Park Gstaad

Gstaad, that glittery tiara of the Swiss Alps, isn’t much for novelty. Of note, however, is the restoration of a grand old European hotel — Gstaad’s first luxury hotel, to be precise, a 1910 edifice with snow-blanketed sophistication to spare. More than a century later, that heritage still draws today’s Ernest Hemingways and Elizabeth Taylors to Park Gstaad — it’s just that now they cavort in contemporary interiors by Federica Palacios.

Cozy gemütlichkeit radiates from the chandeliers and arched windows, a gleaming beacon as night falls early. Incredibly, the original lift was restored to full functionality, a true turn-of-the-century engineering marvel. And the rooms are textbook subtle luxury: never outsize or gauche, tranquil without lapsing into sedateness. Views of the forest or mountains predominate, understandably, while a definite bias for natural wood and charcoal tones sustains a timeless, chalet-style warmth.

A handful of drinking and dining options make for difficult decisions come mealtime, especially the live-fire Patagonian plates at Chubut and the hyper-seasonal Mediterranean concoctions, plus a robust sushi selection, in the elegant restaurant. There’s also an honest-to-goodness wooden chalet, Waldhuus, planted in the garden; it’s the genuine item, complete with fondue, checkered tablecloths, and crown-glass windows. The spa and fitness complex is extensive, to say the least; there’s even a golf simulator somewhere in there. Just because you’re over 1,000 meters in elevation, of course, doesn’t mean you’re stuck inside. The slopes of Bergbahnen are a quick walk away — if you don’t get sidetracked by the luxury shopping outlets in the village’s main thoroughfare, that is — and concierges are happy to give interested parties the skinny on activities: in winter, from ice-kart racing to dogsledding, and in summer, rafting, climbing, and biking.