Gstaad Travel Guide

From St. Moritz, we decided to drive to Gstaad. The drive was 5 hours, but it’s a great opportunity to admire the natural beauty that Switzerland has. Honestly speaking, I was doubtful that Gstaad could measure up to St. Moritz – the bar was set so high! But all it took was entering through the doors of my hotel to fall in love with it (oh and a little fondue really sealed the deal).

While St. Moritz is more of a family-friendly destination, Gstaad perfect if you’re looking to have fun (but still keep it luxe). Everything is super chic and it’s extremely vibe-y. There’s lots of parties, places to go out, and so many Michelin star restaurants. Basically if Blair and Serena existed in real life, they’d spend winters in Gstaad.

Where to stay

In Gstaad, I stayed at Ultima Gstaad.

One word: CHIC. And the second word would be luxe.

Ultima Gstaad gives luxury a whole new meaning. It only has 16 rooms, which makes the hotel extremely private and service-oriented. I swear the staff were all Hogwarts graduates who knew how to read minds and/or apparate out of the blue with whatever I needed. There were several instances of me asking for something and in minutes, they’d show up with it, making me wonder how they could move so quickly! They did everything from making restaurant reservations to arranging snowboarding equipment. The hotel also offers transportation around Gstaad, and I never had to wait more than 30 seconds. There was one instance of me coming down and the car already waiting for me. I hadn’t even called them to tell them I was coming. There’s only one explanation: Hogwarts.

The rooms themselves are a design lover’s dream. Think man cave meets luxe ski lodge – rich textures and deep hues. My room had a balcony with a stunning view of the mountains. This became my favoured place for devouring truffle scrambled eggs and the flakiest croissants ever. I’m all about details, and Ultima Gstaad totally delivered. Case in point: their hotel slippers weren’t the usual creamy white ones. No, they went a step further with faux fur slippers which matched the cushions in the bedroom – insane right?

The rest of the hotel was equally chic. The spa and pool are are gorgeous, sleek with dark colours. And the lobby was particularly cool because it housed several pieces from Alec Monopoly. The concierge told me that one time, the artist actually did a live performance at Ultima Gstaad, painting a piano that Alicia Keys played! The hotel is also home to a shisha bar, with a DJ booth situation.

So one thing I need to call out is that Ultima Gstaad is also very wellness-focused. They have an area right beside the spa where you can get fresh smoothies, nuts, and just relax. I had a massage while I was there which was phenomenal. There’s also tons of options at breakfast. If you have dietary restrictions, you’ll have no problems finding things to eat here.

There’s some hotels that just know how to get it right. Ultima Gstaad checked all the boxes. In fact, it came up with new boxes and checked those too. I

Where to eat

Gstaad is smaller than downtown New York, and yet, it is home to 5 Michelin Star restaurants, and countless others which will blow you away. If food is a big part of your vacations, you should book a ticket to Gstaad immediately.

Early Beck
When a place makes an amazing quiche, you know they’re serious. It’s a great spot for lunch on the go. Their coffee is also delish.

Sporthotel Victoria
Go here for pizza. The restaurant is really cute and the food is phenomenal.

Charly’s
Charly’s is known for being the best coffee shop in Gstaad, and with one sip, it’s not hard to see why.

16 Art Bar
Gstaad is full of incredible restaurants, and 16 Art Bar is one of them. It is on the pricey side, but well worth it. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu to be honest.

Bro’s
After spending some time walking around the town, stop here for coffee or hot chocolate. The interior is super cute and cozy.

Saagi Stubli
Even though I arrived in Gstaad at 10pm, I was determined to go to Saagi Stubli for fondue – it’s supposed to be the best in Gstaad. You guys, it did not disappoint. Get the truffle champagne fondue. It’s worth traveling to Switzerland for.

What to do

Gstaad is one of those places you go to chill. I highly recommend it for a couple’s getaway or with a big group. Here’s what you want to do:

• Eat, obviously – the food scene in Gstaad is so next level and it should be made a priority
• Go skiing or snowboarding – you have to buy tickets at the mountains, and equipment is rented from the shop in the town. Something to note- all shops are closed from 12-2pm for lunch, so make sure you rent your equipment before that
• Aet a massage after a day of walking around town and snowboarding
• Walk around the town, hopping in and out of the boutiques and cafes
• If you’re a night owl, but like to keep it classy, Gstaad is for you – most restaurants have a really cool vibe at night where you can grab drinks and just hang out

PS- if you liked this post, check out my quick guide to New York and my weekend guide to Paris