The 10 Best Swiss Ski Resorts To Visit This Winter

Switzerland is a mountain lover’s paradise, with spectacular summits and fairytale scenery, ritzy resorts and grande dame hotels, pristine lakes, and epic pistes for skiers. As hotels in the Alps get ready for the new winter season, we share our favorite Swiss ski resorts, alongside the hotels, chalets, restaurants, and activities to bookmark.

28 Nov 2024 / Sebastian

The 10 Best Swiss Ski Resorts To Visit This Winter

Zermatt, Valais

In Zermatt, life is all about the mountains; you either climb them, ski down them, or spend your time gazing at them. Located in Switzerland’s Valais canton, it is the home of the majestic and pyramid-like Matterhorn. Standing at 4,478 m, it is Europe’s most recognizable peak, the symbol of Switzerland, and the centerpiece of life in this car-free, glamorous village. A playground for skiing enthusiasts, Zermatt is the highest mountain resort in Switzerland and the best place in Europe for heli-skiing. It also has the most impressive lift infrastructure and the highest viewing platform, at 3,883m, in the Alps.

Altitude: 1,620 m
Where to Stay: The Omnia, the BEAUSiTE Zermatt or the all suites hotel Firefly
Where to Eat on the Slopes: Chez Vrony or Findlerhof
Where to Dine in Town: Spycher

84 Rooms Score

Ski *****
Hotels *****
Private Lodgings *****
Food ****
Winter activities *****
Snow Guarantee *****

Total score: 29*

Read the 84 Rooms Guide To Zermatt

Saint Moritz, Engadin

Set in the Upper Engadine, St Moritz is the birthplace of winter tourism and Alpine sport. An iconic destination for more than 150 years, skiers, snowboarders, experts, beginners, families and adrenaline junkies all flock to this old-school, timeless resort. Four vast skiing areas — Corviglia, Corvatsch, Diavolezza, and Lagalb — and five smaller areas give unlimited skiing pleasure to beginners and experts alike, with more than 87 World Cup standard slopes and pistes. St Moritz is also home to the infamous Cresta Run, the oldest bob run (and the only one made of natural ice) in the world, the White Turf horse race, and winter curling.

Altitude: 1,850 m
Where to Stay: Suvretta House
Where to Eat on the Slopes: Langosteria, or Bergrestaurant Trutz
Where to Dine in Town: Chesa Veglia

84 Rooms Score

Ski ****
Hotels *****
Private Lodgings **
Food ****
Winter activities *****
Snow Guarantee *****

Total score: 25*

Read the 84 Rooms Guide to St Moritz

Gstaad, Bernese Alps

Beloved of the European jet set, Gstaad is located in the Bernese Mountains and packed with grand old hotels, excellent restaurants, and swanky boutiques. A classic winter resort, it has 200 km of ski slopes that reach altitudes of up to 3,000 m. The ski season runs from mid-December to mid-March, but the Glacier 3000 nearby extends the season from early November to May. Expert skiers should tackle the Tiger Run on Wasserngrat, our founder Sebastian Schoellgen’s favorite mountain to ski. If you’re not a skier, you can rent snowshoes and poles and go hiking.

Altitude: 1,050 m
Where to Stay: The Alpina Gstaad, Le Grand Bellevue, or for a private option our 84 Club Chalets
Where to Eat on the Slopes: Berghaus Wasserngrat
Where to Dine in Town: : Sonnenhof, Le Cerf, 16 Sannen, or Rössli

84 Rooms Score

Ski ***
Hotels *****
Private Lodgings *****
Food *****
Winter activities ****
Snow Guarantee **

Total score: 24*

Read the 84 Rooms Guide to Gstaad

Verbier, Valais

In the classic resort of Verbier, you’ll find party people and powder hunters in equal measure — and standing at 1500m, Verbier is a very safe bet for winter. During the day, life centers around skiing and snowboarding. There are 410 km of runs across four valleys, making it the largest ski area in Switzerland, but the Verbier crowd is all about conquering its challenging black slopes and chasing powder off-piste around the Vallon d’Arby and Backside Mont Fort. At night, it’s all about fun, and dancing at Farm Club, where Bowie once partied.

Altitude: 1,500 m
Where to Stay: Experimental Chalet
Where to Eat on the Slopes: Chez Dany
Where to Dine: La Grange

84 Rooms Score

Ski *****
Hotels ***
Private Lodgings *****
Food ****
Winter activities ***
Snow Guarantee ****

Total score: 24*

Crans-Montana, Valais

Crans-Montana, which sits on a flat plateau above the Rhône Valley, has breathtaking views from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn and a unique microclimate blessed with 300 sunshine days a year. As well as excellent slopes for kids, most notably Snow Island, it has 87 miles of trails that are suitable for all levels of skiers, making it an excellent choice for families. During the festive season, the Etoile Bella Lui festival of lights is a must. A clutch of fantastic hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants are helping Crans-Montana to make a comeback after its Eighties heyday, which will be cemented in 2027 when it hosts the World Ski Championships.

