BelArosa

Contemporary notes, Alpine savoir, design, architecture and a narrative of Neu Grisons heritage flavour the all-suite BelArosa Chalet, a luxurian hotel retreat perched at 1,800 metres above sea level in the scenic folds of Arosa in the Swiss Alps.

Reclamation, a dusting of sweet Alpine soul and Walser traditions are the cordial escorts of a modern outpost of style, wrapped in a village-matched husk of ancient spruce beams and 200-year-old hand-hewn oak sourced from Brenner’s Altholz. This archetypal shell of ornate timbers, camouflaged within the village scene, belies little about its 2024 construct – save for the striking cantilevered pools of polished steel that glide out from the penthouse maisonettes.

The old-school dialogue of the cosy ski lodge has been intelligently rethought, translated into a smooth genre of private luxury. Under one roof are just ten autonomous chalet-apartments – five with private infinity pools – and interiors that redefine modern cabin life in the Alps, each framing a natural canvas of mountain vistas courtesy of the beauteous canton of Graubünden.

BelArosa Chalet rewrites the manifesto of escapism into a new philosophy of privacy, cultural depth and elemental design – a rare composition of spatial poetry in the Swiss Alps.

Architecture: 15th-Century Steps, Elemental Vision, and Regional Soul

Building BelArosa Chalet on the steep, irregular footprint of the former Hotel Alpina was always going to be a challenge. The plot’s limitations in scale and slope demanded innovation, but owner Urs Kasper was undeterred. His vision – a chalet within a chalet – took shape as a layered architectural gesture: ten dapper, self-contained “ski huts” ranging from 95 to 210 m², stacked and tiered to capture the light and the views.

Designed by Martin Mattersberger of Passion M and realised by architect Jürg Kunz of Atelier drü in Flums, BelArosa Chalet deliberately reframes what Alpine luxury can look and feel like: honest, elemental, sustainable, and anchored in the region's cultural memory.

Environmental sensitivity was paramount from the outset. Every detail reflects a convergence of salvaged materials, historic craftsmanship, and innovative construction. The project is a showcase of Swiss artisanry: carpenters, blacksmiths, ceramicists, stonemasons and glassblowers were involved at every turn.

The chalet nods to Graubünden tradition: a stone base, timber-clad façades, and a distinctive attic where cladding direction subtly shifts, recalling the region’s barns. The rear of the building is smoothly rendered, nestled into the slope. The front is bold: a glazed atrium rises across two floors, flanked by stacked balconies and geometric timber lines.

It’s a building with stories embedded in its bones. The eaves are formed from antique wooden door panels, some weighing up to 700 kg. The paving stones beneath your feet once carried horse-drawn carriages, while clinker bricks, shaped by the Baltic Sea, now form sturdy references to traditional outbuildings – a celebration of salvaging and reimagining.

The extensive timber work was led by Von Rickenbach of Ibach in Schwyz, who gave meticulous attention to every beam and hinge. Even the chalet signage is bespoke – hand-forged by Thomas Lambert from Fuschina da Guarda using local iron.

On the beams, you'll find house symbols burnt into the wood, a nod to Walser architecture in Schanfigg. These abstract, geometric marks tell silent stories of Grisons families who migrated seasonally across the Alps.

Among the more poetic features: 15th-century stone steps, salvaged from a former church, now repurposed as lintels above several of the 12 wood-burning fireplaces.

And above all this, five Sky Infinity Pools – two with glass floors – hover over the Arosa landscape. The structure blends reclaimed larch and spruce with modern steel, engineered to endure Alpine snow loads while treading lightly on the environment.

Interior Curation: Rarity, Intention and Sculpted Light

Interiors & Immersive Craft Curated under the creative direction of Passion M, led by architect and designer Martin Mattersberger, the interiors of BelArosa Chalet unfold as a poetic study in rarity, restraint and raw beauty. Every object has purpose; every finish, meaning.

Furniture is handcrafted by Villevenete, a family-run atelier in northern Italy. Each table, chair and bench was custom-designed for BelArosa – no replicas, no catalogue selections. This is design as storytelling, not staging. At the entrance, two surreal sculptures by Spanish artist Gerard Mas command quiet attention. Classical in form but laced with irony, these female figures were hand-selected by Urs Kasper, who encountered them and instinctively knew they belonged. Elsewhere in the chalet, artworks are chosen not for name or notoriety, but for the atmospheres they evoke – pieces that harmonise with material, light and space.

The interior is a collaborative canvas. A constellation of 81 hand-blown STARGLOW pendant lights by ELOA, crafted in the Bohemian forest, shimmer across the ceilings like airborne embers. Their gentle luminosity honours the chalet’s conceptual foundation: the seven elements of water, wood, fire, metal, earth, air and stone.

