Gstaad
Ski Resort

Gstaad has been at the forefront of Swiss tourism and Alpine sports for over a hundred years and is renowned worldwide for peaceful relaxation in a landscape full of tradition, well-being, sport, cuisine, and culture. The boom in tourism in the early 20th century was helped locally by Switzerland’s first fully electric railway line in 1905, the opening of the Gstaad Palace Hotel in 1913, and skiing in 1935.

Today, the wider Gstaad holiday region boasts over 200 km of well-groomed slopes for skiing and snowboarding (including 31 km at Glacier 3000), served by 43 ski lifts and 26 mountain restaurants. Approximately 60% of the main slopes are equipped with snow cannons, “guaranteeing” snow cover in Gstaad from Christmas until the end of March and at Glacier 3000 from the end of October to May.

Expect lots of enjoyable, family-friendly skiing (60% blue runs and 28% red runs) on well-groomed gentle terrain between 1,050 m and 2,150 m, with only a few short black runs in the main ski areas. While opportunities for advanced skiers are limited, there is plenty of good skiing for intermediates and beginners, including some excellent beginner terrain and a good selection of ski schools. Typically, January and February offer the best snow conditions.

The Gstaad holiday region encompasses ten villages within 5 to 15 km of Gstaad. The popular MOB railway line, which runs back and forth between Montreux and Zweisimmen, provides excellent rail connections between Gstaad and other nearby villages. In addition to offering a wider range of accommodations, Saanen, Schonried, Saanenmoser, and Zweisimmen provide easy access to the two main ski areas east and west of Gstaad.

Although Gstaad is commonly known for its grand hotels, luxurious chalets, and a high concentration of luxury designer boutiques catering to the rich and famous, it remains a small and delightfully charming village that has stayed close to its traditions. With 350 farms working 80 alpine pastures and nearly 11,000 cows (more cows than inhabitants), the Gstaad holiday region is proud of its strong farming heritage.

The region’s reputation for excellent cuisine also includes the highest density of Gault Millau points in the Swiss Alps. At the last count, a total of 317 GaultMillau points, including a good selection of cosy restaurants with lovely sun terraces in the ski area. Although great for foodies, apres-ski is limited. There are few bars and little nightlife outside the best hotels and restaurants. Hence, apres-ski in Gstaad is typically chilled-out and often in sophisticated surroundings; therefore, it is pricey.

Whether the apres-ski meets your needs is largely a question of taste and affordability. Younger skiers seeking vibrant après-ski and late-night partying will likely be disappointed, as much of the après-ski in Gstaad is sophisticated, chic and expensive. However, gourmet restaurants and the GreenGo nightclub at the Palace Hotel suit many of Gstaad’s affluent guests, around half of whom are aged 50+. There are plenty of other activities for skiers and non-skiers alike, but none of them is in your face, so you need to research and cherry-pick whatever is best for you.

Gstaad also hosts numerous exceptional, high-profile events and festivals throughout the year, such as the International Hot Air Ballooning Week in January. During the summer, there are many more activities, including over 300 km of signposted paths and trails for walking, hiking, and biking.

In addition to strict building controls that almost exclusively favour chalet-style buildings, the eaves of chalets are tastefully decorated with fairy lights throughout the winter months. Allegedly, the Sound of Music actress and Gstaad resident Julie Andrews was the first to suggest fairy lights in Gstaad. Nowadays, when travelling at night from one village to the next, it isn’t easy to spot a chalet building that is not lit up, and the effect is magical—reinforcing Julie Andrews’s description of Gstaad as “the last paradise in a crazy world”.

Tourist Office statistics indicate that 30% of guests are families, 85% are European, and 50% are aged 50+ years. German is the official language, but French is commonly spoken.