Daniel F. Lauber

We really said, you know what, let's stop creating a spa that has, I don't know, 10 different saunas and five hammams and whatever, because at the end you're stressed in the spa to use all the saunas and all the facilities.

We all live from tourism, let's say that generic word, but if, let's say local people that maybe are not directly working in tourism, feel uncomfortable living in an environment where the major focus is tourism, then it gets difficult.

Personally, I was kind of tired of that familiar spa experience, the one with 10 saunas where you feel stressed to use all the facilities.

Je nach Auszeichnung erhalten die Gewinner einen Gutschein, einen Spa-Tag – oder, als bestes Team des Monats, ein Budget für einen gemeinsamen Teamevent.

Die neue CERVO Cantina ist seit diesem Winter offen - ein Raum nur für unsere Mitarbeiter mit der leckeren Verpflegung von FELFEL Schweiz und den topp Garderoben von Zippsafe!

I think our next biggest step is definitely accommodation for our team. As many regions and especially also Alpine destinations, we're struggling with affordable housing. At the moment, we are quite covered with different options we have, but we want to really create more like a campus, community-wide feeling. So we have a beautiful project in the next village. It's called CERVO Refugio. So Refugio, it's a mountain hut, it's a shelter. So we want to really have a cozy place where people can stay and including coffee and bakery and spa and so on. So that's the next big project that will include a small hostel as well, because we believe that it's nice that there is also a bit more affordable lodging options in the region for people traveling.

We definitely had a great focus also since the beginning on supply chain and energy. We had a heat pump system for heating water and also the warm water, so the whole supply chain.

We also work with an important group in Switzerland called Ibex Fairstay that helps us to track our sustainability efforts. To become a member, a business must do everything right, from management and finances to the handling of resources. This requires a clear focus and an operating culture that is in harmony with nature, which is a priority at Cervo. We are the first hotel in Switzerland to receive Ibex Fairstay's Gold Label status. That's a big step for us!

So we put in a geothermal heat pump that allows the hotel to generate up to 95 percent of its energy requirements for hot water and heating; this includes heating of all buildings and the spa. It's quite a complex system. Basically, you drill holes between 100 and 120 meters deep—we've drilled 42—and you put water into the holes; the Earth's temperature at different depths creates energy. It's very interesting. And it's complicated!

For example, we chose to collaborate with a company called 'My Climate' on our 'Cause We Care' initiative because they make an important difference in the world today. Through the program, guests contribute three francs a night to ensure that they have a carbon-neutral stay. If they participate, and it's totally voluntary, then the hotel matches their contribution, helping our visitors—and Cervo—to reduce their footprint. Guests love it.

Yes, we buy from local farmers and producers. It's very important to us that our resources come from within a 150-kilometer range. However, living in the Alps means that sometimes you have to jump over the next mountain to get these things!

Und jetzt der, auf den ich am meisten stolz bin: der Award für Fehler mit Lerneffekt. Ohne Schuld, ohne Zeigefinger – mit Humor. Wer offen erzählt, was schiefgelaufen ist und was das Team daraus gelernt hat, verdient Anerkennung. Denn eine Kultur, in der Fehler versteckt werden, lernt nie dazu. Eine, die sie teilt, wird jeden Tag besser.

Nach innen wie nach aussen. Das ist für uns kein Slogan, das ist Kultur.

Gestern habe ich von unserem Awards-System erzählt. Heute die drei Auszeichnungen im Detail – und warum ausgerechnet ein Hirsch, ein Murmeltier und eine ganze Herde dahinterstehen.

Und wenn ich ganz ehrlich bin: Ich bin unglaublich stolz auf dieses Team. Auf jeden Einzelnen, der jeden Tag zeigt, was echte Gastfreundschaft bedeutet – mit Herz, mit Haltung, mit Humor. Ihr macht CERVO Mountain Resort zu dem, was es ist. Danke!

Ich bin überzeugt: Die besten Gästeerlebnisse entstehen dort, wo Menschen gerne arbeiten.

Deshalb haben wir im CERVO Mountain Resort ein internes Awards-System entwickelt – für unsere Experience Ambassadors.

Kultur entsteht nicht durch Werte auf einer Folie. Sie entsteht durch das, was wir jeden Tag wirklich wertschätzen – nach innen wie nach aussen.

Mitarbeitende nominieren sich gegenseitig – oder auch sich selbst – für aussergewöhnliche Leistungen. Oder für Fehler, aus denen das ganze Team etwas lernen konnte.

