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Welcome to the Winter Wonderland edit of Mountain Porn, whereby The Aficionados explore beyond the Alpine slopes and from truffled fondues, steaming pools, ski-me slopes, ice inspired art culture and iced lakes.
Explore Europe’s wonderlands of winter from the Norse dog sleighing to the best of do-nothing haybaths found in the Dolomites, including the rundown on where to hit the slopes and where to just sit and take in the Mountain majesties.
Let Zaha Hadid’s den in the clouds inspire or chill-lax in utter style, our Wonderland has more than just ski, spa and everything delicious, we also know where you should stay, be seen and wearing what.
And if you only seek to hit the slopes, then check out our round-up of the Best Ski including the best Ski Hotels.
The Schgaguler Hotel is a modern pearled white luxury resort in the UNESCO heritage-protected mountain village of Castelrotto. The interior design is eminently simple: floor-to-ceiling windows, bespoke carpentry, and a clean Alpine aesthetic that borrows from Italian design, the Danish principals of Hygge and a touch of sweet sophistication in the Japonesque detailing.
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Norway’s Husky-sledding hotspot in Jotunheimen National Park is the perfect winter adventure across the ice packed snows of nature pure, here's why.
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For the ultimate in local fare that’s “still” organic — as in “it was never anything but” — Chez Vrony in Zermatt, Switzerland serves up time-honored recipes that have been handed down generation to generation, like the restaurant itself.
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The Cervo Mountain Boutique Resort continues to refine, rethink and push a casual edge into the realms of traditional luxury with the re-crowned & refurbished PURO RESTAURANT.
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Revered for its sublime beauty and ethereal landscapes, Norway is graced with natural phenomena and vistas so stunning that they could easily belong within the pages of a fairy tale.
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You may be familiar with industrial designer Ross Lovegrove for any number of his organically shaped products. Solar Trees or Car On A Stick, anyone?
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Learn to craft a piece of Switzerland's foodie Alpine culture yourself with lessons from a Raclette master in Vals, accompanied by a sip of local wine.
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Rising up like delicate meringue-whipped peaks, mirroring the Dolomites panorama that surrounds it, the architecture and design of Hotel Milla Montis create an impact.
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Billed as “Alpine Casual Dining”, Restaurant Ferdinand is the foodie brainchild of Daniel F. Lauber, who together with his wife, Seraina, founded the award-winning hotel CERVO Mountain Boutique Resort in Zermatt.
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For anyone who enjoys a challenge, spending their days in the snow and having the world at their feet, the famous Haute Route across the Alps is a dream come true; let us introduce you. The Haute Route is a true Alpine adventure in which you traverse the Alps on foot, from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland, in just 10-12 days.
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It was that familiar allure of the Swiss Alps that inspired the brand of MALOJA – an authentic, fantastically imaginative take on the traditional dress sense of the Alps. Think here of re-crafted, cultivated attire made for the modern day Alpinistas.
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Ski culture is more than an exhilarating afternoon spent on the slopes followed by a sauna and some well-deserved après-ski in the bar. Discover the ski-licious foodie side of the Alps where the focus is on enjoying great cuisine in spectacular surroundings.
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Birds, botanicals and fauna headline the canvas of this Austrian designer den found in Tirol wrapped in a fusion of honeyed Alpine traditions and chic urban style.
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An old logged, fairytale-like gingerbread house, wrapped in a lush carpet of nature. Inside, designer interiors narrate this chameleonic hub of eclectic creativity – it is traditional, pleasingly crafted and naturally cool.
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The vigilius mountain resort, created by architect, Matteo Thun, reclines in effortless eco style set to a fragrant Alpine landscape of larch trees, mountain pine, foxgloves and alpine roses.
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A fabulously humble basecamp of good design for kindreds of style, Brücke 49 is a collection of rooms, suites, studios and apartments in the high-in-the-mountains creative enclave, Vals. Nordic elegance, designer furnishings and a creative narrative marry the concept of a loveable Swiss refuge with urbane cool.
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Unapologetically vivid, this preferred pad of intellect and creativity is awash in Art Nouveau flamboyance tamed with clever 1950’s-inspired design interventions. A stylishly cool home of the arts, brushed with boldness.
