In the saturated and snow covered world of ski resorts, there are a few places you hear about repeatedly. Lech, St Anton, Morzine, Val Thorens, Meribel and Courchevel are all revered spots, famed for their good weather, great food and excellent slopes–but branch out from the norm and you'll be richly rewarded.
Paint the picture
Consider Switzerland's Arosa, for instance. It's a lesser-known ski resort buried in the middle of a national park and yet just two hours outside of Zurich. Currently the area is populated at the weekends and holidays by Swiss citizens and is yet to be bombarded with tourists from all over Europe. The resort itself offers an even spread of red and blue runs–indeed, you could ski the whole week without even leaving the blues. It's two hours from Zurich by car, or three via a train that winds around the mountains like something inside a snow globe.
Design notes
It is here that you will find Faern Arosa, newly renovated and ready to welcome guests. Revamped under new ownership, Faern Arosa Altein feels like the beating heart of this resort. It's home to 126 rooms and suites, each thoughtfully designed by Run for the Hills in dark green palettes mixed with soft wood and contemporary twists on the usual hotel layout. The building itself was a sanatorium, whose imposing and austere facade feels almost contradictory to the warmth of the inside. It was here, whilst looking after his wife Katia, that the author Thomas Mann wrote The Magic Mountain.
Why stay here
Whilst the hotel isn't technically ski-in-ski-out, it's a brisk five minute walk to the nearest chairlift that whips you up the mountain in no time. Strangely, the short distance between the hotel and the slopes feels almost ideal. Where some hotels revolve purely around the skiing, Faern feels like there is so much more on offer: you don't need to be a skiier to stay here.
Don't miss
Don't miss out on a trip to the ice bath, or Eis Badi. With a Wimhof style breathing class beforehand, you enter the water under the guide of two locals who practice ice bathing everyday. Sure, the water is around 0.7 degrees, but it's a way of connecting with the environment without skis, boots and all the gear. Book ahead to ensure a place in the sauna afterwards.
Food and drink
Faern offers two restaurants. Alpensand is the more upscale of the two, housed on the fifth floor of the hotel with panoramic views across the mountain range and lake. Here, guests - both in the hotel and of the town - can enjoy a more experimental menu. Downstairs, a more casual dining spot, offers a traditional a la carte menu.
If you're staying for a few nights, be sure to visit Guterschuppen - a contemporary and ambient restaurant inside an old train container - and Aifach, an exciting spot in town where the interiors are entirely built from pressure packed hay from the local area. Patrons will be given a set tasting menu, where the only choice you get is whether to go vegetarian or meat eating.
Spa and wellness credentials
Those returning from a long day of skiing will welcome the extensive spa facilities at Faern Arosa. Replete with a sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool and two large swimming pools (one has a lazy river), it's a charming place to unwind. Those with legs shot to pieces from the slopes might want to consider booking in for a massage too.
Faernarosa.com, Faern Arosa, Alteinstrasse 33, 7050 Arosa.
