Switzerland has never needed excess to make an impression; its power lies in precision, altitude, silence, and scenery so exact it can feel almost architectural. Among its most distinguished Alpine destinations, Davos stands at more than 1,500 metres above sea level, carrying a rare identity as both a mountain resort and an international meeting point.
by L’Officiel Monaco
Davos has a long history as a mountain destination, once attracting visitors who came for its pure Alpine air and restorative climate. Today, it brings together outdoor adventure, wellness, fine dining, cultural events, and year-round activities, with elegant hotels, mountain railways, and panoramic views creating an atmosphere that feels both lively and peaceful.
While Davos is internationally recognised as the host of the annual World Economic Forum, the town offers far more than the event for which it is best known. Beyond the days of global meetings and political discussions, visitors discover an Alpine destination with a rich history, extensive hiking and skiing, cultural attractions, and a relaxed pace that can be enjoyed throughout the year.
At 1,560 metres above sea level, where the forests surrounding Davos gradually give way to wide Alpine panoramas, AlpenGold Hotel immediately announces itself as one of the region’s most distinctive architectural statements. Rising above Lake Davos, its remarkable silhouette, inspired by the geometry of a pine cone, appears almost sculpted into the mountainside, commanding uninterrupted views across the peaks and the Landwasser Valley. It is impossible to mistake the building for anything else. Few hotels manage to establish such a powerful dialogue between contemporary architecture and the natural grandeur surrounding them.
Crossing the entrance reveals an entirely different expression of Alpine luxury. Timber, natural stone, bronze accents, textured fabrics, and carefully orchestrated light replace unnecessary decoration, allowing materials themselves to define the atmosphere. Wide corridors reveal unexpected perspectives, dramatic ceiling heights amplify natural light, while carefully positioned openings continuously reconnect the interior with the mountains beyond the glass. Every transition from one space to another has been conceived with remarkable precision, encouraging guests to notice details that often remain invisible at first glance. Nothing feels accidental: proportion, texture, and geometry quietly shape an environment where modern design acquires genuine warmth.
There is also a particular quality that cannot easily be measured. Some hotels impress through grandeur, others through formality. AlpenGold Hotel chooses a different path, creating an atmosphere where sophisticated comfort feels entirely natural. The concept of a “home away from home” is interpreted here with uncommon intelligence, allowing every guest to experience the freedom of personal space without sacrificing the services expected from an international luxury destination. Spacious rooms and suites are filled with mountain light, crisp Alpine air, and uninterrupted views stretching across forests, lakes, and distant peaks. Morning begins with the changing colours of the mountains, while evening quietly replaces daylight with the reflections of Davos below.
atelier VERT Restaurant — Graubünden on a Plate
If Sapori speaks the language of Italy, atelier VERT tells the story of the mountains surrounding Davos. Every ingredient begins its journey only a short distance from the kitchen, transforming the restaurant into one of Switzerland’s strongest celebrations of regional gastronomy.
Here, vegetables become the centre of fine dining without ever feeling secondary. Every season completely reshapes the menu as Alpine meadows, forests, biodynamic farms and local producers determine what arrives on the plate. Certified by both alpinavera and regio.garantie at the highest regional level, atelier VERT has established itself as an address where sustainability exists naturally through long-standing relationships with farmers, shepherds, beekeepers and artisans across Graubünden. Mountain honey collected only kilometres away, Burgundy truffles cultivated with remarkable success, biodynamic vegetables, handcrafted regional specialities and produce harvested according to the rhythm of nature create menus that could belong nowhere else.
Executive Chef Manuel Zünd — Reimagining Alpine Gastronomy
Executive Chef Manuel Zünd has shaped the culinary identity of Atelier VERT with a philosophy that reaches far beyond the final presentation on the plate. Guests encounter the finished creation for only a few minutes, yet every dish represents hours of decisions, refinement and coordination. Where does that process actually begin? Long before lunch or dinner service, with the development of new menus, conversations with local producers, continuous testing, careful calculations of seasonality and the daily responsibility of leading an entire brigade. Every ingredient must arrive in perfect condition, every delivery requires precise timing, every product demands proper storage, while consistency must be maintained from the first plate leaving the kitchen to the last. It is a level of organisation that remains largely invisible, although it determines everything guests eventually experience at the table.
