8 Best luxury hotels in the Alps and Prealps

The Alps and its outliers, whether it’s in Switzerland, Austria, France or Italy, are a beautiful region to go on holiday. The region is known for both camping and skiing. But when you’re a discerning traveler and you’re in need of a bit more privacy and luxury, choosing a hotel might be a tad more difficult. I give you my list of the 8 best luxury hotels in the Alps.

When thinking of the Alps, two things come to mind: skiing and camping. The first brings up images of long traffic jams on snow-covered roads, late-night apres-ski parties, dated ski-resorts and a disproportional amount of children. Camping on the other hand makes me think of long hikes, making a bonfire near the tent and standing on the edge of a cliff to make that epic photo. Don’t get me wrong. Both can be fun in their own way! But luxury? That didn’t really come up when asked to describe a trip to the Alps. Except maybe for Courchevel, where luxury simply means overpriced. Does this mean that the mountains of France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy aren’t the right place for a luxury trip? In my opinion, there are quite a few amazing hotels where you’ll definitely have a good time, even if you aren’t a fan of skiing or hiking. Here’s a list of the 9 best luxury hotels in the Alps and by extension, the Prealps.

Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus

Located in Valdaora, South Tyrol, Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus might just be the pinnacle of luxury in the entire Alp region. The exquisite ooms offer a magnificent panoramic view over the Dolomites. In their gastronomic restaurant, you are spoiled with culinary delicacies of the highest level.
The spectacular infinity Sky Pool at Hotel Hubertus is 25m in length and 20m above the ground and is without a doubt the most beautiful pool of the Dolomites. In fact, Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus has a total of 6 indoor and outdoor pools and 7 saunas. The experiences you can book at the hotel focus on and active holiday in both winter and summer, but let’s be honest here: when the hotel looks this spectacular, you just don’t want to go very far. This is why Hotel Hubertus is my top pick in the list of best luxury hotels in the Alps.

Gloriette Guesthouse

Gloriette Guesthouse is an intimate hotel situated in Oberbozen, right between the busy city and the tranquil mountains. The hotel offers 25 modern rooms divided into four categories, ranging from 30 to 50 square meters. Their restaurant of Gloriette Guesthouse is what they call a ‘uniquely enticing ristorantino’, a small but very nice restaurant serving refined Alpine and Mediterranean dishes. The roof area is transformed into an idyllic spa area. I must say, this rooftop spa is extremely photogenic! The cablecar is very close-by and takes you to the city in around 12 minutes! Gloriette Guesthouse is one of the best hotel options in South Tyrol!

Le Grand Bellevue

Le Grand Bellevue is situated in the heart of the lovely city Gstaad, where celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Madonna came on holiday. It’s one of the most traditional 5-star hotels in the area. The mansion offers 48 stylish rooms and 9 luxury chalet-style suites.
Le Grand Bellevue combines the charm of a Swiss chalet with the luxury of exclusive facilities. Diner is served at Leonard’s, Le Grand Bellevue’s Michelin-star restaurant. The hotel was originally built in 1912 as a cure resort and spa. The wellness facility today still measures a whopping 3000 square meters, including an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor relaxation pool! That’s why I chose Le Grand Bellevue as the best luxury city hotel in the Alps.

Hotel Whitepod

In the Swiss mountains of the Valais region, lies Hotel Whitepod. Hotel Whitepod is a unique hotel where ecotourism and luxury blend perfectly. Each room is a ‘pod’, an artificial igloo with large windows overlooking the snowy mountains. The use of energy and water is controlled, while waste is recycled. The geodesic pods are beautifully decorated to make your stay super comfortable. Nature is luxury at Hotel Whitepod. Beware that you have to walk 20 minutes from the reception to the location of the pods. The restaurants serves healthy local cuisine. A great choice for a unique hotel experience in Switzerland! Check out this Instagram-post of my friend Indi and start dreaming away!

Club Med Arcs Panorama

Opened in December 2018, Alps Panorama is one of the newest hotels Club Med has to offer. Some would argue that Club Med doesn’t fit this list of best hotels in the Alps but I would say otherwise. Club Med Alps Panorama – in Les Arcs, France – is beautifully designed and the rooms are light and spacious. It’s a Club Med hotel so it’s all-inclusive. The hotel has two restaurants, a spa and both an indoor and outdoor pool. Ski lifts are departing right at the hotel, and you can even rent mountainbikes or e-bikes. Staff is always friendly and the public areas are roomy so it never feels overcrowded.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Along Lake Como you’ll find Grand Hotel Tremezzo. While technically this isn’t the Alps, you are however surrounded by hills and mountains. From the hotel it is only a short drive north until you reach the majestic mountain range. The stylish and traditional 5-star hotel has a lovely garden bordering the famous Villa Carlotta. From the rooms of this iconic art-nouveau masterpiece that is the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, you have a nice view over the lake up to Bellagio. The hotel offers multiple pools, one of which a floating pool on the lake! For an even more glamourous getaway in total privacy, Grand Hotel Tremezzo has two gigantic villas available.

Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli

Another traditional lakeside Grand Hotel, this time alongside Lake Garda. Villa Feltrinelli appears unchanged since 1892 and that is exactly the appeal of it. A mix of old charm and modern convenience. The wellness and swimming pool are perfect to escape your busy life for a while. Could this be the best 5-star hotel in the world? Fun fact: between 1943 and 1945, this Villa was home to Mussolini and his family. It is without a doubt one of the most luxurious hotels in this list, and by extension in the entire region.

Villa Honegg

This boutique hotel in the heart of Switzerland is a 5-star hotel with 23 rooms. The villa was built in 1905 and completely refurbished in 2011. Villa Honegg stands high above Lake Lucerne which makes the heated outdoor pool with it magnificent views the real showstopper. The decor of the rooms create an inviting ambience and offer plenty of tranquility and privacy. The cuisine of the restaurant at Villa Honegg was awarded 14 Gault-Millau points and focuses on local ingredients. That’s why Villa Honegg could not be missing in my list of the 8 best luxury hotels in the Alps and prealps.

So there you have it! Obviously there are many more beautiful hotels in the French, Swiss and Italian Alps and prealpine regions. I can think of a few more, especially in the Trentino-Alto Adige area that I am most familiar with, but this would lead us too far for now. I might do a separate blog post on those hotels later! I hoped this post gave you a bit of inspiration for your next luxury trip to the Alps!

Looking for a bit more sun? Then choose one of the 5 best luxury hotels along the Amalfi Coast, or check out these 8 exquisite hotel resorts on Crete!