Glass appears again and again as both theme and texture: sculptural forms by Ichendorf Milano, moody vases and vessels by Henry Dean of Belgium, and storm lanterns by Guaxs, each shaped with organic imperfection.

Completing the tactile ensemble is a series of ceramic tablewares by Verena Jordan-Culatti and her daughter Anna-Madlaina, working under their label Jordan Keramik. Based in Zurich, their stoneware lends daily rituals a crafted quietude, where every bowl and cup reflects the hand that made it.

Each chalet is designed for deep rest, with a natural flow of light and space. Six-metre-high windows and vaulted ceilings frame the Alps like a living mural. Interiors are grounded in earth tones, unprocessed linens, hand-carved timber, and locally sourced stone. Even the doorways are one of a kind.

Every chalet includes a Finnish sauna with infrared technology – your own space for infusion rituals with panoramic views. Bathrooms are spacious and finished with Aosta stone, underfloor heating and AESOP amenities, complemented by handmade alkaline soaps by Beat Urech of Seifenmacher Arosa, delicately scented in Alpine hay or rosewood.

The kitchens are fully equipped for extended stays, making each chalet feel more like a private Alpine residence than a hotel suite. Tailored details unfold slowly – oversized beanbags in the gallery, cloud-soft textiles, a bunkbed nook with ladders to climb and escape into a book. Even your dog is treated as a guest: Cloud7’s designer pet bedding, bowls and blankets are supplied for your four-legged companion.

Small, considered luxuries define the experience: daily housekeeping, turndown service, and in-chalet dining if desired. You could spend the entire day wrapped in a robe, drifting between sauna, pool and firelight.

Families will feel especially at home in the Infinity Pool Chalets, where layout and spirit allow for play, pause and retreat. Children’s books from the library turn bedtime into something truly magical.

Bucherer, Breakfast in Bed, Hampers or get Chef to Cook

Each chalet is fitted with a fully equipped kitchen, your private basecamp for creating, grazing or simply opening a bottle of something beautiful. There is no restaurant by design; instead, meals are delivered directly to your dining table, including a generous Alpine breakfast tray.

Foraged snacks and regional delicacies are available from the in-house boutique. Or head out to the village, where Arosa’s restaurants offer everything from rustic taverns to refined Alpine cuisine.

For the ultimate in-cabin experience, call on the VIP private chef and co-create your own gourmet feast: hay soup with Herrschäftler Riesling, meatloaf with heritage potatoes from Filisur, veal cheeks with pizzoccheri, or gingerbread mousse with Grisons röteli – just a glimpse into the chef’s seasonal repertoire.

Prefer plant-based, child-friendly, or simply your favourite comfort dish? We tailor menus entirely to you. Dishes can be served as ready-to-finish hampers, cooked in front of you, or chilled and portioned in your fridge. Always freshly prepared. Always on your terms.

The walk-in wine cellar is a quiet highlight – housing part of Jörg Bucherer’s Bordeaux and Burgundy collection. Rare vintages, iconic labels, and bottles you won’t find again line the shelves, waiting to be uncorked on your own time.

Slow is the Best Route

The journey begins before you even arrive. From Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, the Rhaetian Railway climbs deep into the Schanfigg Valley, a region once traversed by the Walser people. The route is cinematic – meadows, ravines, forested cliffs – culminating in a sweep across the dramatic Langwieser Viaduct, a feat of engineering and serenity suspended high above the gorge. It’s less a transfer than an overture.

Just 40 minutes from Chur, the mountain village of Arosa sits quietly at the end of the valley, ringed by jagged peaks and glacial lakes. At 1,800 metres above sea level, the air thins, sharpens, clarifies. Here, nature is felt first through the skin – and then through silence.

BelArosa Chalet is perfectly positioned on a south-facing rise, overlooking Arosa’s world-renowned spa village and its mirror-still lakes. You’re both in the heart of the resort and somehow just outside it – elevated, private, serene.

Arrival by train is ideal – a refined prelude to what awaits. From Zurich, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) glide you to Chur in just 75 minutes. From there, the Rhaetian Railway winds its way through forests, past stone chapels and across the soaring Langwieser Viaduct in a gentle hour of Alpine theatre.

By car, the journey follows a more direct route: 150 kilometres from Zurich to Chur on the motorway, then 30 kilometres of switchback ascent into the high valley.

For those arriving by air, Zurich (ZRH) and Basel (BSL) are the nearest international gateways, with onward connections by road or rail. And for guests travelling privately, the Arosa Isla mountain airfield offers high-altitude access via short runway – the descent alone, skimming above pine ridges and icy lakes, is worth the trip.