Boutique hotels in Switzerland

Switzerland has long been a country of excellent hotels, and its smaller properties are among the best run in Europe. Alpine chalets, Belle Epoque lakeside villas and converted old-town townhouses mix precise service with a strong sense of place, and many are family-owned across several generations.

Mountains and ski resorts

Zermatt, St. Moritz, Gstaad, Verbier and Davos are the best-known mountain destinations. Zermatt sits beneath the Matterhorn in a car-free village, St. Moritz is the glamorous Engadine resort, and Gstaad offers a quieter, more rural take on Alpine luxury. The Bernese Oberland, around Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen, faces the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Lakes and cities

Lucerne, Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux are lakeside cities with grand hotels along their quays, while Lugano and Ascona have a Mediterranean feel in the Italian-speaking south. Zurich, Basel and Bern are walkable old towns with design hotels, and the Lavaux terraced vineyards above Lake Geneva are a UNESCO World Heritage landscape.

When to go

December to April is ski season, and July to September suits hiking, lakes and mountain trains. Prices are high all year, so the shoulder months of May, June and October are often the best value.