Of the world’s star-studded ski resorts — Aspen, Courchevel, Megève, Cortina d’Ampezzo — Gstaad shines brightest. Located about two and a half hours by car east of Geneva, it’s long reigned as the Swiss Alps’ most renowned winter escape, with more than 40 ski lifts and more than 200 miles of skiable terrain. Alpine charm radiates from the pristine village’s car-free promenade, where traditional chalet-style buildings contain designer boutiques, artisan shops and art galleries. The rich and the royal have been coming for a century. 

It certainly doesn’t take much to convince me to go back to Gstaad. So although we continue to receive positive feedback from our members about our long-recommended hotels, the contemporary Alpina Gstaad and the legendary castlelike Gstaad Palace, my traveling companion and I returned to review a much smaller property that’s received a flurry of awards and positive press.

Ultima Hotel Gstaad

The Alpina and Palace hotels overlook the rest of Gstaad from their perches, but the Ultima, backed by bucolic meadows, stands at town level on the main road to the mountain playground of Glacier 3000. I had hoped that the hotel’s design and atmosphere could make it a compelling alternative, even without the soaring views offered by its rivals.