Boutique Hotel Glacier

If ever there was a hotel that efficiently adapted to time and circumstance, it's the Hotel Glacier in Grindelwald. The original hotel opened near the foot of an alpine glacier in 1864, back in the days when huge blocks of ice were harvested and transported by horse and carriage to Interlaken. Over the past century, the glacier has retreated dramatically — only its uppermost portion remains, and it’s a good distance away in the mountaintops — and the hotel has evolved accordingly, with a modified layout that makes the most of the setting while staying true to the property's history.

The owners approached the most recent renovations with sustainability and style in mind. The chalet maintains its original shape, but its scope has been extended to include a spa, a wine cellar, and a set of new rooms. The once-rustic decor is now modern and eclectic, with mountain motifs appearing throughout the hotel, from the colorful mosaic mural in the restaurant to the patterns on bedspreads and headboards. Rooms have parquet floors, deep charcoal-gray accent walls, COCO-MAT beds, Marshall speakers, Nespresso machines, and Apple TVs. Many have balconies, and the best rooms have private wooden decks with outdoor hot tubs and sweeping views of the Alps. For everyone else, there’s a common terrace for lunch or drinks overlooking the scenery, and when winter weather takes over, a cozy fireplace lounge awaits inside.