Room Request! Huus Quell

by Natasha Wolff | April 21, 2026 3:48 pm

Huus Quell[1] is a bit off the beaten path, but it’s well worth the journey, even if you have to travel, specifically, to Switzerland to get there. The sustainable, luxury five-star spa, comprising 27 rooms and 3 suites and also a Leading Hotel of the World, is located in Gonten, a mountainous and rural town about an hour’s train ride from Zurich. When you arrive, your first instinct may be: How did I end up here? But, trust us: you won’t want to leave. It’s a state-of-the-art spa property with 9 pools and 8 saunas that’s not intimidating. What’s particularly alluring is the combination of old and new. Much of the property is made of naturally-sourced Swiss moon wood, with fabrics by Jakob Schlaepfer, providing the feeling of a cozy lodge where you’d like to curl up by the fire with your Kindle and a scientifically-designed cocktail from the Botanicum Bar, using local ingredients and reductions in beakers. In turn, the technology is cutting edge, from a light-specific weather map in the lobby to the spa menu, which includes the L3 Longevity Circle, taking guests from infrared and oxygen therapy to cryotherapy treatment and then lymphatic compression. The staff is A-plus; the food is to die for; and, should you feel like taking care of yourself in a different way than a massage, the wine cellar is the most extensive in the whole country. We dream of going back all the time.

DuJour spoke with Jan Schoch, the hotel’s owner and general manager to discover what makes it so special.

A guest room

What’s the most requested room at the property?

Our Deluxe Double King rooms—specifically Room 1303 on the third floor

What makes it so special?

It’s a corner room, and that position makes all the difference. You have an open view toward the Alpstein mountains on one side, and the softer, rolling Appenzell hills on the other. It feels both expansive and very grounded at the same time. For many of our guests, the appeal is not about size alone, but about atmosphere. The materials are honest—timber textiles, and natural finishes—and you can feel that the architecture is not applied, but structural. The fabrics by Jakob Schlaepfer add a quiet layer of detail, connecting the room back to the region’s textile heritage. It’s a room that reflects what we are trying to do at Huus Quell create something that is calm, precise and deeply rooted in place, without excess. The rooms are built almost entirely from moon wood—timber harvested according to lunar cycles, which gives it a different density and longevity. You can feel that in the atmosphere; it’s quieter, more grounded. At the same time, there’s a layer of refinement through the textiles by Jakob Schlaepfer in St. Gallen. They bring a sense of precision and craft that is very specific to this region. It’s not decorative—it’s part of the identity of the space.

What is the nightly rate for this suite?

From $600

Quell Spa

What’s your favorite design element on property?

The ceiling of the Botanicum Bar. It responds in real time to the movement of the clouds above the hotel—translated into light and sound. It’s subtle, but it creates a quiet connection between what is happening outside and what you feel inside.

What’s an interesting tidbit about the hotel that speaks to its status as an icon?

Sustainability is treated as a structural principle, not an added feature. The entire building is conceived as a long-term system—from the timber construction and carbon storage to the energy concept and the way we work with local producers. It’s not about making a statement; it’s about building something that will endure.

What special perk or amenity do you offer that no one knows about?

We are currently preparing to introduce spring water sourced directly from our own well. It’s a small detail, but an important one—something very immediate and connected to the landscape.

The rooftop lounge

What’s your personal favorite room? Why?

I tend to come back to the suites on the third floor. They have a different sense of proportion—more space, more light—and a separation between living and sleeping that allows you to settle in more fully. But again, it’s not only about size. The same principles apply: moon wood, regional textiles, a certain restraint in the design. From there, guests move naturally into the spa, which becomes an extension of the room rather than a separate experience.

How about one more fun fact about the property?

There is a quieter layer of Feng Shui integrated throughout the hotel. You see it in the placement of water, in the use of stone and crystals, and in how spaces open and close. Most guests don’t immediately notice it, but they tend to feel it.

Source URL: https://dujour.com/travel/room-request-huus-quell/