By Mark Ellwood
Mountain biking in the Dolomites, home of COMO Alpina.
Inside the three-floor spa at Suvretta House.
Think of it as an entirely new kind of après-ski: Once the snow has melted, resorts in the Alps remain busier than ever. Exeter International’s Gwen Kozlowski, a travel specialist who focuses on the region, now sees consistent business year-round, rather than solely in the snowy midwinter. She describes trips there in warmer months as “this ideal of the mountains: fresh air, safety, and security, and a gorgeous resort.” Moreover, climate change has affected many low-altitude resorts to depend on consistent snowfall, from Italy to Switzerland—and the Med can feel swelteringly unpleasant come late July.
One major player has staked its claim on the spring and summer months: Suvretta House in St. Moritz, that grande dame of family-run Euro hotels. Last December, it opened a vast new wellness wing, its first major expansion in decades, expressly to help burnish its appeal when the slopes are green. The three-floor spa includes indoor and outdoor pools, a sunbathing garden, and a multi-room, mixed sauna complex.
Nearby, Kulm Hotel has hosted a pilgrimage-worthy, summer-only series of al fresco, upscale dinners for the last two years with Argentine BBQ guru Mauro Colagreco, who will return for another season this year. Look for grilled local lamb from Zuoz.
The Kulm Country Club at the Kulm Hotel is a St Moritz favorite.
COMO Alpina Dolomites opened a little more than two years ago in the picturesque Northeastern Italian mountain range; from the outset, the 60-room property in South Tyrol set out to make summer as appealing as winter through a guided hike program. It includes everything from short, family-friendly three-hour jaunts to an e-bike–and-zipline outing that begins at an altitude of 6,600 feet.
If you’d rather rent a villa than rub shoulders in a hotel, consider the six-bedroom Chalet Hobhouse in Verbier, run by former British army officer Matthew Burnford as part of his MBM Chalets portfolio and open year-round. He has recently expanded his structured programming with warm-weather options, launching this summer with a hike-focused itinerary for families: a dedicated guide, ability-based routes for all ages, and even a three-night hut-to-hut hiking diversion. Just remember to pack your walking boots instead of your salopettes.
The six-bedroom Chalet Hobhouse in Verbier.
