Wengen, Switzerland
Braunbär Hotel & Spa | Wengen
Book-lined alpine chalet
Wengen, Switzerland
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Wellness LocalOutside the door
The house
Assas HotelsBook-lined alpine chalet
This Swiss lodge reimagines mountain living as a bookish gathering spot, where guests swap ski boots for fireside armchairs.
What it’s good at
Notable
Fifteen thousand shelved books frame mid-century interiors conceived by Paris designer Leslie Gauthier.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Rooms have a retro Scandinavian look with framed vintage travel posters, globe-shaped wall sconces, and built-in benches and bookshelves made of pale wood.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Wengen is strictly car-free, and the local railway station and Männlichen cableway are a short walk away.
The rooms
Framed vintage travel posters hang above pale timber furnishings, with crimson drapes sheltering bunk beds and balconies framing mountain peaks.
The water
Bring a swimsuit.
The spa and pool
Double treatment cabins lined in floral wallpaper host NUXE rituals, and panoramic windows encase the heated indoor pool.
Restaurant Goldlöckchen
Glass wine cabinets line the wood-paneled dining room, where dinner focuses on seasonal dishes from the Bernese Alps.
At the table
Leather barstools line the timber counter at BraunBärbar, and the outdoor terrace looks toward snow-covered peaks.
How it began
Built in 1898, the historic wooden chalet became the first Swiss outpost for French hotel group Assas Hotels.
Wengen
More like this
Grand Hotel Belvedere
“Heimatstil alpine lodge”
Hotel Schönegg
“Turn-of-the-century alpine inn”
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.