Jean-Yves Blatt moves from The Chedi Andermatt to Villars Palace

Prominent new appointment: Jean-Yves Blatt moves from The Chedi Andermatt to Villars Palace. The long-standing General Manager of The Chedi Andermatt will assume overall responsibility for The Villars Alpine Resort hotels as Group Managing Director on November 6, 2023. At the same time, Jean-Yves Blatt will become General Manager of the five-star-plus luxury hotel Villars Palace.

At the beginning of December 2023, Tim-Martin Weber, a long-time companion of Jean-Yves Blatt, will take over the operational management of the Villars Palace. With the Grandhotel Villars Palace, which has been restored to its former glory, and three other hotels, The Villars Alpine Resort offers unforgettable vacation experiences for a wide range of guests in the heart of the Vaud Alps.

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Jean-Yves Blatt is one of the most successful hotel managers in Switzerland 

After leading the renowned The Chedi Andermatt from success to success and award to award since 2015, Jean-Yves Blatt is taking on a new professional challenge. As Group Managing Director, he will assume overall responsibility for the four hotels of The Villars Alpine Resort Group (VAR) in Villars-sur-Ollon, Vaud, in November 2023.

Jean-Yves Blatt.

At the same time, he will become General Manager of the historic Grandhotel Villars Palace, which will be completely renovated between 2019 and 2022. Tim-Martin Weber will be operationally managed by. The new Group Managing Director explains his decision: "I was immediately impressed by the unique mix of luxury hotels, the promotion of young talent, culture and sustainability. Marco Dunand and Jérôme de Meyer are two outstanding Swiss personalities behind the VAR Group who put their heart and soul into our goals and projects." 

Jean-Yves Blatt will become General Manager of the historic Grandhotel Villars Palace, which will be completely renovated between 2019 and 2022 and will be managed by Tim-Martin Weber.

Villars-sur-Ollon: a great tourist tradition in the Vaud Alps

Villars Palace: The locals call it 'Le Paquebot des Alpes', the cruise liner of the Alps. The sophisticated, beautifully situated grand hotel dating from 1913 is the landmark of Villars-sur-Ollon. After being taken over by The Villars Alpine Resort in 2019, the hotel was completely renovated and adapted to modern requirements. The number of rooms has been reduced and the individual rooms have been significantly enlarged and luxuriously furnished. Jean-Yves Blatt is looking forward to his new tasks.

Villars-sur-Ollon lies at around 1300 meters above sea level, in the middle of the most famous and attractive skiing and hiking area in the Vaud Alps. The Villars-Gryon-Diablerets ski area offers over 130 kilometers of perfectly groomed slopes for all levels. A special attraction is the high-altitude Glacier 3000 ski area, which guarantees snow-sure skiing and snowboarding fun between November and May. In summer, Villars-sur-Ollon is a hiking and biking paradise with numerous trails and tracks for all technical and fitness levels. Lake Geneva and tourist hotspots such as Chillon Castle, Montreux and Lausanne are only around 30 minutes away from Villars and are also ideal for summer excursions.

Jean-Yves Blatt: "A unique mix of hospitality, training and sustainability"

According to Jean-Yves Blatt, The Villars Alpine Resort should stand for more than just top-class hospitality and cuisine. It should bring people together as a place of culture, sustainability, well-being and learning and develop and exemplify innovative new approaches in the hotel and catering industry. This includes the unique training program offered by the Villars Palace Academy, which was developed in collaboration with the renowned Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL). Topics such as sustainability, ethics and intercultural skills play an important role in the training, and students are involved in the daily work processes at the VAR hotels from an early stage.

The "Villars Institute" is a non-profit organization of Villars Alpine Resort that cooperates with experts, educators and entrepreneurs to promote intergenerational cooperation and sustainable economic models and to accelerate the energy transition.

Villars Palace - the legendary "cruise liner of the Alps"

The locals call it 'Le Paquebot des Alpes', the cruise liner of the Alps. The sophisticated, beautifully situated grand hotel dating from 1913 is the landmark of Villars-sur-Ollon. After being taken over by The Villars Alpine Resort in 2019, the hotel was completely renovated and adapted to modern requirements. The number of rooms was reduced and the individual rooms were significantly enlarged and luxuriously furnished.

