Giardino Mountain

From the outside, there’s little to suggest that Giardino Mountain, in Champfèr, right next to St. Moritz, might count itself a design hotel. The exterior looks almost edible in that pure classic Engadine way, as though it’s a marzipan miniature. But once you’re through the doors, the fruits of the 2011 renovation are immediately apparent. Proprietors Daniela and Philippe Frutiger, owners of a couple of hotels on the shores of Lake Maggiore, clearly weren’t intimidated by the luxe competition, nor were they overly reverent in approaching the restoration — Giardino Mountain is still an Alpine classic, timbered ceilings and all, it’s just been updated for an audience that’s a bit more visually adventurous.

Rooms range from cozy singles on up to spacious junior suites, all outfitted in a pale wood and cream palette, with accents in saturated fuchsia or lime. They’re identifiably Alpine in appearance, though contemporary through and through — it’s a look that’s immediately familiar to boutique-hotel aficionados, and refreshingly cosmopolitan in style.

Meanwhile two bars and three restaurants, including the two-Michelin-starred Ecco St. Moritz, all but eliminate the need to venture outside the hotel’s walls — and the spa is a perfect restorative for a day spent on the slopes, or a summertime destination unto itself.

How to get there: Giardino Mountain is approximately 205 km by car from Milan-Malpensa Airport via SS36, SS37, and Route 3. Alternatively, the hotel is approximately 207 km by car from Zürich Airport via A53, A3, A13, and Route 3.