The Perfect Autumn Escape: My Stay at The Alpina Gstaad
Wellness Experience: 9/10
Sustainability: 8.5/10
Food & Nourishment: 9/10
Price From: £1,438 GBP per night
Scroll down to read more about what these ratings are based on.
Outside pool at Alpina Gstaad
October is fresh in the Alps but not yet too cold. If daring enough, you can still wild swim, there is sunshine, and no snow. In my opinion, it is a very beautiful time to go. Autumn here is quiet and golden, the larch trees turning honey-toned, the mornings crisp, the air clean in a way only mountain air can be. A season that feels like an exhale.
Stepping into The Alpina Gstaad at this time of year feels like slipping into a sanctuary: slow, grounding, restorative, the perfect Autumn escape for anyone craving space, nature, and nourishment without the frenzy of ski season.
A Sanctuary Made for Slowing Down
Anyone who works in the city or runs a company knows how difficult it can be to disengage. We operate with dozens of tabs open - calls from dawn, deadlines, notifications, the subtle hum of constant urgency. Your nervous system forgets softness.
I personally need a complete change of environment to recalibrate, and not every place makes that easy. But The Alpina have created something different. A calm, intentional world built for people who need to breathe again.
Set on five acres in Oberbort, the exclusive hilltop area overlooking Gstaad, the hotel sits right inside the landscape rather than on top of it. Indigenous wood, stone, local craftspeople, and recycled materials shaped its construction, so it feels connected to the land in every detail. You’re not just “staying” here; you’re held by the region itself.
And how important this is…
Morning Routines, But Softer
Morning routines are everything to me. If I don’t get some movement, breakfast and coffee in before the working day begins, I feel completely off kilter.
The Alpina gifted me the kind of mornings I always crave but rarely find - warm light, mountain air, a breakfast that genuinely nourishes you, and the permission to switch off. I made it compulsory not to engage with work immediately. Instead, slow coffee, fresh fruit, local yoghurt, stillness.
I savoured every serene Swiss morning minute.
The Bike Ride I’m Still Thinking About
One of the boundless things to do around The Alpina Gstaad is a gorgeous bike ride to Lake Lauenen. The ride takes you past meadows, forests, and the kind of views that make you stop and breathe deeper. It’s the perfect way to get out of your head and into your body.
And if you’re brave? You can still wild swim in October. Cold, sharp, invigorating, the kind of plunge that resets every cell. Nature’s best medicine. Take me back.
A Food Philosophy That Actually Means Something
As someone who works in food and studies nutrition, I always look for hotels that take their impact seriously, not just on the guest, but on the environment.
What I learned speaking to Executive Chef Martin Göschel genuinely impressed me. The Alpina Gstaad wasn’t “following” sustainable trends - they’ve been leading them since the beginning.
Their aim?
To reach Climate Positive before 2030.
And their food program is one of the main ways they’re making it happen.
Low-Waste, High-Creativity
Chef Göschel takes a planet-first approach, proving that fine dining can be sustainable, elegant, and wildly delicious.
His low-waste philosophy is so clever and so needed. Very little goes to waste in his kitchen, not even droopy lettuce, which becomes a refreshing pesto. Overripe fruit: chutneys and pastry fillings. Outer salad leaves, herb stems, vegetable ends: sauces, pestos, bases.
Their famous Offcut Pasta is made from leftover rye bread used at breakfast — transformed into homemade casarecce. Their winter Offcut Pizza follows the same principle. These dishes don’t just taste incredible, they raise awareness about the beauty and creativity in using what we already have.
It’s the kind of philosophy I hope more restaurants adopt.
Plant-Forward, Planet-Forward
For vegans and plant eaters, the options are thoughtful and exciting. Partnering with innovative start-ups like New Roots and Planted, The Alpina's chefs reimagine what the future of food can look like, elegant, innovative, nourishing.
Hyper-Local Sourcing
Preferred suppliers are chosen within a 40km radius. Deliveries arrive in reusable boxes. No vacuum packaging, no cling film.
Just real food, real farms, real practices.
This is food that respects the land it comes from.
Four Restaurants, One Ethos
Whether you’re dining at:
the Michelin-starred Sommet by Martin Göschel,
the Japanese-inspired Megu,
the cosy Swiss Stübli,
or the all-day Alpina Lounge & Bar,
the common thread is integrity. Transparency. A genuine commitment to doing better - for the guest and for the planet.
The Alpina Beehives
A detail I loved: their own beehives.
Since 2016, The Alpina has produced its own honey from four beehives on the grounds, in partnership with a local beekeeper.
You taste it at breakfast, sweet, delicate, made just meters from where you eat it.
It’s such a simple, beautiful example of how connected this hotel is to its environment.
The Spa, The Pool, The Slow Pace
The Six Senses Spa is one of the most serene spaces I’ve ever experienced. Warm stone, grounding scents, gentle lighting, everything invites you inward.
And then there’s the outdoor pool. Warm, steaming water in cold mountain air. Floating while staring at the Alps feels like a meditation in itself. In autumn especially, with golden trees and quiet slopes, it feels like being part of nature rather than visiting it.
The Perfect Autumn Trip - Without Skiing
People think you come to Gstaad only for skiing, but Autumn here is a gift. No crowds. No pressure. Just mountains, air, good food, slow mornings, warm pools, beautiful hikes, and the clarity that comes from real stillness.
It’s the perfect time to reset.
Leaving a Little More Me
I arrived at The Alpina stretched thin. I left feeling like a softer, happier version of myself. One very happy girl. 🥰
Sometimes you just need mountains, fresh air, nourishing food, a new rhythm, and somewhere that gently holds you while you recalibrate.
For me?
The Alpina Gstaad is that place.
Review ratings
As part of my wellness travel reviews, I created this rating system to give a clear and trustworthy overview of every place I stay. Each score is based on my personal experience, conversations with the team on site, and my perspective as Emily Warburton Adams, a wellness entrepreneur, nutrition student and founder working within food, sustainability and nourished living. My aim is to help you understand how each destination supports wellbeing, nourishment and environmental responsibility in real, meaningful ways. These ratings are designed to guide you towards travel that truly feels good for you - and good for the planet.
Wellness Experience:
Sleep environment & room comfort
Spa quality, treatments & thermal spaces
Access to nature / quiet
Movement options (walks, gym, bikes, classes)
Mental reset & overall restfulness
Sustainability:
Rewilding & biodiversity initiatives
Organic, seasonal and local sourcing
Waste and plastic reduction & renewable energy use
Community support & ethical partnerships
Authenticity of sustainability claims
Food & Nourishment:
Quality and sourcing of ingredients
Whole-food, balanced menu options
Plant-forward and allergy-friendly offerings
Transparency in sourcing
How the food supports wellness & energy
