Top 11 European Ski Lodges

Today we are heading across to Europe to take a look at the ‘créme-de-la-créme’ of European ski lodges. Although, you should probably not call it a lodge over there and rather a hotel. So here they are, the best eleven European ski hotels.

Palace Les Airelles Courchevel, Courchevel, France

Looking like something out of a Grimm’s fairy tale, the Les Airelles Courchevel hotel is a small boutique hotel with only 48 rooms, 20 suites, and a four-bedroom apartment with private hammam as well as four hotel-operated free-standing chalets, in Courchevel, France. Situated in a fantastic ski-in and ski-out position along the slopes of Jardin Alpin, Les Airelles is dedicated to providing the most incredible experience on your snow holiday. Don’t be deceived by the smaller number of rooms: the hotel has it all and boasts three restaurants, three bars, and an on-mountain hotel restaurant. There is also a stunning La Mer Spa complete with an indoor swimming pool and an indoor and outdoor jacuzzi, as well as a hammam, sauna, sensory shower, waterfall, and a snow cave. If you need more to feel like you’re in a fairy tale, the hotel has an Hermés horse-drawn carriage for rides through town. A kids club, cinema, ice skating rink, fitness studio, and a hair and nail salon round out the offering to make your family holiday complete.

Aman Le Mélézin, Courchevel, France

Staying in Courchevel, we also have the incredible Aman Le Mélézin boutique hotel with a mere 31 rooms and seven suites, all with private balconies, and some with hot tubs or a fireplace. The Aman is a modern take on a chateau with clean lines, contemporary design, and a neutral color palette, but not any less luxurious. The Japanese feel of the interior is carried through the entire hotel and includes a gourmet Japanese restaurant and extends to the spa, which is spread out across two floors. The spa area has a large lap pool, a traditional Turkish hammam, a wooden sauna and cold plunge pool, two jacuzzis, a yoga studio, and a fitness studio. There is also a Japanese Whiskey bar and naturally, the hotel offers Ski Butlers who will take care of your ski gear for you.

Le Diamond Rock Tignes, Tignes,France

This ski-in and ski-out ‘Diamond’ has an unbeatable location in Tignes, right at the foot of the piste. The beautifully designed hotel comprises 64 modern rooms and suites. The hotel has two in-house restaurants and a panoramic lounge bar. Services include a Ski Butler service that disinfects your boots daily and takes care of your gear in their BO ski room. There is also a spa with a sauna, hammam, heated indoor swimming pool, an outdoor Nordic bath, and fitness room. Other amenities include a kids club, a games room with bowling lanes, a cinema room, and a ski boutique with designer ski clothing.

Dolomiti Alpenroyal, Dolomites, Italy

The beautiful Alpenroyal Hotel has 54 rooms and suites with balcony views of the lake or the Dolomites. The hotel has ski-in and ski-out access to the Val Gardena ski area which is part of the Dolomiti Superski area which consists of a total of 15 resorts on one ski pass. Dolomiti Superski is the largest ski area in the world with 750 miles (1,200km) of groomed runs and a staggering 5,981ft (1,823m) of vertical, serviced by 450 lifts. The hotel has all the facilities one would expect from a five star restaurant with a sauna, steam rooms, and treatments at the Eghes Beauty Spa. The hotel in fact boasts a massive ‘water world’ consisting of a heated indoor lap pool, heated outdoor pool as well as several indoor and outdoor whirlpools. There are three restaurants to choose from, one of which has a Michelin-star and there is also a wine bar and a piano bar for your aprés time. There is a private heliport for those who arrive by helicopter.

Le Crans Hotel, Crans Montana, Switzerland

The Le Crans Hotel was built in the 1960s when Crans Montana experienced its first big influx of tourists. Much of the town was in fact built in the 1960s. The Crans hotel is a small boutique hotel, part of the Leading Hotels of the World Group. The hotel features only 7 luxury rooms, 7 suites, and one apartment. Le Crans is only 300ft (100m) from the slopes of Crans Montana. The hotel has a wine cellar, fitness center, indoor and outdoor pool, a Michelin- starred restaurant called Le Mont Blanc, cigar lounge, and an incredible spa with a wide range of aesthetic treatments. The hotel was voted the Most Popular Ski Hotel in Switzerland by Falstaff Travel this year.

Gstaad Palace, Gstaad, Switzerland

The Gstaad Palace Hotel is one of Europe’s oldest institutions when it comes to alpine hospitality. Opened in 1913, the Palace looks every bit like a fairytale castle with its gleaming white turrets visible from all over Gstaad. The gorgeous hotel offers 90 rooms and suites, each with its own signature alpine style. There are five restaurants, two bars with live music, a famed nightclub, and a 19,000 square ft (1,800 square meter) spa with heated indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzis and saunas, yoga lessons, a gym, and a wide range of spa treatments. The Palace is located in the heart of Gstaad so you can easily walk into town or the hotel can arrange a horse-drawn sleigh for romantic sojourns into town. Whatever you do, just remember to not pronounce the ‘G’ in Gstaad.

