This Idyllic Resort Town in Switzerland Has a Cheese Grotto, a Country Music Festival, and an Incredible Summer Season

Travel + Leisure

5 days ago

Stay at The Alpina Gstaad, a glamorous five-star getaway with a more than 20,000-square-foot Six Senses Spa.
Trade your hiking boots for cowboy boots during Country Night Gstaad, the annual country music festival held in the resort town every September.
Learn about the tradition of alpine cheesemaking at the cheese grotto of Gstaad.
Spend an afternoon shopping along the resort town's ritzy, car-free promenade.
Enjoy a traditional Swiss meal at Posthotel Rössli.
Along with St. Moritz, Gstaad is one of Switzerland's most glamorous resort towns. There are five-star hotels, celebrity sightings, and a car-free promenade flanked by high-end boutiques and designer stores—but don't expect the grand outposts you'll find in cities like Geneva or Zurich. In the 1950s, Gstaad implemented regulations that require all buildings, even commercial ones, to comply with the Simmental architecture style (low-pitched roofs, wide eaves, and carved facades), keeping the Swiss charm alive and well throughout the mountain village. However, as I learned on a visit this past winter, Gstaad isn't just a postcard-worthy après-ski playground for the wealthy; its residents are deeply passionate about history, centuries-old traditions, and the natural beauty that surrounds this idyllic enclave of the Bernese Alps.
'Gstaad offers so much more than just the beautiful village with its promenade,' Anita Roth-Reuteler, a guide with Explora Gstaad, tells Travel + Leisure . 'Go up on the mountains, visit and learn about traditional alpine farms, indulge in various sports and events, [and] let yourself be carried away by the beauty and power of nature.'
'Even though it's renowned internationally for celebrities visiting and wealth, it still feels like a cozy, down-to-earth village. It's more about understated elegance than extravagance,' echoes Nuno Costa, head concierge at The Alpina Gstaad. And while skiing is certainly a major draw in the colder months, he says, summer turns Gstaad into 'a paradise for hiking, mountain biking, swimming in mountain lakes, and festivals.' There's even an annual country music concert that takes place each September—this year, the lineup features Scotty McCreery and Old Crow Medicine Show. Interior shots of The Alpina Gstaad.
Lydia Mansel/Travel + Leisure
The Alpina Gstaad is intimate and cozy—just 56 rooms and suites in total—but there's a grandness to its design and level of service that initially led me to believe the property was much larger. Even though I stayed at the end of the winter (checking out the day before the hotel closed for the season), everything was pristine and thoughtful, from the plush, branded slippers left by my bed to the efficiency of grabbing ski rentals right outside the lobby. The guest rooms are nothing short of spectacular, the kind of accommodations you regret leaving during the day. Featuring hand-built fireplaces, period furniture, and local woodwork, they're traditional without being too dark or verging on kitschy. My only regret from my stay? Not setting aside enough time to thoroughly enjoy the Six Senses Spa's heated water beds, cold plunge, sauna, and indoor pool.
For more than 100 years, Gstaad Palace has welcomed well-heeled guests to its castle-style property towering above the town. Only open in the summer and winter (like most luxury hotels in Gstaad), the 90-key resort is somewhere you could easily spend weeks and never grow bored. Each room and suite has an alpine view, and the roster of amenities includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, and even an iconic nightclub, GreenGo.
Another five-star getaway in Gstaad, Le Grand Bellevue dates back to 1912, although it entered a new era in 2014 following a year-long renovation spearheaded by owners Daniel and Davia Koetser. Located right on the promenade, the 57-room property mixes modern, chalet-style design with a Wes Anderson vibe; it's a bit retro and nostalgic, and pops of color and unexpected patterns complement the wood and neutral colors used throughout. Le Grand Spa, refurbished in 2017, is certainly a standout feature of the entire guest experience; there are steam baths, an ice fountain, an herbal sauna, and an outdoor relaxation pool. Landscape of Glacier 3000.
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Gstaad is already more than 3,400 feet above sea level, but you'll go even higher (to an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet) upon boarding the cable car to Glacier 3000, a ski resort and mountain excursion with unbelievable views of the Alps. 'You can see the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and Jungfrau on a clear day,' says Costa. 'There is also the famous Peak Walk, a suspension bridge connecting two mountain peaks.' Just be sure to pack layers, a hat, and gloves; I visited Glacier 3000 in mid-September, and my light jacket didn't quite hold up to the wind, ice, and snow.
Gstaad is more than just a ski town, as evidenced by its roster of world-class events that draw in visitors every year. Roth-Reuteler recommends aligning your trip with Country Night Gstaad, the Swiss Open, the Swatch Beach Pro Gstaad, or the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, a classical music event first started in 1957 by violinist Yehudi Menuhin.
Both Roth-Reuteler and Costa recommend immersing yourself in the beautiful scenery, whether you're hiking, biking, or e-biking. While you can pack your own lunch, there's another way to fuel your excursion through the mountains: fondue. Reserve a backpack filled with fondue essentials—a classic or truffle fondue cheese, bread, spices, a pot, a chafing dish with fuel, plates, and forks—from the Molkerei cheese shop and tote it up to one of the seven oversized 'fondue pots,' designed to fit up to eight people, in the region.
