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.