The Brecon: Intimate Swiss Alpine Hotel
The Brecon reimagines the Alpine hotel in Adelboden, Switzerland, under the eye of Amsterdam-based studio Nicemakers. This adult-only retreat translates the easy generosity of a friend’s chalet into a crafted hospitality experience, fusing contemporary comfort with echoes of its 1950s–60s Waldhaus past. Timber, stone, leather, and wool anchor a calm palette, while intimate rooms, a sensory spa, and a sociable dining room keep guests held within the mountain village rhythm.
Snow settles on the roofs of Adelboden while warm light glows from The Brecon’s windows. Inside, timber, stone, leather, and wool gather guests into a quiet, enveloping calm.
This Alpine hotel in Adelboden, Switzerland, brings together founder Grant Maunder’s hospitality vision and Nicemakers’ contemporary interiors in an adult-only, all-inclusive setting. The project leans into intimate comfort rather than spectacle, using material warmth and considered furnishing to recall the building’s Waldhaus heyday without falling into nostalgia. Guests move through rooms and shared areas that balance retreat and conviviality, framed by mountain views and the soft hush of thick walls.
Layered Interior Warmth
Natural materials carry the narrative from the lobby to the suites. Timber boards, stone surfaces, leather upholstery, and wool textiles create a tactile sequence that feels grounded yet current. A muted, earthy palette keeps the eye at rest while drawing attention to texture and shadow, rather than overt ornament. Vintage finds sit alongside contemporary pieces so each room reads as accumulated, not staged, giving guests a sense of staying in a well-loved home.
Rooms As Quiet Retreats
Eighteen rooms and four larger suites share a consistent visual language but vary in scale and outlook. Each room is arranged to frame the Alps, letting the mountains act as a moving backdrop through the day. Books and magazines stand in for screens, with televisions intentionally absent to keep attention on conversation, reading, or simple rest. Aesop amenities in the bathrooms reinforce a subtle sense of care, aligning scent and ritual with the broader material calm.
Dining Around The Open Kitchen
The dining room cuts across the building as a social hinge, where an open kitchen and bar draw guests toward sound, aroma, and shared meals. A daily, pared-back menu leans on seasonal regional produce, with vegetarian dishes given equal footing rather than added as an afterthought. Guests help themselves from a strong wine list, cocktails, juices, and carefully sourced teas and coffee, reinforcing the feeling of staying in a generous friend’s chalet. An adjacent lounge extends the evening, with soft seating and low light supporting either quiet reading or late conversation.
Spa Light And Shadow
Below the guest floors, the sensory spa trades Alpine brightness for low, measured light. A steam room, sauna, and swimming pool sit in close dialogue with a near-monastic relaxation room, where an open fire throws moving shadows across stone and wood. Expert therapists guide restorative treatments that slow the day’s tempo to a near stillness. The adult-only format means this zone stays hushed, extending the hotel’s commitment to privacy and inward focus.
From outside, The Brecon reads as another chalet in the village cluster; once inside, the interiors tell a more layered, contemporary story. Material choices, vintage pieces, and the absent television quietly steer guests toward rest, reading, and unhurried meals. In a valley known for pistes and hiking trails, this hotel turns its rooms, lounge, and spa into the true destination, held against the constant presence of the Swiss Alps beyond the glass.
Photography by Michael Sinclair
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