schön! selects | 48 hours in geneva

Nikol (Nickey) Vyhlidalova.

Getting to Zermatt, Switzerland, requires a level of commitment that most alpine destinations simply do not demand. Because the village is completely car-free, the final leg of the journey relies on a cog railway that climbs from Täsch through the valley, bringing travellers into an alpine sanctuary that feels entirely removed from the frantic pace of the modern world. By the time CERVO Mountain Resort appears above the village centre – all dark timber, natural stone and unobstructed Matterhorn views – the journey has already initiated the decompression process, allowing guests to leave the noise of everyday life behind.

Schön! alive arrived for the inaugural ALTO Retreat, CERVO’s new three-day trail running programme, ahead of its official launch on 26th June. ALTO, the resort’s newly launched movement and performance initiative, is designed for what its founders describe as a more considered way of engaging with landscape, body and mind. In practice, it means breathwork at altitude, cold plunge pools, a 15km mountain trail before most people have fully woken up, and the unmistakable realisation that your relationship with your own body deserves more attention than you have been giving it.

Nikol (Nickey) Vyhlidalova.

Nikol (Nickey) Vyhlidalova.

The programme is led by Martin Anthamatten, a former Swiss national ski mountaineering team member and record-setting winner of the Zermatt-Rothorn race. Anthamatten is the kind of guide who makes covering enormous distances across steep terrain feel like an entirely reasonable thing to do – beginners will have some trust issues afterwards, but that’s part of the experience. His philosophy is about understanding what the body is actually communicating. “It’s important to feel when you’re in a block; you have to feel the body sensations,” he says. “Sleep is the most important. I think it’s better to recover a bit more than less.” For someone who has spent a career at the sharp end of alpine endurance sport, the emphasis on recovery over output is both surprising and immediately convincing.

The retreat begins before the trail does, with morning breathwork sessions carried out by the specialised team at Keen Wellbeing. These controlled breathing techniques are engineered to prepare the body for contrast therapy, which moves systematically between hot steam and freezing ice baths. Drawing on both Eastern and Nordic traditions at the Ātman Mountain Spa, this contrast routine delivers intense mental clarity and reduces systemic inflammation before runners even lace up their shoes. The ice is cold in the way that ice is cold, naturally, so there is no getting used to it. But the after-effect, that particular clarity that arrives about three minutes after climbing out, the one that makes everything else seem manageable, is difficult to argue with.

CERVO, Ritual Room and Ātman Mountain Spa.

CERVO Resort.

The trail run itself is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Fifteen kilometres from the resort, up through the mountain terrain and across to Sunnega, then along the ridge and around Lake Leisee, with the Matterhorn appearing and reappearing at intervals throughout, its peak dusted with a thin layer of snow that made the whole thing look like someone had touched it up with a paintbrush for the occasion. Coach Florent Tillie – patient beyond all reasonable expectation – ensured that nobody was left behind, a task that required considerable diplomatic skill at various points during the ascent. The terrain shifts quickly in this part of Switzerland, from well-maintained paths to rocky switchbacks to open meadow, and the trail demands constant attention. What it gives back though – apart from muscular pain – is a perspective that is very difficult to achieve at sea level.

Sunnega, reached by an underground funicular from the village, sits at around 2,300 metres and looks directly at the Matterhorn across a valley that has the quality of something constructed. Lake Leisee, a high-altitude lake above it, is small and still and surrounded by Alpine flowers in June. Running past it feels slightly absurd, especially considering how much easier it would be to travel across the mountain that way.

Nikol (Nickey) Vyhlidalova.

CERVO, Madre Nostra.

Nutrition and hydration are managed in partnership with Swiss performance brand PEAQ Hydration, with custom, nutrient-dense menus served across CERVO’s three regional restaurants: ‘Ferdinand,’ ‘Madre Nostra’ and ‘Bazaar’. Each is based on regional produce, although the menus offer three distinct culinary experiences – from Thai-based dishes to classic Italian-style favourites.

