Priya Srivastava
Coming from the ‘City of Nawabs’, Lucknow, Priya’s sole motto is to explore life through journeys to unexplored destinations and knitting travel stories. She believes in creating memories, eating like a local, talking to the natives, understanding their way of living and capturing their smile in her camera. Be it quaint little Himalayan villages, grand forts in Rajasthan or serene beaches in Goa or ancient temples in Varanasi, all the destinations have an untold saga, which she tries to unfold! All her journeys, new or old, are etched on the canvas of her heart like a beautiful painting. Experimenting new dishes and experiencing different cultures are some of the things she enjoys the most. It's through travelling that she derives inspiration. An ardent reader, cinema lover and a nascent photographer, she wishes to listen and discover the myriad colours and sounds of nature.
Switzerland is one place on Earth that looks like a page out of a fairytale book. The destination is renowned for its gorgeous landscape and beautiful hotels, and the Gstaad Palace here is one of them. Gstaad Palace hotel is quite a hit among Bollywood and Hollywood celebs, and royalty. The hotel has hosted several eminent personalities including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, Shah of Iran, Thai Royals, Madonna and Paris Hilton and the list goes on.
About Gstaad, the town in Switzerland
Gstaad is a breathtaking alpine town in Berner Oberland, Switzerland. The town is a major ski resort and is quite popular among high society international celebrities. Set at an altitude of 3445 ft above sea level, the town has a massie ski area in the Alps. There’s a picturesque promenade right in the heart of the Gstaad surrounded by little shops, cute restaurants, art galleries, and hotels. Celebrity designers such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Ralph Lauren have their stores in Gstaad.
The Gstaad Palace and its history
The Gstaad Palace is a deluxe hotel in Gstaad which was opened in 1913. The place is known for its rich history as it has seen a lot. It was in 1905 that a local school teacher named Robert Steffen bought the land to build a hotel. The project was originally known as the Royal-Hôtel and Winter Palace.
The hotel was designed by a Dutch architect Adrien van Dorsser and it was inaugurated in December 1913. In the year 1915, a men's tennis tournament was held in the grounds here which eventually became the famous Swiss Open. Then during World War II, the cellar in the hotel was used to safeguard money by the Swiss Bank Corporation (today’s UBS).
Why is it such a hot property?
This fancy European resort is all about grand restaurants, luxury boutiques and near-unaffordable chalets and hotels. There's something more exclusive about the property that makes it a hot deal. This is the place where celebs get to be themselves without the fear of being in the limelight.
Moreover, the hotel features premium rooms and suites which are designed artistically. There's also an underground nightclub, a spa, restaurants, swimming pools, and a traditional alpine hut too.
Close to Kareena Kapoor Khan’s heart
Though the Alpine town and Gstaad Palace here remains studded with stars but the place certainly holds a special place in Kareena Kapoor Khan’s heart. It is probably her favourite hotel in Switzerland as she loves holidaying here with husband Saif Ali Khan and their bundle of joy, Taimur.
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