Securing a booking at this intimate, sky-high hotel is as
difficult as staying upright on the Lauberhorn descent, and with
very good reason: the architecturally striking 16-room property has
set a new tone for Swiss ski stays. A former cable car station
capping a vertiginous peak overlooking the dramatic Rhône Valley,
Chetzeron has been transformed into sleek and sophisticated ski-in,
ski-out accommodation. There are no cow bells here: it’s all
concrete porticos, original stone walls and natural oak panelling.
The spa is the hotel’s hub, pairing mountain vistas with
state-of-the-art equipment. Soak in the heated outdoor pool, sweat
out après-ski indulgences in the steam room and sauna, or loosen
sore muscles with a massage provided by a MA-URI Healing Arts
graduate. The relaxation room – like many of the suites – offers
swoon-worthy views of both the Matterhorn’s pyramidal peak and Mont
Blanc’s brooding silhouette. For those looking to refuel, the chic
Chetzeron Restaurant offers pitch-perfect alpine cuisine and a
superb wine list that favours Valais-based viticulturalists. To top
it all off, the hotel’s eco credentials are on point: the water is
heated through solar panels and power is produced with the help of
photovoltaics.

Perched high in the pristine landscapes of the Upper Engadin
mountains, overlooking the frosted Lake Silvaplana, this
contemporary ski-in, ski-out stay is the antidote to flashy St
Moritz, despite only being 5km from the resort. Whether you’re
bedding down in a suite notable for its modern, muted elegance
(think cow hide-covered stools, inviting leather armchairs and
natural spruce panelling) or rushing to get off-piste, Nira Alpina
has you covered, with its emphasis on making the transition between
days outside and nights in as smooth as possible. An excellent
choice if you’re a black-run master looking for maximum time on the
slopes, the hotel has a private walkway that takes you straight to
the Piz Corvatsch cable car – and the most challenging runs in the
region. For Bambi-legged beginners, there are nursery slopes right
outside, too. Before you put on your skis, though, remember to make
a reservation at the hotel’s Pichalain bar, which has St Moritz
regulars running to take the cable car up the mountain. Housed in a
charming, candlelit log cabin with wood shavings on the floor, the
intimate 16-seater space serves up first-class fondue and raclette
to a lucky few in a laid-back approach to après-ski.

At a height of 2,222m, in the heart of the Engelberg-Titlis region, a stay at Bärghuis Jochpass is as remote as it gets. This cosy guesthouse started life as a mountaineering club’s cabin in 1935 and, despite serious upgrades, has retained its ethos of adventure ever since. Accessible only by foot, via a chair lift, this is a stay for the wild at heart, with ski runs swooping right past the front door. Rooms, pine-lined and minimalist, are furnished with beds built by local artisans and can accommodate groups of up to 10. Post-breakfast, head out onto the snow and return at dusk to join snowboarding freestylers, snowshoe stompers and daredevil tobogganists for mulled wine warmed over a fire pit and Jägerbomb toasts, before moving to the dining room to linger over rustic recipes. Our order is the creamy, comforting Urner Häfelichabis (lamb and cabbage stew), with a few Hacktätschli (meat patties) thrown in for good measure. If you can still fit into your salopettes, book onto one of the hotel’s full-moon descents and glide down the slopes by moonlight, watching the pristine landscapes transform into a magical monochrome panorama.

Under-the-radar Adelboden-Lenk is where Swiss skiers head for
quieter slopes and indulgent R&R escapes. The wide and
welcoming Betelberg is a haven for ski newbies, but you’ll also
find the experts catching thrills at the Audi Skicross Gold Park.
Hotels in the area tend to be low-key, the Lenkerhof being no
exception. Hidden away in a steep, tree-furred valley, wellness is
the order of the day here. Built downstream from Europe’s richest
mountain sulphur source, the hotel’s 7 Sources spa continues a
250-year tradition of hot soaks. Alongside the crescent-shaped
outdoor pool – pumped full of 35C sulphuric water – you’ll find
seven saunas (sulphur, Finnish, herbal, bio, ice, stone oil and
steam – take your pick) and a treatment list inspired by the
Bernese Oberland region: think hot-stone massages using pebbles
from the Simme River, treatments rich in foraged local herbs and a
long soak in a traditional whey bath, its contents provided by a
nearby dairy farm. When you’re positively prune-like, head upstairs
to discover the creative menu of Restaurant Spettacolo. Chef Stefan
Lünse is heavily influenced by his surroundings, with dishes
starring local pikeperch, mountain potatoes, Swiss lamb and the
region’s famous chestnuts all flying off the pass.

