For a hotel review I needed to write, Tim and I spent Saturday night in Davos. First impressions as we arrived on the train were pretty grim. The valley was sinking in cloud; it was cold and wet. Since we had planned a ski weekend, and there was no sign of snow, our spirits were low. The hotel, however, was stunning. It's brand new and very glossy, with masculine decor in shades of maroon, olive and black. I was interested to learn that some of the wooden panelling on the walls was from restored ceilings of disused mountain huts.
Our room was simply divine. It was huge, with a balcony around at least half of it. It was divided into a bedroom and sitting room by a sleek cabinet, with a rotating flat screen TV on the middle shelf - so it could be watched from bed or the settee. It was all bronze, taupe and mauve, with faux fur throws and cushions on the bed. It's Hotel Grischa, in case you're interested. It had that slightly generic feel of modern hotels trying to resemble the traditional mountain lodge, but it exceeded comfort. We were just disappointed that of its four restaurants, we couldn't eat in any because they were fully booked - not something you expect when you have a room in a hotel.
We ate at a traditional restaurant in Davos, and I had pumpkin ravioli in a cream sauce - it was delightful. In true Tim and Emily style, we did some wellness. The public swimming baths were quite lovely, and had a warm outdoor pool. The only disaster was the swimming pool with people swimming up and down, whilst kids jumped off the diving board at the other end. Talk about lack of health and safety. In the evening we visited a lovely Christmas market and had some tasty Gluehwein. It was selling all kinds of lovely homemade treats, like cakes and jam, as well as homemade crafts with wood and stones.
The following day, the sun finally came out, and we had an energetic walk around the lake, as well as doing some ice skating at the local outdoor rink. I have to say, Davos is one of the least picturesque places I have been. Normally, surrounding mountains can make anywhere look attractive - not Davos. The architecture is modern, ugly and lacking in character. We didn't discover an old town, and struggled to find anz personality about the place. It attracts business people with big events like the World Economic Forum. I can't say I'd ever holiday there...
