The Best Hotels to Book in Switzerland

The fact that Movenpick has 350 soundproof rooms should give you an indication of just how close it is to Geneva International Airport. Ideal for business travellers, there’s complimentary public transport into the city centre from the hotel while the Palexpo convention centre is also nearby. Once the deals are done, stroll down to Lake Geneva for some sightseeing before heading back to Movenpick for Swiss specialities and Japanese delicacies at its two restaurants.

Few hotels do luxury quite as well as The Chedi, whether it’s in the cigar library, fireplaces in the rooms or the ski butler service – just in case you don’t feel like lugging your ski equipment to and from the slopes. Right in the heart of the Swiss Alps, the hotel has staggering views, which you can enjoy from the huge indoor pool. Add a Tibetan Relaxation Lounge and this is a place where pampering has been perfected.

One of the greatest views in Switzerland is of Lake Geneva with layers of the Swiss Alps fading into the distance beyond. Le Mirador, above Vivey, offers perhaps the best vantage point to take in the vista, with each of its rooms coming with a balcony or patio. The hotel is also the perfect perch to explore the Lauvaux region and surrounding areas. Rolling vineyards, the Charlie Chaplin museum and Chillon Castle, which looks like it’s about to fall into Lake Geneva, all await.

Located in the Vaud Jura Arc, Grand Hôtel des Rasses has a couple of fine eateries to complement its beautiful surroundings. Dating back to 1913, the decor is as elegant as the swans that glide through the nearby Lake Neuchâtel – the hotel has columns, large chandeliers and a terrace that offers panoramic views of the Alps. La Boîte à Musique is even older, dating back to 1904, and specialises in traditional Swiss cuisine that takes its inspiration from the region.

If you are trying to find where to stay in Switzerland for a proper wellness break, Waldhotel Doldenhorn turns to the nearby Innerer Fisistock for help – the mountain supplying the spring water for the chalet-style hotel’s indoor pool. A particularly refreshing dip is part of a spa set-up that’s as good as anything you’ll find in Switzerland, with a Finnish sauna, steam bath, hammam area, solarium and range of massages. A particularly nice touch is a selection of baths, in which you can sip Champagne by candlelight.

A slice of Italy in the south of Switzerland, the town Bellinzona is an irresistible blend of piazzas, neo-classical architecture and well-preserved medieval castles. Among all this, La Tureta fits like a Prada glove. Located in an 18th-century Scalabrini palace, the hotel has a banquet hall under a vaulted ceiling, stone walls and a restaurant with spectacular frescoed walls that serves Mediterranean cuisine. For a thoroughly Italian evening, sit at a table outside, overlooking Piazza Grande.

Perched 450m (1476ft) above Lake Lucerne, the Bürgenstock Hotel is at the heart of the Bürgenstock Resort, near the Hammetschwand lift – Europe’s highest outdoor lift – and an Alpine golf course. There are several world-class restaurants and lovely terraces to pick from, but for sheer wow factor nothing beats an outdoor pool with an infinity edge that offers breathtaking views of Lake Lucerne.

Plenty of mountain air and sun (it tops the charts for hours of sunshine in Switzerland) makes the La Val Hotel in the town of Brigels the best place to digitally detox. And the relaxed atmosphere starts with the timber and stone interiors of the rooms, inspired by the surrounding mountain scenery. Creature comforts include loungers on the south-facing balconies, for making good use of that high-altitude sun.

A location right in the heart of Zurich makes the Hotel Alexander a good place to stay for work or play. The banking and business district is a stroll away, as is the Zurich Exhibition Centre and the Zurich University campus. When it’s time to relax, the Bahnhofstrasse shopping street, lakeside and riverside promenade and a large collection of bars, cafes and restaurants are also nearby. A rich breakfast buffet with regional products sweetens the deal even more.

Since opening to great fanfare in 1957 as a garden hotel, the Park Hotel Winterthur has undergone a facelift or two without ever losing its charm. Key to its popularity is its location in a park – a lush green space that prompted the hotel’s name change in 2005 from Garden Hotel Winterthur. The same renovation saw the Ellipse restaurant change its name to Bloom – an apt description for an eatery that serves meals on a park terrace or under the imposing old beech tree.