CERVO itself is worth discussing beyond its role as a retreat venue. The resort’s 54 rooms and suites across three lodges, designed by German design studio Dreimeta, operate as a clustered village of seven distinct chalets. Nomad pairs rugged industrial accents with mid-century utility styling for the modern explorer; Alpinist leans into a minimalist, Nordic-inspired interpretation of high-altitude refuge; and Huntsman references classic alpine lodge heritage with deep leathers, rich wools and private open fireplaces. The interior architecture is grounded heavily in sustainably sourced local larch wood, raw concrete and textured granite, paired with customised details like integrated record players and private saunas that make the spaces feel instantly warm and lived-in.

CERVO, Bazaar.

CERVO, Alpinist Room.

For those who want the full three-day version, the retreat is structured around five pillars: performance and technique, recovery and regeneration, nutrition and hydration, mindfulness, and community. The last one is the easiest to underestimate and the hardest to replicate outside of a context like this, a small group of people doing something physically demanding together in a landscape that puts individual effort into immediate and humbling perspective.

The ALTO Trail Club and Lab, which launched weekly from 10th June, extends the same philosophy to a broader audience, open to beginners and experienced runners alike, with Anthamatten and the ALTO team leading guided runs against that same Matterhorn backdrop. The second ALTO Retreat will follow in September. 

Discover more about the ALTO Trail Club and Lab here.

photography. courtesy of CERVO, Nikol (Nickey) Vyhlidalova
words. Gennaro Costanzo

In the heart of East London, the Town Hall Hotel stands as a significant reminder of the area’s rich civic heritage. The award-winning hotel is set within the beautifully restored Edwardian Bethnal Green Town Hall, a Grade II-listed building that reopened in 2010 following an extensive restoration. 

For creatives looking to immerse themselves in the inspiration that weaves through the East End, the Town Hall Hotel provides an ideal base: it’s a short walk from Victoria Park, the Young V&A, the nearby Satan’s Whiskers bar, and is just minutes from Bethnal Green tube station. For those looking for something new to read, the hotel’s partnership with the renowned publishing house, Faber Library, offers an extensive library free for guests to browse, with classics, contemporary authors, and children’s fiction. 

From a design standpoint, the hotel brings together the building’s historic architecture with a contemporary new top floor and wing, creating a unique setting where past and present meet. Guests stay in one of the 97 rooms, many of which feature fully fitted kitchens that lend themselves to longer stays. Each room contains one-off vintage pieces of furniture and is made deliciously inviting with barista-quality coffee and luxury toiletries. 

The hotel also features one of the largest suites in London, adding an unexpected sense of scale to the building’s unique offering. In 2022, two of the suites were redesigned in collaboration with London-based furniture designers/makers Jan Hendzel Studio. The new interiors combine creative layouts, functional pieces, sculptural elements and signature textured finishes, giving the spaces the feel of “gallery-come-living spaces”, the balance of high art and daily comfort.

For foodies, the Town Hall Hotel features two distinct dining experiences led by chef Rafael Cagali. Situated on the ground floor, the two Michelin-starred Da Terra serves playful, perfectly executed tasting menus that blend South American inspiration with Italian influences, complemented by an extensive wine cellar. 

Taking its name from Elis Regina, one of the most iconic vocalists in Brazilian jazz and Bossa Nova, Restaurant Elis sits on the level above, celebrating the chef’s Brazilian-Italian heritage through rustic dishes, a selection of elegant snacks, and great wine.

The guest experience extends to a dedicated gym equipped with Peloton Bikes for a strong sweat session and a 14 metre indoor heated swimming pool. With skylights and loungers, the pool is the perfect place to relax. In-room spa treatments available by Ruuby, the UK’s leading on-demand mobile beauty and wellness platform. And as a final touch, the hotel is dog-friendly and welcomes our furry friends as part of the stay, a final gesture of ease within a building shaped by history and contemporary life.

Ultimately, the Town Hall Hotel succeeds in offering more than just a place to stay; it is a layered experience where heritage, design, and contemporary East London culture intersect. Whether guests are drawn by its architectural significance, its thoughtfully curated interiors, or its strong ties to food, art, and publishing, the hotel functions as both retreat and creative catalyst. 