Riffelalp Resort, Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt’s breathtaking Riffelalp Resort is located right on the middle of the mountain in a unique ski-in and ski-out location. This gorgeous hotel at the edge of a pine forest only has 65 rooms, 5 suites, and 2 apartments and looks straight at the famous Matterhorn. The hotel is only accessible by the Riffelalp tram and if you want to venture out into Zermatt at night, you have to take the Gornergrat railway into town and the complimentary tram back up. Included in your room rate are 4 days a week of winter snowshoeing, freeriding, skiing, or heli-skiing with the in-house ski guide Yann. The hotel has three restaurants and two bars. There is also a kids club, billiards and bowling rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and a dedicated spa, which happens to be the highest spa in Europe.

W Verbier Hotel & Residences, Verbier, Switzerland

Perched at 5,023 ft (1,531m) with ski-in and ski-out access to the 4 Valley Ski Area, the award-winning W Verbier Hotel & Residences features 123 rooms and suites with a fireplace and private balcony. The hotel includes six bars and restaurants, including a brand new Japanese restaurant and the Eat Hola Tapas restaurant by Savor Michelin-starred Chef Sergi Arola. To round out your stay there is a 14,000 square ft (1,300 square meter) spa with nine treatment rooms and a cryotherapy cabin, two heated pools, steam rooms, Jacuzzi, saunas, and gym.

Kulm Hotel, St. Moritz, Switzerland

Across to the southeast of Switzerland, we have St. Moritz. The last three featured hotels are all situated here. First off we have the legendary Kulm Hotel. The Kulm Hotel is the grand old dame of luxury hotels in St. Moritz. The hotel opened its doors in 1856 and is considered the founder of the ski holiday: in 1864 the manager, Johannes Badrutt, invited some of his English summer guests to stay for the winter. In fact, he made a bet: stay for the winter and if you don’t like it, I’ll reimburse you for your travel. Needless to say, Badrutt won the bet and winter tourism was born. The hotel is located at the top of St. Moritz village at 1,856m of altitude, overlooking the town and lake. The hotel is now owned by the Niarchos family, but tradition remains important at this St. Moritz institution. The hotel oozes the charm fitting its 166-year history. The hotel has 173 rooms and suites and boasts a 21,000-square-foot spa and for extra privacy, there is a private spa suite. There is an ice skating rink and a country club, a kids’ club, and six restaurants. In the backyard of the hotel, you will find the private members’ night club ‘Dracula Ghost Riders Club’, the town’s most exclusive nightclub, which has its own restaurant and offers dancing until 5 a.m.

Suvretta House, St. Moritz, Switzerland

The gorgeous Suvretta House is located on the southern side of St. Moritz on the sunniest side of the mountain, where you can find the most high-end real estate in the Engadin valley, nestled into the forest with beautiful views. The hotel was opened in 1912 and has 171 rooms and 10 suites. The hotel is very child friendly with an excellent kids club, but adults will not be disappointed during their stay. There are five restaurants and four bars and an in-house art gallery. The Suvretta House is the hotel for serious skiers, be it alpine or nordic. The Suvretta House has unrivaled snowsports expertise. Not only does the hotel feature its own ski lift — naturally called the Suvretta lift — it also has its own ski school, the Suvretta Snowsports Club with absolutely top-rated ski instructors and its own racing club, the Ski Racing Club Suvretta and a dedicated alpine center with heated lockers, a waxing machine, and shop. The Suvretta House naturally also has a spa with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, spa treatments, and a fitness studio.

Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St. Moritz, Switzerland

Badrutt’s Palace is located in the middle of St. Moritz town with expansive views over St. Moritz lake from the hotel and spa area. The hotel was opened in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt, son of Johannes Badrutt Jr, who had managed the aforementioned Kulm Hotel and is considered the founder of winter tourism. The hotel features 155 rooms and suites which have recently been renovated to a modern taste. The hotel has an incredible in-house residence called the Tower Penthouse, which until recently was rented out privately for the last 30 years but is now open for bookings. The penthouse spreads out over 3,400 square feet on three levels and features four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The hotel features ten restaurants and three bars, including a Matsushisa which is housed during the winter in the former in-door tennis court ‘La Coupole’. The hotel is also home to the oldest nightclub in Switzerland, The King’s Social House, which has a restaurant as well. Naturally, there is an award-winning spa, accessible via an underground tunnel, with an indoor and outdoor pool, spa treatments, fitness studio, and anything else you would expect of a hotel of this caliber.