Welcome to the rooftop of the world – Swiss edition
Yes, it’s a bit of a climb. But oh, what a climb it is.
From Gstaad, a quaint train and a scenic cable car whisk you up to 3,000 meters above sea level, into a landscape so breathtaking it’ll quite literally steal your breath. Welcome to Glacier 3000: a snow-kissed kingdom where peaks flirt with the clouds and the air smells of freedom.
What’s on the agenda? Endless ski runs – even in spring. A suspension bridge linking two dramatic peaks, the Peak Walk, the only one of its kind in the world. Husky sled rides, panoramic cross-country skiing, a rail toboggan for the playful souls, and above all, an exquisite silence that wraps around you like
a cashmere scarf. No honking. No chaos. Just wind, snow, and a sky that dances with the mountains.
But after the great white expanse comes the great soft landing.
Just a few bends down the road, three exceptional hotels await – to let the magic linger a little longer, without ever truly coming back down.
Between absolute luxury, tailor-made cocooning, and gourmet pleasures at altitude,
here are three hotels where winter becomes a way of life..
I. The Alpina Gstaad – The Art of Living with a View
Behind its scorched wood façades and pale stone walls, The Alpina Gstaad hides a well-kept secret: an art of living that blends understated elegance, extreme serenity, and bespoke service.
The rooms? Enveloping cocoons, with warm wooden floors, designer furniture, and stylish alpine touches.
The Six Senses Spa? A parallel world. Steam rooms, salt caves, an indoor-outdoor pool with a view over the peaks… You’ll want to stay until the snow melts (and even after).
And let’s talk about Megu, a temple of Japanese gastronomy tucked right in the heart of the Alps.
Here, wagyu meets wasabi with the grace of a snow-dusted ballet. It’s a haven for aesthetes, lovers of hushed silence, and discreet epicureans.
II. Gstaad Palace – The Timeless Icon
It’s the glamorous old soul of the mountains – and yet, it hasn’t aged a day. Since 1913, Gstaad Palace has stood watch over the valley like a guardian of alpine dolce vita. With its fairytale castle allure, it shelters the most timeless version of luxury: plush carpets, spectacular chandeliers, and fires that crackle gently as snowflakes fall outside.
You’ll cross paths with regulars, incognito celebrities, and aficionados of all things refined. The service is princely, without a hint of pretension. It just feels right – like slipping into a suite where every detail whispers comfort, without ever shouting excess.
And when night falls on Gstaad, you head to GreenGo, the hotel’s legendary nightclub, like stepping into a modern-day fairytale (or a Gucci-styled 80s music video).
III. Ultima Gstaad – Pure Confidential Luxury
If The Alpina is refined, and The Palace is majestic, then Ultima Gstaad is the discreet insider’s choice. Tucked away from the village center, it’s in a class of its own: luxury made-to-measure, intimate hospitality, and a team that anticipates your desires before you even think them.
Here, everything is a suite. No standard rooms. No compromises.
Black marble, designer fireplaces, impossibly soft armchairs… it’s like a penthouse in the mountains, complete with discreet butler service, Swiss Perfection spa treatments, and a private chef on call.
The spa? A futuristic jewel, where wellness becomes haute couture.
The vibe? Chic, hushed, and deeply private. You whisper, you savour, you forget everything else.
Ultima is the kind of place you share only with your dearest friends. Or not at all.
Frost Outside, Glamour Within
At Glacier 3000, you ski on the roof of the world, cross dizzying bridges suspended in the sky, and brush shoulders with the clouds. And when the day comes to an end, you return to the softness of impeccable sheets, the flicker of a kind-hearted fire, and the quiet promise of another frosted morning.
Three hotels. Three ways to experience the mountains in high definition.
And one certainty: luxury, too, has the taste of snow.
Glacier 3000, Gstaad, Swiss Alps
