Photo: © Alpina Gstaad
The Alpina Gstaad: a discreet creative chalet above the village
High on the Oberbort hillside, The Alpina Gstaad seems to have risen straight from the mountainside, as if inheriting the quiet memory of the vanished Grand Hotel that once stood here. Behind its traditional chalet silhouette lies a thoroughly contemporary refuge, shaped from time-worn timber, local stone and Bernese craftsmanship, where every detail reflects the patience behind a project long debated by the village. Here, contemporary art meets ancestral lines, light grazes the gables, and Gstaad reveals a more intimate side, reserved for aesthetes in search of far more than a simple stay.
A slow-brewed alpine revival on the heights of Oberbort
Opened in 2012, The Alpina Gstaad is rooted in a local story of patience and conviction. The hotel stands on the former site of the Grand Hotel Alpina, a historic property demolished on 11 April 1995. Reconstruction did not follow immediately: local opposition to the project lasted thirteen years before being lifted, a sign of how deeply Gstaad cares for its landscape and architectural identity. When work finally began, it resulted in the first new grand luxury hotel to be built in the village in a century, led by owners Jean Claude Mimran and Marcel Bach.
Set on the Oberbort hillside above the village, the hotel spans five acres and opens out onto a wide panorama of the surrounding peaks. This slightly elevated position, around ten minutes on foot from the centre of Gstaad, gives it the feel of a residential retreat, at a considered distance from village life. Its address, Alpinastrasse 23, quickly became a reference point for travellers seeking discretion and contemporary style, and for locals too, who recognised in the property a respectful reading of their heritage.
From this genesis came a new-generation hotel, conceived as a grand chalet that looks as if it had always been there, yet built around today’s expectations: personalised service, a strong contemporary art presence, sharp gastronomy and a holistic approach to wellbeing. In Gstaad, where long-established houses such as Le Grand Bellevue uphold the classic resort spirit, The Alpina brings a different energy: more intimate, more focused on artistic creation and raw materials, while fully aligned with the village’s hotel tradition.
Architecture shaped by tradition, reinvented through design
Local regulations required The Alpina Gstaad to follow a style close to the traditional Simmental house, with a three-storey chalet-shaped building. This strict framework could have stifled creativity; instead it became a field of expression for a project that openly embraces continuity with the region’s built landscape. The façade presents a classic alpine profile that could easily be taken for several decades, even a century, old: its proportions, roof overhangs and balustrades all echo the old farmhouses and village houses of the Bernese Oberland.
Behind this apparent classicism lies a very current reflection on materials and craftsmanship. The structure makes extensive use of local stone and timber, while the interiors feature a “golden pine” sourced largely from recycled wood salvaged from farms in Austria, Switzerland and France. This choice lends the whole property a warm, lived-in patina that contrasts with standardised finishes, and anchors the hotel in a culture of reuse that feels particularly pertinent in this alpine context.
Inside, the language shifts decisively contemporary. Furniture comes notably from B&B Italia, Lindley and Gervasoni, while lighting is by Pinto Paris. Clean lines, design pieces and natural textures sit alongside old beams and carved wood panelling. As in certain lakeside reference properties such as Park Hotel Vitznau, modernity does not overwrite heritage: it frames it, highlights it and gives it a different dimension – here, that of a chalet thought through for 21st-century aesthetes.
Pine-clad rooms and panoramic suites for understated aesthetes
The Alpina Gstaad deliberately keeps its capacity intimate, with just over fifty rooms and suites, avoiding any sense of scale for its own sake. Every unit opens onto a balcony with mountain views, extending that retreat-like feeling mentioned earlier. Inside, rooms are “pine-wrapped”: walls, joinery and architectural details form a warm shell that recalls the traditional chalet, drawn in a calm, contemporary line.
Several recurring design signatures set the rooms apart: red leather desks, antique Swiss farmhouse wardrobes cleverly integrated into contemporary volumes, and wide picture windows framing the peaks. The generous bathrooms combine large bathtubs with rain showers and are stocked with Aqua di Parma bath products. The comfort is thoroughly up to date yet remains low-key rather than showy, very much in tune with the spirit of the address.
Categories range from Deluxe Rooms to Grand Luxe Suites, crowned by the two-storey Panorama Suite. Conceived for guests seeking complete privacy, this duplex suite has its own private spa with sauna, whirlpool and hammam. Depending on category, some suites may include a separate living room, fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows or a library, and a three-bedroom split-level suite adds a spa, gym and kitchen. This level of tailoring makes it possible to welcome both couples on an alpine escape and families looking to enjoy what is effectively a private chalet within the hotel, in a residential spirit similar to what loyal guests seek at historic addresses such as Beau-Rivage Palace.
Photo: © Alpina Gstaad
Contemporary art throughout, in a frame of wood and stone
One of The Alpina Gstaad’s defining features is its contemporary art collection, conceived as an integral part of the project rather than an afterthought. The hotel is home to a permanent collection of sixty-three works by around thirty-six artists. These pieces are displayed in the public areas and corridors, accompanying guests as they move through the property instead of being confined to a few gallery-like spaces.
