Where to stay in the Swiss Alps: the best resorts and hotels

Few villages have a backdrop like Grindelwald's. The north face of the Eiger rises straight up from the valley, and the Wetterhorn and the glaciers glitter alongside it. Gondolas climb to First, with its cliff walk and summer trails, and to Männlichen, and the Eiger Express links up with the railway to the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. In winter it's a big, varied ski area; in summer, hiking country par excellence.

The village is lively and practical, with Interlaken about 18 km down the valley. Stay at the Romantik Schweizerhof, a five-star from 1892 with an indoor pool, or the family-run Belvedere, famous for its views of the Eiger. Kreuz & Post is right in the centre with a rooftop spa, and the Eiger Mountain & Soul Resort has rooms, flats and chalets a few minutes from the station.

Wengen sits on a sunny shelf high above the Lauterbrunnen valley, a sheer-sided trench of cliffs and waterfalls, and it can only be reached by cogwheel train. There are no cars, just the occasional electric cart, which makes it wonderfully peaceful and safe for children. The views across to the Jungfrau are tremendous, and every January the village hosts the Lauberhorn downhill, one of the great races of the ski world cup.

Hotels are traditional and central. The Silberhorn is 20 metres from the station, with balconies, hot tubs and a sauna, and the cable car to Männlichen just beyond. The Regina, built in 1894, has three restaurants, and the Braunbär Hotel & Spa on the main street has been completely renovated in warm wood.

Gstaad is the Alps at their most discreetly glamorous. The car-free promenade is lined with chalet-style designer boutiques, the surrounding Saanenland is a soft green landscape of farms and wooded hills rather than towering rock, and the winter crowd is distinctly well-heeled. There's skiing in every direction and lovely gentle walking in summer.

Its hotels are the main event. Le Grand Bellevue is a grand luxury hotel with a full-service spa and an indoor pool, and The Alpina Gstaad is a celebrated chalet-style retreat. In the heart of the village, The Mansard blends Alpine tradition with contemporary chalet design, and the Arc-en-ciel has ski-in, ski-out access and two restaurants.

Crans-Montana spreads across a broad, south-facing plateau high above the Rhône valley, one of the sunniest spots in the Alps, with views over the Valais peaks. It's a resort of two seasons: skiing in winter and golf in summer, with one of Switzerland's most famous courses right in the middle of town, where you can even ski when the snow comes.

Hotels are polished and well equipped. Six Senses Crans-Montana is ski-in, ski-out with a high-tech spa, the Grand Hotel du Golf stands next to the course, and the Hotel Royal has a spa and indoor pool. Valaisia, renovated in 2022, has direct access to the slopes, golf and hiking, and a big wellness area that families love. The nearest railway station is in Sierre, in the valley below.

Saas-Fee sits at the end of its valley in a natural amphitheatre of glaciers and 4,000-metre peaks, its car-free lanes full of dark wooden chalets. The high-altitude skiing up on the Allalin glacier is famously snow-sure, and an underground funicular runs up to a revolving restaurant with views of the ice. Zermatt is just over the mountains, though a long way round by road.

Choose the Walliserhof Grand-Hotel & Spa, a five-star close to the Alpin Express gondola; The Capra, a chic five-star with a spa; the Schweizerhof Gourmet & Spa in the centre, with an indoor pool and two restaurants; or Waldhotel Fletschhorn, a panoramic retreat in the forest above the village.

Engelberg is the easiest Alpine escape in central Switzerland: a short train ride from Lucerne brings you into a wide valley dominated by Mount Titlis and a big Benedictine monastery. A cable car with a rotating cabin climbs towards the glacier at the summit, and the steep off-piste terrain has made the resort a favourite with freeriders.

The Kempinski Palace, a grand hotel from 1904 at the foot of the Titlis, is the smartest address. The Belle Époque Bellevue-Terminus has lively bars, the H+ Hotel & Spa has an indoor pool, and the Waldegg looks across the valley from an elevated south-facing spot, with a spa and a Thai restaurant.

Hot springs bubble up all over Leukerbad, the biggest thermal resort in the Alps, and soaking in an open-air pool while snow falls on the sheer cliffs above is unforgettable. In summer, a cable car climbs those cliffs to the Gemmi Pass for walks with huge views; in winter there's skiing on the Torrent slopes.

Several hotels have their own thermal pools. The Thermalhotels give direct access to the Walliser Alpentherme complex with indoor and outdoor pools, Le Bristol has a recently opened spa with thermal indoor and outdoor pools and a hammam, and Hotel Therme 51° is steps from the baths, with indoor tennis courts.

Adelboden is the Bernese Oberland at its most traditional, a sunny village of dark wooden chalets at the head of a valley, with family-friendly skiing and the dramatic Engstligen Falls nearby. Each January it hosts a famous ski world cup giant slalom. Stay at the Bristol, a quiet hotel with south-facing rooms close to the Tschentenalp lift, the Viktoria Eden in the centre with a spa, or the Bellevue Parkhotel & Spa.

Not everyone wants to sleep halfway up a mountain. Thun is a handsome old town where the Aare river flows out of Lake Thun, with a turreted castle above its arcaded streets and the snowy trio of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau on the horizon. Boats cruise the lake towards Interlaken, and the trains put the whole Bernese Oberland within easy reach.

The Hotel Seepark sits on the lakeshore in Schadau Park with views of the big peaks, and the Hotel Krone has a terrace in the heart of the old town. For a real splurge, the Deltapark resort's luxury villa stands directly on the lake beside a nature reserve.

Tucked into a remote corner of eastern Switzerland near the Austrian border, Samnaun is famous for two things: duty-free shopping and a lift link to Ischgl's vast Silvretta ski area. The Relais & Châteaux Chasa Montana, renovated in 2022, is the place for fine dining and deep relaxation, while Laret is a private boutique hotel with ski-in, ski-out access, and Das Homann has a spa and a pool with a view.