Umso schöner, dass unsere Duft- und Spa-Linie nun eine neue visuelle Identität erhalten hat - gestaltet von der Zürcher Designerin und Künstlerin Simone Züger.

«Mystic Journey» war für uns nie einfach nur ein Duft. Es war immer der Versuch, das Gefühl von CERVO Mountain Resort greifbar zu machen. Alpine Ruhe, warme Hölzer, ein Hauch Marrakesch und diese besondere Energie von Zermatt.

Mit viel Feingefühl für Reduktion, Materialität und Emotion hat sie ein Design geschaffen, das unsere Philosophie perfekt widerspiegelt: bewusst, sinnlich und zeitlos.

Besonders stolz macht mich, dass «Mystic Journey» nicht nur ästhetisch, sondern auch in der Herstellung unseren Werten folgt: lokal produziert im Wallis, mit hochwertigen und bewusst ausgewählten Inhaltsstoffen.

Ein wunderschönes Rebranding für unsere Duft- und Spa-Linie «Mystic Journey».

Gratulation an alle Beteiligten zu diesem starken visuellen Auftritt!

Solche Events zeigen, was möglich ist, wenn viele engagierte Menschen gemeinsam an einem Erlebnis arbeiten.

Danke an alle, die dazu beigetragen haben!

Ein grosses Kompliment an das gesamte Unplugged-Team – was ihr Jahr für Jahr auf die Beine stellt, ist beeindruckend.

Letzte Woche durften wir ein unvergessliches Zermatt Unplugged erleben.

Ein grosses Danke an unser Team, das diesen Weg mitgeht und täglich mitgestaltet.

Unser Ziel ist klar: Eine Organisation, die schneller, klarer und gleichzeitig menschlich bleibt.

Neu entsteht auch die Rolle des Chief of Staff: Eine Funktion, die sicherstellt, dass aus Ideen konkrete Umsetzung wird – strukturiert, transparent und konsequent.

Unsere Struktur wird sich dabei bewusst verändern. Wir lösen uns von klassischen Hierarchien und schaffen Raum für mehr unternehmerisches Denken in den Teams.

Ab Sommer 2026 gehen wir im CERVO einen neuen Weg: Wir arbeiten künftig in einem hybriden Cluster-Modell – mit klaren Verantwortungsbereichen und stärkerem Fokus auf Zusammenarbeit, Eigenverantwortung und Tempo.

In den letzten Wochen haben wir uns intensiv mit der Frage beschäftigt, wie wir als Organisation wachsen wollen – nicht nur in Grösse, sondern vor allem in der Art, wie wir zusammenarbeiten.

Gleichzeitig sind wir auch unglaublich stolz auf unser eigenes Team im CERVO Mountain Resort.

Mit der Bühne bei uns im Haus und dem Pop-up Chalet Ferdinand im Taste Village durften wir Teil dieses besonderen Moments sein.

Einer meiner liebsten Momente war, als James Walsh, der Frontmann der Britpop-Band Starsailor, im Weinkeller ein spontanes Mitternachtskonzert gab.

Unser Glück ist aber auch, dass wir klein mit nur drei Chalets angefangen haben. Das hat uns erlaubt, stets Neues auszuprobieren

Von Anfang an war uns das grösste Anliegen, dass sich alle hier wohlfühlen, dass wir ein Ort der Begegnung sind.

Als ich vor 16 Jahren das ‹Cervo› eröffnete, wollte ich etwas anderes wagen – ungezwungenen Luxus nennen wir es.

Jedes Jahr spürt man wieder diese Magie: Musik, Berge, Sonne – das ergibt eine fast filmische Stimmung

Food Save kann Fine Dining! Das wissen wir im CERVO Mountain Resort schon lange.

Ein starkes Zeichen dafür, dass Nachhaltigkeit nicht Verzicht bedeutet, sondern neue kulinarische Freiheit.

I think the community is definitely an important part of it. I think for many people probably Design Hotels would be a, they would see it as a marketing affiliation or they would see it as a distribution channel per se or a PR company or whatever. Like Leading Hotels or like Relais & Châteaux. And I think there again, I think the difference of Design Hotels is that they also create a space where people can meet.

And we created the claim beyond exploring, which basically our vision, where we want to go.

So we said, you know what Zermatt is a fantastic place to discover the Alps, the mountains, the skiing, the forest, you name it. But it's also a great place to discover yourself because you have the time to discover yourself.

And that was all pre-COVID. So we really packed that all in.

And around that, beyond exploring, we started the evolution of the concept, of the design, but also the extension. And that's why we created also several new restaurant concepts.

