Schorta's Alvetern - Boutique Hotel & Restaurant

LOCATION: Schorta’s Alvetern is located at Arfush 171, in the quaint mountain village of Ardez. To reach the Hotel via public transport, you’d have to travel by train or bus to Ardez then follow the path from behind station towards village centre for about 10~15 minutes on foot. Be forewarned that it’s an arduous hike up a steep slope, especially when laden with luggage. If you intend to travel further afield to explore the region, Ardez may not be a good base for day trips as its small station has limited connections and low service frequency. For the few bus & train services that do stop here, most run at hourly intervals. Ardez is mainly served by 2 train lines with one heading towards Pontresina and the other towards Landquart. During my short stay, I only chanced upon a small but well-stocked Volg convenience store next to the village post office – did not see any other amenities near the Hotel. ROOM: Standard Room was clean, spacious and functional. Simply furnished with double bed, pair of bedside tables, wall-mounted TV, small desk and chair. Extra duvet and safe deposit box can be found in the wardrobe along with ample storage. Windows look out onto a huge terrace with outdoor seating, where guests may gather for drinks and chat or just sit in the sun to enjoy the splendid mountain vista. Alas, people out on the terrace could see right into my room and it wasn’t as quiet as I’d have liked. The lack of privacy made me feel uneasy and I had to keep the curtains drawn at all times. BATHROOM: clean, well-lit and equipped with the usual: mirror over wash basin, wall-mounted hairdryer, shower stall and toilet. Basic toiletries and clean bath linen provided. F&B: room rate is inclusive of daily breakfast which seemed to be adequate - can’t comment further as I did not partake of breakfast here due to food allergies. Guests are provided with lunch bags to pack items from the buffet, a generous gesture appreciated by those heading out on hikes & excursions. SERVICE: Staff are multilingual and those manning Front Desk are English-speaking. The host family was obliging in recommending things to see & do around the area and even kindly offered to do a load of laundry for free – excellent hospitality! FACILITIES: Free WiFi is available throughout the property. Pleasant surprise to find a Guest Library and Self-Service Beverage Corner on the 1st floor where guests can enjoy complimentary tea & coffee. Schorta’s Alvetern is also one of those rare properties where they have Recycling Bins for paper & plastic prominently displayed – a commendable effort towards sustainability. IN SHORT: Compared to the hustle & bustle in the main village of Scuol, Ardez and nearby Guarda both offer better options for a pleasant, tranquil stay. Schorta’s Alvetern is a family-run hotel with clean functional rooms at reasonable rates, worth considering if you’re on a self-drive road trip and wish to spend some time in Lower Engadin. However,