Valais

Valais is Switzerland at its most spectacularly vertical. The Rhône Valley cuts between vineyards and some of the highest peaks in the Alps, with the Matterhorn providing the inevitable icon above Zermatt. Historic villages of dark timber chalets and stone farm buildings coexist with Belle Époque mountain hotels, cable-car infrastructure and increasingly adventurous contemporary architecture. From car-free villages to remote valleys and high-altitude refuges, the best architecture responds directly to an environment where snow, rock, sun and extreme changes in elevation dictate how buildings work.

Food and drink are deeply connected to this mountain landscape. Raclette du Valais, Walliser Trockenfleisch, rye bread and Alpine cheeses remain essential regional traditions, while apricots, saffron from Mund and other unexpected ingredients flourish in the sunny Rhône Valley. Valais is also Switzerland’s largest wine-producing region, with steep terraced vineyards producing distinctive wines from grapes such as Petite Arvine, Cornalin and Humagne Rouge. Mountain restaurants and traditional inns now coexist with ambitious contemporary kitchens, particularly around destinations such as Zermatt and Crans-Montana.

Valais’ most interesting hotels range from historic Alpine institutions and converted village houses to architect-designed mountain retreats where stone, timber, concrete and enormous windows frame the landscape. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food, wine and the extraordinary high-Alpine environment come together—hotels that prove there is considerably more to Valais than skiing, fondue and another view of the Matterhorn.