DEPARTURES

ALPINE ALLURE

At Crans Ambassador in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana, chalet-style luxury meets year-round adventure with sweeping Alpine views, a world-class spa, Nikkei dining, and ski-in access to one of Europe’s most dynamic mountain resorts.

JESSICA HALL

There are few places in the world where the seasons shift not as a limitation but as an invitation, and Crans Ambassador in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana is one of them. Perched above the Rhône Valley, this glass-clad chalet hotel frames the Alps like a living artwork with 18 peaks soaring above 4,000 meters from the iconic Matterhorn to the snow-draped crown of Mont Blanc. The views alone are a reason to come, but the lifestyle ensures you will stay.

Inside, the 57 rooms and suites lean into alpine warmth, with wood, stone, and amber tones softened by generous light. At its heart, a vast terrace pulses with life. Firepits glow in winter as skiers return from the slopes, while in summer it hums with live music and mountain sunsets that linger late into the night. It is the hotel’s pièce de résistance, the place where every day begins and ends in the embrace of the Alps.

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True to the pedigree of Michel Reybier Hospitality, which also includes La Réserve Genève, Crans Ambassador makes wellness as central as skiing. The 1,300-square-meter Spa Nescens dazzles with a heated indoor pool overlooking the peaks, a sauna and fitness suite, and treatments designed for anti-aging, recovery, and post-sport relief. Here, even the youngest guests are indulged with facials and massages tailored for children and teens that ensure spa culture is woven into every generation.

Dining elevates the experience further. At La Muña, Nikkei flavors of Peru and Japan mingle in dishes that surprise and delight. Le Carnotzet is a love letter to Swiss heritage where fondue and raclette become culinary theatre. Le Lounge delivers relaxed brasserie fare, while Le Bar and La Terrasse provide lighter plates and expertly crafted libations to pair with mountain air and unbeatable vistas.

Beyond the hotel, Crans-Montana itself offers a calendar worthy of any cosmopolitan jetsetter. In winter, 85 miles of ski terrain unfurl across glaciers and valleys with lifts just 160 yards from the hotel’s door, ideal for families headed to ski school or adventurers eager for off-piste thrills. In summer, the stage shifts to golf at Crans-sur-Sierre, a bucket-list course home to the Omega European Masters, or to high-altitude wakeboarding and lake swims under sapphire skies. Hiking, cycling, fishing, and dog-sledding add to a portfolio of experiences as diverse as the guests themselves.

The future is equally enticing. With Vail Resorts’ 2025 acquisition of Crans-Montana Mountain Resort and plans to invest CHF 30 million in gastronomy and snowmaking, skiers can expect even greater comforts on and off the slopes. And with the World Ski Championships arriving in 2027, the destination is firmly set on the world stage where competition, culture, and camaraderie converge.

Whether you arrive with skis or sandals, Crans Ambassador is more than a hotel. It is a vantage point onto the best of Switzerland and a sanctuary where the Alps themselves become part of your story.