Book your stay at townhallhotel.com.

words. Clara La Rosa

photography. Amelie Niederbuchner

There’s something about the Austrian Alps that evokes feelings of nostalgia. Maybe it’s the combination of the region’s mysterious forests and towering mountains or the fact that the beloved ‘Sissi’ movie (and, of course, ‘The Sound of Music’) was filmed around these parts.

Then there are the country’s castles – over a thousand of them. On the peaceful shores of Lake Fuschl, you can find one that looks like something sliced out of a fairytale. After turning down an unassuming, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it winding road, you’ll be greeted with the sight of a 15^th Century castle-turned-luxury-lakeside-retreat: Rosewood Schloss Fuschl.

The castle holds a wealth of history within its walls. Originally constructed in 1461 as a hunting lodge for the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg, Schloss Fuschl served as the backdrop for legendary hunts (that even monks participated in) and court gatherings for over three centuries. It was only in 1947 that its transformation into a luxury hotel began.

Schloss Bar. image. Courtesy of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl

Thankfully, the hotel hasn’t been stripped of this heritage but rather leans into it. In the lobby, there are antique wooden chairs with carved hearts, painted vases and plates, wrought iron chandeliers and a handful of mounted deer antlers overlooking the reception desk, complemented by contemporary accents in the form of sheepskin chairs and a large painting by German artist Georg Baselitz. 

The rooms, meanwhile, are flooded with natural light and boast postcard-perfect lake and mountain views. They are filled with all the charms of classic Alpine living: dark parquet floors, cosy furniture in plush woollen fabrics and curated artwork by local artists. Even the mini-bars are aesthetically pleasing with scenes depicting the four seasons – all hand painted by Austrian artist Marie Hartig. With only 98 rooms (including 42 suites and 6 old-school timber chalets located along the lake’s edge), the atmosphere here is intimate and tranquil.

Left Schloss Restaurant. image. Courtesy of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl. Right. Schloss Bar. Photography (right). What The Fox

Because the original architectural elements have been kept in place, there are many charming hidden nooks (where there’s always a great chair to sit on) scattered throughout the hotel. The halls are winding and almost labyrinthine, but if you do get lost, simply enjoy the artwork which, at Rosewood Schloss Fuschl, is all around you: in the corridors, restaurants, bars… everywhere you turn, there’s art. In fact, there are hundreds of (predominantly 17^th Century Dutch) paintings, including great classics by Old Masters such as François Boucher, Jacob Marre and Giulio Carpioni – all from the private collection of the Schörghuber family, who have owned the castle since 2001.

image. Courtesy of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl

There’s also Rosewood Schloss Fuschl’s biggest draw: the impossibly turquoise and pristine lake. In fact, it’s one of the clearest lakes in Austria and Rosewood takes full advantage of this proximity to something so special. At the foot of the castle, there’s See Club, a Mediterranean style beach club lined with sun loungers and daybeds. There’s a pontoon for kayaking and paddleboarding and a swimming ladder with direct access to the lake. You can also go on guided fishing excursions (or some forest foraging with an expert herbalist for those who prefer to remain on shore).

If swimming outdoors in the crisp Alpine air might be a little too adventurous for some, there’s also the hotel’s incredible Asaya Spa. At 16,000-square-foot, it has everything: an indoor pool, saunas, a solarium and the most beautiful heated outdoor infinity pool that almost touches the surrounding forest and gives you incredible lake and mountain views as you swim. There’s also the option to do some morning lakeside yoga and sound healing.

left. Schloss Restaurant. Photography. (left) Amelie Niederbuchner. right. image. Courtesy of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl

Dining-wise, there are six restaurants and bars, all embracing regional cuisine, meats and local fish. Standouts include Sissi Tee Salon, where you can tuck into a life-changing Kaiserschmarrn, and the moody and mysterious Schloss Bar (which is accessed via a set of winding stone steps), where you can sip on fantastic cocktails in front of a 15^th Century fireplace.

Whether you’re searching for serenity and seclusion or you love nature and/or history, Rosewood Schloss Fuschl is the place you need to be. It exists in its own perfectly peaceful world.

See Club restaurant. image. Courtesy of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl

Discover Rosewood Schloss Fuschl here.

words. J. Bibi Cooper

edit. Huma Humayun

imagery. Courtesy of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl