Alpine authenticity in Switzerland's Gstaad

In the Swiss mountain resort of Gstaad there is almost one cow to every local – around 7,000. Indeed, over breakfast with Gstaad Saanenland Tourism’s Antje Buchs, I learned the importance that villagers place on bovine creatures.

“One farmer wanted to do more with his herd, so he created a restaurant – Michel’s Stallbeizli – with a glass wall so diners could see exactly where their fondue came from,” she explained.

While the main draws for visitors to the resort are its leisure activities – skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and hiking, biking and golf in summer – gastronomy also holds its own. The resort is home to four Michelin-starred restaurants and boasts 229 Gault&Millau points across 15 restaurants. Yet, Buchs added, there are traditional eateries serving up local Swiss mountain cuisine too.

“The USP of Gstaad is Alpine authenticity,” she said. “It’s not made for tourists and the everyday life of locals is very much on show.”

Buchs added that its tagline, “Come Up & Slow Down”, refers to the relaxed pace of life, away from everyday stress, that visitors can enjoy.

And there are now even more places to wind down, with two new hotels having launched this year. The Huus is a superior four-star property that offers add-ons such as ski rental, ski guiding and hiking included in the price; the Ultima is a five-star boutique property with just 17 suites. The owners are under 30 years old themselves so it caters to a young, wealthy audience and is the only five-star hotel in the resort to open year-round.

“The goal of Gstaad’s hotels and the tourist board is to attract younger guests now,” said Buchs.

There is plenty to keep that younger generation occupied too. With some 140 miles of ski runs, the Glacier 3000 area with a vertiginous suspension bridge offering panoramic views, 186 miles of hiking trails and 90-odd miles of cycling routes, there is something to suit all active types. Also, eight of the resort’s hotels offer full spa and wellness facilities, which non-residents can use on a day package. Le Grand Bellevue, one of the region’s largest spas, is being revamped and is due to reopen this summer.

For mountain resorts, shoulder season can be a harder sell and Buchs cited an events programme that aims to offer reasons to visit outside peak times, including the Gstaad Menuhin Festival with up to 60 classical concerts and the Swatch Beach Volleyball Major Series.

It may be a resort where local life is leisurely, but visitors can be as busy as they want to be. And they needn’t worry about a lack of dairy products – there are more than enough cows to go round.