These 3 accommodations offer you a very special winter experience

Sporty winter days in a tiny home directly on the cross-country ski trail or would you prefer a romantic break in a remote mountain inn? I have once again scouted out a few exciting accommodations this winter season and would like to introduce you to three places in this post that could not be more different. What they have in common is that they offer an unforgettable winter experience – each in its own way.

Located directly on the cross-country ski trail, the Tiny Home

If a campsite is located directly on the cross-country ski trail, then it is actually obvious to offer winter camping here as well, Nicole thought when she took over the management of the nature camping Viva near Sedrun at the beginning of 2020. I can only agree with her after our flying visit at the beginning of February! The perfect location to hone my skating skills!

The campsite, which is close to nature, on the outskirts of the village of Rueras, includes a small company building with a family-run restaurant and sanitary facilities, as well as an open area where there are five lovingly equipped tiny homes in addition to the pitches for campers. And it was precisely in one of these Tiny Homes – the Tiny Home Flurina – that we were able to enjoy a sporty and enjoyable winter weekend.

«Flurina» amazes with a sophisticated interior design including a well-equipped kitchen, a wood-burning stove, a comfortable double bed (+ sofa) and sufficient storage space. The furnishing of the 17.5^m2 floor area has been thought out down to the smallest detail. The electricity comes from the solar panels on the roof, the water is obtained from a self-filled water tank and instead of the short walk to the sanitary facilities, you could also use the composting toilet in the tiny home.

But we didn’t really use the pretty little kitchen for much more than making coffee, because the team of Naturcamping Viva has fine soups, platters and cakes on offer from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and serves homemade regional dishes on Friday and Saturday evenings by appointment.

Winter season: 16 December to 26 March
Price: Tiny Homes bookable from 2 nights from 256 CHF
Further information: Naturcamping Viva
Extra tip: with the guest card included in the price of accommodation you can use the cross-country ski trails free of charge

The award-winning historic mountain inn

For more than 20 years, the ICOMOS Suisse regional group has annually selected a historic hotel and/or restaurant of the year. With the Ortstockhaus Braunwald, a rather unconventional hotel building was honored this year. Located at 1,772 m above sea level, the mountain inn is more comparable to a SAC hut in terms of standard.

The reasons for this award? Built in 1931 by the Glarus architect Hans Leuzinger, the Ortstockhaus is now considered a pioneer building of Swiss mountain modernism. In the recent past, the Ortstockhaus has been renovated in close cooperation with the monument preservation department. Where possible, the original condition has been left or restored. The result: a homely hut ambience with surprising comfort (the toilets and showers are really nicely done!).

The total of 27 beds is divided into 3 two-bed, 1 triple, 2 four-bed and 2 five-bed rooms. In winter, the Ortstockhaus can be reached either via the ski slopes or via the panoramic winter hiking trail. For the direct ascent from Grotzenbüel, a good 45 minutes are to be calculated. In case of fresh snow, it is worth taking snowshoes with you.

In addition to the cozy hut feeling, you can look forward to a delicious dinner during a detour to the Orstockhaus. During our visit, we had a “tasty” beetroot salad, a warming curry-carrot soup and the very best homemade Knöpfli!

Winter season: 17 December to 19 March
Price: Adults 110 CHF incl. half board
Further information: Ortstockhaus Braunwald

The hideaway in the middle of the ski area

The detour to the Berghuus Radons near Savognin has been on my bucket list for a long time. At the beginning of this winter season, a suitable time window has finally emerged to visit the stylish hideaway. The hotel was reopened as a boutique hotel at the end of 2020 after a total renovation. While in the summer months a road leads up to the mountain pasture village of Radons, in winter at the latest in Tigignas it is “over”. From here you can either follow the Somtgant panorama trail uphill for a good 4.5 kilometres, or be chauffeured to the Berghuus by snowmobile.

My expectations were not disappointed. Rustic reclaimed wood, high-quality bedding and luxurious touches such as turndown service. For the overnight guests in the total of 12 double rooms there is also a sauna area available. Which, I have to admit, I didn’t even look at, because it was just too comfortable for us in front of the blazing fireplace.

What I find particularly attractive about Berghuus Radons is that, despite the seclusion and tranquillity, you can enjoy direct access to the Savognin ski area.

Winter season: open
all day Price: Double room from 375 CHF (incl. transfer from Tigignas)
More information: Berghuus Radons

You can find even more tips for varied winter excursions or recommended short breaks in this article: 33 ideas for a great winter trip

Note: in the Tiny Home Flurina we were allowed to test sleep at the invitation of the nature camping Viva. We organized the other two stays ourselves and also paid for them out of our own wallets.