Creativity occupies an equally important place in Manuel Zünd’s work. His cuisine is immediately recognisable not only through flavour but through composition, colour and proportion. Every plate arrives with the precision of fine craftsmanship, yet never feels overworked or decorative for its own sake. Can a dish resemble a piece of art without losing its identity as food? At Atelier VERT, the answer appears naturally. Every element has been considered individually, every texture carefully balanced, every garnish placed with purpose, creating compositions that satisfy the eye before the first bite confirms the same level of attention.
And, who says truffles belong only to the forests of Italy or France? Among the most fascinating collaborations is the partnership with Andrina Bisaz and Urs Horni, who decided in 2015 to pursue an idea that many would have considered overly ambitious.
Around thirty minutes from Davos, every season begins with Andrina Bisaz and Urs Horni setting out alongside their trained dogs, whose extraordinary sense of smell leads them to Burgundy truffles hidden beneath the forest floor. The harvest travels only a short distance before reaching Manuel Zünd’s kitchen, where one of gastronomy’s most prized ingredients becomes part of dishes created only kilometres from the place where it grew. It is a story that captures the spirit of Graubünden itself: patience rewarded over years instead of weeks, close relationships replacing anonymous supply chains, and ingredients whose value begins long before they ever arrive on the plate. On approximately 4,500 square metres of land, they planted around 600 young beech, oak, hornbeam, hazel, lime, cedar and pine trees, each inoculated with Burgundy truffle spores. The alkaline sandy soil offered favourable conditions, but favourable conditions are never the same as certainty. Years of patience followed. The plantation slowly matured into a woodland, while success remained uncertain until the first truffles finally appeared beneath the roots.
Some partnerships preserve far more than exceptional products; they keep regional traditions alive. One of them brings AlpenGold Hotel together with Patrick Christoffel, whose Christoffel Original Rötali represents one of Graubünden’s best-known specialities. While many historic recipes have gradually changed over time, this cherry liqueur continues to be produced entirely by hand according to the original family recipe, preserving the character that has made it a local classic for generations. What gives a regional liqueur its distinctive identity? Certainly not the bottle alone. Produced from premium Davos cherries and a closely guarded combination of natural ingredients, Christoffel Original Rötali is recognised for its deep golden-red colour, rich aroma and full-bodied flavour. Served at room temperature in a large wine glass, it reveals its character slowly, making it equally enjoyable as an aperitif or as the perfect conclusion to an elegant dinner. It also pairs beautifully with a traditional Graubünden platter or refined desserts.
The hotel’s commitment to local craftsmanship extends from the kitchen to the table itself. This philosophy is reflected in its collaboration with ceramic artist Butia Schlering, founder of a small pottery studio in Sent, a picturesque village in the Lower Engadin. Since the partnership with AlpenGold Hotel began, her handcrafted ceramics have become part of the dining experience at Atelier VERT, adding another local signature to every course. There is something genuinely special about enjoying fine dining from hand-painted plates created by a regional artisan. The tableware becomes part of the experience, connecting every dish with the traditions and craftsmanship of Graubünden.
Guests inspired by these ceramics can also experience the craft for themselves. At Butia Schlering’s studio, visitors may choose from more than 300 ceramic pieces and decorate them using over 100 different colours, with expert guidance provided throughout the process. They can create their own designs or discover the traditional Engadin Sgraffito technique before each piece is glazed and fired. The finished work can then be collected or delivered, offering a lasting reminder of a creative experience rooted in the culture of the region.
Sapori Restaurant — Where Italy Meets the Swiss Alps
There are restaurants that serve Italian cuisine, and there are restaurants that recreate the atmosphere of Italy itself. Sapori belongs to the second category. As daylight slowly withdraws behind the surrounding peaks, the dining room changes almost imperceptibly.
