When we talk about ski hotels, there’s an unspoken tier system, and the 56-room Alpina Gstaad is at the very top. Designed by architects Jaggi and Partner AG, it oozes modern grandeur. Its interiors blend local materials like aged wood and hand-hewn stone, a vision realized by interior designers HBA. The studio embraced a decidedly alpine aesthetic with modern international furnishings, many sourced from B&B Italia. A major focal point of the property is a vintage Demountable house by the French midcentury architect Jean Prouvé installed in the garden. The Six Senses Spa is a subterranean haven where natural light gently filters through. And to get you on the hill, The Alpina’s fleet of chauffeured vehicles ensures a stylish transition to Gstaad’s network of interconnected lifts.
Badrutt's Palace. Courtesy of Badrutt's Palace…
Badrutt’s Palace St. Moritz, Switzerland
The crown jewel of St. Moritz, Badrutt’s Palace is where Alpine glamour was born and still reigns. Opened in 1896, following its transformation from the Hotel Beau Rivage, it was originally designed by Swiss architects Chiodera und Tschudi. With 112 rooms and 43 suites, it’s part hotel, part stage set: its turrets and tower suites rise over the frozen lake like a storybook dream. Its interiors are richly appointed with chandeliers, tapestries, and polished parquet, but the new spa and pop-up Gucci boutique keep things current. Its new six-story Serlas Wing adds 25 rooms and suites to the property and was designed by ACPV Architects, while Champalimaud Design recently renovated guestrooms in the historic section. This is where fur meets function, and the après-ski crowd gives more Goyard than Gore-Tex.
Caldera House. Courtesy of Caldera House…
Caldera House Teton Village, Wyoming
At Caldera House, a hotel with just eight suites, the design is a seamless blend of old-school mountain charm and contemporary cool designed by Los Angeles studio Commune. The suites, some with two stories and others with balconies overlooking the slopes, are filled with natural materials like timber, stone, and steel. An airy, light-filled space with a minimalist alpine vibe is a welcome respite after a day on the slopes. The building’s timber and stone facade gives it a rustic but refined feel. But the best part is that it’s located just 100 feet from “Big Red,” Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s iconic strawberry-hued tram, offering true ski-in/ski-out access and the easiest mountain transition in the valley. Teton Village, unlike the nearby town of Jackson, has limited restaurant offerings, but Corsa and Shin Shin, both located at Caldera, are excellent.
Montage Deer Valley. Courtesy of Montage Deer Valley…
Montage Deer Valley Park City, Utah
The 220-room Montage Deer Valley, designed by HKS Hill Glazier Studio, is the apotheosis of mountain craftsman style, with heavy timber beams and stone accenting its grand pitched roofs. It’s an immersive design that pulls the landscape inside, from the interiors by Wilson Associates to the expansive windows that frame views of the Wasatch mountains. The ski-in/ski-out hotel is situated at the base of the Deer Valley Resort’s Ruby and Empire Express lifts, the latter of which gives direct access to the famous Daly chutes. The ski valet experience is so seamless you never have to think about your gear. With a massive spa, multiple restaurants, and its own bowling alley and pub, this self-contained resort melds old-school lodge charm and modern luxury.
The Cliff Lodge. Credit: Snowbird…
The Cliff Lodge Snowbird, Utah
A Brutalist monolith originally built in 1974 by architect Jack Smith with several major expansions throughout the 1980s, the 532-room Cliff Lodge is a self-contained universe that’s Le Corbusier-goes-West. Its jaw-dropping atrium was built to withstand the world’s most intense and frequent avalanches, holding restaurants, an arcade, and most importantly, direct access to ski lifts. The Nest, a long-awaited on-mountain restaurant on the Gad Valley side of the mountain, opens this season and promises to elevate the après scene. Add a rooftop spa (those lucky enough to be in the hot tub as Little Cottonwood Canyon’s champagne powder begins to fall will never forget it) and ski-in/ski-out access, and you’ve got high-altitude utility wrapped in a cock-diesel architectural flex.
Tschuggen Grand Hotel. Courtesy of Tschuggen Grand Hotel…
Tschuggen Grand Hotel Arosa, Switzerland
There is no dearth of hotels in Arosa, but as far as design goes, none are in the same league as Tschuggen Grand. While the main hotel is a testament to classic Swiss alpine elegance, the real showstopper is the Tschuggen Bergoase, the futuristic spa designed by legendary Swiss architect Mario Botta. With its sail-like skylights jutting out of the mountainside, the spa feels like a space-age sanctuary for post-ski recovery, a subterranean world of granite, maple, and pools. But beyond the jaw-dropping design, the genius of the place is its funky-looking private funicular, the Tschuggen Express, which transports guests directly to the slopes of the Arosa-Lenzerheide ski area. The Arosa side gets morning sun, so ski there through lunchtime, then take the Urdenbahn from the Hörnli peak to the Heimberg mountain, and then to the top of the Rothorn for an afternoon of shredding.
