Badrutt's Palace has long been the emblem of luxury and celebrity in the Swiss town of St. Moritz. Synonymous with glamor since the early 20th century, it has welcomed everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Audrey Hepburn and Alfred Hitchcock. Guests don their furs and come to watch winter polo played by international teams on Lake St. Moritz, socialize at the exclusive King's Social House, the oldest nightclub in Switzerland, or book the hotel's Rolls-Royce to drive them to the ski lifts. The vintage architecture of the 130-year-old hotel is a pastiche of Gothic Revival turrets and arches, a stone castle masquerading as what is arguably the world's most luxurious and pampering ski hotel. Now it has the new Serlas Wing, located across the street. Designed by ACPV Architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel from Milan, it's a minimalist counterpart to the over-the-top original. There are 25 guest rooms and suites in the new six-story building, connected to the mothership by an underground tunnel. As a guest, you have access to everything in the original, from the spa to the multiple restaurants and the pampering of the ski butlers. But now you're in a 21st-century space with Loro Piana fabrics and B&B Italia sofas, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows that capture amazing views of the mountains and the original grand dame hotel across the street.
The wealthiest visitors to Courchevel invariably head to Courchevel 1850, the most exclusive of the resort's five separate villages. Those on the cutting edge of chic are checking in to Maya Hotel Courchevel 1850, which has just 14 guest rooms and suites. Architect and interior designer Sylvestre Murigneux created a blend of what might be called Monaco Style and Japanese Zen. This is a hotel with original Lalique crystal pieces, an overall design informed by Japanese minimalism, and floor-to-ceiling mountain views in every room. Those rooms are done in calm, restorative colors and have contemporary variations on mid-century modern furnishings. The Thai-Japanese fusion at MayaBay restaurant is the same one found in jet-set haunts like Dubai and Monaco. The lighting throughout the property is subtle and dramatic. While the rooms are coccons, this is a hotel where the public spaces, with bright reds and patinated bronze, make it feel more like a nightclub than an alpine ski retreat. Yet that's likely a design plus in status-conscious Courchevel 1850.
Eriro is an outlier, a luxury lair that emphasizes privacy, quiet, and remoteness. Set at 5,500 feet in Austria's Ehrwald/Tyrol region, it's reachable via a cable car trip that's followed by a ride on a snowmobile. You're surrounded by forest and open pasture, not a ski resort. Clearly, this is not for those who crave après-ski bars and nightclubs. There are just nine suites in a building where nearly everything is made of rustic wood, with large windows that bring the outdoors in. Your bed is suspended on local timbers, yet this is not an Austrian version of the Rocky Mountains. It's more about Alpine minimalism: high design, intimate lighting, soaking tubs, and tapestries. You won't find televisions, and WiFi is available only on request. There are views of the Zugspitze in neighboring Germany at this Rosewood Hotel, which is also a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It's also all-inclusive, which means that your meals, drinks, and ski passes are included in the rate. The food is not the usual ski resort fare but is often based on preserved wild mountain plants and local game. As for the name, "Eriro" means "entry to the forest" in High German. That sums up pretty well: a place for those who aren't looking for any stimulation beyond the mountain landscapes.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com