Six Senses Crans Montana

Besides the architecture this hotel is extremely far a way to even a 3* Swiss hotel. The personnel is quite young and inexperienced, nobody speaks the local language . They checked us in directly to our spa appointment and then they walk us to our room ( luckily) our room was occupied by a couple that has also complained that the name on TV was no their name .. so embarrassing. 30min after still in outer bathrobes they walked us after the reception checked available room to a second room also occupied and finally to an empty one . We have ordered champagne because the we were celebrating , the bottle wasn’t chilled and we called reception to be changed , 40 min later .. they changed it …we went for dinner and grab a cocktail at the bar who closes at 22:30 and walk back to our room. The key didn’t work !! Back to reception and another long Wait . Next day we scheduled a yoga class and after we got a thank you email with the full list name/ last name of participants.. do they understand privacy breach ? The spa area is small , it was busy so lack of sun-beds, towels and tea , the personnel look rather annoyed than accommodating. We loved the breakfast besides that I guess the an ibis ha hosted us better . The manager has zero empathy nor customer experience sense . A total disaster

All six senses tell me not to return to this hotel. The hotel unfortunately could be so much more. It is one of those places that wants to be cool but in trying so hard that it is not. The rooms are nice however if you are below level 5 you do not have a view. You can hear your neighbour talking early hours and the club music late into the night. Furthermore the hotel is dark and feels like a cave but a cheap cave. Heat in the room is controlled by the hotel and even when they adjust it for you it will drop down again to their original setting in the middle of the night. The room service menu is limited and the one restaurant/bar does not open until 7pm. I would avoid going there and spending your money when there are so many better options in Switzerland. This hotel is for posers. It is not luxury and lacks character. Essentially a slightly nicer version of a Hilton.

We have stayed at the Six Senses on two occasions, firstly in Portugal and now at Crans Montana. We stayed for three nights and spent over 7,500 CHP for the accommodation and extras. There was so much that the hotel does right, largely the architecture and finish of the building but there is so much they have got wrong with their approach and service. It feels like this location wants to be a luxury offering but without the accompanying service levels and they make so many basic mistakes that are simply not becoming of a 5 star hotel. I felt compelled to write this review after being harassed post our stay for 65 CHP which was the cost of the in room teddy that the hotel leave in every room. It’s a money maker when you turn up with multiple children. We read and re-read the accompanying card which stated that the cost of the stay and the teddies adoption fee goes towards their sustainability initiatives. Clearly a mistake on our part as busy parents juggling multiple children on arrival. But here’s the issue, we overlooked all the other money grabbing that the hotel did and let that go until this last episode. During our stay we had baby sitting that was offered to us on the basis of 35 CHP for an in house nanny and 55 CHP for an external nanny per hour. We took the in house option. Upon check out however we were told that this was 35 CHP per child per hour. For a 3.5 hr service they wanted to charge us 367 CHP. The external option would have been 577 CHP and in addition the hotel wanted to charge us a 10% handling fee. We were also charged 45 CHP for 5 scoops of ice cream for our children (9 CHP per scoop). I understand the hotel plays to a 5 star audience who may not always check their bills but this is disgusting. In the greater context of cost of living and the have and have not’s the approach of the hotel is shocking. I am glad to say that the hotel relented on the baby sitting charges and accepted they misinformed us but at every turn there was money to be made. We paid an extra agent 300 CHP to hire bicycles for 2-hours (a day charge was the minimum). The service we had from the individuals that looked after us at concierge (Arthur) and the setting up of the bikes was brilliant and it really made the stay but the cost was way too much. It was another thing that was just extra revenue for the hotel. We have finished a 6-week journey through France and Italy and stayed at some wonderful hotels who went the extra mile to build a client base and who could easily have penny pinched on the small stuff but didn’t. The Six Senses in Crans Montana did so much so well but let themselves down on the easy stuff. Teaching great customer services is an art and unfortunately it isn’t one that they have mastered at this location. We also had a terrible interaction with the cleaning staff who even though the hotel knew our schedule with young children sleeping and our restaurant t bookings, continued to send staff to knock on the door at 9am and attempt turn down service as we were getting ready for dinner. That in itself isn’t that bad but when you then tell them 5-minutes, they don’t disappear and return, we had three cleaners literally leaning against the wall like teenagers outside the school gates sharing a joke waiting for us to leave. It was simply appalling. If I was in charge of the hotel I would be appalled by the above. It’s a first world problem so I don’t want to make out it’s the biggest real, it isn’t, but I do wish someone had told us about the experience before we booked so I hope this helps. I welcome the apologetic soundbite from the hotelthat may make this sound like a one off, but I won’t be convinced that it was. If you do decide to visit we highly recommend the Michelin star restaurant Le Mont Blanc at the Le Crans hotel which was outstanding. I would love to sample a ski season at Six Senses Crans Montana but given what we have experienced I think it unlikely and we’ll be sure to share our experience with friends and family.

