Gstaad Apres Ski

Apres Ski in Gstaad

Apres-Ski generally means vibrant partying on- and off-the-slopes, including late-night festivities. In that sense, Gstaad is not for partygoers unless you have VIP connections. However, if interpreted more literally as “after skiing,” the holiday region of Gstaad has many good bars, great restaurants, and other activities and events, though it helps if you can afford to splash out.

The Village of Gstaad

Gstaad’s rich history dates back to the Middle Ages. Originally a small farming community with the Church of St Niklaus (1402) for spiritual nourishment, and a renowned Swiss resort since the early 20th Century, boosted by the construction of the Montreux-Oberland Bernois railway.

Gstaad blends traditional Swiss character and alpine culture with exclusive sophistication. A symbol of rustic beauty and refined elegance, it has been a playground for European aristocracy, Hollywood stars, and global elites since the 1950s. Eyes right and look up as you leave the train station, and there’s no mistaking Gstaad Palace perched high above Gstaad – a world-famous, pedestrianised chalet village that oozes chic. Just a short walk from the station brings you to the car-free promenade.

The Early Beck boulangerie and tea room with sheepskin-covered chairs and tables outside offer a warm welcome. A left turn here leads to the local equivalent of Harrod’s food hall, the Pernet Food & Wine store, and to a large chalet-style Coop for more everyday needs, including continental plug adaptors! Check out the reasonably priced Charly’s Café for delicious pastries and views of the ice rink in winter, which becomes a sports arena in summer. It’s all excellent, but this is downtown, whereas Gstaad’s finest features are uptown in the village’s centre and the oldest part of Gstaad.

Walk along the promenade in the other direction (uphill slightly) to reach the village centre, featuring hotels, restaurants, and art galleries, but primarily upscale designer boutiques, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Moncler, Prada, Ralph Lauren and Valentino, Patek Philippe and Rolex watches, and Graf, the jeweller! Chalet-style architecture is mandatory, including many beautiful old chalets with intricate carvings and scripts proudly telling their history with no expense spared. It’s sophisticated and chic, and whether you’re a prince or a pauper, it looks lovely and feels good if only to window shop. Rich in history, old money and privilege, rather than blingy or ostentatious.

Explora Gstaad will be pleased to arrange a guided tour of the village. Contact Karin Bach-Fleuti (Tel: +41 79 446 98 43, Email: info[at]explora-gstaad.ch) for more information and to book a tour.

Apres-Ski in Gstaad

A golden rule regarding apres-ski in Gstaad, especially, is that much depends on the time of year and the day of the week. For example, Christmas, New Year and February in Gstaad are the busiest times; Thursday to Sunday are the busiest times of the week; and during the low season, mid-December, January and March, the slopes are relatively quiet, and there’s noticeably less apres-ski, i.e. not much, from Monday to Wednesday.

Snowbars in Gstaad

The two main ski areas feature nearly a dozen snowbars, mid-mountain and close to the base stations, for pit-stops and apres-ski. For example, the South Pole Bar at the bottom of the slopes in Gstaad is a youthful and fun place to unwind after skiing. It has a Happy Hour from 7-8 pm and Apres Ski Party every Friday from 8 pm until midnight. In the main ski area at Saanenmoser, the Hornybar is fun for afternoon apres-ski, especially on Saturdays when DJs play sets, and the Pasatiempo, halfway down the slopes, is a lively spot for apres ski during the golden hour. Likewise, the WHY KNOT below the terrain park at Saanenmoser is popular with freestylers and boarders. In Schonried, the small outdoor Moosbar, which is located beside the footpath to Sannenmoser, can be fun in good weather.

Mountain Restaurants in Gstaad

Mountain restaurants are a mixture of self-service restaurants in the top stations of main ski lifts and charming independent mountain huts. The Bergrestaurant Wasserngrat was awarded the “Best Party Location in Switzerland” in 2023 and features occasional live DJ sets from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. For more information, go to Ultimate-Ski’s pick of the 10 best mountain restaurants in Gstaad >

Apres-Ski Bars in Gstaad

Gstaad’s five-star superior hotels boast sophisticated lounges and cocktail bars for drinks before dinner. However, none qualifies as an “après-ski bar,” and prices are well beyond the budget of most skiers. The Lobby Bar in the Gstaad Palace is worth a visit for an aperitif or a nightcap. Please be mindful of the dress code from 7:00 pm.

For après-ski bars in the centre of Gstaad, The Rialto features a popular local bar and Italian restaurant with live music and DJ sets on select Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 5:30 to 10:00 pm. Additionally, parties occur on certain nights from 10 pm until after midnight. The renowned Hotel Olden can be lively on certain evenings during the bustling holiday season and is favoured by the jet set. Another more affordable option in downtown Gstaad is the Mansard Rooftop, the only rooftop bar in Gstaad.

Look no further than the HUUS Gstaad Hotel in Saanen for good vibes and great music after a day on the slopes or getting ready for a night out. Great for apres-ski from Thursday to Sunday, Sunset Sunday Apres Ski with live DJ and cosy vibes on Sundays from 4-7 pm and HUUS Gstaad Sunday Party in La Cave every Sunday from 10 pm. Follow HUUS on Instagram for their latest event info.

Also in Saanen (2 km from Gstaad), there is the cosy Saanerhof Pub is a popular meeting place for guests and locals,   and 16 Art-Bar-Restaurant is a trendy bar and restaurant (13 points Gault Millau). Cherry’s Bistro in Saanen is a family-friendly bar and pizzeria,

Sammy’s Grill & Bar at the Boutique Hotel Alpenrose includes a cosy bar. As its name suggests, the décor at the One Million Stars Bar at the nearby 5-star Ermitage hotel features one million Swarovski crystals. Saanenmoser is still quieter, and the bars at Maison Hornberg and Golfhotel Les Hauts de Gstaad cannot reasonably be designated apres-ski bars.

