Dinogo’s Guide to the Most Stylish Retro Ski Towns in the Alps

Throughout the years, the Alpine ski landscape has narrowed down to a few highly sought-after resorts: Ischgl in Austria, St. Moritz and Verbier in Switzerland, and Megève or the Three Valleys in France. Whether vacationers are in the mood for lively après-ski parties or luxurious experiences, they typically gravitate toward these well-known destinations.

Recently, however, enterprising locals in quiet resort towns across the Alps are forging a new path on the slopes: they are restoring and revitalizing their historic properties, drawing inspiration from a bygone era of mountain culture. This movement channels the midcentury heyday, offering a chic ski experience filled with après-ski Negronis, vibrant fondue pots, and a minimalist yet cozy design. Chefs returning from global experiences are revitalizing their hometown culinary scenes, reimagining traditional ski fare while blending it with modern flavors.

This revival spans borders and mountain ranges, creating trendy getaways in every Alpine area. Here are five towns across three countries worth exploring.

Bad Gastein, Austria

While many visitors flock to the more famous Kitzbuhel, known for its celebrity clientele like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Prince Albert of Monaco, the lesser-known Bad Gastein boasts a rich tourist history. In its 16th-century heyday, this town became a wellness haven for emperors and the elite from across Europe, who enjoyed thermal baths, explored scenic caves, and stayed in luxurious hotels designed for royalty. Although it maintained its appeal until the 20th century, especially after Emperor Franz Joseph's visit to inaugurate the train station in 1905, it eventually lost popularity as long, warm baths fell out of style. By the 1970s, the town's grand hotels were largely abandoned.

Since 2000, Bad Gastein has been undergoing a renaissance, thanks to the efforts of artists, architects, and restaurateurs. The revival began when Evelyn and Ike Ikrath took over her family’s hotel, Haus Hirt. They revitalized several properties, including the stylish Alpenlofts and Hotel Miramonte. At Hotel Miramonte, Ike maintained the 1950s charm with vintage decor and collaborated with designer Ernst Muthwill to enhance the midcentury aesthetic using colors like cerulean and vermillion. Guests can enjoy stunning views of the Gastein Valley from the lobby while sipping Champagne, before dining on organic interpretations of classic dishes at the hotel's restaurant. The terrace offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan options, including beetroot hummus on linseed pickles, alongside house-brewed beers and grilled fish, even in winter—ideal for showcasing your chic vintage coat, as it remains unheated.

Recently, owner and architect Barbara Elwardt transformed a former 1960s sanatorium into the modern mountain retreat the Cōmodo, while paying homage to Bad Gastein's Belle Epoque heritage. The hotel features nostalgic furnishings, contemporary art, a collection of '70s vinyl records, and luxurious amenities that create a timeless eclectic style. Its restaurant, De Leit Restaurant, specializes in farm-to-table dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, such as beef consommé with cheese dumplings, cured salmon trout with beetroot pearls, and the Gasteiner Mess—a local twist on Eton Mess made with vanilla cream, berries, oats, and meringue. The cocktail menu includes classic options like Negronis, and many wines, including a delightful winzersekt, are produced locally.

Lech, Austria

Vorarlberg, Austria’s smallest province, is celebrated for its rich artisanal culture and craftsmanship, particularly in design and architecture. The area beautifully blends locally sourced wood with traditional techniques to construct many sustainable homes. Recently, the region has also seen a surge in culinary talent, driven largely by a new wave of hoteliers and restaurateurs in places like Lech.

Since 2018, and particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative mountain huts are transforming après-ski for a younger crowd. Der Wolf, founded by former ski instructor Christian Wolf, combines Bregenzerwald craftsmanship with international culinary influences, offering dishes like vibrant micro-herb salads and spicy vegan red Thai curry. At Schneggarei, the wood-lined ambiance serves up pizzas, grilled scallops, and handmade pastas, providing fuel for thrill-seekers without needing to remove their skis.

Nestled among family-run hotels, Kristiania Lech was established by former Olympian Othmar Schneider in 1953, aimed at creating a space to entertain friends during winter. Since his daughter Gertrude took over, the hotel has evolved into a hub for the arts, frequently hosting panel discussions in its Salon Talks. At Kristiana Das restaurant, Gertrude offers traditional Austrian hospitality with hearty meals like butter schnitzel and oysters for breakfast and lunch. In the evenings, Argentinian chef Malcolm Praun crafts a seasonal menu that reflects the eclectic art surrounding it, showcasing the hotel’s long-standing relationships with local farmers.

Just a short 10-minute drive from Lech in Zug, the husband-and-wife team of Josef and Natascha Walch lead Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel. Josef’s parents opened the inn in 1959, converting a 1651 farmhouse into a lively party spot with a popular disco in the wine cellar. Although the hotel was successful, when Josef and Natascha took charge in 1987, they aimed for a new direction, transforming the guesthouse into a gourmet haven with exceptional dining.

Rote Wand now boasts three distinct dining venues: the tavern offers classic dishes, including Josef’s mother’s fondue. A private dining room in the cellar hosts seasonal meals crafted by guest chefs. However, the highlight is the gourmet restaurant, Chef’s Table, inaugurated in 2015, which resembles the acclaimed Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare in New York, previously awarded three Michelin stars. The Walches brought on chef Max Natmessnig, known for his experience at the American Chef’s Table, to lead the initial kitchen team before passing the reins to chef Julian Stieger, a graduate of Denmark’s Geranium and New York’s Eleven Madison Park. The imaginative 19-course tasting menu is complemented by a skilled team of sommeliers and sous chefs from Denmark’s top restaurants.