So one was the Italian dimension, Madre Nostra. Therefore, it was very important to have as much as possible locally food, locally resourced food, and the beauty in Italian cuisine is it's a simple cuisine. You focus on the product. The product is key. So we really focus there on great products.

And Madre Nostra stands for Mother Earth or Our Mother slash Mother Earth. So we really want to have a big respect towards the product, whether it's meat, whether it's fish, whatever.

We kept the Ferdinand, that's our classic Swiss fondue raclette Valais cuisine. It's a must-have, pretty much 100% of the ingredients are served locally, including the wine.

we said, you know what, if we create that beyond exploring, we also want a more conscious restaurant that is mainly focused on vegetarian and vegan cuisine. And we named it Bazaar, with a focus on Middle Eastern Moroccan cuisine.

But Bazaar stands also a bit, it's a melting pot, where locals meet, where ski instructor meets after the ski run, where the hotel guest meets. It's a restaurant, it's slash a bar, slash a lounge, and it's a shop, so pretty much everything you see you can buy, and you can negotiate and trade as you would be in the Medina in Marrakech.

That was also all a bit linked to the spa. That was definitely also a great evolution and extension of the project five years, five, six years ago. The Atman Mountain Spa.

Just really focus a mindful path through one hammam, one sauna. There's a fantastic natural pool outdoor where you can plunge in even in the winter after the sauna. There we do a lot of also ice bathing with breathwork.

And it's not to say that we want to have a mixed match of different cultures. We want to have more great examples of how people can be mindful and recover and recharge and do that in a safe environment of a Swiss Alpine five-star hotel.

We work with traveling yogis and people come visit us.

And that's where we are a bit experimental at once, but also very, very, very easygoing.

And we always say, you know what, if somebody wants to just do a sauna because he wants to do a sauna, then do a sauna. If you want to do a sauna with breathwork and jump in the ice bath and have an ice bath experience, then do it. And of course, a lot of things we do also guided.

I think that's also part of our innovation we always have in CERVO. We do not stick stiff with a concept already the last 16 years

I think authenticity is, for me, a more complex word, saying, hey, what you do as a team, but also as a structure, you make it the right way and very holistic. And I think then it becomes authentic, because a lot of authenticity has also to do with the staff, with the team, that feels comfortable in the environment, and when you're really part of the show, of the game, of the concept, of the philosophy.

I think then it becomes a very natural environment. And I think then we go back to the Lebensgefühl, the way of living, then that's quite a natural... I think authenticity and natural should be very close.

I think it's more complex than just being authentic, and I think the holistic approach definitely helps to define that and then do what you want to do in the right way and in a proper way, and then really be focused on that.

I think if your objective is to create a cool hotel, then probably you won't achieve it. If your objective is to create a space where people can exchange energy and good moments and interaction and stories and you create a place for music and art and design and then you give the space also to artists and young designers that want to produce something for that.

I think also if you have a more conscious approach when it comes to, let's say, sustainability or the use of fabrics or the materials that have maybe just not only the purpose to have a nice design but also comes from fair resources or from, like in the Bazaar, a lot of the design comes actually from Marrakech. So we work with young designers from Marrakech, we work with women's associations, you know, that have a social impact.

And I think that's the end. I think at the end that's so important that you create those little tiny stories in between. And I believe those little tiny stories create then the authenticity, but also the energy.

And I think that also attracts the right people that appreciate that hotel. They don't need to be cool. It's not always about coolness. I think it's also about having an audience, a clientele, but also a staff that really thinks, well, that's a place where the values, the design, the holistic approach is nice.

And I think that creates a special ambience and moments or whatever presence that some people might say, well, that's a cool place, or that's a place that is whole. So I think the approach comes from inside to outside and not creating something from outside to inside.

I think it has a bit to do with the philosophy we have, you know, behind beyond exploring. We say we have also sub-pillars. One is beyond culture, one is beyond sustainability. So below, beyond exploring, one is beyond sustainability, one is beyond cu

We want a great team. I think that's so crucial for us, and also, you know, give them a place to work and develop themselves. I think that's very crucial.

I think we believe that as a hotel you should create those moments of cultural happenings but also interaction towards the community and especially in an Alpine town like Zermatt we need to have that interaction with the community also that the community feels welcome in the tourism industry because I think it's a fine line and a very important balance.

I think that's also something we as entrepreneurs, I hope we're not only charitable, I think that's what everybody should do. We need that interaction with the local community.