The gently curved interior, warm stone, noble timber, and restrained colour palette avoid unnecessary ornament, allowing proportion and light to define the space. At the centre of the restaurant, the open show kitchen transforms craftsmanship into part of the evening itself, where every movement of the brigade quietly becomes another element of the experience.
Italy appears here without theatrical clichés. Instead, its identity is expressed through remarkable ingredients: fragrant olive oils, Mediterranean herbs, hand-made pasta prepared daily, creamy risottos, delicate seafood, perfectly cooked veal, slow-braised beef, beautifully blistered pizzas and refined classics including Vitello Tonnato, Burratina Artigianale and Branzino all’Acqua Pazza. Vegetarian creations receive exactly the same attention, proving that extraordinary Italian cuisine has always begun with extraordinary ingredients.
Breakfast is served in the same restaurant, where guests will find everything they need, along with the option to order à la carte during breakfast. Excellent coffee and the perfect start to the day are guaranteed.
A Suite Designed Around the Mountains
Among the hotel’s many room categories, the suites are where the property reveals its strongest character. The Alpine Executive Suite immediately creates a sense of arrival, not through extravagant decoration, but through proportion, natural light and an atmosphere that feels calm from the very first moment. Fresh fruit is arranged on the dining table beside elegant glass jars filled with dried fruits, a thoughtful welcome that feels generous without becoming theatrical.
One feature immediately stands out because it has become almost impossible to find in modern luxury hotels. There is no air conditioning. Instead, the room relies on the greatest luxury Davos can offer: mountain air. Opening the balcony doors allows cool Alpine air to flow naturally through the suite, carrying the scent of the surrounding forests and replacing the constant background noise of ventilation with complete silence. The temperature remains pleasantly cool throughout the night, creating the kind of sleep that expensive technology often promises but rarely delivers. Even the bedding reflects the same philosophy. A large pillow and a smaller companion, both exceptionally soft, show careful attention to comfort without unnecessary excess. It is the type of detail that guests rarely notice upon arrival but remember long after departure.
The balcony deserves special recognition because its scale is genuinely unusual. In many hotels, a balcony provides just enough space for two chairs. Here, it becomes another living area altogether. It stretches across the suite, inviting guests to walk from one end to the other while the mountains remain constantly in view. Morning coffee naturally lasts a little longer, afternoons encourage an extra chapter of a book, and evenings become difficult to leave as the changing light slowly settles across the valley.
The bathroom follows the same understated approach. Spacious, beautifully finished and exceptionally well equipped, it includes everything from premium amenities and dental kits to a deep bathtub prepared with luxurious bath foam and fragrant bath salts. The scent lingers gently in the room, making the experience feel almost spa-like without trying to imitate one. After a day spent at business meetings, attending the World Economic Forum, or cycling through the mountain trails around Davos, returning to the suite feels remarkably restorative.
Spa Nescens — Where the Swiss Alps Become Part of Every Treatment
Sometimes it reveals itself through complete stillness, an uninterrupted hour without urgency, where the body gradually lets go of accumulated tension and the mind rediscovers a rhythm long forgotten. A remarkable spa therefore becomes far more than another hotel facility. Surrounded by the extraordinary mountain scenery of Davos, Spa Nescens transforms Alpine nature into the foundation of an exceptional wellness experience. Extending across 1,200 square metres, the spa has been conceived as a complete sanctuary dedicated to recovery, beauty, and physical wellbeing, where every space encourages the outside world to gradually disappear. Heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools invite year-round relaxation beneath the mountain skyline, while dedicated fitness facilities, a yoga studio, separate wellness areas for ladies and gentlemen, steam baths, saunas, a sanarium, and beautifully designed relaxation spaces allow every guest to create a personal rhythm of wellbeing.
Among the highlights, the Alpine Signature Experience introduces a sensory journey inspired entirely by Graubünden. A soothing pine-oil foot ritual marks the beginning, followed by a comforting Alpine hay body wrap whose delicate aromas gradually calm both body and mind before a deeply restorative massage completes the experience.
WEB: www.alpengoldhotel.com