Reopened in summer 2022, the grand hotel now offers a total of 109 rooms in various categories, including 15 junior suites and 13 suites. In the signature restaurant "Le 1913" (16/20 GaultMillau points), head chef Christian Bertogna and executive chef Simone Riberi conjure up dishes inspired by the treasures of the Alpine landscape with a Mediterranean twist.

The bar, meeting rooms, event salons and wellness

The "Bar du Palace" with terrace is the ideal place to enjoy an aperitif, a light snack or a nightcap in charming vintage décor. Seven meeting rooms and three exquisite event lounges make Villars Palace the perfect location for festivities, conferences, presentations and meetings.

The 2,300 square meter wellness area leaves nothing to be desired with a hammam, sauna and relaxation zone. Jean-Yves Blatt is looking forward to his new position as General Manager: "The Villars Palace is an icon and bears witness to an era in which Switzerland experienced its first tourist heyday. It is a privilege to manage such a traditional hotel."

Three other hotels and a chalet in Villars

Victoria Hotel & Residence

The Victoria Hotel & Residence is aimed at a younger clientele and is also strongly committed to sustainability. In 2021, the traditional hotel was completely renovated and redesigned with sustainability and environmental compatibility in mind.

The Victoria Hotel & Residence is aimed at a younger clientele and is also strongly committed to sustainability. In 2021, the traditional hotel was completely renovated and redesigned with sustainability and environmental compatibility in mind.

The 133 rooms and suites are characterized by a simple, cosy interior design. In the hotel, the authentic trattoria "Le Peppino" treats guests of all ages to modern interpretations of dishes from various regions of Italy.

Villars Lodge

Under the "Swiss best secret" panel or in the "Bar du Victoria", you can read undisturbed or warm up with a hot drink. Uncomplicated, trendy, affordable - that's the philosophy of the 2019 opened Villars Lodge. It is the ideal accommodation for families, solo travelers and groups of friends who want to spend carefree vacations in the Vaud Alps.

Villars Lodge: Uncomplicated, trendy, affordable - that's the philosophy behind Villars Lodge, which opened in 2019. It is the ideal accommodation for families, solo travelers and groups of friends who want to spend carefree vacations in the Vaud Alps.

55 rooms and 2 residences offer something to suit every style and budget. The spectrum ranges from budget single rooms with a shared bathroom to fully equipped family apartments. The flexible range of beds also makes the lodge ideal as vacation accommodation for large groups such as schools or clubs.

The "Restaurant & Bar 1870" serves regional and national specialties such as fondue, raclette and rösti. In 2023, the luxurious Hotel & Spa Chalet RoyAlp has recently joined the VAR Group. It pampers guests with 63 elegant rooms and suites as well as 27 residences measuring up to 350 square meters. The high-quality interior design and luxurious textiles such as velvet, cashmere and wool ensure unique moments of well-being in the mountains.

The gourmet restaurant "Le Jardin des Alpes" (16/20 GaultMillau points) treats guests to excellent cuisine inspired by the region, the executive chef's Italian roots and the seasons. With the centrally located Chalet St François the VAR Group manages another beautiful chalet in Villars-sur-Ollon. It has six luxuriously furnished bedrooms, four bathrooms, a living and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen and can accommodate a maximum of ten people.

Jean-Yves Blatt has a full agenda for the coming months

After a very successful 2023 summer season, preparations for the 2023/2024 winter season are in full swing at The Villars Alpine Resort. The four hotels will be welcoming guests again from mid-December. Plans for close collaboration with the Montreux Jazz Festival in the coming season are already well advanced. Renowned artists have also been secured for exhibitions at Villars Palace.

About Villars Alpine Resort (VAR)

The Villars Alpine Resort (VAR) owns and manages the hotels Villars Palace (five-star-plus), Hotel & Spa Chalet RoyAlp (five stars) Victoria Hotel & Residence (four stars) and Villars Lodge (three stars) in Villars-sur-Ollon in the Vaud Alps.

Jean-Yves Blatt and Tim-Martin Weber

VAR is operated by Jean-Yves Blatt as Group Managing Director who also holds the position of General Manager of the Villars Palace Hotel, which is managed by Tim-Martin Weber operational is managed by VAR. With its four hotels, VAR covers the entire guest spectrum. The group places a special focus on sustainability and training. With the "Villars Palace Academy", it offers future-oriented hotel industry training in collaboration with the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. The VAR Group is wholly owned by two entrepreneurs from western Switzerland. 

Resources on the topic

Villars Palace

Villars Alpine Resort

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