What is beyond culture for us? It's the daily music that we have, we create music also for the après-ski, we have DJs, we have live bands, but we also have the traveling yogis that visit us, we have artists in residencies, and it's a beautiful way of giving young artists a chance to work on a project, but it's also great as they interact with the team, so they have meet and greets with the team, I think a lot of the staff, they don't only work in the restaurant or maybe in the housekeeping. Some of them are very artsy as well in their free time and I think that gives them sometimes a nice approach to exchange with an artist that is in residency and also for the guests that have an exchange with them.

And as this is pretty much every day something happening in CERVO, we said, you know, it would be nice to really make it even more dense essence of what all we do.

Because we always say, you know, you can be Zen in the morning, but it's nice to have an après-ski in the afternoon. I think that's the life, at least for us.

I mean, if somebody wants to do a retreat in the Himalayas, that's totally fine. I mean, I would even suggest everybody should do that once in their life. But I think if you stay at CERVO, you don't want to sit in the morning, you may all day long do meditations, you maybe want to do meditation in the morning or do some breathwork or do some ice bathing, but then you have a great ski day and you end up with a great lunch in the mountain and then you join us for après-ski.

So I think that's the more, how we see a nice way of spending time in Zermatt.

And basically it's also what we do in every life. I think most people do. We have moments where we want to be mindful and really zen and have a good moment of meditation, but we also want to have fun and enjoy and meet people and mingle.

So, to come back to Love Beyond, the output that has an essence, Love Beyond is a retreat slash festival where we host 140, 150 people. We have a great collaboration there also with Design Hotels.

So we do panel discussions, we do inspirational speeches. Each year has a bit of a different topic, sometimes around sustainability, sometimes it's more around art, then we do workshops also with artists that might be in residencies. At that time we also do have music, a lot of concerts during that time and we do a lot of breathwork and meditation, meditative walks. This year we had ice bathing on the glacier, literally just below the glacier where there's a big ice lake made by the melting glacier.

And so it's a great festival, a great three days of music, mindfulness, but also hedonistic moments where you have great food, chefs coming, wine degustation. So it really reflects a bit what CERVO is in essence.

Pretty much since the beginning, we support the festival on different levels, whether it's launching of sponsors or artists, but we also have one of the bigger stages during the festival, in the afternoon. I think sometimes we have 800, 900, up to 1000 people coming to CERVO for the afternoon concert.

I remember 16 years ago, when we had the opening of the hotel, there was a GM from another beautiful five-star property in Zermatt, nice gentleman, and he came and he said, this hotel, that's never gonna work. I'm sure within three months you will stop après-ski. Your guests will never allow that. And I said pretty much nothing, and today we have one of the biggest après-ski scenes in Zermatt.

I would say quite sophisticated, it's definitely not a Halligalli, as another German word would say, hard to translate. It's more sophisticated, it's loungy, sometimes of course there is dancing, there is also party, but it's always on a good level.

And yes, it is part of, it became part of our DNA. And if you would look at that on a normal approach of creating a five-star hotel, you would never do that.

It wouldn't work. But it works. And the nice thing is because we do it holistic, we do it also quite sophisticated and very well planned also when it comes to the music. And that's why the people enjoy it to stay there.

And the nice thing also, what I realized, often they enjoy staying in the après-ski, and if they have enough of our hotel guests, they just go to the spa, to the room. And yes, we stop it at a reasonable time around 6, 6:30 p.m. So, it's a short time where it's really fun and people enjoy it.

And it's also the hotel guests, sometimes I even feel they're proud to be part of that après-ski scene and also to stay there. So it shifts that, it's nice.

And I think probably since the beginning, we always tried to do things not on purpose differently, but maybe with a different approach. And I think that probably we broke some rules of classic luxury in the five-star. But maybe those rules were in the minds...

Maybe they were in the minds of the hoteliers and in the minds of five-star tradition, but not necessarily in the minds of the guests, because the guests... I mean, come on, if you want to stay, if you go one week to a ski resort or you go one week hiking in the Alps, you want to have not a stiff classic five-star hotel. You want to have something with that service level, with that attention, with that definitely all the amenities you want, but in a very low key way. And I think that's for me the new quiet luxury that

our success, at least I can say there was a big need from the guest side to have something a bit different.

I think that's for me the new quiet luxury that instead of having that overwhelming, which has also certain people enjoy that as well.

