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The Cambrian
Back to the roots
High above Adelboden, overlooking the valley and facing a crown of radiant peaks, The Cambrian makes its mark with one unforgettable signature: a panoramic infinity pool that seems to melt into the mountains. A haven of calm to breathe in the Alpine winter — Swiss hospitality at its finest, with a cosmopolitan twist of design and Anglophone flair.
As the road slowly climbs the Engstlige Valley, leaving Lake Thun behind, it threads its way between forests and alpine meadows dotted with chalets. The noise of everyday life already feels far away. At the valley’s end, a monumental white screen rises into view — the Wildstrubel (3,244 m), its hidden side sheltering the Plaine Morte glacier and the Simmental.
Perched on its sunlit terrace above the village, The Cambrian looks out over fir trees capped with snow and Adelboden’s rooftops softened into white curves. Below the balconies of its façade, some guests are already floating blissfully in steaming water, gazing at cliffs scarred by the frozen Engstlige Falls. Warm body, cold air, a snowflake landing gently on the nose — that is The Cambrian’s calling card: a panoramic outdoor pool wrapped in jets and mist, connected seamlessly to an indoor pool beneath a starry ceiling, plus hammam and sauna. Everything here invites you to exhale.
Tradition, reinvented
Behind its Belle Époque shell, this four-star hotel has been boldly reimagined. Think lumberjack chic meets contemporary design: a pared-back lobby softened by curved wooden details and deep sofas, a whimsical “cow piano,” a billiard table, fluid lines of furniture, forest-toned palettes. The mood balances urban polish, Alpine heritage, and the comfort of a remote British lodge. The Axe Bar (axes not included) shares the same aesthetic, with a glass-encased fireplace and the intimacy of a library. Breakfast, too, is both refined and regional, starring local cheeses and air-dried meats.
Walls of glass define the restaurant, framing the panorama as carefully as its menu. Here Welsh chef Bryn Williams, celebrated for his writing on vegetables, focuses on sharing plates, precision ingredients, and a light pescetarian touch. Forget pompous dish names — instead expect invention with a smile. A cubist take on fish & chips? Tarte Tatin with bay leaf ice cream? Why not. Deconstruction, reconstruction — cuisine is a cycle of rebirth, and The Cambrian proves a worthy ambassador.