We reached in the evening after driving for 8 hours from Paris and the first impression of the property was that we were in for a treat. The hotel lies at the base of the ski slope and as we stayed there in the month of June (for 3 nights), it was lush green and beautiful. The car goes to their lobby at the lowest level where our bags were promptly removed by the efficient bell staff. Here we met Ms. Raffele who took care of the check-in starting with the tour of the property. We first started with their sound ritual which was very nice and relaxing and afterwards given a tour. Their main reception is located at the 5th floor where the Bar and the outdoor swimming pool are also located. There are many lounges all over the hotel which are really nice to getaway with a book. As this was a FHR booking through AMEX platinum, we were upgraded to the next level rooms (although not interconnected as they were not available) with balcony. The rooms were ready and conveniently located at the 3rd floor where the SPA, Gym, in door heated pool and their ‘Wild cabin’ Restaurant is located. The hotel is very focussed towards sustainability efforts and the same is reflected in their décor – use of natural materials etc. The room was very nice, very spacious, beautifully decorated with all amenities as expected from the very best. The balcony was quite big, overlooking the valley having a beautiful relaxing sofa bed on one side and table with four chairs on the other side, which we did use for in-room dining. All through the property - reception, SPA, Gym, Restaurant they have nourishing water which has lots of anti oxidants, fruits and dry fruits kept and we felt it was an amazing touch. This property is located at the foot of the ski slope with direct access to the ski slope. They offer complimentary gondola tickets to the top of the mountain which is a must. The ride itself is 15-20 long and it takes you on top of a mountain which overlooks the entire Crans Montana valley. It is a must do. There is also a lovely restaurant on the top, serving delicious food and we had their salads, cakes and coffee. The hotel breakfast spread is quite lavish with in house (organic) made jams, sauces giving it a nice touch. The 3rd floor restaurant also has an outdoor area from which one can go down to the village without going through the elevator. As soon as one walks out of this floor there is a beautiful forest with small rivulets flowing though the slopes – it is really nice to spend some time here. The hotel has daily activities for their guests, some of which are paid and many free. We were very fortunate to take the sound therapy with Ms. Susana. She was amazing. Another must do is their Six senses SPA. We took a day wellness package for two people which included a 60 minutes wellness screening, 60 minutes bio hacking on their latest machines, 45 minutes breathwork, 60 minutes Vitality Algae Wrap which includes a scrub and head massage (spread over 2 days). After this we tried their 5 different saunas and steam treatments which had many medicinal benefits. This was a once in a lifetime experience for us and we were very glad we did it. Need to mention that all the people we were in contact with were top in their field. The screening and bio hacking was done under the guidance of Mr. Balázs Csanak who we felt was very experienced and spot on with his diagnosis. He did send us a complete report with possible suggestions (alternative therapy/ naturopathy) to cure what was ailing us and overall improve our heath. Lauren with whom we took the breathwork was very informed and experienced and it was a very relaxing session. The scrub and the algae wrap was very soothing to the skin. The SPA was handled by Ms. Fabienne Shum and Ms. Carolina and they are both very good at their job. Their indoor pool, 5 different type of saunas, steam room, cold bath are all complementary to the hotel guests and are a must do! The only weak link in this place, as we felt was their housekeeping staff and they definitely need to work on small things like ringing the door bell before entering, honoring the DND, refilling the toiletries etc. I was asked by IHG hotels regarding the stay and had mentioned the same to them. It was heartening to see that Mr. Christian Gurtner General Manager immediately responded and apologized for the same. There is definitely an intention on his part to make the hotel world class like the other Six senses properties. However, it is disheartening to see the low score on the tripadvisor as many guests do find these as a major issues as expectations from Six senses name is also very high. Our experience barring a housekeeping incident was superb and we do recommend this property whole heartedly to our fellow travelers.

Best spa i ever visited. Rooms are very nice and service is beyond expectation. Breakfast is excellent. The hotel offers numerous adventures, including biking on the mountains and more. Activities inside the hotel include alchemy lab where you learn to make natural beauty products. Will come back again for sure.