I think a hotel is a very simple concept. It creates a space. Whether it's beautiful or not beautiful, that's a question of design. Of course, for me, design or a curated experience is very important. But at the end, and I said that quite in the beginning, the beauty of a hotel is to create the space for people, I mean guests and staff, so everybody. It's not only one way towards guests. I think it's more, it's more three dimensional with the staff, with the team, with the local community that they can be there and having moments of a great time, of energy, of interaction

I think that's where we always win against Airbnb. A lot of hoteliers are afraid of Airbnb, I don't get their point. Airbnb, nothing against Airbnb, but vacation apartments never can create what a hotel can offer, giving that space where people can meet. It's a whole different approach. So why should we be afraid? We have something different where we have quite a USP as a hotel if we do it the right way.

I think if I think of the Arena, the annual Design Hotels meeting, it's a beautiful way how they connect hoteliers. And the nice thing is still a lot of, I don't know if it's a majority, but a decent number of Design Hotels are owned independently, are run by the owners or at least the owners are very close to the product and I think that's a great interaction. And I think that pushes definitely a creativity.

I think the name Design Hotels probably it's almost a bit outdated because I think it's not the design we focus on.

If I imagine a Love Beyond, Stijn himself, he comes and he's a beautiful gentleman. And I think it's so important that Stijn took over Design Hotels because he comes from the operation. So he knows the needs and also the troubles and sometimes the challenges we hoteliers face in daily life and operations. It's not only marketing and everything is nice, sometimes it's also a challenge and he was running hotels and he feels us and that was fantastic and I mean to work with him it's a privilege

he comes for instance to a Love Beyond and he has a speech there and other fellow hoteliers join the Love Beyond as well and it's a part of the Design Hotels community where we meet, chefs from other hotels come and do a chef's night and I think that whole interaction is fantastic and that's something you can't

I think the F&B part is sometimes the toughest part and maybe not where you have the biggest, well, you might have a good revenue, but maybe not the biggest margin, like in a hotel. But I think a hotel without a restaurant has no point.

CERVO has 54 rooms, we have a few more apartments nearby, so we have like 60 rooms and suites, slash apartments. Somewhere 120, 140 beds, depending on how the suites are used, and we have three restaurants. Again, on paper, everybody would say this is silly, this is stupid. One restaurant would be enough, maybe one bar, that's it. And yes, we say, you know what, we want to have this space, three complete different concepts, the hotel guest can pretty much stay one week there, doesn't need to go out.

But we get a lot of other guests to our restaurants, and I think that's again where we are in the mix, that creates that lively atmosphere, whether it's après-ski, whether it's dinner time, and I think it's very important.

I think CERVO was always growing organically from inside to outside, also with the concept of the philosophy and also the facility. I mean, we started with 16 rooms and now we have almost 60 rooms. We started with 30, 40 staff, now we have 140 staff. So, you know, we were growing quite organically over the last 16 years.

I think to create a concept like CERVO from scratch as it is today, it's hardly, I mean, everything is probably possible. I would say it's very difficult to achieve because it wouldn't grow organically. You would just make from scratch a hotel and maybe very hard to copy that. And maybe nothing we want to do.

However, we could envision that with the philosophy that CERVO has, we could grow differently. So instead of creating really a second CERVO, copy-paste, I see that hardly possible, but I could imagine or envision that maybe we create somewhere a very nice, small, tiny restaurant that has the philosophy of CERVO in another location, or maybe it's a shop experience. It could be maybe even a mini spa that always plays them back to CERVO. So that could be an option. Let's see.

I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to travel because I really enjoy traveling and I also believe that it's very important for my soul and also cultural exchange with other people wherever on the planet, so I probably combined, not at once, sadly not at once, I'm not yet able to do that, but combined probably I travel two to three months a year.

Partly it's definitely also sales, it's not always a leisure, I'm part of the sales, I do it myself, but also there it's always a great moment to connect with people.

And we have a ritual room where we host yoga sessions, meditations, but also ceremonies. We work with traveling yogis and people come visit us.

But it's more the content that we create together, the stories, you know.

since the beginning, that was 2009 when we had the opening, we always wanted that the hotel is very open also towards locals and other guests from town or other guests visiting Zermatt and even staying in other hotels or apartments because we believe that the beauty of a hotel, it's beside the design, beside the concept, it's simply creating a space where people can lead and work and enjoy and interact and I think that's the beauty that a hotel creates this space and that was, since the beginning, a very important part of us.

We have one addition that is a four-star hotel. But yeah, who cares about stars?

We always said, and especially since the last five, six years when we had a little evolution of the concept and also an extension, that it's more a way of living.

16 years ago, when we started with CERVO, we said, you know what, we want to do a contemporary interpretation of a hunting lodge.

at a certain point we said, you know what, this is nice, this is beautiful, maybe that was at that time a bit different than some other more, let's say, classic Alpine hotels with a holistic philosophy, but it wasn't enough for us.

