How Swiss Luxury Resorts Are Turning Wealthy Travelers Into Property Investors

Luxury travel in 2025 is all about creating meaningful connections that extend far beyond the concept of a vacation. Case in point: Switzerland, where the country’s best hotels are responding to visitors who return year after year—sometimes for good. And as the demand for personalized, authentic travel experiences continues to rise, many Swiss mountain resorts are redefining what it means to journey with intent.

These hotels will have plenty of demand in coming years, with Switzerland gaining in popularity among wealthy travelers and property investors. The tiny, safe, politically stable country is considered the world’s leading destination for luxury mountain vacations, according to the 2023 High-End Tourism report from the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance (ECCIA) and luxury goods association Altagamma.

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The ultra-rich aren’t just vacationing in Switzerland, they’re also choosing to live and work there: 9 percent of survey respondents from the United Arab Emirates and 8 percent from Hong Kong are considering emigrating to Switzerland, according to HSBC’s recent Global Entrepreneurial Wealth Report. Exceptional travel experiences are frequently the gateway to property purchase.

Whether it’s world-leading Swiss hospitality schools turning out highly trained elite hotel staff, or the country’s excellent infrastructure (like the private-jet-friendly Gstaad Saanen and Sion airports), it’s little surprise wealthy guests are returning—and staying longer. Andrea Scherz, owner of Gstaad Palace and Chairman of Leading Hotels of the World, tells Forbes Global Properties that the average length of stay at the legendary hotel has risen from 3.1 to 4.9 nights.

From once-in-a-lifetime experiences to year-round and all-ages activities, here are some of the ways Swiss mountain hospitality is delighting its ultra-wealthy guests…

Experiential travel: a search for meaning over indulgence

Nadine Friedli is General Manager of the 56-room Alpina Gstaad. Experiential travel, she says, is now the most important consideration for her high- and ultra-high-net-worth guests. “It’s no longer enough to simply stay in a luxurious hotel—guests wish to do something special that enriches their lives and provides lasting memories. Our guests want unique and authentic experiences, from bespoke adventures in the surrounding mountains to private culinary journeys with Michelin-starred chefs.”

“It’s no longer just about booking a hotel—it’s about booking an experience,” agrees Ms Leyla Hoffmann, General Manager of the hotel LeCrans, located high above the resort of Crans-Montana. “Guests now want their time away from the everyday to be purposeful and meaningful… The focus has shifted from simple relaxation to creating new experiences that offer wider scope for personal growth, wellbeing and deeper connections with the places they visit.”

It’s a mindset that Toan Ly, Executive Assistant Manager Commercial at Six Senses Crans-Montana refers to as “privacy without isolation.” He says that guests are “seeking exclusivity, but they also crave genuine human connection—through local cultural experiences or slow travel that allows them to truly immerse in a destination rather than just pass through it. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a strong shift toward conscious wellbeing, immersive cultural experiences and regenerative travel.”

Seamless sustainability: a hospitality expectation

While sustainability is a priority at Alpina Gstaad, guests prefer it to be a seamlessly integrated feature. “Sustainability is no longer a buzzword,” Friedli observes, “it’s a deeply held value and an expectation. But guests don’t want to be constantly reminded about it—it needs to be done effortlessly, as part and parcel of the experience.”

Ly concurs: “Sustainability is no longer an added touch, it’s absolutely an expectation. Our guests want to know where their food comes from, how their stay contributes positively to the local ecosystem, and whether their presence is leaving a light footprint. They’re looking for properties that not only offer five-star service, but also five-star stewardship of the planet.

“We don’t just aim for net zero,” he adds. “We aim to leave places better than we found them.” Six Senses Crans-Montana’s own sustainability measures include everything from sourcing local ingredients to solar roof panels and operating with 100% renewable energy. “We design for energy independence, we repurpose snowmelt, and we partner with local conservation initiatives to preserve the region’s pristine beauty for generations to come.”

Sustainability is also central to LeCrans, a partner of the Swiss Tourism Sustainability Programme. Says Hoffman: “Guests want to connect with the destination on a deeper, cultural level, learning about the origins, benefits and effects of what they consume.” With the restaurant’s farm-to-table dining ethos, guests can enjoy locally grown ingredients and learn about their provenance. Meanwhile, the hotel’s award-winning wine cave showcases its commitment to local produce, with half of the 1,000 curated wines sourced from nearby Valais vineyards. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore the rich history of Swiss wine,” says Hoffman.

