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.