Ski Chalets in Davos, Switzerland
Switzerland

Resort Davos Resort Davos Resort Davos Resort Davos

Description

Davos is a spa town that has a life beyond skiing. Each winter it receives worldwide exposure when global movers and shakers, along with a small army of protesters, gather for the World Economic Forum. While the world leaders are airing their predictions in the conference centre, skiers and riders are just as importantly engaged on the mighty mountain above.

The Parsenn is the largest and the most famous - but not the only - ski area. Jakobshorn, reached from Davos Platz, is the popular with snowboarders. It has two half-pipes, a snowcross course, and night-riding. The outlying areas of Pischa and Rinerhorn are both worth visiting when the Parsenn is crowded during peak weeks of the season.

However, the Parsenn is the main course. Take the recently-rebuilt first stage of the Parsennbahn funicular from Davos Dorf, followed by the six-person chair to the Weissfluhjoch for the start of the first run of the day. The alternative slow second stage of the train has yet to be refurbished and should be avoided. From Weissfluhjoch a short cable-car also takes you up a further 180m vertical to the 2844m Weissfluhgipfel, the highest point in the area. A network of lifts and mainly intermediate runs stretches across the mountainside to Klosters. All the different lift companies in the area are now amalgamated and one electronic pass serves the whole region.

In the right snow conditions off-piste opportunities abound and this is a great area for ski touring. Conan Doyle wrote vividly of crossing the Maienfeld Furka Pass to Arosa, and you can follow in his tracks if you are prepared for a four-hour climb and a three-hour train journey home again. Davos is also big on cross-country skiing with 75km of trails at Jakobshorn as well as in the Dischma and Sertig valleys. Shopping is a major après-ski activity with a wide range of shops as befits a rich town of this international calibre.


Getting There


When to Go


Where to Stay



Getting around


Apres

Apres ski in Davos offers pretty much everything, from relaxed bars that you can enjoy a few beers in to lively pubs with bands or DJ’s, piano lounges, cocktail bars and nightclubs that are open well into the night – there is even a casino for those who fancy a flutter!

The Borgen Platz in the centre of Davos is home to a number of restaurants and some excellent bars which get very lively from tea time onwards. There is a halfpipe just over the road that makes the whole area perfect for watching big-air jumps, and a few falls! There is a DJ or live music most evenings here too, so if you’re looking for an upbeat end to your day look no further.

If you want to start the party a little bit earlier then the Jatzhutte on the Jakobshorn kicks off from 2.30 in the afternoon! Try and make sure you don’t have too many beers though as you’ll still have almost 1000m of vertical descent to deal with and the Swiss are pretty strict on people skiing under the influence of alcohol. Expect live music, drinking and dancing from around 3pm! Many of the tandem paragliders also take off from just outside the hut so you can get some excellent photos of friends and family here whilst relaxing with a glass of wine.

The Totalp Snow Bar (Schneebar) is right next to the chairlift that it is named after and offers both a warm sanctuary from any storms that have blown in as well as a sun drenched outside bar for catching a few rays. There are often live music and fancy dress events for St Patricks day and Mardi Gras held here too!

The Zino Cigar lounge is in the Grischa hotel and offers an old school style après-ski atmosphere for those who want to relax in a leather armchair with a Montecristo – it’s strictly for adults only and you won’t find any seasonnaires here, but for many people that will be the draw.

Another bar that is definitely aimed at clientele with a few extra CHFs in their pocket is the Postli Bar in the Pose Hotel. Here you can enjoy table service, complementary nuts and the company of fellow skiers enjoying a Kir Royale. No loud music and definitely no ski boots allowed!

Those wanting to stay out later than supper time can find a number of good bars to relax in, with the Piano Bar in the middle of town being a great example. It doesn’t open until 6pm but stays open late and has fantastic cocktails on offer as well as a very talented pianist!

The Ex Bar is great for genuinely top quality live music, up-beat jazz for example, and attracts an older clientele. Everyone here is keen for a good time!

