Olden

La Cave downstairs turned out to be a perfect spot, with live music, since there was no room upstairs. It was our first visit to Olden, and even though the place was fully booked, Massimo did his best to find us a table. The staff were attentive and the food was excellent. The schnitzel portion was generous, and the crepe Suzette was delicious. It looks like a popular place, so next time I’ll book ahead. I’ll definitely be back, highly recommended.

The food was very good, and the restaurant and hotel are beautiful, which made this service experience especially disappointing. We booked for eight last week, but after we politely declined the head waiter's strong push for a fresh fish platter, our table was mostly ignored. At the first course, only four of us got food and the other four waited. When we brought it up, the response came across as arrogant, as if we should accept whatever had been decided for us. We spoke with the person in charge, but were told we'd asked for it that way and that the staff were “well trained.” There was no acknowledgement of a mistake or effort to make things better. It left us feeling as though we weren't important enough guests, or weren't spending what was expected. One waiter later apologized privately and said management made the decisions and he couldn't do anything. The service attitude and management approach completely overshadowed the food. I usually avoid negative reviews, but hope the ownership takes this feedback seriously.

The service was excellent, and the hotel is beautiful, but the food was the weak point for us. Local friends had recommended Olden, so we were excited to try the famous penne al vodka. It was very average, and neither of us finished our pasta. The salad was ordinary too. It feels like a place to see and be seen, but food quality matters most to us, and it was on the low side. Sorry for the honest review.

The misunderstanding about what was meant to come first and second turned into a very uncomfortable meal, and even recognizing that misunderstanding seemed difficult for both the waiter and manager. I can accept that we may not have been clear, and that staff might be well trained, but people make mistakes. When we tried to explain, the manager came to our table an hour and a half after we ordered and we were simply told the staff knew what they were doing. We'd been excited to return to Olden after a great visit last year, when we had excellent food and service and went twice in one week. This year we came with three other families and booked three times during the week. The experience was a huge letdown. The waiter didn't ask which dishes we wanted first or second, or about allergies. Our wine arrived after the appetizer, we had to get our own water, and the waiter decided the serving order himself. Half the group finished eating while the rest got nothing. We were met with arrogance at every level and felt held hostage by professionals trained to be arrogant. Maybe Olden sees itself as a monopoly in Gstaad, but treating clients this way will drive them away. We canceled our other two reservations. The treatment left a very sour feeling, and I won't return.