Nightclubs in Gstaad

At the top end, the GreenGo under the Gstaad Palace is worth a look. Still, anything more than that will involve running up a sizeable bill, even for soft drinks and a hefty minimum spend to be seated to begin feeling as though you belong. The Stall-Bar Chlosterli Gstaad is a restaurant, bar and nightclub in Gsteigstrasse. Open for dancing from 11 pm until 4 am, the club has a lively atmosphere and features well-known Swiss DJs as regular guests.

Restaurants in Gstaad

Gourmet Fine Dining in Gstaad

The Gstaad holiday region is a paradise for food lovers. Recently, the Editor of Gault-Millau described it as “a seventh heaven for foodies.” More than 100 restaurants, including 19 outstanding ones that promise an unforgettable gourmet experience, boast an impressive total of 317 Gault-Millau points and three Michelin stars. There’s everything from reasonably affordable and cosy historic restaurants to one-Michelin-star restaurants with incredible wine cellars. For more information, see the Michelin Guide to Gstaad >

Aside from the more celebrated and most expensive restaurants, there are plenty more good restaurants in Gstaad and nearby villages, without having to splash out on gourmet tasting menus. Here are just a few that are worthy of mention:

Restaurant Stubli at Posthotel Rossli Gstaad

The oldest hotel restaurant in Gstaad since 1845, Rossli’s Restaurant Stubli offers traditional recipes from the Saanenland, a splendid ambience and an authentic setting. Affordable and fun, with a choice of set course menu of the day, children’s menu or a la carte. For example, salads, soups, freshly caught trout, vegetarian dishes, poached calf’s head, roasted veal, sliced veal with rosti, sauteed calf’s liver with rosti potatoes and a vinegar sauce, meat or cheese fondue and a good selection of homemade desserts. Busy and well-frequented by locals for dinner or just for drinks at the regulars’ table. Tel: +41 33 748 42 42. Visit website >

Charly’s Coffee Shop & Restaurant, Gstaad

Authentic and rustic, with over a century of history, Charly’s coffee shop and restaurant offers a wide selection of homemade pastries, chocolates, snacks, and a lunch menu featuring soups, fresh salads, sandwiches, and hot dishes. With seating for 80 indoors and 60 diners on the terrace, it’s an excellent choice for coffee and cake or lunch. Address: Charly’s Gstaad, Promenade 76, CH-3780 Gstaad. Tel: +41 33 744 15 44. Visit website >

Wally’s Gstaad

Also prominent amid the luxury designer boutiques on the promenade, chalet-style Wally’s Gstaad’s is the go-to place for takeaway burgers. Its Instagram page proudly states, “You’ve never been to Gstaad if you did not taste a Wally’s burger.” There are plenty to choose from, such as the Wild Wally Burger or an Australian Wagyu beef Burger (celebrated for its superior marbling) if you’re feeling flush!

Nightclubs in Gstaad

GreenGo Club, Gstaad Palace

The GreenGo under the Gstaad Palace is worth a look. Anything more than that will involve running up a sizeable bill, even for soft drinks and with a reasonably hefty minimum spend to be seated and begin to feel as though you belong. The Stall-Bar Chlosterli Gstaad restaurant, bar and nightclub in Gsteigstrasse, open for dancing from 11 pm until 4 am, has a lively atmosphere and features well-known Swiss DJs as regular guests.

Other Activities in Gstaad

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiers have 180 km of trails, such as the easy Lauenen-Rohr-Oey trail (4.8km 55 minutes) for beginners or experienced skiers starting from the picturesque village of Lauenen with shorter and longer variants to choose from and surrounded by unspoiled nature. The more difficult Schonried-Saanenmoser black trail (3.2 km 1 hour) with a challenging climb and the varied Sparenmoos Loipe (10.9km 1 hour 20 mins), which serves as the venue for the Swiss cross-country skiing championships. Read more about cross-country skiing in Gstaad >

Tobogganing and Snowshoe Hiking

The variety of non-skiing activities on snow includes six tobogganing runs totalling nearly 30 km, offering unforgettable descents for the whole family, and around 70 km of scenic trails for snowshoeing.

Winter Walking and Biking

In winter, there are 160km of signposted hiking trails and ten different trails for biking with fat tyres.

Activities in Summer

In summer, Gstaad offers over 300 km of well-marked walking and hiking trails, including stunning high-altitude routes from the Rinderberg to Horneggli and Wisplie to Lake Lauenen. Also, mountain biking, cycling, and e-biking, with more than 500 km of GPS-guided tours, specialised bike-friendly hotels, and convenient e-bike charging stations.

Read more about hiking in Gstaad and cycling in Gstaad >

Top Events in Gstaad

Gstaad hosts an impressive array of regular events throughout the year. Winter highlights include the Gstaad Snow Bike Festival, the Gstaad Mountain Rides Open, the International Hot Air Ballooning Week in January, the New Year Music Festival, and the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad in February, which features an incredible lineup of internationally acclaimed classical musicians.

During the summer, the village comes alive with the Swiss Open tennis tournament (part of the ATP Tour), the prestigious Hublot Gold Cup polo tournament, the FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour, and the renowned Menuhin Festival Gstaad, including more than 50 classical music concerts over seven weeks from July to September. Also, the long-established Country Night Gstaad at the Festival Tent Gstaad (for two nights in September) is a great fun event for traditional country music lovers and friends.

Top events in Gstaad >

Gstaad Tourist Information

Gstaad Saanenland Tourismus
Haus des Gastes, Promenade 41
CH 3780 Gstaad, Switzerland
Tel: +41 33 748 81 81
Web: www.gstaad.ch