Originally from Switzerland, Jean-Yves Blatt, graduated from EHL, the best university of hospitality management in the world, and pursued a career in hospitality, where he has been working for over 30 years.
His current role as the General Manager of the prestigious The Chedi Andermatt demands a great ability to translate vision into action and his wealth of experience with different hotel operations, hotel renovations and reopenings makes him the best man for the job!
“I always strive for excellence and could never envision myself aspiring to be a part of any other industry than the world of hospitality.”
Read on to discover more.
For those readers who have not yet visited The Chedi Andermatt, which three words best describe it?
Luxury, understanding the difference, unique.
The deluxe hotel presents a unique symbiosis of Asian and Alpine culture – how is this reflected throughout the hotel and the guest experience?
The hotel’s architecture is a blend of Asian style and Alpine touch. Elegant dark woods and a colour palette of blacks, red and dark browns is combined with intricate wood panelling and large picture windows with views of the gorgeous mountain landscape. The Chedi Andermatt is full of sophisticated touches, such as murals inspired by the Dutch Master Peter Paul Rubens.
The cuisine at The Chedi Andermatt is a culinary statement. Executive Chefs Dominik Sato and Fabio Toffolon create signature Asian dishes in The Japanese Restaurant and The Japanese by The Chedi Andermatt on Mountain Gütsch using their authentic Japanese dining culinary skills, while The Restaurant, an innovative concept, is where guests can enjoy both Asian and European style dishes.
The Spa & The Health Club at The Chedi Andermatt offers a variety of Asian-inspired treatments that provide the guests with a sense of symbiosis of Alpine and Asian tradition in the most restorative form.
Read our guide to the best hotels in Switzerland
The Chedi Andermatt has received The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award for the fifth year in a row, further cementing its position as a leader in the luxury travel world. How did this accolade make you feel and how has the team continued to deliver such outstanding results?
The Chedi Andermatt is delighted to be recognised by such a prestigious award with its first-class reputation and high credibility in the luxury segment. This Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award has encouraged our whole team to work their hardest to keep up the standards that have got us recognised all around the globe as being one of the best hotels in not only Switzerland but internationally.
As a team, we strive for excellence and will continue to do so in order to provide our guests with the best experience possible.
The Swiss Alps are best known for their magical winter holidays, if / how do you (re)position the hotel to attract the summer travellers too?
With some of the best hiking and biking trails in the world, the Swiss Alps make for a spectacular summer holiday. Natural beauty is everywhere, with colourful wildflower meadows, picturesque peaks and some of the highest quality air in the world all within easy reach from The Chedi Andermatt.
Furthermore, during warmer seasons Andermatt is a spectacular place to enjoy some of the best golf courses in Switzerland with a stunning Alpine view. There’s so much more to the Alps than just skiing! With the climate warming, because of Andermatt’s elevation of 1450 meters above sea level, we also get a much cooler summer- perfect temperatures for hiking and for the many cycle routes we have near the Hotel.
What have been the key changes you’ve observed within the luxury sector in the last five years and what are your predictions for the next five years?
Our world is becoming increasingly more digital, and so is the hospitality industry. Early on, we recognized this digitalization trend by implementing cryptocurrencies as a means of payment. This implementation was just the beginning of various digital projects that we will launch in the coming years.
I believe that the metaverse is the Internet of the future. It has limitless opportunities which can facilitate connections between billions of people all over the world. I am eager to see the endless opportunities that the metaverse will bring to The Chedi Andermatt in extending the possibilities of work, socialising, shopping and payments in the three-dimensional virtual world.
More than ever, especially after Covid, we have realised the importance of personalisation in attracting guests, particularly in the luxury space. This is where our ‘Chedi; spirit becomes so important to us.
If a guest could only do / experience / try one thing at the hotel what would it be and why?
The Spa & The Health Club at The Chedi Andermatt offer a 35-metre indoor Olympic-style pool, as well as a heated twelve-metre outdoor pool with awe-inspiring views of the surrounding Alpine scenery. I believe everyone should visit the spa at The Chedi once in their lifetime!
Luxury is highly subjective – what does it mean to you?
Our success lies in the ‘Chedi’ spirit created by all our employees. We create moments for all the senses, day in, day out – be it through the location, the design and architecture, the facilities, the entertainment in and around the hotel, our culinary statements, or our dynamic, first-class service – this is what luxury is to me.
Finally, what is your life motto if you have one?
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic: it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”
