Davos has become a household name on account of the World Economic Forum which takes place there every year. The hospitality industry has followed suit, sharpening up to deliver luxury, one-of-a-kind stays. AlpenGold Hotel, a five-minute drive from Davos Dorf railway station and sitting just above Davos Lake, is a central, prominent feature of this landscape with its individual, bold styling; a glorious golden egg which wouldn’t look out of place in a science fiction movie. This boldly-designed snowbound retreat has seen presidents, prime ministers and princesses within its curved walls.
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The outer gilded “egg” that makes up the superstructure of the hotel itself has ergonomic, angled rectangular apertures, smooth-edged and broad, recessed within which is the inner “egg” housing the rooms and suites. Inside, it’s a more practical affair with robust flooring for all those stomping ski-boots, high ceilings and glittering light installations.
Rooms and suites
Enter any of the rooms at AlpenGold Hotel and the first thing you’ll see are the arresting views. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows open out through the slanting apertures onto a broad landscape of snowy peaks, dotted with wood and stone chalets and pock-marked by fir trees wearing their heavy, white winter coats.
The rooms curve to match the edge of the structure, continuing the ergonomic theme – and you know what? It’s nice not to be in a rectangle or a square, to sleep in an organic shape. Windows run the entire arced length of the suites, creating the fourth wall; huge bathrooms have egg-shaped tubs (and an endless supply of Epsom Salts) so you can unwind and ease those piste-bashed muscles in the soothing warmth while taking in the snowscape outside. Sun streams through from dawn till dusk.
Tactile soft-furnishings are in a muted colour palette, beiges and browns, and beds big and comfy – this place is designed to make you feel at home and ensure you get some good R&R after a day on the slopes.
Eating and drinking
Breakfast is a rather functional affair with a range of Swiss specialties, but the sharply-dressed chefs knock out a good line in hearty food with some exceptional scrambled eggs and irresistible rosti. Hey, you’ll burn it off on the slopes, right?
The jewel in the hotel’s dining crown is La Muña, a Japanophile’s dream, cyberpunk neon-lit, its walls hung with eclectic art. The restaurant specialises in Nikkei cuisine, a hybrid of Peruvian and Asian flavours, typically where ingredients from Peru are shaped by Japanese technique. They’ve taken a bit of poetic licence with that, but it’s no bad thing. It’s a masterclass in bright and bold flavours, the menu split between cold/raw and caliente (hot). Start off with kingsfish with wakame, coriander, Ikura, and green sauce, citrussy and fresh; take on a classic ebi tempura roll with crunchy prawns, avocado and spicy Japanese mayonnaise. Our favourite was the creamy, spicy tuna tartare – a cylinder of crispy, deep fried rice topped with raw tuna, spicy sauce and fresh jalapeño. The classic black cod is unmissable.
Cheese Factory is AlpenGold’s temple to all things – you guessed it – cheesy. Swiss specialties like raclette and fondue with truffle are on the menu with a view overlooking the forest. Sapori is a classic Italian spot that does a great line in pastas, pizzas, salads and some rib-sticking mains all served from an open kitchen.
What to do
Either you’re a bigwig on the world economic stage or you’re here for a lovely alpine ski break. Fortunately, for those in the second camp, the hotel has a ski-rental shop right by the lobby and a place for you to store your skis in the basement; they have a shuttle to run you to the lifts.
There are five ski areas around Davos – compact, beautiful, quiet and accessible. Smooth, long, gentle pistes wind through the trees for miles with fleeting, expansive views of the surrounding mountains and valleys; there are plenty of handsome wooden chalets dotted about serving hearty food and hot drinks. It has just less than 200 miles of pistes; Parsenn is the most popular and a funicular runs from Davos town swiftly up to the first station.
For those with the urge, it’s worth getting up on the first one, around 8ish. On the return journey you can ski all the way back down to the base station at which the hotel has a guest lounge where you can call for a pick-up. The last run is marked as a black – it isn’t top grade at all, but learners would be best skipping it and taking the funicular down.
There’s off-piste for those feeling adventurous, but you’ll need to go with a guide. Nearby Pischa is the freeriding capital of Switzerland; areas are marked for safety and a lift will give you a headstart.
William Leigh was a guest of the AlpenGold Hotel Davos. Winter rates start from CHF450 (£400) and summer rates from CHF320 (£285). Baslerstrasse 9, CH-7260 Davos Dorf, Switzerland; alpengoldhotel.com
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