10 Design-Focused Swiss Hotels
Switzerland’s high-altitude boutique and design hotel scene is going up in the world, championing slow travel, mountain-fresh food, a deeper connection with nature and big-sky dreaming. Here are 10 properties to check out
13 March, 2023
In partnership with
- Words by
- Anna Prendergast
Switzerland’s
Switzerland’s
hotel scene conjures Christmas-card mise-en-scènes
with romantic alpine allure, snow-capped summits and swish ski-in,
ski-out ease. But a new collection of Boutique & Design Hotels by Switzerland
Tourism highlights hand-picked properties that are so much more
than that. From grand 17th-century palazzos to intimate,
eco-friendly hideouts, these hotels are putting Switzerland on the
agenda long after the ski season has run its course.
10 of the most beautiful Swiss design hotels
hotel
Volkshaus Basel
Basel
Herzog & de Meuron spared no attention to detail in its
overhaul of this medieval manor. Spot the LED lamps designed to
evoke the original chandeliers and 17th-century etchings
transferred to wallpaper, before exploring the art scene in the
surrounding neighbourhood.
hotel
B2 Boutique Hotel
Zurich
Lit by shimmering beer-bottle chandeliers, the B2 Boutique
Hotel’s library is a meeting place for Zurich’s creative movers and
shakers. Pull up a Diesel armchair in front of the log fire, peruse
the rare wines list, and plot the next chapter of your Swiss
escape.
hotel
Hôtel des Horlogers
Le Chenit
Bought by watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet in 2003 and
reconstructed in 2016 to meet the highest standards of
eco-responsible tourism (following a public auction of its
furniture), this makes a great base year-round for Vallée de Joux
expeditions.
hotel
Hotel Spedition
Thun
Set within a historically protected former cheese house in Thun,
this urbane bolthole features a moody, five-colour palette
complemented by high-quality natural materials including
120-year-old oak beams, tactile fabrics and Jensen beds.
hotel
Cervo
Zermatt
Riffing on Switzerland’s traditional “berghotels” with its
clutch of minimalist huntsman’s lodges, plus 54 rooms and suites,
Cervo positions itself as the gateway to the mystical mountain
world. Expect outdoor pursuits aplenty, and a robust après
offering.
hotel
Relais Castello di Morcote
Vico Morcote
One of the many charms of this intimate, 12-key property in the
village of Vico Morcote is that it has its own 172-hectare
vineyard. Wild thyme and olive trees backdropped by the snowy peaks
of the Alps make for spectacular strolls around the terroir.
hotel
Boutique Hotel Glacier
Grindelwald
Fusing home-from home comfort with avant-garde Swiss design,
this smart hotel honours Grindelwald’s ice-harvesting history in
myriad thoughtful ways, from the mountain patterns woven on
bedspreads to the traditional alpine dishes served in its
restaurant.
hotel
Whitepod
Monthey
Sitting at the foot of the Dents-du-Midi mountain range, like
something from a Tolkienesque fever dream, Whitepod’s luxe eco-pods
offer easy access to the hotel’s own ski slopes, comprised of 7km
of red and blue runs, snowshoeing trails and a sauna.
hotel
Hôtel Bristol Genève
Geneva
A serene, family-run haven redesigned by Annie Zéau in 2021,
Hôtel Bristol Genève is known for its exceptional service and
standout spa, where guests can unwind in its hammam steam bath,
Jacuzzi, Finnish sauna and organic sauna infused with plant
aromas.
hotel
Château Gütsch
Lucerne
Martyn Lawrence Bullard-designed interiors peppered with quirky
flourishes and Med-leaning cuisine by Lucovico de Vivo – ex-Noma –
await at this beguiling eyrie. Outside, two inclined elevators
connect the Gütsch to Lake Lucerne in just 90 seconds.
The Lowdown
For the best boutique and idiosyncratic stays in
Switzerland, visit myswitzerland.com/boutiquedesign