There a few nightclubs in town if you want to stay out until late, the most exclusive of which is the Postli Club in the Postli hotel! The Cabanna club is at the other end of the spectrum with DJs playing commercial dance music and an average age of around 25.


Eating out

Davos has a huge number of restaurants to cater for the luxury ski market, both on the mountain and in the town, but a number have begun to rest on their laurels so have a look at our guide to some of the best options for all budgets.
In town – mostly hotel based, but with a few good independents.

Hotel Europe has two restaurants, one called Scala that serves traditional Swiss and Italian cuisine like pizzas from a wood oven and some excellent lamb dishes. On the other side of the spectrum is the Zauberberg, which is one of the larger Chinese restaurants in town and offers a real taste of China in the heart of the Alps. Both are very popular with non-residents so booking is essential. Scala can be reached on 0041 81415 4220 or the Zauberberg are on 0041 814154200. Prices are fairly reasonable, with a 2 course meal and a glass of local wine coming in around CHF50pp

Hotel Grischa is a bit more upmarket than the Hotel Europe and has five restaurants to choose from! These range from the very up market Leonto which has 14 Guilt Milau points, to the more family friendly Pulsa Fonduestube which has excellent local specialities as well as homemade cakes and pastries. All of the restaurants here can be booked online which removes another item from the ‘to-do list’ when you arrive in resort! Have a closer look at the different restaurants here: http://www.hotelgrischa.ch/en/enjoy/culinary-delights/

La Carretta is one of the most popular Italian restaurants in Davos with excellent value cuisine on offer. Main courses start at less than CHF20 and you can pick up a huge pizza for around CHF23. There is an excellent children’s menu available for CHF16 which means it is always very busy during the season. Booking is essential! http://www.la-carretta.ch/

The Hohenweg is actually a popular mountain restaurant at the mid station of the Parsennbahn funicular but you can get the train up in the evenings to enjoy a meal on the mountain! The restaurant focuses on Swiss specialities and pizza and is a good bet to try when all of the other well priced restaurants are booked out, as a lot of tourists tend to overlook it! 0041 814176744

On the mountain – overpriced self-service is all too common, but there are some good options!

The Weissfluhgipfel has some absolutely fantastic views and offers excellent food for a long lunch in the sunshine! Make sure you get here early, or late, to secure a spot on the excellent terrace as the price sittings tend to all be taken by regulars! http://www.restaurant-weissfluhgipfel.ch/

Kessler Kulm is a traditional mountain restaurant that has some excellent regional specialities on offer as well as an open fire and some of the best coffee in Davos according to many reports! The restaurant proudly serves Monstein beer which is brewed just around the corner in the highest brewery in Europe! 0041 81417 0707

Chalet Guggel is one of the most popular mountain restaurants in Davos with a huge sun terrace that has to be seen to be believed! The outdoor bars are also very popular and give a taste of Austrian on-piste après ski to this part of Switzerland – perfect if you are happy to finish skiing early and enjoy a few beers in the sunshine.



Activities

Davos is used to hosting international summits of the great and the good, and therefore has a wealth of activities on offer to keep people entertained when they aren’t on the slopes! Davos is definitely a mountain town in its own right rather than simply a resort, and as such the amenities and transport links to other towns nearby are excellent.

The sports facilities are worthy of particular mention, with the aptly named ‘Eau-la-la’ centre providing an excellent range of swimming pools, outdoor hot springs, a wellness area and professional masseuses offering reflexology, acupuncture and hot stone massages. Prices start at CHF100 for an hour long massage, CHF9 for a swim and CHF26 for a swim and admission to the wellness area. http://www.eau-la-la.ch/index.cfm

Away from the more relaxing side of Davos you can try your hand at skating on Europe’s largest natural ice rink, with separate zones for ice hockey, speed skating and figure skating as well as somewhere for beginners to take their first steps on the ice. If you want to catch the pro’s on the ice then try and time your stay to coincide with the famous Spengler Cup that is held every year between Christmas and New Year - teams from all over the world compete and the atmosphere is wonderful! http://www.spenglercup.ch/