Flaine, France

When it first opened in the 1960s, Flaine's brutalist architecture stood in stark contrast to the luxurious French ski resorts of the time. The area had never been associated with opulence, and the straightforward, poured-concrete hotels—one dramatically perched over a steep drop—were designed by the renowned Marcel Breuer and felt ahead of their era. Despite its ski slopes adorned with modernist artworks by artists like Pablo Picasso, Flaine struggled to gain popularity, earning the derisive nickname 'Phlegm' from critics for years. However, in recent times, these gray concrete structures have revived, offering a stylish yet understated alternative to the more upscale resorts like Megève and Courchevel, just as industrialist Eric Boissonnas and his wife Sylvie envisioned when they commissioned Breuer.

Interestingly, the rejuvenation of Flaine is spearheaded by the Maisons et Hôtels Sibuet group, known for its luxurious five-star properties. Their flagship in this revitalization is Hotel Totem, which they describe as 'a new vision of hospitality,' though it essentially functions as a budget-friendly hotel nestled within one of Breuer's architectural masterpieces. Demonstrating that affordable accommodations can still have a sophisticated French flair, the hotel features Breuer-designed fireplaces, iconic chairs, and vintage arcade games, creating hip social spaces for enjoying Negronis and frothy beers with fellow skiers. The laid-back, swinging ’60s ambiance extends to the dining experience as well: instead of a formal sit-down dinner, guests are treated to a nightly buffet designed for socializing. From pizza to pork stew and zucchini ravioli, the buffet offers a variety of options, though most skiers tend to eat quickly before heading to the bar for the remainder of the evening.

Following the example set by the Sibuets, the Rocky Pop Hotel has nestled into Breuer’s Grand Massif resort, offering a vibrant, hostel-like experience. Designed by Leslie Gauthier, known for her work at the hotel chain's Chamonix and Grenoble locations, the interior features a pop art aesthetic with lively colors and whimsical retro furnishings. In addition to a game room that transforms into a late-night karaoke spot, the hotel offers three dining options: a rustic buffet for breakfast, a sushi restaurant with table-side yakitori grilling, and Fromerton, which specializes in hearty fondue and Savoyard charcuterie.

Avoriaz, France

Close to Flaine, the Sibuet family rejuvenated the Hôtel des Dromonts in Avoriaz, a car-free resort celebrated for its angular, shingled architecture, in 2016. Originally designed by Jacques Labro in 1966, the revamped hotel preserves much of its heritage, featuring fabrics in vibrant ’60s colors like mandarin, violet, turquoise, and mauve, along with inviting wood-lined corners. At the restaurant, Les Enfants Terribles (which also has a location in Megève), vintage photos of iconic skiers from the ’60s adorn the red walls, while the menu proudly presents classic French dishes: côte de boeuf paired with potato gratin and rich bearnaise sauce, roasted chicken en croûte de sel served with creamy morel sauce, and a generous selection of fine French wines.

Davos, Switzerland

Historically, Davos served as a summer retreat in the 18th century before gaining popularity as a winter destination in the 19th century, when visiting physicians began developing wellness programs that leveraged the refreshing Alpine air. The resort flourished in the following century, with numerous hotels operating as health clinics, including the Art Nouveau-style Waldhotel, a luxury sanatorium that inspired Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain. However, the town's allure as a wellness destination diminished sharply in the 1950s, as the need for sanatoriums to treat ailments like tuberculosis waned, leading to its evolution into a reserved hub for the World Economic Forum and G20 Summit.

An exciting wave of new restaurants and hotels revitalized the city, coinciding with the reopening of the Schatzalp ski area after a seven-year hiatus, enticing hungry skiers and snowboarders back to town. Once more, adventurers are tackling massive half-pipes before heading into the city for après-ski cocktails and hearty schnitzel.

In addition to the recently updated Waldhotel, don't miss the futuristic Alpen Gold Hotel. Designed to resemble a giant pinecone and equipped with cutting-edge technology, the hotel’s Atelier Vert restaurant features chef Manuel Zund, a member of the Swiss national team that triumphed at the 2022 Culinary World Cup. Zund pays homage to traditional mountain fare without leaning on fondue or rosti; he creatively fuses ingredients once common among farmers with modern culinary techniques, foams, and smoke. Hand-churned butter, enhanced with herbs like capuchin, fennel flower, and lemon marigold, is paired with crunchy floral bread. The unique dish of riebel is served taco-style with fermented black garlic, while an apple dessert is elevated with cold-pressed local hemp. Additionally, the hotel houses the Nikkei-inspired La Muña, where chef Diomis Angelos presents dishes such as scallop ceviche topped with truffle and miso-baked cod filet.

In another part of town, the former Hotel Continental was transformed in 2022 into the Alpine Inn, thanks to architectural historian Michael Hanak. In the hotel’s restaurant, chef David Svarc showcases seasonal forest ingredients, including a venison tartare served with pine needle bread. Meanwhile, vibrant new venues like Piz Piz, located in the Hotel Davoserhof, unaedly celebrate Swiss cuisine with fondue, schnitzel, and schnapps. Live music fills the air, drawing lively crowds and banishing any lingering stale atmosphere from the old Davos.

Michelle Tchea is the author of five bestselling books and the founder of the culture-driven organization Chefs Collective. Her work has appeared in Travel and Leisure, The Guardian, and Time Magazine.