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An unfussy architectural gem that floats above a bed of the greenest and most delicate fauna like a scene from the latest Hobbit epic, this is total immersion in nature from your spectacular viewing pods – here, less is definitely more.
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A lovely Alpine lodge for families that has had a chic, eclectic refit. Quirky design elements, stacks of well-positioned collectables and lively, modern takes on heritage prints and textiles decorate this boutique interior. An urban family retreat that is alive with positive energy, as inspired by the Aveda Spa, yoga and setting.
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Wonderfully humble, this authentic exclusive-hire farmstead hideaway dating back to 1885 comes with the mandatory choc-box appeal of a rural Alpine chalet besieged by the hush rhythms of lush green pastures, ancient forests and hum of the mountain waters.
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A peak-side, sophisticated bolthole oozing fifties Vogue glamour. A firm favourite of the design fraternity, it is a trove of timeless, postmodern pieces that feel perfectly at home in this Alpine masterpiece of creative chillax.
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Niedermairhof is no ordinary bed & breakfast; it is a wonderfully restored nest egg vision, with a combo of traditional heritage and classic designer pieces – complete with all the creature comforts of a dinky luxury hotel.
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Zaha Hadid's architectural masterpiece atop Kronplatz in South Tyrol, the Messner Mountain Museum, is a concrete designer ode to the history of mountaineering.
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Dating back to the 1700s, Gasthof Hotel Hirschen Schwarzenberg in Bregenzerwald is a boutique art hotel boasting an eclectic combo of choc-box appeal, culture and rich history woven throughout, with an enviable personal collection of artworks that span the centuries and styles. An informal gallery sets the tone of this cute, boutique heritage hotel, cradled by the Bregenzerwald mountains.
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Drenched in Tirol originality and crafted by a setting of mountainous vistas. This luxury ski & spa hotel is all about boutique personality, passion, delicious food and a perfect location that hugs the snow-capped plateau, with windows that frame endless Austrian mountain eye-candy.
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An epic mountain setting that could easily inspire a novel or two, this is a sleek Bavarian bolthole where the past cuddles up to organic modernity. Hand-finished in every detail, this is Alpine living with a fashionable edge, all authentically wrapped in natural woods, stitched linens and fluffy sheepskin throws.
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A legendary crash pad of royalty, celebs and lovers of Arlberg, this is the chic chalet hotel and spa of consummate five star style. Interiors are dedicated to Alpine heritage and modern luxe running through the hotel’s family history.
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A lair of nature wrapped by the mountains and forests with perhaps one of the best nature-inspired spas in Austria, all overlooking the Leogang Rockies. This design hotel hugs smooth modern interiors that brush up to loveliness of the Alps, complete with its own lake.
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The designer cool cat of the Alps, this appealingly smart modern lodge opts for a stylish clubhouse vibe alongside re-worked rustic elements. This is all about the luxury of the Alps – traditions and respect, bubbling with fun. A fashionable hideaway with trendsetting, popular eateries, all tucked away close to the Matterhorn.
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The chilled design hotel Miramonti sits perched atop Merano, nestled in forestry with spectacular, Bond-like views. Modernity subtly reigns whilst snuggling up to Alpine traditions – the vibe is relaxed, chilled and most definitely easy-going.
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A crafted narrative of art, design and nature that sits lakeside wrapped in a dense forest cloak of the Polish Lake Districts of Warmia and Masuria. A decidedly laid-back designer escape, Galery69 is a working creative hub for artisans, a nature-loving nest for adventurists and a bolthole for urbanites seeking lush downtime on Lake Wulpinskie.
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The edgy contrast of an aged coaching inn where artsy installations lend an air of east-side gallery – this is a cradle of the arts and style where a bold, contemporary curatorial scene is flanked by twisted beams and heritage-thick walls.
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Twisted beams frame the 14th century frescos while a curatorial catalogue of designer classics delivers a modernist influence: the Widder Hotel is where medieval heritage meets Eames and Poliakoff slumbers against thick stonewalls. This is at the heart of Old Town Zurich and has both the luxury pedigree of a small Grand Dame Hotel and the eclectic charisma of a design diva.
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Small, delicate, exquisite; this creative residence is fully-stocked with vintage family pieces and curatorial heritage, and includes a fabulous orangerie thriving between the greenest of Mediterranean gardens and whitest snow-capped peaks.
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