The Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland

The Chedi Andermatt is one of the most distinctive luxury hotels in the Swiss Alps. From the outside, it looks like a grand Alpine chalet. Step inside, and you enter something closer to an Asian temple: soaring ceilings, dark wood, glowing lanterns, reflecting pools and more than 200 fireplaces. Designed by the celebrated architect Jean-Michel Gathy, it opened in 2013 as the centrepiece of the transformation of Andermatt from a sleepy army town into one of Switzerland's most exciting mountain resorts.

Location: Switzerland

Andermatt lies at around 1,440 metres in the Urseren Valley in the canton of Uri, at the very heart of the Swiss Alps. It sits at a historic crossroads of mountain passes: the Gotthard to the south, the Oberalp to the east and the Furka to the west. The famous Glacier Express train passes through on its way between Zermatt and St. Moritz.

Zurich and Lucerne are both around one and a half to two hours away by train or car. In winter, the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis offers a large, snow-sure ski area, with the Gemsstock known for its challenging freeride terrain. The hotel's own shuttle takes guests to the lifts, and in summer there is hiking, mountain biking, golf on the Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course and scenic drives over the high passes.

Rooms and suites at The Chedi

The hotel has around 120 rooms and suites, many of them spacious, combining Alpine chalet warmth with Asian minimalism. Natural materials, dark timber, stone and leather are softened by plush textiles and subdued lighting, and almost every room has its own fireplace. Rooms and suites look out over the mountains and the valley.

The range includes Deluxe rooms, Grand Deluxe rooms, suites and expansive penthouse suites. Families are well catered for, with larger rooms and suites, and the hotel offers activities for children.

Facilities at The Chedi

The spa and health club covers around 2,400 square metres and is one of the hotel's showpieces. Its 35-metre indoor pool, lined with dark tiles and surrounded by glass, has spectacular views of the mountains, and there is also a heated outdoor pool, saunas, steam rooms, a fitness centre and treatment rooms offering Asian and Alpine-inspired therapies.

The Restaurant offers both European and Asian cuisine in an open kitchen setting, while The Japanese Restaurant, designed by SPIN Design Studio, serves acclaimed Japanese dishes and has won recognition from the major guides. A highlight is the five-metre-high glass cheese tower, filled with Swiss cheeses, and the cosy lounges, bar and library are perfect for evenings by the fire. Guests can also rent e-bikes in summer.

The mountain moment

The defining moment at The Chedi is the return from a day in the mountains: stepping out of the snow into the great lobby, with its fires blazing and lanterns glowing, then heading down to the indoor pool, swimming towards a wall of glass framing the snowy peaks. It is a sense of arrival and comfort unlike any other mountain hotel.

Beyond the hotel, a ride on the Glacier Express over the Oberalp Pass, through snowy high valleys and past frozen lakes, or a drive over the Furka Pass in summer, offer some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Switzerland.

Why The Chedi is one of the best mountain hotels

The Chedi Andermatt earns its place because it is one of the most original and atmospheric luxury hotels in the Alps. Its fusion of Alpine and Asian design, its superb spa and dining, and its location in the heart of Switzerland make it a destination in its own right.

Andermatt is still developing as a resort and has less traditional charm than older villages, and the ski area is not ski-in, ski-out from the hotel. But for design lovers, spa lovers and anyone looking for something genuinely different in the Alps, it is unforgettable.

When to go to The Chedi

Winter is the main season, with the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis usually open from around late November or December to April, and the Gemsstock's freeride terrain at its best after fresh snowfall in January and February. The Glacier Express runs year-round, and a winter ride over the snowy Oberalp Pass is spectacular. Summer, roughly June to September, brings golf, hiking, mountain biking and drives over the Furka, Gotthard and Oberalp passes, which are generally open only in the warmer months, so check pass opening dates before planning a road trip. Spring and autumn are quieter, ideal for a spa-focused break. To make the most of a stay, combine it with a journey on the Glacier Express, which passes through Andermatt, and allow time in the spa's 35-metre pool at the end of each day.