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The best small hotels in Switzerland are rarely the grand palace names. They are the design-led guesthouses tucked into Alpine villages, lake towns and mountain valleys: sweet, dinky and full of character. Here are eight of them, each one worth the detour.
Floral embellishments dance with Nouveau playfulness in the Engadin. In Buchs, an old-school dining rendezvous slips into bed with a touch of Nordic cool. Over on Zürich's Gold Coast, a five-centuries-old inn plays the charming chameleon in Küsnacht, that little Swiss Hamptons of marinas and sailboats. Down in Stampa, Giacometti's old neighbourhood wears its heritage like a modernist coat, framed by the jagged Sciora peaks. In Zürich proper, a villa-esque escape that is dapper and mature. Or how about the legendary B49 in Vals, the place that rewrote the hotel design script and pasted together a collage of muted, Swiss-Scandi interiors. High above Lake Walen, a 1970s chalet stirs back to life, all light and Alpine poise. And when you just want to ditch the noise, Chalet Arva sits raw and fuss-free above Kandersteg, where wild nature rules and adventure meets calm.
Close to the banks of the River Inn, this little house of Deco is located in the little Alpine village of S-Chanf in Upper Engadin, about a 20-minute drive north of St. Moritz, with access to the Glacier and Bernina Express trains, and just a short 4-minute drive to the ancient medieval town of Zuoz. It also provides fantastic access to the Swiss National Park at the Val Trupchun.
Discover Villa Flor, S-Chanf
The lovely original 200-year-old restaurant takes on life with a new sibling, the adjoining boutique hotel, Gasthaus Traube, once a humble barn. Alpine nature abounds in this corner of northeastern Switzerland (Ostschweiz), guarded by the Margelchopf mountains, a sincere rival to the Matterhorn.
From behind its five-century-old heritage façade, this historic inn happily mimics the traditional lineup of the well-mannered village of Küsnacht, located on Zürich's so-called Gold Coast (as it gets the best sunshine), a sort of Swiss version of the Hamptons with a marina, sailboats, water's-edge villas, indie boutiques and galleries. The hanging sign and gilded ox above the door usher a note of creativity and hint that this is no ordinary inn. This is The Ox, co-owned by Tyler Brûlé of Monocle, whose team brought the Monocle hand to the main apartment upstairs, the two-bedroom Monocle Suite, all mid-century Swiss classics, archive photography and vintage posters. Read more and book at The OXEN, Küsnacht.
Nestled among historic villas and cultural landmarks, this 1912-built patrician mansion sits near the French Consulate and Villa Bleuler, home to the Swiss Institute for Art Research and one of the city's finest art libraries. A quick tram or 10-minute cab ride lands you in the heart of Zürich's cultural scene: Opernhaus Zürich, Pavillon Le Corbusier, The Monocle Café & Büro, and Seebad Utoquai, the perfect pre-breakfast swim spot. Read more and book at Signau House, Zürich.
Cradled within the Ago di Sciora, a mountain range in the Bregaglia Range of the Alps, south of Vicosoprano in the canton of Graubünden, this old patrician house from 1848 is located in the historic village of Stampa. Once the home of artist Alberto Giacometti (1901 to 1966), who drew portraits of his wife here, the jagged peaks that surround the valley today play a large part in the area's foodie culture and traditions. Read more and book at Pontisella, Stampa.
Brücke 49 Vals is Ruth Kramer's quietly radical Alpine guesthouse set within restored buildings dating to 1770. Interiors blend Nordic restraint with Swiss heritage through timber, linen, muted pastels and handcrafted details. Famed for its communal breakfasts, it feels lived-in, design-led and deeply rooted in village life. Read more and book at Brücke 49, Vals.
Perched above Lake Walen, Hasenberg Lodge is a reawakened 1970s chalet by architects Michelle Corrodi and Roger Zogg. A private-hire retreat where design, light and Alpine poise converge. Read more and book at Hasenberg Lodge, Lake Walen.
Ditch the noise. Chase altitude. High above Kandersteg, Chalet Arva is a raw, fuss-free Alpine escape where wild nature rules, simplicity thrives, and adventure meets tranquility. Let the mountains pull you in. Read more and book at Chalet Arva, Oeschinensee.
Pantone's Cloud Dancer whites float through Alpine boutique hotels, Bavarian craft and Zurich makers, joined by mocha warmth, peach blush and sunshine yellow. A colour-led wander where interiors, architecture and mood quietly shape the journey.
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Four cute bastions of style and snuggle up in the duvet sentiments for winter, none of which are in France.
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Anchored to specific genres of hotel design, The Aficionados print editions: Unwaxed Lemons, Neu Alpinistas, Farmhouse Fabulous, Casa Gorgeous, Blueprint Beauts, Neu Heritage, Eclectic Rebels, Design Natives and Alchemists of Italy take the reader through the creation narratives. A sourcebook for hoteliers, travellers, style aficionados and those who appreciate design.
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My Greek Island Home by Claire Lloyd is always out of the bookcase, an ever-present friend that tells the tale of falling in love with a Greek island and finding that a simpler life is not so bad after all.
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A curated style jungle of mid-century furnishings, abstract modernism and bespoke pieces are flavoured by the original pine panelling dating back to 1848 - and all this cuteness is wrapped in a canvas of wild herbs and mountain eye candy.
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Are we insane? Welcome to a gallery of brick ruins and love stories, and pleasingly, it has nothing to do with Valentine’s.
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White takes centre stage, from Alpine retreats to Umbrian casas, where textured palettes flirt with light, craft and architecture. A fresh journey through Béchamel tones reshaping today’s most inventive hotel interiors.
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Lose yourself in the wild beauty of Oeschinensee—where glacial waters shimmer, cliffs rise like giants, and the Swiss Alps whisper secrets only the boldest travellers will hear.
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High above Adelboden, three peaks hold the line: Wildstrubel, Lohner and Bunderspitz. This is the Bernese Alps as pilgrimage — elemental, poetic and shaped by silence, not speed.
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Detoxing on Peach Melba... Pantone, the Matterhorn, Alpino, a Candle and the Perfumer's Jam were just the beginning of this week's inspo for your Sunday Edit.
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A fabulously humble basecamp of good design for kindreds of style, Brücke 49 is a collection of rooms, suites, studios and apartments in the high-in-the-mountains creative enclave, Vals.
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Lisbon, Portugal's legendary capital simply bursts with heritage, azulejo tiles, Pastéis de Nata & art - this is a design guide you can shop, see & drink.
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Get the insider news and lowdown on what we've been up to, where we've been, and who we've met along the way. Be the first to discover new places and get the scoop on our favourites.