2020, I mentioned that already, but before we had an extension and also an evolution of the concept. And we said, listen, there is much more than just being that nice, warm hotel with a clean yet Alpine design slash hunting theme. It's more than that.

Excited for the 17th winter season!

Here’s to a magical season together!

As the days grow colder and the mountains turn white, the excitement here at CERVO Mountain Resort is growing stronger than ever. For this season, we’ve created a lineup of events that are truly special — moments to connect, celebrate, and be inspired!

We can’t wait to welcome you all back soon. Your energy, your stories, and your spirit are what make CERVO come alive each winter.

Am 27. November starten wir in eine neue Wintersaison.

Auch die Fafleralp Session am 29. November liegt mir persönlich sehr am Herzen – ein Abend, an dem wir als Community für das vom Bergsturz betroffene Hotel Fafleralp zusammenstehen.

Wir haben diesen Winter einiges vor: Von unseren Winter Love Parties, die immer am ersten Montag im Monat stattfinden, Live-Musik und Après-Ski auf unseren Terrassen, dem bereits legendären CERVO Derby Skirennen bis hin zu besonderen Abenden wie der Another Movie Night, der New Year's Eve Party unter dem Motto «The Stag & the White Rabbit» oder der atemberaubend schönen Mondscheinabfahrt.

Ich freue mich darauf, diesen Winter mit euch zu feiern, zu geniessen und gemeinsam neue Geschichten zu schreiben.

Was mich immer wieder beeindruckt, sind die Menschen, die hier zusammenkommen. Gäste, Freunde, unser Team – ihr alle macht diesen Ort lebendig.

Gemeinsam für die Fafleralp! Bucht gleich euren Tisch!

At the same time, we’re honoured that the CERVO Mountain Resort has been awarded again 2 Michelin Guide Keys 🗝️🗝️, placing us among the most exceptional hotels in Switzerland. This distinction reflects our ongoing dedication to creating meaningful experiences — shaped by authenticity, design, and heartfelt hospitality.

A sincere thank you to the entire CERVO Mountain Resort team — every single person who contributes to making our vision come alive each day. These recognitions belong to all of you!

We did it! Our Italian restaurant Madre Nostra has once again retained its 14 points in GAULTMILLAU — a wonderful recognition of the team’s passion, creativity, and commitment to excellence.

The 5th edition of A LOVE BEYOND – A Hedonistic Retreat was a truly magical journey of mountains, rituals, and music here in Zermatt and Täschalp.

A heartfelt thank you to the amazing CERVO team, the brilliant chefs, inspiring artists, wonderful participants and trusted partners for their incredible support in bringing this vision to life.

Until the next chapter of A LOVE BEYOND

So much joy, love, and connection filled these days — a celebration of community, energy, and unforgettable moments.

What a weekend!

As an owner, your personal growth and the business's growth go hand in hand, which is very rewarding.

It's our holistic approach and the strong community spirit among guests and staff. Even in Switzerland, there aren't many hotels with such a truly holistic philosophy.

Being born and raised in Zermatt, I was always surrounded by tourists from around the world. The cultural exchange and the special energy of this small yet international mountain town fascinated me from a young age. I knew early on that I would one day return to Zermatt and run my own hotel. That unique atmosphere truly sparked my passion for hospitality.

Traveling is crucial for humanity – it allows us to exchange knowledge, insights and philosophies. I believe we can truly grow and learn from each other this way. One of the best ways to promote peace is through travel because it helps us understand each other. It's fantastic to welcome international guests but also to showcase what's possible.

We welcome many Swiss guests, along with a diverse, international and cosmopolitan crowd – people who love to travel, appreciate quality and service, and want to experience the Cervo lifestyle. We often say Cervo isn't just a hotel but a way of living. Over the years, we've built a strong sense of community among guests and staff. In the end, it's the people who create the energy and atmosphere that truly bring a place to life.

Our growth has been organic since opening in 2009, as we pushed the boundaries of five-star hospitality with a casual yet sophisticated style, different from traditional Swiss or US hotels. We've continuously evolved, blending diverse influences while keeping each space unique – like our three distinct yet connected restaurants. The biggest step came in 2020, when we expanded with the spa, Bazaar restaurant and additional rooms, refining the concept further. Guests value the curated experience, designer collaborations and community spirit that truly set us apart.

