Looking for a quiet getaway with crisp mountain air and sweeping alpine vistas? How about incorporating a night or two at a mountain hotel? Since Thomas Cook took his first intrepid group of Victorian tourists up into the mountains of Switzerland, there has been a demand for accommodation above the clouds. Many of the below list of hotels actually sit at the top station of Switzerland’s world-famous mountain railways. All of them offer fabulous views over the surrounding peaks – as well as the magical opportunity to explore once the cableways and trains which bring day trippers up the mountain have stopped for the night.

You can add nights in any of the below hotels to a Switzerland Rail Holiday. Just give us a call on 020 3322 7741 or drop us an email to tailor make your trip.

Hotel Pilatus Kulm

Closest destination: Lucerne

Sunset from Mount Pilatus @ TMR

Opened in 1890, a year after the completion of the Pilatus Railway, the 4* Hotel Pilatus Kulm is located at a height of 6,995 feet above sea level. It’s only accessible via the railway or the ‘Dragon Ride’ cable car on the other side of the mountain – which means that, once these shut for the night, you have the area completely to yourself. You can capture the jaw-dropping sunset with only your fellow guests for company, enjoy a delicious dinner and lounge over breakfast with a view before returning back to ground level when everyone else is just starting to arrive. 

How to get there: Lucerne to Alpnachstadt (on a local train) then catch the world’s steepest cog railway up to the peak of Mount Pilatus. Guests often return via the cableway down to Kriens and then a bus back to Lucerne.

Rifflehaus 1853

Closest destination: Zermatt

Another historic mountain hotel, this alpine retreat was built before the arrival of the Gornergrat railway, with the building materials hauled up to the site by mules. It was only the second hotel built in Zermatt and was originally intended as lodging for mountain climbers, but once the railway had arrived in 1898, it became more of a tourist hotel, without losing its pioneering charm. Apart from the sweeping views here, it’s one of the closest spots you can stay to the unmistakable peak of the Matterhorn.

How to get there: Zermatt – Gornergrat Bahn. Open Dec – April and June – September. 

Romantik Hotel Muottas Moragl

Closest destination: St Moritz

This lovely boutique hotel sits at the top of a funicular in the beautiful Engadin region of Switzerland. At 8,058 feet above sea level, you would expect the views to be pretty spectacular, but the 16 bedrooms do not disappoint and the lovely restaurant overlooks the valley with soaring peaks, glacial lakes and distant St Moritz all on the menu. There’s also a highly recommended 2-hour walk from here (in the summer) along the stunning ‘Panorama Weg’ to another cable way which will take you down into the valley. 

How to get there: Bus from central St Moritz to Punt Muragl and onward funicular up to the hotel. 

Hotel Alp Grum

Closest Destination: Alp Grum (station along the Bernina Express line)

This hotel sits on the platform at a stop along the Bernina Express line. If you wanted to stay here, you would need to catch a regional train (which occasionally has open-top carriages in the summer season!) as the Bernina Express itself doesn’t make a formal stop. This is more of an informal mountain auberge than a hotel but the views from the restaurant/ bar terrace are stunning and it’s a great base for hikes in the area.

How to get there: From Chur, St Moritz or Tirano, take a regional train along the route of the Bernina Express. 

Hotel Alpenruh, Mürren

Closest Destination: Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald

Located at 5,374 feet above sea level, the Hotel Alpenruh combines the wonderful mountain scenery of the Bernese Oberland with the convenience of a pretty village (Mürren) where there are plenty of alternative options for having a drink or dining out. This is one of a few available hotels accessible via the cable car from Stechelberg – along the series of cable ways which lead ultimately to the top of the Schilthorn at 9,744 feet.

How to get there: You can take a bus from Lauterbrunnen station to Stechelberg where the cable cars up to Mürren and Schilthorn begin. Buses run regularly from outside the station. 

Hotel Rigi Kaltbad

Closest Destination: Lucerne

The Hotel Rigi Kaltbad opened on Mount Rigi in 1868, complete with 240 bedrooms, a salon for social gatherings, a womens’ room and a music salon. Sadly a huge fire completely destroyed it in the 1960s and it wasn’t reopened again until 2012. The upside of this is that the hotel now offers a world-class spa area with an indoor and outdoor pool overlooking the surrounding peaks. Getting here is a joy too – with a boat ride from Lucerne (the pier opposite the station) and then one of Switzerland’s oldest mountain railway from Vitznau up to Rigi Kaltbad First. If you continue your journey on the funicular, you reach Rigi Kulm at 5,748 feet above sea level.

How to get there: The hotel is a 2-minute walk from the funicular

Le Mirador

Closest Destination: Vevey or Montreux 

This one isn’t technically a mountain hotel – except for the fabulous views! However, it’s a luxurious hotel option on Le Mont-Pèlerin, accessible via funicular from Vevey. The hotel offers gourmet cuisine, a luxurious Givenchy Spa with an indoor swimming pool and bedrooms with balconies overlooking the lake. Rooms here are probably the highest price of any on this list, but for a special occasion, it may well be worth it!

How to get there: Catch the Le Mont-Pèlerin funicular train from Vevey. The hotel is a 2-minute walk from the station.

Hotel UTO KULM

Closest Destination: Zurich

For something completely different, how about a mountain stay just outside a global city! Zurich’s own mountain, the Uetliberg, boasts accommodation on its peak with panoramic views over the surrounding area. Take the Uetliberg railway direct from the centre of town and enjoy a city break from a different perspective!

Further reading: Check out our handy guide to Swiss Mountain Railways or visit our dedicated Glacier Express and Bernina Express Holiday pages.