This strong artistic presence creates a continuous dialogue with the traditional architecture required by the village. Installations, paintings and sculptures stand out against the recycled pine walls, catch the light on local stone and find their place in rooms where open fires, coffered ceilings and time-worn floors recall the ancestral chalet. Together, they reinforce the sense of a “new-generation alpine retreat”: a place where the familiar codes of the mountains are reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary artists.
Art thus flows through each moment of the stay, from the lobby to the corridors leading to the rooms, and into certain dining and relaxation spaces. This coherent approach strengthens the hotel’s cultural dimension without ever compromising comfort or sociability. Carefully chosen for their ability to converse with the landscape and the materials, the works help define The Alpina Gstaad’s distinct personality among the village’s leading addresses, and make it a particularly appealing place for guests attuned to creativity and design.
Alpine pasture cuisine, a 1,700-label cellar and a Japanese whisky bar
The Alpina Gstaad’s culinary offering extends the hotel’s guiding principle: deeply rooted in the mountains, yet open to the world. Signature restaurant Sommet, led by executive chef Martin Göschel, focuses on “alpine pasture-to-table” cuisine. Alpine produce, recipes inspired by mountain terroirs and contemporary plating all come together here, in an approach that has earned the restaurant a Michelin star. Sommet captures perfectly how the hotel revisits tradition without diluting it.
Dining options are varied: Swiss Stübli celebrates the chalet spirit with convivial Swiss specialities; MEGU brings a Japanese perspective to the Swiss mountains; and the Alpina Lounge and Bar serves as a lively social hub throughout the day. Together, they form a genuine little gourmet “constellation”, further complemented by other restaurants and a Japanese whisky bar that underlines the hotel’s international outlook.
Below ground, the wine cellar holds more than 1,700 labels. It has been designed for passionate oenophiles and curious beginners alike, with wine and cheese tastings organised on site. Here, once again, local roots meet international discovery in a setting where stone and wood serve as a reminder of the property’s alpine vocation. Whether you opt for a gastronomic dinner, a fondue in a traditional setting or an exploration of Japanese whiskies, each table helps cement The Alpina Gstaad’s status as a destination in its own right for gourmets as well as for those drawn by mountain landscapes.
Six Senses Spa, indoor–outdoor pools and made-to-measure services
Wellbeing at The Alpina Gstaad is built around a comprehensive set-up, centred on a Six Senses Spa that encapsulates the property’s holistic vision. Spread across several areas, the spa features an indoor pool of around 26 metres (85 feet) in length, with an atmosphere of particular calm. An outdoor pool completes the ensemble, allowing guests to extend their relaxation in the open air, facing the mountains.
The spa also includes a fully equipped gym and a yoga studio, and offers fitness classes. These facilities cater both to regular athletes and to guests simply wishing to maintain a light routine during their stay. The hotel organises “silent stay” breaks, designed as genuine digital-detox interludes, and offers health-focused dining options in line with the spa’s broader philosophy.
To round out these spaces, The Alpina Gstaad offers a private cinema, a cigar lounge for cigar enthusiasts, and an in-house Silver Sport boutique. Families benefit from the Tree House Club, a supervised children’s area with games, activities and workshops. Combined with the pools, wellness spaces and in-suite private spas available in certain categories, these services make the property a complete alpine retreat, equally suited to discreet aesthetes, families travelling together and couples seeking a stay centred on restoration and reset.
Explore the surroundings
A new-generation alpine retreat to book now
The Alpina Gstaad operates seasonally, opening from early December to mid-March, then again from early June to mid-September. This rhythm follows the life of the village and the mountains, from winter sports to summer walks and quiet moments contemplating the peaks. The property has garnered numerous distinctions, including a MICHELIN Hotels Key (Three MICHELIN Keys · An extraordinary stay), a Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, and several international awards such as Gault Millau Hotel of the Year and European Design Awards Hotel of the Year. Restaurant Sommet has itself been recognised with a Michelin star, confirming the hotel’s place on Switzerland’s gastronomic map.
Over the years, the property has also been singled out by various luxury-hospitality shortlists and awards, which highlight both its discreet service and its ability to bring together traditional architecture, contemporary art, local craftsmanship and a thoughtful vision of wellbeing. It speaks above all to travellers who appreciate these dialogues between past and present, between chalet and design, between alpine produce and international influences.
For a future stay in Gstaad, whether under winter snow or in the softer light of summer, The Alpina Gstaad fully deserves to be considered as your main base. Poised on the Oberbort hillside, just a short walk from the village, this new-generation alpine retreat offers an ideal setting in which to discover or rediscover the resort from a more intimate, more aesthetic, more contemplative angle. The only thing left is to plan your visit.
Plan your stay at The Alpina Gstaad
The Alpina Gstaad
Alpinastrasse 23
3780 Gstaad – Switzerland
Book at www.thealpinagstaad.ch/en or via your preferred hotel booking platform.
