Upcoming Winter Season!
September 22nd, 2016
If you have recently been on our Instagram account (@lovellcampsgstaad) you will realize that we are eagerly waiting the winter season to arrive. Looking back through old pictures of all the ski holidays, which children and adults have enjoyed at the Mountain Lodge, has brought us much energy and excitement for what this winter season will bring!
2016-2017 winter camp at Lovell Camps is going to be an unforgettable one! We are proud to say that each year, the winter ski program continues to develop and grow. Our growing success is due the Gstaad region, the diverse programs we offer and our dedicated staff team.
Skiing in Switzerland is top quality, and the Gstaad region is one of the largest and most diverse winter sports regions in the country. The region offers over 220 kilometers of ski-able terrain and guaranteed snow between the end of October through to the start of May. Our ski resort offers a taste of everything from absolute beginner skiers, who can enjoy the eight different nursery slopes, to the most advanced skiers, who can enjoy the difficulty of the black pistes, three snow parks, ski-cross run and a timed race-course. Compared to other ski resorts in Switzerland, the Gstaad region remains untouched, meaning line-ups don’t exist and you will never feel crowded on the slopes. If it isn’t skiing you are looking for, the region offers hundreds of kilometres of hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, numerous tobogganing tracks and ice sports such as skating and curling, not to mention beautiful village towns with many shops and restaurants. There is something here for everyone!
Each one of our programs is tailored specifically to the needs of the program. The programs run from the middle of December until the middle of March. We offer a wide variety of programs;
Winter Camp for Children – Our winter camp program is offered to participants between the ages of 6 – 16 years old. With 5 hours of instructions on the hill each day, children are guaranteed to have a great time and improve their skiing/snowboarding skills immensely. Après-ski programs will be exciting and unforgettable, campers may have the opportunity to rock-climb, swim, ice-skate, sledge, build igloos and snow villages and other fun programs, arts and crafts and scavenger hunts. Language lessons will be offered in both English and French and will be taught by professional teachers as an alternative afternoon option. Evening programs will include activities such as Lovell Camps’ Got Talent, wacky hair night, torch lit walk, movie night, trivia contest, Minute to Win it challenges, and of course, a disco and fondue party! The program is guaranteed to be engaging and children will leave with memories to last a lifetime.
Kids’ Club Program – There is never a dull moment for these little campers! Everything from music and dance, to art projects, local excursions to the ice rink or the petting zoo, professional ski lessons and fun in the pool, are just some of the activities children enjoy in one day in our Kids’ Club program. The program is offered for 2-5 year olds, and is held at Le Grand Bellevue Hotel in Gstaad. Attendance is flexible with half day or full day options and the program runs six day a week.
Family Ski Holiday Packages – Family ski holidays are always a great experience! We offer a way for parents and children to truly enjoy themselves in Switzerland. Children will experience a fun-filled, fully supervised and all-inclusive camp program – which will last from the moment they wake up to the time they go to bed. Parents will be able to enjoy their ski holiday knowing that their children are being well taken care of by professional staff and instructors.
Ski Trips for School Groups – Lovell International Camps has over 40 years experience running an international school and camp and therefore, we understand that each school or group is unique. We can tailor the programs specifically to fit the needs of any group. We have worked with many well-known and reputable schools from all over the globe and our relationships continue to develop. This winter we are so pleased to welcome Basel International School back for another year and this time for three full weeks of programming! We also are looking to welcome groups from Oman, Japan, Kuwait and many from the United Kingdom.
Last but definitely not least our staff team! We couldn’t run the outstanding programs we do without a highly qualified and dedicated team. We have hundreds of applicants each season and we hand select our team based on education, experience and personality. We are a small family run company and therefore, we highly value each and every member that works from us. Many staff return for multiple seasons, as they become part of the Lovell family and the Saanenland holds a special place in their hearts. These individuals work around the clock to provide the absolute best quality of care for all of our clients. Without our terrific team we wouldn’t be where we are today!