To me, modern luxury is all about quiet luxury. It's the combination of high quality products, excellent service and attention to detail – having everything you need when you need it, but delivered in a relaxed and unpretentious way. Guests want to feel comfortable and at ease while still enjoying all the expected amenities, but without stiffness or formality. There is still a place for classic, traditional hospitality, which can be beautiful, but there's also room for a more casual, understated approach to luxury. That's what I find truly special.

I think it's both. There's growing demand for quiet, casual luxury like we offer, but I also see a slight renaissance in classic, traditional luxury, which is beautiful too. Think of luxury train journeys around the world – they are very traditional, yet highly luxurious. Overall, most people today seem to prefer a more relaxed atmosphere rather than something stiff and formal.

The hotel grows with me, and I grow with the hotel – it goes both ways. It's very much a part of my lifestyle: I value good quality, not necessarily traditional luxury, but true quality. I love beautiful fabrics and carefully chosen materials and well-sourced ingredients. We focus on fantastic quality but in a casual, relaxed way.

It's the combination of holistic design, the overall experience we create, and most importantly, our team. Over the years, we've built a team who truly embodies the spirit of Cervo and lives the Cervo way of life. That combination of thoughtful design, immersive experiences and a passionate, dedicated team is what makes this place truly special.

Sustainability has been a core value from the start – not just PR, but a responsibility. With our latest expansion, we installed a geothermal heating system that recycles heat from the water. We also prioritize sustainable sourcing and community engagement. It's rewarding that both guests and staff now expect this commitment, and many candidates choose Cervo because of our environmental values.

The biggest factor has been having a great team. Bringing together the right people and fostering a strong teamwork has been the key factor. Launching the hotel at a young age, on family-owned land, gave us a rare opportunity to build something meaningful from the ground up. With limited prior experience, we approached things differently from

Launching the hotel at a young age, on family-owned land, gave us a rare opportunity to build something meaningful from the ground up.

With limited prior experience, we approached things differently from the beginning, which helped to create a unique identity.

Building a community – uniting staff, guests and the concept – has been crucial. That's where the energy comes from and what makes the experience truly thrive.

The true beauty in hospitality lies in bringing people together.

Personally, I strive to grow and find a deeper sense of balance. That can be challenging as an entrepreneur or visionary – there's restlessness and a constant drive to push forward but also a need for patience. Finding that balance is something I'm continually working on because it benefits both me and the hotel.

For Cervo, the vision is to continue evolving and innovating. The hotel must never stop moving forward, and I'm committed to keeping that spirit alive.

Yes, our biggest project is Refugio, meaning 'shelter' in Italian – a community housing campus in the nearby village offering affordable staff accommodation, which is a major challenge in the region. It will feature living spaces and amenities like a café, bakery, bar, restaurant and spa. The goal is to create a welcoming 'village within a village' for staff from Cervo and other hotels, reflecting our belief that hospitality supports both guests and the people behind it. We aim to launch around 2027 or 2028 and are currently deep in planning.

Labels helfen sicher dabei. Aber wenn die Absicht nicht aufrichtig und Nachhaltigkeit nicht in der Unternehmenskultur verankert ist, bringen auch Labels nichts.

Nachhaltigkeit kostet – vor allem aber Zeit, Aufmerksamkeit und Mut. Natürlich gibt es Investitionen, etwa in die Infrastruktur. Aber vieles hat mit Haltung zu tun, nicht mit Geld.

Langfristig rechnet sich nachhaltiges Wirtschaften fast immer – ökologisch, sozial und auch wirtschaftlich. Zudem wird es nicht nur für Gäste zum Standard, sondern auch für Mitarbeitende. Viele unserer Talente wählen das «Cervo» als Arbeitgeber, gerade weil wir nachhaltig unterwegs sind.

Gäste schätzen, dass wir die Hausaufgaben machen und mit dem Thema ernst umgehen. Einige wollen mehr erfahren, andere geniessen einfach ihre Zeit bei uns.

Nachhaltigkeit in die Unternehmenskultur einbinden und die Mitarbeitenden von A–Z integrieren. Dann geschieht vieles schon sehr organisch. Labels helfen, dies zu messen, und dienen als Wegweiser. Sie sollten aber nicht aus reinen Marketingüberlegungen angestrebt werden.

Nachhaltigkeit ist kein Verkaufsargument, sondern eine Haltung. Der Gast erwartet, dass die Branche ihre Hausaufgaben macht, und sieht es als Standard an. Ein USP ist dies schon lange nicht mehr.

