You

You
needn’t be a train buff to know that few rail journeys are
as iconic as the Glacier Express – a majestic route between St Moritz
and Zermatt that immerses those lucky enough to hop aboard in all
of Switzerland’s frost-tipped glory. Over the course of the
journey, guests cross over 291 bridges and whip through 91 tunnels,
soaking up world-class scenery – the Rhône Glacier, the vertiginous
Oberalp Pass and the curvaceous Landwasser Viaduct – as they
go.

It’s only right that such a momentous journey should be
sandwiched by stays at no-less lavish hotels. We suggest making a
real trip of it by acclimatising for a couple of nights at a

Design Hotel in either Zurich or Geneva before
heading up into the mountains and bedding down in St Moritz or
Zermatt – their Snow Sports Hotels are second to none. Tempted
by the idea but unsure where to begin? We’ve picked out a handful
of independent boltholes to bookend the ride of a lifetime. See you
on the train platform.

Zurich

Powered by clean energy and lassoed by cycling paths, Zurich
shows that the finer things in life needn’t come at the expense of
green credentials. One day in the city? No problem. Grab oven-fresh
pastries from John Baker, spot Pavillon Le Corbusier in the Seefeld
quarter and book dinner at vegetarian pioneers, Hiltl. Later,
explore the alternative District Five as the city’s mountainous
backdrop fades to indigo. Sleep in style by checking into one of
the following design hotels, each architectural accomplishments in
form and function.

Geneva

This mountain-cradled luxury haven whispers its coolness. Before
delving into Carouge – Geneva’s “Greenwich Village” – start the day
with breakfast at Maison des Arts du Grütli; its café is at the
vanguard of sustainable agriculture. Between lunch at Chez Grégoire
and dinner on the waterside at La Belotte, you’ll have enough time
for an impromptu walking tour, taking in Geneva’s watchmaking
heritage; this city has been composing delicate timepieces since
the 16th century. For a night to remember, bed down at one of
Geneva’s fêted design hotels.

Zermatt

Zermatt’s reputation ricochets around the Alps for a reason. Its
slick-as-whip lift system zips from 2,923m to 3,821m in nine
minutes; it’s home to more than 360km of pistes of all
difficulties; and, whether it’s snowing or not, these slopes are
the kind that don’t go a single day without a thick blast of fresh
powder. Zermatt is a destination of extremes.

Peppered among the slopes are a flurry of high-performance Snow
Sports Hotels where you can toast boot-beleaguered toes by the fire
after a tough day on the mountain. With your all-in-one travel
ticket in hand, navigating the town’s network of electric buses is
a breeze. Take aprés on the terrace at Cervo, followed by dinner at
the deceptively quaint but fiercely gourmet Findlerhof before
calling it quits and bedding down in your ski-in, ski-out, Alpine
retreat.

St Moritz

Few places have hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice, but St
Moritz is one of them. Naturally, these pistes, which spill out
from villages and hamlets in the Engadin valley, are not only
first-rate but officially Freeski World Cup quality. Yet St Moritz
is far more than a ski destination. Looking for a fresh jolt of
adrenaline? Join the skaters, curlers and jockeys who vie for
attention on the frozen lake at the resort’s heart.

St Moritz strikes the piste-play balance perfectly. As the
birthplace of winter Alpine tourism, the town is home to first-rate
Snow Sports Hotels. Not only are these mansions equipped with all
of the facilities required to help boost your skills on the piste,
but guests can also pick up a daily lift pass for a discounted
price. Safe to say, these cosy-chic shelters are also time-honoured
masters when it comes to helping tired snow bunnies decompress in
an evening.