Gstaad
Switzerland


The Experience

Looking more like a fairy-tale castle (think Disney’s Sleeping Beauty) than a hotel, this 1913 structure dominates the Gstaad landscape, appearing with almost as much prominence as one of the surrounding Alps. Minor European royalty, American billionaires and Russian oligarchs show up to play among its corridors, though it’s open only for half the year -- during the buzzing winter ski season and the prime summer months (when it’s less swanky and more modest). And yet, for such a grand hotel, the Gstaad Palace has managed to retain its independence, having been owned and managed by the Scherz family since 1947.

The Rooms

Striped bedspreads, gingham-check wallpaper and warm colors set the mountain-chalet tone here. The smallest are cozy and quaint at 330 square feet, while superior rooms (495 square feet) are more contemporary, with leather headboards and muted shades with flashes of bold color. Still, this is a palace, so there has to be drama somewhere. Here, it’s in the two Tower Suites, set appropriately in the castle tower, with a traditional, chintzy look, a living room large enough to host a substantial party and amazing views.

The Service

Service is quintessentially and, more to the point, discreetly Swiss. If you need the concierge to cover for you -- and many of the glamorous guests here certainly do -- you can be sure he will do so with aplomb.

The Highlights

The Lobby Bar is the meeting spot throughout the day, with its comfy leather sofas, tartan cushions and relaxed atmosphere, while in the early evening the action moves on to the more sleek and stylish Bar du Grill. Sit down to an expectedly elegant meal in Le Grill, Rôtisserie, where you can dine on French spring chicken or blue lobster, or the Alpine chalet-like La Fromagerie for fondue. At night, naturally, the place to be is the disco, GreenGo, which cleverly incorporates the pool and even has a small dance floor suspended over the water.

--Alistair Scott

Find Hotel Deals on Yahoo Travel»