Have you started to register for our winter program yet? We would be thrill to welcome your children, family or school group this season! Please contact us directly at info@lovellcamps.ch for further information.
The Benefits of Learning to Ski as a Child
September 13th, 2016
There are numerous benefits to learning to ski as a child, here are a top few of our favourites at Lovell Camps.
1. Fosters Body-Awareness & Self-Awareness – Skiing teaches children how to use body parts separately and in sync with each other. Balance and coordination improves quickly while learning how to ski. Skiing uses the full body (and mind) in order to be successful. Children become more aware of their body in space, but also become aware of their personal strengths and weaknesses. Skiing challenges participants both physically and emotionally, allowing children to become more aware of themselves in all capacities.
2. Builds Confidence & Perseverance – Skiing takes tremendous dedication and perseverance. Skiing teaches children to get back up and try again! Each new improvement gives children more confidence and pride. The smiles on children’s faces at the end of the day, says it all.
3. Increases Overall Health – Skiing is great exercise and extremely hard work. When on the mountain, the heart is pumping faster and therefore the muscles get stronger. Lung capacity improves too, as it is an endurance and cardiovascular activity.
4. Healthy Competition – Friendly competition to always a good motivation to achieve personal goals and improve skills. Being in a ski class, encourages participants to keep up with one another and also allows for a positive environment to learn and improve in.
5. Enhances Social Skills – Children learn social skills while on the slopes. There are right ways to pass someone and help those in need. You must respect your fellow skiers and learn to interact appropriately on the slopes. Also the conversations and laughter on the chair lifts are sometimes the best parts of the day. Ski classes bring children closer very quickly, as the skiers are participating in a new experience together and immediately have new memories and stories to share.
6. Increases Mood – The increased production of endorphins gives skiers a sense of happiness. Research from Yonsei University in South Korea, has shown that individuals who visit the slopes show an increased feeling of happiness, satisfaction and reduced stress. Children will smile more! And also, sleep better at night from all of the activity and fresh air, leading to another happy day.
7. Allows for an Appreciation of Nature – Taking in the mountain top views and fresh air, allows skiers to appreciate the beauty surrounding them. Children learn at a young age, that nature and the outdoors is a valuable part of their daily life, therefor, developing an important foundation for their development.
8. A Life Long Skill – Skiing is an activity that can be enjoyed for many years to come. Children are more likely going to continue skiing, if they learn at a young age.
Photo Contest
September 7th, 2016
Calling all campers, families, alumni and staff – it is time to go through your old scrapbooks, photo albums or the folders in iPhoto, for our upcoming photo contest! We are collecting memories from your time spent in the Saanenland.
Please email any photographs from camp to info@lovellcamps.ch by November 1st, 2016. Photographs submitted will be shared online and winners will be announced.
Our camp programs have been running for over 40 years, so there must be classic photographs out there. We can’t wait to see all of the pictures!
See You Again Soon!
August 30th, 2016
Now that all our families have safely returned home and all of the staff members have embarked on new adventures, the Mountain Lodge is quiet and peaceful again. A building that welcomed hundred of children over the past three months is now lonely. Recently, we have had moments to reflect upon the season and it is amazing to think of all of the unforgettable people, fun activities and moments that happened through out the summer. Thank you to each and every one who contributed to the season. It wouldn’t have been the same without you!
Campers, thank you for your energy and enthusiasm through out the season! You are the reason for all of the laughs and fond memories. During camp wrap up, staff members were remising about so many inside jokes and silly moments over the past few months. We hope you all left Lovell Camps with new memories and friendships, greater confidence and new skills!
Big congratulations to the campers who were recognized for special awards this season:
July Awards
Bentley Award – Junior – Aida Alzarka
Outstanding Camp – Junior – Annabel Izmirlian
Bentley Award – Senior – Blanca Maluquer Souviron
Outstanding Camper – Senior – Mourad Galal
August Awards
Bentley Award – Junior – Yousuf Al Rafei
Outstanding Camp – Junior – John Melhem
Bentley Award – Senior – Soraya Al Rafei
Outstanding Camper – Senior – Malek Sotih
Families, thank you for entrusting us with your children and for believing in our programs at Lovell Camps. It is so nice to see familiar faces come back each year and develop meaningful personal relationships. It is also so wonderful to welcome new families to our programs and develop new connections that we hope will continue to grow over the years. We pride ourselves in being a family oriented company and your on-going support means the world to us.
