Hotels

Many hoteliers, faced with the task of designing a hotel in an Alpine setting as awe-inspiring as Switzerland’s Crans-Montana, would opt for something safe and unremarkable, and convince themselves they’re letting the landscape take center stage. Crans Ambassador, on the other hand, takes a more active approach; this building aims to complement the majesty of the Alps, not cower before it, and thanks to its rakish angles and its monumental modern spaces, you’d have to judge it a success.

Of course a hotel is more than just its visual impression, and the Crans Ambassador has all the warmth and comfort you’d expect from a high-end, high-altitude Swiss luxury hotel. Accommodations range from cozy-but-comfortable forest-facing rooms with a single double bed to some truly extraordinary suites, complete with panoramic terraces and freestanding tubs.

Two restaurants, the Peruvian-influenced La Muña and the traditional Valais Le Carnotzet, keep guests well-fed, while Le Bar and La Terrasse are fairly self-explanatory. There’s an elaborate spa and wellness program by Nescens, including a stunning indoor pool, and the Sport Boutique is capable of sourcing and servicing everything you’ll need for a proper ski holiday.