Alpine Idyll: Chesa Marchetta

All eyes on Chesa Marchetta this season, as the 13-bedroom hotel and restaurant opens its doors in sleepy Sils Maria, 15 minutes from Saint Moritz. The first Swiss outpost from Hauser & Wirth’s ArtFarm (behind Scotland's The Fife Arms and Mayfair’s Mount Street Restaurant), the historic 16th century guesthouse - a formation of houses and barns - was once frequented by artists including Richter and Basquiat, and is a place close to the heart of founders Iwan and Manuela Wirth who held their first date at the restaurant.

Continuing the spirit of the family-owned guesthouse was entrusted to acclaimed architect Luis Laplace who spent time in the Engadin valley understanding the region’s architecture, and sourcing local antiques, craft and materials. The sensitive restoration showcases original panelling and ceilings, carved from the native pine arve, with wraparound warmth. On the walls, Old Masters are alongside 20th-century and contemporary artists that speak to the Engadin, and Hauser & Wirth’s gallery in nearby Saint Moritz.

The restaurant will open first, with chef Davide Degiovanni at the helm, working with local farmers and artisans to maintain the essence of Sils Maria, and the heritage of Chesa Marchetta, while the hotel rooms follow in hot pursuit in January.