Last but definitely not least, thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the staff members! The amount of effort, dedication, flexibility and time you put into the program is immeasurable. Our team this summer worked around the clock to provide the best quality of program possible. We hope you realize the positive impact you left on all of the campers! You are deeply appreciated and so important to us.
It is a quick transition period from the end of summer camp, as we have already switch our focus to the upcoming winter season and we are eagerly preparing for the snow to arrive. We wish everyone all the best in the upcoming year. We hope to welcome many families and staff members back to the Saanenland next summer, if not earlier, for winter camp!
August Overnight Excursions
August 17th, 2016
As always, overnight excursions were action packed with a whole lot of fun! The wet weather last week didn’t stop campers from having a great time.
The youngest junior campers, started their overnight with a scavenger hunt up the mountain to collect or spot different objects such as sticks, brown leaves, rocks, birds and many more items found in the Swiss Alps. The collected items were later used to make decorated nature sticks on Wednesday morning. After lunch, it was time to play Minute To Win It! Campers had a great time trying to move cookies from their forehead to their mouths, finding M&M’s, blowing over cups and trying to complete other crazy tasks in 60 seconds. We then headed down to the indoor gym to burn off some energy playing dodgeball and tag before dinner. The stormy weather changed our plans from tenting in the garden to a slumber party in the lodge, so after a few quick games we set up our sleeping area in the movie room, read a story and went to sleep. The petting zoo was the first stop of the day, where we found some goats, chickens and horses and played on the playground. Mr. Erik cooked up a storm with yummy burgers over a fire. Campers found their perfect marshmallow roasting stick to make their dessert. After lunch we walked from the campfire along the river for a swim at the Gstaad indoor pool, where campers showed off their amazing skills on the diving board.
The second group of junior campers had a unique experience as well, the first task for the day was to make tribal groups which they used through out the entire overnight excursion. As we have a variety of international campers, each tribe made a flag based on the campers countries, which they united together. Before lunch, each tribe had a task to make a group cheer, that was presented later on in the day at the indoor gym. After presenting their cheers, it was time to play Dr. Dodgeball, Pac-Man and snake attack. Campers returned to the lodge in search of the perfect stick to turn into a spirit sticks with magical powers. After dinner the counsellors discovered the campers acting skills with a very comical ski night before bed. Wednesday morning it was time to head to Ruedi’s farm for a fresh traditional Swiss breakfast! Campers got to see how cheese is made and visit the cows, goats and horses on the farm. Once all the campers had nice full bellies they hiked down the mountain to find a perfect cook out spot for lunch. After lunch, campers joined the other junior campers for some fun in the pool.
The senior campers had a more challenging and adventurous experience. They headed straight out on a beautiful hike up to the Geltenhutte. The afternoon was spent playing card games and team bonding games while waiting for the weather to clear. Dinner was provided by the hut and was a spectacular Alpine macaroni, soup, salad and the bests chocolate moose in the Saanenland. After telling some stories the tired hikers went off to sleep. Wednesday morning was started with traditional Swiss hut breakfast followed by a walk to waterfalls. The sun finally appeared to give the campers a beautiful view of the freshly snow covered mountains. After time to take plenty of photos campers hiked down the mountain and went back to the lodge for a cookout lunch. After lunch the seniors set up a spectacular carnival night for all the day campers and boarders, it was a perfect way to end the fantastic overnight experience!
We are Looking Ahead to the Winter at Lovell Camps!
August 7th, 2016
Although our August Camp is in full force and the sun is still shining, grass is green, the cows are all through out the mountains, here at Lovell Camps we are looking ahead to the winter! The winter camp program is being prepared carefully and the calendar is filling up quickly with new and returning groups bookings.
