T+L Hotel Review: The Brecon, Adelboden, Switzerland

Arrived in the city Swiss village Adelboden in a particular good weather spell. The sun shone down on the traditional Alpine houses, their window boxes bursting with red geraniums.

In the Bernese Oberland, the British helped popularize the sport of skiing in the late nineteenth century.^Th century. Adelboden is one of only three communities to host World Cup skiing races every year, since 1967. Aside from winter activities, the village’s warmer months are filled with postcard-perfect scenes: wildflowers on the mountainside, winding streets, cowbells ringing in the distance, and timber cabins.

Grant Maunder is from Wales, but now owns this historical Alpine village. The Brecon Hotel in Adelboden—their family has been visiting for over 40 years. The brothers had admired an old Belle Epoque building at the end village in 2009. They bought it in 2009 and converted it into The Cambrian. It is a family-friendly, 72 room hotel, with a large decked terrace. Then last year they opened The Brecon for adults, a ten-minute stroll up the road from The Cambrian.

The hotel’s elegant entrance—a locally made revolving timber door—provides a hint of the experience, as discretion and luxury craftsmanship abound here. The welcoming desk is situated directly in front a large open kitchen. On the left you’ll find the breakfast area and on the right, a stunning living room. The front wall of windows reminds you that the views are the main attraction.

Maunder gave the job of designing to Nicemakers, a hip Amsterdam-based design studio. He wanted to create a hotel that evoked cool mid-century clubhouses, which were stylish and laidback. It was a far cry from the traditional Swiss five-star luxury.

Nicemakers did a great job: the hotel’s atmosphere is inviting, relaxed, comfortable and cool. I usually prefer my privacy in my hotel room, but the lounge area was a great place to spend some time with my traveling companions. The plush sofas were under the coffered ceilings, and the soft shaggy rugs provided cosy comfort. I quickly found my favourite spot too—a little hidden nook with a leather banquette handily adjacent to the small bar. The perfect place to relax and enjoy the culture-focused magazines and books artfully placed on vintage coffee tables.

The entire artwork is curated and designed by Amsterdam’s Bisou GalleryThe artisan Maunder, who was brought from Wales, laid the natural slate flooring that covers the common areas and the outdoor pool area on the ground floor. Andrea Anderson, his wife and a ceramicist, created each of the 950 plates, bowls, cups, etc., in their studio.

The Brecon offers a discrete version of luxury for those looking to escape the crowds. It is the antidote of the glitz, glamour and star studded resorts of St. Moritz & Gstaad.

Continue reading for an in-depth review of The Brecon located in Adelboden, a Swiss Alpine village.

The Rooms

First, I was pleased to see that the 18 rooms and 4 suites in this hotel were all television-free. Room sizes range from 200 square feet in the Village Cosy up to 775 square foot Mountain Loft, which has a bedroom on the lower floor and a living area on the upper.

The Mountain Cosy Room, which was one of the smaller rooms, had a very comfortable bed, and custom-woven Melin Tregwynt Wool blankets. The decor is subdued: rich fabrics as drapes or rugs absorb sound and the bathrooms are tiled with Aesop toiletries.

There are balconies in front-facing rooms as well. I had a corner wraparound room, which allowed me to enjoy the bubbling heated pool below, and the panoramic views of Engstligen Falls ahead. I spent golden hour with a cup of tea and a book, sitting out and staring at the mountains—the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau are all in the area.

Food and Drink

The all-inclusive hotel policy reinforces that feeling of being with friends. Before dinner, my travel companions gathered on the sofas in the living room to enjoy the self-service drinks bar. If making cocktails yourself is not your thing, a waiter will be happy to pour you a drink or prepare a cocktail for you.

The Brecon also has a culinary homestyle concept created by Bryn Williams. The Welsh chef, who is the head of the kitchen at The Cambrian in Cardiff, Wales, was responsible for the original concept. Open kitchen focusing on local, seasonal products. Breakfast includes local cured meats and fresh fruit as well as pancakes, eggs and muesli. The daily afternoon tea includes freshly prepared sandwiches and baked goods. For dinner, guests are encouraged gather for a 7pm sitting to enjoy the four-course menu prepared by the chef (with vegetarian options). Wine pairings will be available.

Maunder explained to guests that they are asked to leave laptops and smartphones behind. He hopes this will lead to more face-to-face interaction.

Activities and Experiences

The winter offers a wide variety of snow-inspired activities, including skiing, snowboarding and more. The summer is the best time to go hiking or biking. I am not a sportsperson, but I was able to manage (and enjoyed) the short hike to the beautiful Engstligen falls, followed by a mountain-top meal of local cheeses.

The hotel pool is for dipping, but I spent each morning in Adelboden’s 164-foot open-air pool, which is just five minutes away from The Brecon.

Our group visited Lake Oeschinen as well, located about 30 minutes from Adelboden. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Swiss Alps Jungfrau – Aletsch. Its turquoise water resembles an idyllic movie set with cow bells gently jingling. There’s a charming café for lunch and a cute ice cream parlour, too. We had a picnic organized by The Brecon before taking a dip in cold water of the lake. If you want more thrills in the outdoors, the hotel will help arrange paragliding and other outdoor adventures.

The Spa

A small spa is available at the hotel, with a sauna, steam room, ice room and relaxation room. The room offers a spectacular view of the mountains. The outdoor pool is heated to a comforting 93°F year-round. A full-body 50-minute massage I received one afternoon left me feeling relaxed. I liked the one-way glass windows in the sauna, which allowed me to watch what was happening on the pool deck as well as the mountains beyond.

Accessibility, Sustainability and Sustainability

There is a wheelchair-accessible second entrance on the left side of the Brecon. One accessible room is located on the first-floor, while the sauna, steam room and treatment room of the spa are all easily accessible via the elevator.

The hotel is connected to Adelboden’s green energy system, which provides power for the entire village. The company guarantees the electricity is 100% renewable and environmentally produced. The hotel is part of the village’s biomass heating system. Woodchips are used to heat all buildings.

The Location

Brecon is approximately 2 hours and 42 miles away both from Zurich, Geneva and Bern.

The Swiss railways and roads are both excellent. Buying the Swiss train pass It is often more economical to use a ski lift or boat ride.

In order to make this trip possible, we flew from Zurich to Frutigen. This is the nearest station to Adelboden. We were picked up in the Land Rover Defender of our hotel and taken to The Brecon 25 minutes away.

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The Brecon Hotel is not a member of any loyalty or hotel programs. All-inclusive nightly rates are available at The Brecon Starting at $880. All guests must stay at least 18-years-old.

Each hotel reviewed by T+L is chosen based on its alignment with our values. core values.