6 Best Hotels in Davos, Graubünden

A welcome ultramodern hotel in a sea of older-style accommodations, the AlpenGold, near the edge of Lake Davos at the northern end of town, boasts a distinctive "cone"-shape facade on the outside and a sophisticated, streamlined design on the inside. Contemporary rooms feature neutral tones with pops of color, and all have balconies with views to either the mountains or the town; large bathrooms include both shower and tub. You can choose between dining at the in-house Swiss or Italian restaurant, or enjoying a tasting menu of small bites in the trendy rooftop eatery. Light meals are also served in the lounge bar, which has an outdoor terrace with beautiful views. The lovely 12,917-square-foot Spa Nescens—the largest in Davos—has both indoor and outdoor pools and all manner of therapies. While you're being pampered, spoil the kids and teens at clubs designed just for them; the teens' club even includes a mini cinema.

About 950 feet above town on a quiet, car-free slope, this magnificent, if a tad faded, hotel will transport you back to the grand spa days of Davos. Once used as a sanatorium, the hotel's public spaces are now decorated in elegant belle epoque style; the guest rooms are a lot more simple, with basic furnishings and no TVs. Described in Mann's The Magic Mountain, the vast hotel has grounds to match, with fun features like a long hillside slide in summer and a 2½-km (1½-mile) sled run in winter. All south-facing guest rooms have balconies overlooking the looming mountain range. Spend summer afternoons visiting the hotel's botanical garden, or relax in the three sauna and steam rooms. The hotel is accessible only by its own funicular, the Schatzalp-Bahn, a four-minute ride from Davos-Platz near the Hotel Europe.

All rooms have balconies at this contemporary (if somewhat generic) hotel that caters to all tastes with an Italian restaurant and a pleasant spa with a pool and a gym. Wood-panel rooms have cozy faux-fur blankets on the beds and bursts of red or green on the headboards; the "comfort room" level and up includes free minibars and pillow menus. The in-house Italian restaurant Bacio Della Mamma specializes in Roman-style pizza along with antipasti, pastas, and various meat dishes; there’s also a fondue restaurant, Cervolino, in winter. In the basement, you’ll find the 850-square-meter (9,150-square-foot) 4 Elements Spa Centre, which includes a pool, saunas, steam bath, experience showers, and a relaxation area, plus treatments by appointment; there’s also a well-equipped 24-hour gym.

This striking red building exudes a mysterious pull: inside, the walls are brightened by lively abstract paintings created by the owner, and the guest rooms are little works of art unto themselves. Creative, freewheeling, relaxing, these rooms are fully functional, with little minimalist touches here and there—an ensemble of stones in an alcove, for example. Even better, they're among the least expensive rooms in town. The restaurant, open only in the winter, serves up Swiss and Asian specialties. 

In a typical chalet-style building, this hotel is perfectly located right by the children's and beginners' slope, and the cross-country ski track; in addition, the Parsenn funicular is only a few minutes' walk away. Guest rooms in the main building are small, and some have showers instead of a tub. Larger, more expensive rooms are in an annex, connected to the hotel by an underground passage, where you will also find the spa including saunas, a steam room, and a relaxation area, along with a fitness room. There's also a good-size garden with a children's play area and large sun terrace.

For an appealing mix of traditional and modern in a central city location, the Hotel Belvédère provides old-fashioned Swiss charm in its woodsy guest rooms and a more contemporary look in its inviting public spaces. The enormous white building is conveniently above the main street, though a handy shuttle service also takes guests to and from the train station. Guest rooms are decorated in warm tones; all rooms at the front of the hotel have south-facing balconies with town and mountain views. The bar and lounge area, with beautiful carved ceilings, has thoroughly modern and comfy furniture and a cozy fireplace that invites lingering; the formal restaurant, which serves international cuisine, has been spruced up with hip lighting and cool colors, but retains its elegant character. If it's cold outside, the murals of tropical birds and plants around the indoor pool provide a comforting illusion.