Grand Hotel Belvedere: The perfect setting for an accidentally Wes Anderson adventure

I have been to dozens of ski resorts, and typically the airport transfer is the lowlight of the week, as a packed coach lurches around zig zag bends, presenting the ultimate challenge in motion sickness. Arriving at Wengen in Switzerland is, by stark contrast, a cinematic delight, that is the ultimate ‘Accidentally Wes Anderson’ experience.

Wengen is a car-free Alpine village that can only be reached by tourists via a charming cog railway, named ‘Wengernalpbahn,’ which is painted on it in graphic yellow and green. On board you’ll be treated to the most magnificent, sweeping view of the Lauterbrunnen valley.

While many ski villages have lost their quaint magic to a rowdy après crowd, it’s not surprising that the French hotel group Beaumier decided to open the first five star resort in Wengen, restoring two neighbouring “Andersonian” grand dames in the shadow of the Jungfrau as Grand Hotel Belvedere.

Legendary location

Megève has Audrey Hepburn, Klosters has the royals, however Wengen has a landscape so majestic it’s long been associated with mythical storytelling. J.R.R Toklein stayed at the original Grand Hotel Belvedere, and it is thought that the valley inspired his fantastical Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings.

The surrounding area has been the home of a Bond villain’s lair (in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, released in 1969) welcomed wizards for the filming of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and was the birthplace of Princess Leia, as the galaxy Alderaan was filmed here in Revenge of the Sith.

Most recently, the Jungrau region has had an Emily In Paris-like endorsement by Netflix, starring in the South Korean Blockbuster series Crash Landing on You, which has caused the area to attract many Asian visitors, who now even have to pay for a photograph at one lakeside filming location.

However, you won’t find a backdrop more spectacular than my balcony at the Grand Belvedere hotel, which has charming white ornamental railings, sunny yellow scalloped awnings, a prime view of the valley below, and is soundtracked by nearby church bells. Yes, I spent longer than I wish to admit out here documenting my Perfect Moment ski look.

A modern take on Alpine chic

Alpine decor can easily tip into naff territory, with wooden hearts, white furry cushions and taxidermy, however the Grand Hotel Belvedere manages to tap into a nostalgic cabin aesthetic, in a modern and refined way.

The interior design team Complete Works cleverly played into the duality of the two restored hotel buildings — the first has a more modern, mid-century minimalist aesthetic, while the second (which is due to open in May 2025) is more classical, with a historically protected lobby with restored wood carvings, a 100-year old fireplace, hand-painted frescoes and original chandeliers. This blend of contemporary and tradition gives guests the chance to experience two different Alpine worlds within one resort.

Each room is designed to be like your own wood-lined cabin. Panoramic windows and strategically placed balconies make the view the star of the show — even my bathroom had a hatch-like window, so I could still see the mountains while showering. The attic rooms, however, nestled up in the roof of the second soon-to-open building, are best for those who want a traditional Swiss Alpine experience, with cosy, low wooden beams.

Skiers paradise

Wengen is perhaps best known for the longest World Cup downhill run in the world, the Lauberhorn course. Thrillseekers will enjoy launching onto the famed black run from a wooden starting hut where you tap your ski pass to have a World Cup-esque countdown and can hear adrenaline-raising rock anthems pumping from the nearby Start Bar as you propel into the challenging slalom — Meat Loaf’s A Bat Out Of Hell was my blood-pumping countdown track.

Rather than formal service, the staff at the Grand Hotel Belvedere chat to you like you’re a friend — on the first night, one of the team’s avid snowboarders indulged my husband in over an hour of piste chat, plotting out where we should traverse over our two-day trip. They felt genuinely invested in our skiing adventures, asking what number we made it up to onto the speed check and which were our favourite runs.

They certainly have the expertise to help you unlock the best mountain experience, however this hotel is so much more than a skiing bolthole. This was reflected in just how many of the guests weren’t decked out in skiwear at breakfast, showing you don’t need a ski pass to experience the magic of Lauterbrunnen.

Year-round appeal

Given climate change is shortening ski seasons, it is wise that Beaumier is positioning this hotel as a year-long destination, attracting crowds long after the snow has melted. It has assembled an impressive menu of activities, with ice climbing, sledding, snowshoeing and kayaking in winter, and paragliding, horseback riding, sailing and mountain biking (to name a few) in summer.

But it’s not all high-octane action, as the hotel also hosts history tours of the village, mushroom foraging in the forest, a cooking class where you make the perfect pear tarte tatin and authentic Swiss fresh pasta. Or there’s outdoor yoga with the option to take a savasana among the trees.

Comfort food and drink

We signed ourselves up for the mixology class, which was a fun alternative to the usual après drinks, where we hopped behind the Bergwald bar and made our own cordial, diffused apples and did a lot of stirring and shaking to whip up two of the signature locally-sourced cocktails on the menu — the Mountain and an Apple Brandy Sour. I also recommend you indulge in a fireside hot alpine cider at least once during your trip, taking a book from the hidden library nook.

All of the menus celebrate local flavours and ingredients — the fine dining restaurant will open in May, while restaurant Waldrand is more relaxed with a shared menu of Alpine classics. Älplermagronen (a Swiss mac and cheese) is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, while the raclette-laden burger is just what I wanted after completing the Lauberhorn in zero visibility.

The chef Will Gordon is vegan and while I’ll admit I had some real concerns about the plant-based cheese fondue, it completely surprised me and was a delicious, lighter twist on the indigestion-inducing classic, with raw green peppers and garden potatoes for dipping.

My husband’s favourite discovery, however, was the cheese toastie packed with dijon mustard and pickled gherkin from the all-hours snack menu — the ultimate après bite or midnight snack.

The spa

The only disappointment was that the spa isn’t opening its doors until June, which will be an ambitious brutalist structure jutting out from the hillside, inspired by a Japanese Onsen, with an indoor-outdoor pool, a sauna, hammam and ice bath. With treatments led by Susanne Kaufmann, an if-you-know-you-know brand which uses luxury Alpine ingredients sourced from Austria and Switzerland, it’s guaranteed to be the ultimate indulgence to tempt you away from mountain activities. It’s a good excuse for me to take another ride on the Wengeralp.