8 Of The Most Amazing Mountain Hotels For A Sky-High Getaway
Some of life’s most tranquil moments unfold at a top-of-the-world vantage point. These sky-high stays offer rare silence and access to the planet’s dramatic peaks, whether you come to hike, ski or stare in awe. NATASHA BIRD chooses eight of the most mesmerizing mountain hotels in the world
Krallerhof, Austria
Nestled elegantly within the storybook peaks of the Austrian Alps, Krallerhof is a five-star design resort that balances alpine tradition with contemporary polish. The hotel’s 124 elegantly designed rooms and suites each give you the gift of floor-to-ceiling windows, to maximize the mountain views. In winter, the expansive Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski area welcomes everyone from first-timers to seasoned skiers and boarders. Come summer, the area is rich with hiking trails, forest-bathing experiences and the world-famous Bikepark Leogang for mountain bikers. Recovery is taken just as seriously: the award-winning Atmosphere spa offers regenerative Longevity and Biohacking retreats, cutting-edge wellness therapies, saunas with panoramic views and a sequence of swimming areas – including a natural bathing lake with an Olympic-sized infinity pool that juts out into the surrounding nature like a promenade stage.
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The ArcadiaPlace, Lugu Lake, China
For travelers who’ve done St. Moritz to death, The ArcadiaPlace offers a genuinely unique, high-altitude reset. Set at 2,960 meters above sea level on the glassy shores of Lugu Lake, deep in China’s dramatic Hengduan Mountains, this is an adventure for those ready to trade predictability for something more breathtaking. Designed by leading architect Yang Lu, the main building curves organically into the landscape, mirroring the contours of mountain and water rather than competing with them. As a member of Design Hotels, its aesthetic credentials are beyond question: a sculptural water-lily chandelier floats above the lobby, paying homage to the native flower; the main building boasts incredible floor-to-ceiling windows; there’s an infinity pool on the roof; and guestrooms feature custom-made furniture. A privileged few can also decamp to the resort’s luxury treehouses, for ultimate seclusion. Adding cultural gravitas, a standalone building houses China’s first museum dedicated to women artists, honoring the area’s matrilineal Mosuo society.
Six Senses Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Wellness is an unsurprising emphasis of the ultra-luxe, high-altitude Swiss chalet outpost of Six Senses, which sits in the Crans-Montana resort looking towards the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. In winter, it is a skier’s paradise with slopeside access on the Chetzeron red run and a position just above the main gondola. Visit in summer, and skis can be swapped for hiking boots, mountain bikes, horseback and golf clubs – there’s also a notable cultural scene with art galleries and music concerts. The phenomenal Six Senses Spa is the height of relaxation, with both an expansive indoor pool beneath a suspended timber ceiling and looking over a birch-lined courtyard, and an alfresco rooftop pool with an alpine garden, where guests can truly relish the revitalizing qualities of their surrounds.
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Flockhill, South Island, New Zealand
Set deep within the cinematic sweep of New Zealand’s high country, Flockhill isn’t so much a hotel, as an incredibly well-appointed, design-focused private estate. Guests can take over the four-bedroom Homestead, benefitting from both a personal chef and an attendant, where every room opens onto jaw-dropping views of Lake Pearson, Sugar Loaf, Purple Hill and the surrounding peaks. Alternatively, there are 14 ultra-private villas, planted within the 36,000 acres of mountainous terrain, each offering two king bedrooms and a sumptuous, shared lounge designed for long mornings and slow evenings staring at the view. There’s horseback riding, biking and helicopter excursions for the active, and for those wanting to stay put, Flockhill has a gorgeous new spa, which opened in late 2025. A private and deeply immersive space for those who value space, scale and silence.
Nayara Alto Atacama, Chile
This one is for true adventurists, though fear not, the hotel does have its own spa. Nayara Alto Atacama sits at the edge of one of the most extreme and awe-inducing landscapes on earth. The driest non-polar desert on the planet, the Atacama is an expanse of arid redness framed by the towering Andes Mountain range and offers guests the rare opportunity to roam through millions of years of exposed geological history. From moon-like expeditions through Valle de la Luna, navigating sculptural rock formations and jagged peaks, to stargazing under famously clear skies that have drawn the world’s leading observatories, this is a destination for elemental drama. The hotel itself is adjacent to the Cordillera de la Sal (volcanic salt mountains), with spacious rooms dressed in local, natural materials and the quiet soundtrack of the San Pedro River running nearby. Spend the days chasing horizons before retreating to a tranquil sanctuary and a lovingly prepared meal.
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Forestis Dolomites, Italy
Set in dense forest on the Plose massif, the serene Forestis is 1,800 meters above sea level and amid the Unesco World Heritage Site of the Dolomites and the wild South Tyrolean Alps. The panorama of snow-capped mountains looms beyond floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in the breathtaking vista. At the spa, guests can experience the healing benefits of the mountains, where an extensive treatment menu is based on natural, local ingredients and a program of outdoor physical pursuits. Meanwhile, the sky-skimming indoor and outdoor swimming pools make for the most peaceful places to soak in the surroundings.
Montage Big Sky, Montana, US
Set amid the Spanish Peaks and less than an hour from Yellowstone National Park, Montage Big Sky occupies a remarkable wilderness – along with ski-in/ski-out access to world-famous slopes of Big Sky Resort. The sprawling wood, stone and glass structure mirrors the impressive mountains of its surroundings, while the interiors balance sumptuous, timeless charm with sleek contemporary furnishings. Guests stay in rooms, suites or residences, with the latter offering the most private and capacious of the grand lodgings. The Montage Residences are particularly scenic thanks to their lofty perches, as well as boasting numerous fireplaces, saunas, outdoor tubs on balconies, with the cocktail lounge, spa (taking no less than 10,000sq ft), and delectable handful of restaurants nearby.
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Gangtey Lodge, Bhutan
With a sweeping position high above the Phobjikha Valley, Gangtey Lodge gives an unparalleled panorama of the majestic scenery that blesses Bhutan – from thickly forested Himalayan mountains to rolling hills punctuated with farmhouses and the 17th-century monastery, Gangtey Geonpa. This small and beautiful hotel celebrates Bhutanese style and artwork across its suites and lodge, with local artists and masons creating murals and carvings to adorn the walls, taking inspiration from the undulating valley landscape. And at the end of a day of exploring the extraordinary nature and rich cultural heritage, a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath, backdropped by the golden-hour peaks beyond, is the most magical way to unwind.















