Alpine and Ski Resorts
St Moritz, Gstaad, Zermatt, Courchevel, Andermatt, the Dolomites and a handful of places that are better in July than January. The grand Alpine hotel is a specific institution: a century old, often still family run, with a dress code at dinner and a ski room that remembers your boot size. We cover those alongside the modern chalet-style resorts built beside them. We rank on ski-in access measured honestly rather than as marketing, on how many restaurants are in the building and whether you can get a table in February, on the pool and the size of the spa, which matter far more here than on a beach, and on whether the hotel opens in summer.
- 1
A Rothschild-designed alpine chalet property at 1,100 meters on Mont d'Arbois, with ski-in and ski-out access, indoor and outdoor pools, and the village of Megève at the base for dining and galleries.
- 2
A reborn 51-room Dolomites resort in San Cassiano redesigned by Jean-Michel Gathy, with Japanese and Italian dining, an Aman spa with three pools, and access to 1,200 kilometers of skiing in winter. Seasonal operation.
- 3
A clifftop hotel complex spanning 60 hectares above Lake Lucerne, with multiple luxury hotels, championship restaurants, and mountain views accessed by funicular from the lakeside.
- 4
A 36-room contemporary luxury chalet at the apex of Courchevel 1850 with direct ski-in/ski-out access. Home to Courchevel's only three-Michelin-starred restaurant, a Guerlain spa, and refined Alpine design.
- 5
A 1913 hilltop icon with a legendary Michelin-trained kitchen, fairy-tale mountain views, and the Piscine as Gstaad's summer anchor. Service honours three generations of family stewardship.
- 6
Built in 1912, Suvretta House is the only true ski-in and ski-out hotel in St Moritz, with a private cable car to the Corviglia ski area, 181 rooms, and multiple mountain restaurants accessed directly from the building.
- 7
St Moritz's grand hotel combines 155 rooms, eight restaurants in a single building, and access to world-class skiing with a glamorous, social atmosphere that extends into dining and the spa.
- 8
A four-hotel spa resort in a historic Alpine wellness town, anchored by natural thermal springs since 1242, with six Michelin stars across five restaurants and a thermal-water experience integrated into every room's architecture.
- 9
A 26-room Michelin-decorated alpine palace at the foot of the Courchevel 1850 slopes, with two Michelin-star dining, a state-run ski school, and an indoor-outdoor spa tucked into the mountainside.
- 10
A 2012-opened five-star with Six Senses Spa, Gault Millau dining, and contemporary design that treats privacy and personalization as non-negotiable. Built to compete at the highest tier without echoing what came before.
- 11
A modernist hotel and spa complex built beside architect Peter Zumthor's iconic thermal baths carved from Valser quartzite, featuring room designs by renowned architects and a Michelin-starred restaurant in a remote Alpine valley.
- 12
Kulm Hotel is a seasonal property offering two distinct personalities, a winter ski hotel with Alpine spa and outdoor pool, and a summer grand hotel with music festivals and golf at 1,864 meters elevation.
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A century-old, family-run Alpine grand hotel in Zermatt with Matterhorn views, a 1,700 square-meter spa, and direct access to the slopes. Winter-only operation emphasizes the serious ski destination and institution-grade service.
- 14
An Asian-Alpine fusion at the Swiss Alps' heart, where 200-plus fireplaces and carefully scaled suites replace the grand hotel formula. Andermatt's position as a ski and hiking junction makes this a true mountain refuge rather than a resort enclave.
- 15
Carlton Hotel is a winter-only luxury resort with two Michelin-starred restaurants, 60 south-facing rooms overlooking Lake St Moritz, and a signature penthouse suite spanning 386 square metres.
- 16
A modern wellness retreat in South Tyrol's Dolomites near Brixen, with suite buildings among forest canopy, a Celtic-inspired spa, farm-to-table dining, and panoramic mountain views from each room.
- 17
An Art Deco village-center hotel where twentieth-century grandeur meets country-house warmth. Gourmet dining and spa without the formality of the hilltop palaces, suited to guests who want Gstaad's social energy within walking distance.
- 18
A historic five-star hotel perched at 2,222 meters above Zermatt, accessible only by mountain tram, offering Matterhorn views, a full spa complex, and direct ski access in winter and summer hiking from the rooms.
- 19
An Austro-Hungarian palace-style hotel at Courchevel 1850 with 44 rooms, signature turrets and stained glass, ski-in/ski-out access, and a dedicated winter season. Designed for families and serious skiers seeking both slope access and exceptional on-mountain amenities.
- 20
A modern glass-and-steel mountain lodge perched on a granite rock 150 feet above Zermatt, accessed by private elevator. Known for personalized service, Matterhorn views, and award-winning Swiss hospitality in a deliberately small footprint.
Frequently asked questions
What are my options for true ski-in and ski-out access?
Several properties offer direct slope access, including the Four Seasons Hotel Megève and Cheval Blanc Courchevel. Suvretta House is the only true ski-in and ski-out hotel in St Moritz and even provides a private cable car to the Corviglia area.
Are there resorts that focus on wellness and thermal springs?
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is centered around natural thermal springs that have been used since 1242. You can also visit the 7132 Hotel Vals, which is built beside iconic thermal baths carved from Valser quartzite.
Can I visit these Alpine destinations during the summer?
Yes, many of these locations transition beautifully between seasons. The Kulm Hotel St Moritz offers golf and music festivals in the summer, while the Gstaad Palace features its Piscine as a summer anchor.
Which hotels offer high-end Michelin star dining?
You'll find exceptional gastronomy at Cheval Blanc Courchevel, which houses the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Courchevel. Other notable options include Le K2 Palace and the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, which holds six Michelin stars across five restaurants.
I'm looking for a grand, historic hotel experience. What do you recommend?
The Gstaad Palace is a hilltop icon from 1913 with three generations of family stewardship. Badrutt's Palace Hotel and Suvretta House also offer that legendary, grand hotel atmosphere in St Moritz.