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Once a mountain restaurant in the ski area, the "Chäserstatt" is now a hotel. From now on, it will remain closed in winter.
KEYSTONE/Olivier Rueegsegger
Enjoying good service in the mountains in seclusion: From now on, this will only be possible in summer at the "Chäserstatt" hotel in Valais. The traditional establishment will remain closed in winter, mainly for logistical reasons.
It is a very special place steeped in tradition: high up in the mountains, at 1777 meters, sits the Valais mountain hotel "Chäserstatt". An establishment with an eventful history, where guests particularly enjoy the seclusion.
But it is precisely this secluded location that is now putting the hotel under pressure: Because the general conditions in winter meant an immense effort for the operators, this is now to come to an end. After the current, eighth winter season, the hotel will only open in summer.
The decision was not an easy one, emphasizes managing director and head chef Janos Schweizer to the Valais media portal "Pomona": it is "not an abrupt step, but the result of careful consideration and a longer-term orientation".
This also puts an end to the circulating rumor that the business - like so many traditional Swiss establishments - is on the brink of complete closure. The guests have also already been informed. The managing director clarifies: "We don't see this step as a retreat, but as a deliberate focus."
The main reason for saying goodbye to the winter business lies in the challenging logistics: in winter, the hotel is simply not accessible by car. While it is easy to drive up in summer, only a tracked vehicle can help in the snow. Everything - from fresh laundry and food to guests' suitcases - has to be laboriously transported up from Mühlebach.
"What for many is part of the special 'Chäserstatt' experience means a huge logistical and economic effort in the background," explains Schweizer. Added to this is the inconsistent snow reliability: "Planning is becoming more difficult, the conditions are becoming less reliable," says the Managing Director.
The eventful history of the "Chäserstatt" is closely linked to alpine sports. The area was a popular ski resort until 2008, but had to close due to financial problems. The lifts disappeared, but the restaurant remained.
In the end, it was the German "pretzel king" Klaus Stahl who recognized the property's potential. He bought the building in 2013 and transformed the former self-service restaurant into a modern hotel with suites and a wellness area.
Since 2018, local entrepreneur Heinz Seiler has been running the business with a new company. It was important to him that the multi-million investment "should not simply lie idle", as he told "Pomona" at the time.
The fact that the "Chäserstatt" will now close in winter is not good news for the local tourism industry in Ernen and Mühlebach, especially in a region that, according to the media portal, is already suffering from a shortage of hotel beds. The well-known "Alpenblick" hotel-restaurant in Ernen only recently closed, and a possible successor is still unclear.