Skiing in St Moritz is a bit of a fairy tale – all twinkling
lights, soft-white meringue peaks and sugar-dusted chalets – and a
stay at the alpine town’s grande dame hotel takes the fantasy to
another level. Has Wes Anderson ever seen the snowy exterior of the
Carlton Hotel? We think he’d like it. Rising above chocolate-box
chalets like a Narnian château, this picture-perfect property harks
back to the golden era of alpine living. On arrival at the station
(a three-hour or so train trip from Zurich), you’ll be chauffeured
by Bentley to your opulent accommodation. Interiors are inspired by
the sumptuous living of Russian tsars: this is palatial-en-piste,
offering warm elegance with an undercurrent of maximalist
extravagance. Murano glass lamps, crystal chandeliers and Venetian
stucco ceilings greet you at every turn, while the
two-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio restaurant pairs class with
cosiness, serving up Italian-inspired favourites from a family-run
kitchen to diners lounging on chintz-upholstered chairs.
Skiing-wise, it’s just a quick shuttle service straight to the best
pistes. Not feeling so sure-footed? Book a consultation with one of
the hotel’s outdoor butlers, who are at your service to organise
all manner of snowy expeditions, from curling lessons and
tobogganing to snowshoe romps across the powdered terrain.

If the thought of carved chalet eaves, gingerbread-house
interiors and dirndls gives you cold shivers, we’ve got your back.
Or, rather, the Valsana Hotel in the Graubünden canton has. Housed
in three unobtrusive buildings beside the crystalline Obersee Lake,
ultra-modern architecture marks out this property’s mission to
offer something different from the traditional ski stay. It might
only be a five-minute drive from the train station, just over two
hours by rail from Zurich, and a ten-minute walk from Roger
Federer’s mountain pad, but Valsana is a world away from your
typical chalet experience. Any alpine stuffiness is replaced here
by urban cool: think Soho House, not Heidi’s. Thoughtful interiors
from designer Carlo Rampazzi pair utilitarian design with beguiling
folksy touches: suites are plush, with leather, wood and copper
notes, but also employ yards of soft sheepskin and rustic homespun
textiles to soften sharp corners. With 140km of slopes within easy
reach (the cable car, a four-minute walk from the hotel, will take
you straight to the Weisshorn summit), you’ll be glad of the
state-of-the-art spa when you return to base. Finnish and bio
saunas, a steam room, herbal treatments, ice rubdowns and a
relaxation room make light work of soothing sore muscles, while
offering jaw-dropping views across icy peaks.

You won’t find yourself dodging monogrammed salopettes on the
handsomely groomed slopes of Gstaad, despite it being a town famous
for its luxury clientele – this well-heeled Swiss resort is all
about understated indulgence. Sure, the town centre feels a little
like the Swiss answer to Sloane Street, but regulars rate
reliability over ritz here. Case in point? The notorious après-ski
scene at GreenGo, a night haunt known since the 1970s for its
legendary late nights. See, too, the perennial appreciation of Les
Hauts de Gstaad. With its traditional sloping chalet roof, ornate
balconies and healthy dusting of powdery snow, the hotel lands on
the right side of rustic for Gstaad’s regulars. The 57 rooms tucked
under its rafters offer the cosy warmth of rural Swiss hospitality,
while the adjacent annex, Chalet Golfino – accessible via a
connected underground passage – adds an added dollop of welcoming
country house wholesomeness. Once you’ve exhausted yourself on the
resort’s 200km of ski slopes – including the notorious black Tiger
Run – settle in for a relaxing Samadhi floating brine bath (said to
ease stress, anxiety and decrease muscle pain) or opt for a
spoiling herbal massage using homemade essential oils in the
wellness emporium. Peckish? Take a seat in the hotel’s Restaurant
Bärengraben to savour authentic Swiss cuisine amid 100-year old
interiors or opt for a reservation at Belle Epoque & Möserstube
for a lesson in French fine dining. When out and about, be sure to
make a pit stop at Charly’s Gstaad. Gstaad’s premium bakery, it’s
the perfect spot for a warming hot chocolate and slice of raspberry
tart.