The Brecon

A new high-altitude hotel hideaway, The Brecon in Adelboden, Switzerland, is a rare amalgam of chilled luxury fused with crafted chalet culture – an honest revival that captures not just the glamourous style but also the smooth soul of the 60s and 70s. 

Being the hip hangout du jour is nothing new for this little legend of fabulous Adelboden Massif vistas in central Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. The Brecon is re-cast within the original timbered hotel framework from 1914 and kindles a familiar free-spirited alpine bonhomie to the Swiss Alps. 

At The Brecon, warm hospitality and intuitively attentive service create a consistently soft landing for guests, ensuring a truly relaxing stay. Notably, all food, beverages, and spa facilities are included in the room rate, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the experience without worrying about extra costs. 

Dapper residents-only clubhouse demure paired with a stylish friend's alpine den informs the design language for Amsterdam-based interior design studio Nicemakers. A smooth, curvaceous backdrop of flawless wood, white-plastered walls and local stone flooring forms a coordinated alpine canvas for mid-century design icons to make their mark – like the Jean Gillon Lounge Chair in the 1960s, whose creased vintage leather hints of soirees past. Crafted elements sourced from family businesses add maturity and soften the scene with handcrafted ceramic tableware by artist Andréa Anderson, hand-knotted rugs by Layered and lighting by Grantlamp, a Valencian family design business since 1978 and oversized, handmade pendant lights by Memori Gallery in Marseille. 

Natural materials such as linen, leather, cotton, wool, and handcrafted double cloth weaves from Pembokeshire-based weavers Melin Tregwynt are the tempered link to easy, pared-back comfort. Art is a pivotal accent at The Brecon; walls are peppered with handpicked artworks and installations curated by Amsterdam’s Bisou Gallery, founded by Julien Rademaker, whose talent for setting a scene is evident with art by a select group of emerging and contemporary artists like Faan Olgers, Pascal Duval, Fenna Schilling and Tymo Grijpma.

Rounding off the sanctuary vibe, The Brecon's resident-only spa zone: a sauna-with-a-view, steam, and Art Deco panoramic outdoor heated pool are reason enough to press pause, with a wine or aperitif and delicious snack on the side, if you like.

With the Adelboden Massif as the anchor point, The Brecon is a hotel-chalet chameleon married to a curatorial melange of mid-century nostalgia and a dialogue of soft luxury wrapped by the Alps. 

Set within the traditional remit of a mountain chalet, the 18 bedrooms and four suites work their way upwards; cosier rooms are in quiet spots, corner doubles come with two balconies and panoramic mountain views, while spacious loft suites spread out into the eaves, with spectacular vistas over the Wildstrubel and Chuenisbärgli ski course. Each room has a cosy reading nook to encourage you to slow down, curl up, and immerse at least temporarily in analogue life. Most rooms also contain a timber bar cabinet from Soho Home, and access to an outdoor balcony where you can enjoy crisp, refreshing air and Adelboden’s beautiful landscape.

The Brecon comes complete with a residents-only luxurious spa that continues its design dialogue with nature, decked in pastel rose shades, walnut, and forest-green glazed ceramics. The hallmark is an elegant Art Deco outdoor heated pool that affords mountainous views of the Adelboden Massif. Inside, a sauna and steam room with glass walls overlooking the mountains offers respite for weary muscles, post-hike or ski, and the relaxation room is a delight – with an open fire, a range of reading matter and comfortable spots to sit. Expert therapist treatments specialising in holistic alpine herbs can be added on for those in need of rejuvenation and adventurists back from the day's outdoor pursuits can opt for a therapeutic chillax session.

From the dining room to the lounge, the open kitchen and the bar, find pockets of conviviality to enjoy The Brecon’s culinary offerings, which come as inclusive to your room rate. Whether it’s a Coaltown coffee or a smoothie, a traditional Birchermüesli for breakfast, a glass of natural wine or a cocktail, The Brecon feels open and inviting to your needs anytime. Similarly, with your foodie requirements, Chef Bryn Williams and his crew are on hand to conjure dishes created from seasonal ingredients from Appenzeller dry-aged duck with marroni, plums and cassis, plus enticing plant-based options like his signature of homemade gnocchi with sage butter and fresh porcini mushrooms from Fläckli.

The open-plan kitchen is the heart of the house, staged like a home. It offers dishes that recall domestic cooking at its finest and a wholly relaxed atmosphere, ushered by the home pantry, always stocked with a warm cake. 

In the core of central Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland, Adelboden is a famous hush ski resort and summertime escape. It’s the gateway to alpine experiences in the mountains for swims and hikes in summer. In winter, access opens up to three ski areas - Engstligenalp, Tschentenalp, and Silleren. In January, the thrilling spectacle of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Giant Slalom takes place.

Adelboden remains accessible, with the nearest airports to The Brecon being Bern, Basel, Zurich and Geneva. Alternatively, pop on the train to Frutigen, and it's just a 30-minute transfer to the hotel.