Hotel Gstaad and the Saanenland
Ten villages, one region. Where you truly arrive in the Saanenland.
Gstaad is a whole region
Saying Gstaad usually means more than the place itself. The Gstaad holiday region, the Saanenland, consists of ten chalet villages, all connected by the same mountain railway and hiking network. Each village has its own character, from lively Gstaad to the quiet mountain village of Lauenen.
This page gives an overview of the ten villages, the seasons and two personally run hotels in the region
The ten chalet villages of the Saanenland
Gstaad
The best-known place in the valley, with its car-free promenade, boutiques and restaurants. Central and a good starting point for the whole region.
Schönried-Gstaad (1230 m)
Schönried-Gstaad lies on the sunny terrace of the region, a village for those who enjoy good living as well as winter and summer sports. From the village centre a mountain railway serves the Horneggli, and in winter the way leads directly into the largest ski sector of the region.
- Largest ski area of the region with 105 km of slopes
- 18 km of cross-country trails of all levels
- High-altitude hiking trails and tennis court
- Home village of downhill winner Bruno Kernen, whose family runs the Hotel Kernen and the Hotel Des Alpes
Saanenmöser-Gstaad (1270 m)
Sunny Saanenmöser-Gstaad lies on the pass connecting Zweisimmen and Saanen. From the village centre, mountain railways serve the largest ski area of the region in winter. A few minutes above lies the Gstaad golf course.
- Direct access to the largest ski area of the region
- Gstaad golf course nearby
- Numerous activities for winter and summer sports
- Location of the Hotel Des Alpes of the Bruno Kernen family, right by the station. Its restaurant combines Swiss cuisine with a Brazilian influence and is open to external guests too.
Saanen (1010 m)
Saanen is the historic heart of the Saanenland and one of the most beautiful chalet villages of the Bernese Oberland. The village is listed in the inventory of Swiss heritage sites worthy of protection. Tradition, craftsmanship and history shape its charm, and here runs the language border to French-speaking Switzerland.
Lauenen (1241 m)
A romantic mountain village with old wooden houses and a beautiful church. The nature reserve at Lake Lauenen offers waterfalls, glaciers and high moors. The lake is considered a place of power, and the band Span dedicated a well-known Swiss song to it.
Turbach (1320 m)
An idyllic side valley of Gstaad, with summer and winter hikes, bike routes and cross-country trails. Opposite lies the famous Tiger Run at the Wasserngrat, the exclusive ski mountain of Gstaad. Gstaad is reachable in a few minutes.
Feutersoey (1185 m)
This small village belongs to the municipality of Gsteig and lies on the Saane between Gstaad and the Col du Pillon. The surroundings offer lakes and fine hiking areas. In winter a starting point for ski tours, in summer for demanding mountain-bike routes.
Gsteig (1200 m)
The heritage-protected village lies at the Col du Pillon, framed by the Diablerets massif. The church and the neighbouring Hotel Bären form one of the most photographed built landscapes in Switzerland.
Abländschen (1320 m)
An idyllic small chalet village of the municipality of Saanen, dominated by the limestone pillars of the Gastlosen range. Popular with hikers, bikers and climbers.
Zweisimmen (945 m)
The eastern gateway to the Gstaad region and entrance to the largest ski sector. Zweisimmen shares attractive hiking areas with the Saanenland and offers a traffic-calmed centre with shops, a medieval church quarter and a castle trail.
Gstaad through the seasons
Winter
Extensive ski areas connected in the Gstaad ski space, plus cross-country skiing, winter hiking and sledging. Schönried-Gstaad and Saanenmöser-Gstaad are closer to the lifts and snow-sure.
Summer
Hiking trails, mountain lakes, alpine farms and cycling routes. In summer the Saanenland shows its calm, green side.
Spring and autumn
The quiet in-between seasons have their own appeal. Less bustle, clear air, fair prices. A good time to get to know the valley in peace.
Two personally run hotels
Gstaad has many hotels, from grand hotel to guesthouse. Two family-run houses belong to the family of downhill winner Bruno Kernen, who comes from Schönried-Gstaad.
Hotel Kernen in Schönried-Gstaad
In the heart of Schönried-Gstaad, grown from the old Hotel Bahnhof, the Bahnhöfli. A personally run house with restaurant and down-to-earth hospitality.
→ More on the Hotel Kernen: www.hotel-kernen.ch
Hotel Des Alpes in Saanenmöser-Gstaad
A few minutes away in Saanenmöser-Gstaad, run by Dudu Kernen, the wife of Bruno Kernen, with her sister Zazá Innecco. A warm house, right by the ski lifts and hiking trails.
→ More on the Hotel Des Alpes: www.desalpes.ch
Bruno Kernen, a Gstaad name
The Saanenland is also its ski history. Bruno Kernen, who grew up in Schönried-Gstaad, won the downhill of Kitzbühel on the Streif in 1983. His family then ran the Hotel Bahnhof in Schönried-Gstaad, the Bahnhöfli. Today the Hotel Kernen stands there.
→ More on Bruno Kernen: www.bruno-kernen.ch