Gstaad takes its cheese seriously, and there's nowhere better to learn about it than the cheese grotto. The hour-long tour is free, and you'll get the inside scoop on the 500-year-old tradition of producing alpine cheese. While there, you'll be more than 80 feet underground (bring a jacket) and surrounded by 3,000-plus wheels of cheese.
Skiers may descend La Videmanette (part of the greater Gstaad ski area) in the winter, but the mountain turns into a climber's haven in the warmer months. Trek across the landscape on the via ferrata, a series of steel cables, ladders, and pins. You can rent gear from either Edelweiss Sport in Gstaad or by the Rougemont - La Videmanette cable car; it's also recommended to go with a guide if you don't have much climbing experience. Dining table overlooking mountains.
AndreasCosta says Restaurant Rössli, located south of Gstaad in the village of Feutersoey, is all about quality. 'It's authentic, seasonal, and everything is made with homemade and local ingredients. They even have their own fish tank at the back of the restaurant for their renowned trout dish.'
The menu at Sonnenhof features Swiss, Italian, and French influences, and Costa confirms 'the food is lovingly prepared' and made with seasonal ingredients. The true star of the show, however, is the terrace. You can dine outside overlooking the mountains and the town of Gstaad.
'Other than the highly recommended restaurants like Sonnenhof in Saanen or Rössli in Feutersoey, it's always a delight to enjoy traditional Swiss dishes at Posthotel Rössli or Hotel Kernen in Schönried,' says Roth-Reuteler. The oldest inn in Gstaad, Posthotel Rössli was built in 1845 and has two cozy restaurants, Alti Post and Stübli.
Cheese and views abound at many of Gstaad's alpine huts and mountain farms. Self-service refrigerators at places like the Alp vordere Wispile and Rastplatz Gspan hold alpine cheese, dried sausage, nuts, drinks, and sweet treats. Bring cash, and be sure to check the timing before heading up—some are only open from July to September. Pedestrians passing by stores on the promenade in Gstaad, Switzerland.
Valentin Flauraud/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Shopping in Gstaad is an experience in and of itself. The pedestrian-only promenade is lined with luxury brands like Hermès, Chopard, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Ralph Lauren, all housed in the traditional chalet-style buildings you can't help by photograph while strolling from store to store. Outside of those household brand names, Roth-Reutele recommends Zwahlen-Hüni AG for its 'alpine-chic clothes,' Ds Cadenöli for Swiss découpage art (also known as paper-cutting), and Charly's Gstaad for chocolates and pastries.
Costa also has a couple of favorites on and near the promenade; he recommends Marina Anouilh and Trois Pommes for clothing and accessories. But, he adds, 'You cannot miss the great bookshop in Saanen, Librairie des Alpages … or the cheese shop Molkerei Gstaad.' The latter even has a refrigerated vending machine outside that serves all kinds of dairy products, including cheese, milk, and yogurt. Promenade of Gstaad, Switzerland.
Gstaad has two primary seasons—summer and winter—although Roth-Reuteler says fall, with the 'changing colors of the season,' is also delightful. In summer, outdoor activities and festivals spring to life in the village. 'The temperature in summer is perfect for sports activities or sunbathing by the pool all day long. In contrast to most places in Europe, it doesn't get too hot, we have no heat waves, and it's the perfect place to escape the rush of the big cities,' says Costa.
Of course, if you're coming to Gstaad to ski (or just experience the après-ski scene), aim for December through February; when I skied there in early March, the conditions weren't ideal, and the snow was a bit too slushy in some areas. 'Winter, with the entire landscape beautifully covered in snow, has an unbeatable look and attracts everyone to enjoy all winter sports activities,' says Roth-Reuteler.
'If there is a time to avoid, it's possibly the month of November, as the weather can be a little unpleasant, daylight is getting shorter, and we all wait for the first snowfall,' she adds, noting that most hotels, restaurants, and shops are closed during this to to prepare for the winter. Costa also mentions the luxury hotels in the village are only open from June to September, and from December to March, so plan accordingly. Cityscape of Gstaad, Switzerland.
Most international travelers visiting Gstaad will fly into Zurich Airport (ZRH) or Geneva Airport (GVA); you can take the public transportation from either. I'd recommend downloading the SBB Mobile app for easy route navigation and buying a Swiss Travel Pass before arrival; the all-in-one pass grants you unlimited travel via train, bus, and boat, although there are some exceptions. I flew into Zurich, and the three-hour journey couldn't have been easier, even after a red-eye flight, or more scenic.
You can drive to Gstaad, but the center of the village is pedestrian-only. If you don't have the Swiss Travel Pass—and plan on mostly staying in Gstaad—you can use the Gstaad Card. You'll receive the card from your host (like a hotel) for the duration of your stay, providing you access to ride public transportation between Saanenland and Simmental. Biking or e-biking around Gstaad and between villages is also a popular way to explore the area between the months of May and October.