Ermitage Wellness & Spa Hotel

Set at 1,200 metres on the slopes above Gstaad, in the village of Schönried, Ermitage Wellness & Spa Hotel opened one of the first brine baths in the Alps and still runs on that founding idea: water as medicine. The pools are heated from natural spring sources and cleaned without harsh chemicals, indoors and out. It is a big property by regional standards, with a wellness area the hotel calls the largest of its kind nearby, built around six areas of focus, from sauna landscapes to guided daily exercise. Rooms lean on timber, wide balconies and soundproofing, with panoramic glass framing the mountains; the largest suites run to 87 square metres with their own kitchen. Chef Marius Kinsler sources locally: cheese from the Schönried dairy cooperative, bread from a family bakery, apples from a grower ten minutes away. You can eat breakfast on the south-facing terrace, then walk into the pine forest on a guided nature trail before lunch. The hotel is an official partner of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, running since 1957, with guests offered advance tickets and a lounge in the festival tent. A dedicated gondola in the garden seats up to six for a private fondue. Check-in for retreat programmes typically runs from early afternoon.