Die Grenze liegt für mich dort, wo man Nachhaltigkeit zur reinen Imagepflege instrumentalisiert – ohne Substanz. Glaubwürdigkeit entsteht dann, wenn das, was man kommuniziert, auch im Alltag spürbar ist. Wenn Gäste merken: «Ah, da passiert wirklich etwas – das ist nicht nur ein Satz auf der Website.»

Transparenz und ernst gemeinte Massnahmen sind beim Thema Nachhaltigkeit unerlässlich. Abgesehen davon sind die Gäste und Mitarbeitenden heute mündig genug und durchschauen jegliche Versuche von Greenwashing.

Nachhaltigkeit ist immer eine ausgewogene Mischung aus Ökologie, sozialem Engagement und ökonomischen Aspekten. Bei uns beginnt Nachhaltigkeit nicht bei der Zimmerkarte aus Holz, sondern bei der Infrastruktur, den Arbeitsbedingungen oder der Beziehung zu lokalen Produzenten. Wir kommunizieren dabei nicht offensiv, weil wir als Unternehmen in der Pflicht stehen, dies umzusetzen – ohne Marketingversprechungen.

Indem wir Nachhaltigkeit nicht als separate PR-Kampagne betreiben, sondern als Teil unserer Kultur. Unser strategischer Pfeiler Beyond Sustainability hinterfragt auch unsere eigene Rolle kritisch. Wir setzen auf Kreislaufwirtschaft, faire Beziehungen und langfristiges Denken – und lassen uns dabei auch gern challengen. Daneben messen wir die Massnahmen regelmässig, etwa mit dem Label von Ibex Fairstay.

In a rush to be so much for guests and give them everything, we can easily forget that sometimes what they need is not more but less.

We work with a Berlin-based deejay who makes our entire musical lineup for summer and winter, and who creates our meditation sets. Locals can join in, so that gives guests a nice interactive experience. We also create daily happenings, such as classes with chefs and macramé workshops, or we participate in local festivals.

A modern interpretation of a huntsman's lodge with a new Alpine-chic style

I did a lot of traveling earlier in my life, to Nepal, Bhutan, Japan, and Peru, and that helped me to open my eyes. It showed me that life should have a bigger purpose than just being a hotelier.

Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of what we have accomplished with Cervo. But if you have a set of values, then I think to live with yourself, you need to share those values.

After 10 or 11 years, he knew...Ok, I knew that it was time to evolve, to incorporate a new approach and mentality. I needed a next step. And the hotel needed one, too. The question was how to grow both myself and the hotel together.

Seraina and I asked ourselves, 'What is the purpose of a hotel?' And for us, it's a way of living. Yes, it's a hotel, but it's also about the guest connecting to the self.

I had a more mindful attitude, so I wanted Cervo to have that as well.

There's leisure and luxury, of course. Though now it's designed to be holistic and very organic. One doesn't just use the hotel to explore nature, one feels a part of the natural world.

We wanted to create an atmosphere where the customer could tap into the mystical feel of Zermatt, the nature, the Matterhorn—capture that energy. To explore, yes, but also to relax, calm down, and discover oneself.

Yes, right, you find this in Japan at 'listening' bars. It's usually acoustic music. Sometimes we listen to an entire album, from beginning to end. People really dive into it. The music evolves, so the experience evolves.

Ok, so we put in a ritual room for yoga, meditation, and sound meditation, but we thought, 'Hey let's have a space where people can dive into a few moments of alone time. So it's calming isolation, a small little hut. You hear nothing outside. You sit on pillows on the floor. There's a little oven with water set on top and you make your own tea. And you just sit there and are wherever you want to be. You just be. There is no music. Just the smell of the fire. Pure mindfulness.

Yes, people love it. And they love the ritual room. That too is part of our new Mountain Ashram Spa, where we have complimentary meditation and yoga twice a day. We also offer coaching, onsen baths, massages, sound meditation, and treatments.

A big part of our spa is outside because outdoors is so much about this place and the region. That's why we created a little yurt where you can have tea. We are also adding a natural pond where you can swim and experience the temperatures and textures of the land and feel a holistic balance between hotel, nature, and the environment that surrounds you.

Absolutely. Seraina and I both are. There's been a lot of change from the beginning to now, but that word 'change' makes it sounds drastic. I see it more as an evolution. The original values of Cervo—to celebrate the authentic and traditional—are still in place. So while there's been a tremendous amount of change, it's built on a foundation. The huntsman is still here. He's still part of our DNA. But he has experienced an awakening!

Well, yes. But awards are a byproduct of our efforts, not the goal.

Luxury is important to us, of course, but it must be sustainable. That's key.