Living in New York City, I don’t drive very often, so it remains a novelty for me. With that in mind, I opted to drive myself through the Alps on a lengthy journey—a two-week visit with an ambitious itinerary: back-to-back weekends spent St. Moritz, interspersed with stops in Gstaad, Zurich, and Andermatt. It all began in a bleary-eyed way following a red-eye to Milan. Here, I picked up my rental car from Sixt, which offers a more polished fleet of cars than your average Hertz or Alamo, and hit the road in an Audi station wagon packed to the hilt with my very hefty—and very impractical—winter wardrobe. While many of my friends pride themselves on never checking a bag, I’ve succumbed to the fact that I do not travel light, and having the car on hand made lugging my luggage fairly easy, versus navigating the Swiss train system with 3 trolleys in tow. If you don’t want to spend your time behind the wheel, the Bernina or Glacier Express from Zurich to St. Moritz offer incredible views and, if timed correctly, an exceptional dining car.
ST. MORITZ
My first stop was St. Moritz, a reasonable 2.5 hour drive from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, part of which stretches through the Julier Pass, one of the country’s most scenic roads that often experiences its own microcosm of weather conditions. On this bluebird day, the drive was a breeze, but the following weekend a near white-out meant a long snaking line of cars moving at a glacial pace. Despite any extra hurdles, the journey is always worth it, thanks to some of my favorite spots in town.
Badrutt’s Palace: The hub for most social activity in town, where the lobby is often bustling with activity at any hour of the day. Opened in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt, the hotel still maintains the same “grand-tour era” charm in its common areas, while her rooms—including the four-bedroom penthouse suite located in the building’s turret—are updated with all of the bells and whistles one expects from a luxury hotel stay. My favorite touch was the digital clock set into the mirror, a tactful tool when getting ready for a night out.
Chesa Veglia: Also owned by Badrutt’s Palace and located across the street from the hotel is Chesa Veglia, a former farmhouse that now houses three restaurants, including the pizzeria, a difficult reservation to snag. However, my favorite spot is the Polo Bar (no Ralph Lauren affiliation!). Housed in what once served as the farmhouse oven, it’s now home to the memorabilia and trophies from past years of the Snow Polo World Championship, and perhaps the best spot in town for a cocktail lovingly made by expert barman, Luciano.
The Cresta Run: The death-defying ice track where those crazy enough—many of them long-standing members—head down the course face-first on a wooden toboggan. It’s presided over by a clubhouse, where race times are posted and the bull shot remains a favorite cocktail.
Sunny Bar: Housed inside the Kulm Hotel, the Sunny Bar is a lunch club of sorts for members of The Cresta, but at night is transformed into a Peruvian restaurant helmed by Chef Claudia Canessa, which is often a welcome break from fondue and veal.
The Olympia Bob Run: Located a stone’s throw from the Cresta is the oldest bobsleigh track in the world. Opened in 1904, the track played host to the bobsleigh events in the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics. Today, visitors can experience a ride down the track guided by a seasoned pilot.
The Suvretta House: Set away from downtown St. Moritz is the Suvretta House, which remains a beautiful relic of a bygone era in hospitality. It was here that I had a Beef Wellington so well made I may or may not have shed a tear, and where every facet of a guest’s stay down to the dry cleaning is done with care.
Muottas Muragl: Reachable by funicular, Muottas Muragl is the perfect spot for a long lunch spent watching the paragliders take off from the mountain peaks and taking sun in one of the striped cabana chairs.
Café Belmont: Owned and operated by the dashing year-round St. Moritzer, Silvano Vitalini, Café Belmont is favored by locals for its morning coffee service and evening happy hour where they come together at the end of the day to trade war stories of tourists like you and me.
The Grand Hotel Kronenhof: Located in nearby Pontresina, this sister hotel to The Kulm recently underwent an interior redesign of the lobby and two bars, though the hotel’s skating rink restaurant, Le Pavillon, remains a favorite for me.
Ebneter & Biel: A sleeper hit of a store where Apenzeller belts can be purchased for a reasonable $100-150, depending on the size and style of buckle.
The Dracula Club: A private member’s club where photos are forbidden, but most good nights end here on the dance floor, under the glow of a garlic-shaped disco ball. You’ll need to cozy up to someone with an in to access it.