Altitude: 1,495 m
Where to Stay: LeCrans
Where to Dine: L’Ours, Le Mont Blanc, or Le Mayen

84 Rooms Score

Ski ****
Hotels ****
Private Lodgings ****
Food ****
Winter activities ****
Snow Guarantee ***

Total score: 23*

Klosters, Grisons

Klosters is an old-school and understated destination in the heart of Grisons, and a firm favorite of the British Royal Family. King Charles and Princess Diana used to take their sons on regular ski trips to the Swiss town, and the local cable car is named after the former Prince of Wales. Connected to Davos, it’s one of the best skiing areas in Switzerland with around 300 km of slopes. Don’t expect luxury boutiques, the vibe in Klosters is more antique shops and grocers, but that’s part of the charm of this tucked-away, discreet resort.

Altitude: 1,200 m
Where to Stay: Chesa Grischuna, or for a private option Chalet Bear
Where to Dine: Berghaus Alpenrösli, or Gasthaus Höhwald

84 Rooms Score

Ski ****
Hotels ***
Private Lodgings ***
Food ***
Winter activities ****
Snow Guarantee ****

Total score: 21*

Grindelwald & Wengen, Bernese Alps

The Jungfrau region is known for having some of the most extensive and varied skiing in Switzerland. With more than 200 km of ski runs, from challenging blacks to easy reds and blues, it’s suitable for experts, novices, and families — don’t miss the Lauberhorn World Cup downhill run. The area’s pure air, long hours of sunshine (especially in winter) plus 50 km of winter hiking trails and toboggan runs attract many non-skiers too. At the heart of Grindelwald & Wengen, and overlooking the iconic Eiger, is the Hotel Bellevue des Alpes, a Wes-Anderson-style grande dame that has stood on the car-free Kleine Scheidegg since the 19th century. It feels like stepping back in time to a golden age of mountain hospitality and is perfectly placed to access the many lifts and cable cars that service the area.

Altitude: Ranging from 1,034 m (Grindelwald) to 1,274 m (Wengen)
Where to Stay: Bellevue des Alpes & Jungfrau Wengernalp
Where to Eat on the Slopes & Dine: Both hotels have excellent restaurants with beautiful terraces

84 Rooms Score

Ski ****
Hotels ***
Private Lodgings **
Food ***
Winter activities ****
Snow Guarantee ***

Total score: 19*

Flims & Laax, Grisons

For those looking for an alternative Swiss Alps experience, Flims & Laax, nestled in a valley in Graubünden, is the spot. In the center of freestyle skiing and snowboarding, adrenaline junkies of various levels can get their fill on slopes (and in snow parks) that benefit from reliable powder in the winter months. One of Switzerland’s largest ski areas, the area includes La Siala, above Flims, with its easy blues and reds; Crap Sogn Gion’s reds and blacks; and the Vorab Glacier, above Laax, which allows you to ski at 3,000m. It also has a generous sprinkling of mountain restaurants — from simple inns to fine dining — as well as one of the best spa hotels in the country, the classic and elegant Waldhaus Flims.

Altitude: 1,050 m
Where to Stay: Waldhaus Flims
Where to Eat on the Slopes: Tegia Larnags

84 Rooms Score

Ski ****
Hotels ***
Private Lodgings **
Food ***
Winter activities ****
Snow Guarantee ***

Total score: 19*

Andermatt, Uri

Cradled by the Ursen Valley, Andermatt is located in the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif. Over the decades it has transformed from a Belle Epoque-era chocolate box resort to a mountain training base for the Swiss Army during World War II, before being revived in 2013 by the opening of the spectacularly beautiful Chedi Andermatt. The skiing (and ski-touring) have always been fantastic, but these days new lifts connect the resort with Oberalp and Sedrun, creating a vast ski area with more than 180 km of top-notch pistes. Experts should tackle the famed Bernhard Russi black run on the Gemstock mountain, as well as Andermatt’s brilliant off-piste opportunities. For non-skiers, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and tobogganing are all on offer in winter.

Altitude: 1,440 m
Where to Stay: The Chedi Andermatt
Where to Eat on the Slopes: The Michelin-starred The Chedi Japanese
Where to Dine in Town: Gasthaus Tell, or the Restaurant Ochsen

84 Rooms Score

Ski ****
Hotels **
Private Lodgings **
Food ***
Winter activities ***
Snow Guarantee ****

Total score: 18*

Les Portes du Soleil, Vaud Alps

Spanning over both, Swiss and French territory, Les Portes du Soleil ('the gateway to the sun') is one of the largest connected ski resorts in the entire Alps and is often overlooked. Encompassing twelve resorts between the famous Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

Altitude: Ranging from 1,000 m (Morzine) to 1,800 m (Avoriaz)
Where to Stay: The Landscape Lodge
Where to Eat on the Slopes: Chez Nannon, and La Paika