Lovell International Camps has terrific winter programs for children of all ages! Every year in December the mountains in the whole region are transformed from cow pastures into ski slopes. The mountains come alive with the sound of excited skiers and snowboarders. The resort of Gstaad has so much to offer with over 200km of ski-able terrain and the only glacial skiing in the Bernese Oberland.
Our winter cam programs are tailored for maximum enjoyment for both day campers and boarders. Ski and snowboard lessons are taught based on participants ability, by our highly qualified and experienced instructors from around the world. Campers spend approximately 25 hours per week in the slopes. Campers also enjoy afternoon program, including skating, sledding, rock climbing, arts & crafts, or language lessons in either English or French. Special activities are planned for during the holidays, including a traditional Christmas dinner and New Years Eve celebrations!
The Mountain Lodge happily accommodates 85-100 people, and has some of the best views in the valley! With large lounges/conference rooms, a superb kitchen and dining hall area and specialized boot rooms and all bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms; this is a perfect venue for groups. School ski trips and group ski holidays to Switzerland are a popular option that we have seen an increase in over the past seasons. We have had groups and schools from Azerbaijan, Denmark, India, Kuwait, Oman, Uganda, Saudi Arabia, England, and Switzerland taking part in our winter programs. All packages can be tailored to meets the group’s specific needs, to include specialized ski instruction, ski races, language lessons, cultural trips to various cities in Switzerland, visits to the Cailler Chocolate Factory, Glacier 3000, Gruyere and/or shopping excursions. We can also accommodate room rentals or lodge rentals for self-catering groups through out the year.
We would be delighted to welcome you this winter! Please contact us for further information.
August Adventure Days!
August 5th, 2016
The August session has begun and is in full force! It is super exciting to see new faces and so many returning faces. So far the campers have been enjoying language lessons, swim lessons and of course the much anticipated interest groups.
Yesterday, the juniors packed their bags for an adventure and hopped on the Rellerli gondola, where once at the top they had a 360 degree view of the valley. Of course the playground and rodelbahn were top hits! The rodelbahn saw campers flying downhill at alarming speeds filling the air with screams of excitement. After a picnic lunch the campers headed back down the gondola and went to the Saanen outdoor pool. Campers loved jumping off the diving boards and sliding down the slide!
Meanwhile, the senior campers took to the high ropes course in Zweisimmen where they enjoyed a morning spent dangling from trees and flying through the forest on the zip lines. This always seems to be one of the highlights for many campers. As usual there is always a group that just wants to keep pushing their limits, they could be found heading to the Black Eagle, the hardest course there is! Campers enjoyed a cook-out for lunch and spent the afternoon splashing and basking in the sun at the Zweisimmen outdoor pool!
Campers and staff are looking forward to the following weeks with many fun activities planned for next week, such as the shopping at the Saanen market, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, a boat ride on Lake Geneva, overnight excursions, carnival night, disco party and of course, aqua parc!
Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!
July 29th, 2016
Sadly, July camp sessions have come to an end. Our staff team is sad to see our July campers go, but are confident the children are walking away with lifelong memories! Campers are saying “see you soon” to friends they have made over the past weeks – email addresses and phone numbers have been exchanged to keep in touch with each other through out the year and plans of returning to the Mountain Lodge are already in discussion.
Read more…
Overnight Adventures
July 24th, 2016
With our second overnights quickly approaching, we have been reflecting on the first overnight experience that campers participated in. The campers were divided into three different groups based on their ages. Each experience was unique and provided campers with a fun, challenging and rewarding opportunity. Although the weather wasn’t ideal, each group made the most of it and and everyone had a good time!
Read more…
Weekend Fun!
July 13th, 2016
The senior and junior campers enjoyed an action packed weekend full of exciting activities! Saturday morning saw all campers take a shopping trip into Gstaad where campers got the opportunity to purchase souvenirs and stock up on treats to eat during that evening’s movie night. The sun was shining and everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch sitting on the lawn at the Mountain Lodge. Read more…