GSTAAD
The crowds in Gstaad and St. Moritz don’t often mix. While Gstaad attracts a largely French crowd, St. Moritz leans more Italian. The journey between the two is not easy either, calling for a whopping 5 hours of road time, most of which is spent on highways. But for the last hour or so, the drive routes through several one-road, idyllic towns worth stopping into for a snack or break to take in the scenery. This marked my first visit to Gstaad, though its in-your-face ultra-luxe reputation precedes itself, and it was delivered in spades during my two nights there. A few friends served as my impromptu guides, directing me on where and where not to go. Among my favorites…
Gstaad Palace: Like Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz, Gstaad Palace is the hub for the town. Its lobby (which includes a bar decorated with a staggering collection of matchbooks) is a hive of activity which makes for A+ people watching, from octogenarians with tiny dogs to students from the nearby private school, Le Rosay, splurging on lunch off-campus. Away from the lobby, though, are the true standout facets of the property, including a wellness center and spa that would feel right at home in Los Angeles, a subterranean disco known to rollick on until daylight, and another five restaurants. It’s the sort of property you don’t have to leave if you’re not compelled to, but of course I ventured into town several times to explore.
Wally’s: My favorite find was Wally’s, a fun and completely unexpected stalwart of the tony town serving up hamburgers and hot dogs from a small service window. Here, all walks of life mix seamlessly, proof that no one can resist a good burger and fries.
Hotel Olden: A more pared-down hotel option in the town center, where the Alpine architecture and interiors shine. Here, the café and bar are a frequent meeting point for locals to gossip and people watch.
ZURICH
The route in and out of Zurich takes you along the lake, making for fantastic views and several opportunities to stop off (which is how I stumbled upon Frohe Aussicht Oberrieden, mentioned below), but one should keep in mind that the rush hour in and out of the city can add a good chunk of time to your journey, and street parking in scarce. My one night in Zurich served as a miniature layover before visiting the Victorinox factory in Ibach, Switzerland, but in just 24 hours I was able to experience a few standouts…
Le Bijou LQ82 Limmat: I haven’t used AirBnb in a bit, but some sort of pharmaceutical conference seemed to have taken up all of the hotel rooms—though the Dolder Grand, Baur au Lac and Eden au Lac are all worthy of a visit, even just for a drink. Instead, I took a chance at booking Le Bijou, which turned out to be a true hidden gem. The two-bedroom apartment features all the benefits of a hotel stay, as well as a terrace, a full kitchen, and an unbeatable location on the bank of the Limmat River, all for about half the price of a hotel room. Best of all, check in and check out are automated using a keypad.
Pelikamo: A menswear destination where we wound up hosting an impromptu celebration of Robert Spangle’s Afghan Style. The shop’s husband-and-wife owners, Sebastiaan Vadasz and Mia Zeltner, have an exacting eye when it comes to producing suiting, knitwear, footwear and just about anything else a guy might need. This also includes a 3-liter bottle of pre-batched Negronis, made using all-Swiss ingredients.
Kronenhalle: Come for the art, but stay for the schnitzel. A meal at Kronenhalle demands a full evening, starting with a cocktail in the adjacent wood-paneled bar and ending with a fluffy helping of chocolate mousse, all while surrounded by blue-chip artworks from the likes of Miró, Chagall and Braque.
Frohe Aussicht Oberrieden: Located on a hillside overlooking Lake Zurich, about 20 minutes from downtown Zurich, this restaurant was a complete fluke of a find when I impulsively took an exit off the highway to find lunch. It’s a small jewel box eatery with a sweeping views of the lake, and a menu of daily specialties like a curry bisque and a mushroom and fig ravioli.
ANDERMATT
My final stop in Switzerland was Andermatt, where I headed following the St. Moritz Snow Polo weekend of non-stop festivities. The drive between the two takes about 3 hours, and ends in the 10-mile-long Gotthard Road Tunnel that really drives home the feeling that you’re entering a sort of Bond Villain lair. In fact, the town was once a secretive military hub where a whopping 6 minutes of James Bond’s Goldfinger was filmed in 1964. Now, it’s home to the strikingly modern, Japanese-influenced Chedi Andermatt Hotel and not much else, which I found to be a nice change of pace as there was no pressure to make this a whistle-stop tour of sights. Though the property does offer a slew of typical Swiss dishes and an impressive glass “cheese tower” room full of just about every cheese known to man, I opted to treat my time there as a cleanse of sorts after ten days of excess. This included ample time spent in the pool and spa, full of Tata Harper products, and a Japanese bento-box lunch, enjoyed in one of the hotel’s restaurants, reachable by gondola.
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