The toboggan runs on the Shatzalp and Rinerhorn peaks are both floodlight at night, and make for a wonderful hour or two’s entertainment. There is a more adventurous run on the Madrisa side of the resort too, which winds 8.5kms down to the bottom with a bus trip back up to Davos. An afternoon of tobogganing costs CHF29 for adults, CHF20 for teenagers and CHF12 doe children over the age of 6 or you can pick up a family ticket for CHF53. http://www.davos.ch/en/experience/winter/tobogganing.html

Snowshoeing is a really fun way to explore the mountains around Davos, and allows you to enjoy the scenery whilst getting away from the lifts and mechanisation that can take the edge off the natural beauty of the surroundings. There are four marked trails around Davos, with the longer trails being the flattest and taking around 3 hours whilst the shorter ones have a slight gradient but only take around an hour. You can hire the most up to date equipment form a number of shops in town and also hire a guide if you would like to learn some more about the surrounding area. http://www.davos.ch/en/experience/winter/snow-shoe-walks/guides-and-rental.html

If the weather closes in then Davos offers some great indoor activities including a huge tennis centre, a large climbing wall, 10 pin bowling lanes and even a riding hall that offers lessons to beginners and improvers throughout the year! http://www.davos.ch/en/experience/winter/indoor.html

If you fancy heading out of Davos for a day trip then the railway station is a great place to head! Davos is directly connected to many major ski resorts and if you fancy taking in two resorts in one week then the best way to travel is the spectacular Glacier Express which winds its way from Davos to Zermatt over 7.5 hours. The journey is regularly voted the most scenic in Europe and passes over almost 300 stunning alpine bridges, 91 tunnels and reaches a height of over 2000m! There is a restaurant car serving excellent food and huge windows that are specially designed for photographers! http://www.glacierexpress.ch/en/Pages/default.aspx



Ski School


Getting around


Family ski


Group Ski


Childcare

Davos is not a particularly family friendly resort as the accommodation is spread out and situated quite a long way from the main lift stations. That said there are good ski schools offering kindergartens, with Top Secret probably being the best of the bunch. Klosters is a bit better set out for children, with more facilities, but there are still a few good activities off the slopes to keep youngsters entertained.

The sports centre in Davos has been recently refurbished and is now fully equipped with pools for old and young alike, excellent spa facilities and an adventure pool area that is great fun for children aged 6 and over. Rates start at CHF5 for younger children and rise to CHF26 for adults who want to use the wellness centre whilst the children play. The sports centre also has a huge indoor climbing wall with special areas for younger children who haven’t got any climbing experience. Lessons are available, and it is open until 11pm during the week and 7pm at weekends.

If the weather closes in then the cinema in the town centre is a great option as it shows all of the latest releases, many of which are in English so you don’t have to rely on subtitles! Another good idea if the weather closes is a visit to one of Davos’ many museums! There is an excellent winter sports museum just by the Post Office with bobsleds, old ice skating trophies and ancient skis to look at. The museum is open all day during the winter with an admission charge of CHF3 for children and CHF5 for adults.

The natural ice rink is great fun, and allows you to enjoy skating in a totally natural environment and surrounded by the mountains – a far cry from the local leisure centre! There is reduced entry for those holding a Davos lift pass and skates can be hired at the rink. Speed skating rinks are set out, as are ice hockey pitches, which see some fantastic competitions at weekends and you don’t have to pay to watch!


The Piste


Ski School


Equipment Hire


Lift Passes


Chalet Sleeps

Chalets sleeping: 40 people & over



Resorts statistics

  • ALTITUDE

    1560m

  • LONGEST PISTE

    12km

  • HIGHEST SKI LIFT

    2844m

  • TOTAL LIFTS

    62

  • TOTAL PISTE

    320km






Ski chalets in Davos

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