and operated by remote control, a great little bonus is the heated board. The shower is standard, a bit small but not to be a problem. During our inspection, however, we found two hairs. The first in the bathtub, the second on top of a brochure near the coffee machine. Truly a shame because it is these small mishaps that greatly affect the first impact. The hotel has both a spa and a gym, this one is obviously as new as the whole hotel and well equipped. The environment entices one to work out, and there is dried and fresh fruit available. Before leaving for dinner, we again requested Memory Foam pillows as they were not delivered as requested during the reservation. Upon our return we find a small gift on the bed, but much to our regret, we find that the previously requested pillows are still not there. After writing for the third time, they were finally delivered to us. The breakfast buffet is not huge, but it is still quite varied and mainly offers quality products. Again, however, we must note some flaws: the fish is placed right above the meat, this can unintentionally create contamination for those who are allergic to fish. This possibility is not so remote, as the tongs for picking up the food are rather uncomfortable and large for some foods, for example, smoked trout. The second counter focuses on beverages and yogurt. The selection of vegetable milk and fresh juices is also excellent. The à la Carte menu is not extraordinary, but still appreciable. In our room package, we had a massage included. We experienced better treatment; we expected more considering that the hotel has multi-day spa and relaxation-related packages. We explored the spa a bit. We discover that the only hot tub is outside, but this is not a problem at all because the pool is directly connected to the indoor one and is heated. This is undoubtedly a p

Lovely hotel with gorgeous facilities but was very shocked to find that the Japanese restaurant in the hotel turns into a night club until 1am. We feel like we should have been warned about this excessive noise- especially when the whole ethos of the hotel revolves around relaxation & well being. You can even pay for packages to enhance your sleep- yet we have three awful nights sleep whilst staying there with the loud music playing until late. We did bring this up with the staff at the hotel but little was done to help in any way. If you’re thinking of staying at this hotel - check before booking if this night club is open. Especially if you are looking for a relaxed stay- which is what the hotel markets itself as.

The new Six Senses , Fantastic food in both of the two restaurants, but Wild Cabin was more creative and new….. Japanese restaurant also was fantastic, the only thing missing is the service, too many young people without a guide , they run in the empty…….they are not concentrating about the clients….