Wellness: the health-as-wealth trend that’s here to stay

Wellness tourism is booming around the world, with the industry predicted to reach a value of $1.3 trillion this year. And the ultra-rich are selecting wellness-focused breaks and locations that blend relaxation with preventive check-ups, personalized health consultations, nutrient-packed cuisine and science-backed longevity programs.

Chris Franzen is Managing Director of the Bürgenstock Resort, a spectacular three-hotel property perched on a mountain ridge 500 meters above picture-postcard-pretty Lake Lucerne. It’s a region with a long-standing tradition of wellness, including hydrotherapy, thermal bathing and, of course, the health benefits associated with fresh mountain air.

Franzen confirms there’s been a significant shift in the HNW and UHNW sector towards bespoke wellness experiences over the past couple of years. “Guests are no longer simply seeking luxury or relaxation,” he says, “they’re looking for wellness journeys and purposeful spa experiences that address their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

“Many guests, particularly those traveling for business, are now combining wellness with their professional schedules,” says Franzen. “For instance, MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions] clients often incorporate mountain jogs, nature walks or mindful moments into their routines before or after a conference, and taking business calls whilst walking through nature.”

Science meets mindfulness: A megatrend of innovation

“At Six Senses, we’ve never followed trends,” says Toan Ly, “we pioneer them!” He cites everything from the resort’s Biohacking & Recovery Suites, which integrate infrared therapy and treatments, to its forest bathing and guided alpine meditations. However, Ly also notes that “deeply personalized, science-backed wellness coaching has skyrocketed—it’s a megatrend! Guests want solutions that go beyond the spa and create a lasting impact on their vitality, performance, and longevity.”

Wellness also takes center stage at Alpina Gstaad, with its spa usage increasing by 25% over the past two years, particularly among male guests. “Often, our guests lead busy, high-pressure lives and are looking for opportunities to reconnect with themselves and with nature,” says Friedli, whose resort has expanded its wellness offerings to meet this demand, introducing a Tibetan Healing Programme, mindfulness classes, and biohacking treatments.

“One major trend we’ve seen is the rising demand for holistic approaches to wellness,” notes Hoffman. “Sophisticated travelers are now seeking science-backed therapies for contemporary health triggers such as stress and burnout, with a specific focus on wellness programmes that immerse them in nature.”

Through alpine hikes, forest walks or ski trails, guests are encouraged to connect physically with their natural surroundings, enabling them to de-stress and absorb the calming energy of the outdoors. “We believe that the mountain air and tranquil environment on our doorstep are the perfect complements to our wellness offerings, creating a holistic connection to nature that enhances both body and mind,” says Hoffman.

“At a time when everything is fast paced, it’s our daily mission to offer a hub in which our well-traveled guests can relax, disconnect and recharge the batteries,” says André Rytlewski, Executive Assistant Manager at The Chedi Andermatt in one of Switzerland’s newest resorts. “We’re welcoming them from all over the world.”

Multi-generational visits on the rise

In 2024, consultancy firm McKinsey & Company identified multi-generational luxury travel spanning grandparents, parents and children as a growing trend, noting that these families opt for private villas that offer privacy and space.

Swiss luxury hotels know all about catering for the vagaries of demographics. Most of them, such as Gstaad Palace, have been family-run for generations.

Gstaad Palace has expanded its Sammy’s Club offering for children, with a programme that now includes spending time with St Bernard dogs, a children’s swimming pool and a visit to ‘Saaniland’ at a former fire station in nearby Saanen. Even the dining at the hotel has been updated to serve people from multiple generations: the number of dishes on the à la carte menu at its Le Grand restaurant is increasing to 70, meaning “adults can get their favourite salt-baked cod arriving the same time as pasta for their children,” Scherz explains.

“Families want destinations that cater to all age groups, as well as fun things they can do together,” Friedli observes. To enhance the experience, Alpina Gstaad offers a kids’ club, Caran d’Ache-sponsored painting workshops, and plans to introduce a new playground near the terrace. Meanwhile, each winter and summer, the hotel partners with local artisans and guides from the village of Gstaad to offer visits to local craftspeople and tastings with local cheesemakers.

The chugging steam trains and Heidi-esque scenery of the Swiss mountains might give the impression the country is slow-paced and quaint. Yet its luxury hotels are anything but. As you’d expect from being based in a country that perennially tops the world’s Global Innovation Index, these Alpine pleasure palaces are more than equipped to deal with any travel trend that comes their way—and all to a winning standard that high-end travelers crave. No wonder so many of them return for good.