Mountains are among the most powerful expressions of nature. The sight of their peaks fading into the distance is breathtaking, and a holiday in the mountains can stay with you for the rest of your life.
Losko Magazine has put together a selection of hotels whose windows offer views of mountain ranges from around the world.
1. Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, Georgia
The first hotel we will look at is Rooms Kazbegi, situated at the foot of Mount Kazbek in the village of Stepantsminda, Georgia. The hotel was designed by the architects of Adjara Arch Group. The building's unassuming forms and pared-back interiors create a harmony with the austere mountains that surround it. Those mountains, incidentally, can be admired not only from the guest room windows but also from the hotel's spacious and welcoming terrace.
2. Explora Patagonia, Chile
The hotel Explora Patagonia is set in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park, directly on the shore of Lake Pehoé, in the heart of Patagonia. Nothing obstructs the windows of this low-slung white building, which open onto sweeping views of the mountain ranges beyond. The hotel also has its own stables, where guests can hire horses to explore the surrounding landscape.
3. 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, Switzerland
A truly extraordinary hotel, 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, resembling a fortress, sits right beside the ski slopes and is the highest hotel in Switzerland. A railway line runs past it, and it can only be reached by train. The hotel even has its own planetarium. Above all, though, the Alpine peaks are visible from every single room.
4. Altapura, France
The hotel Altapura was built in the high-altitude Alpine ski resort of Val Thorens. The building stands slightly apart from the main village, directly adjacent to the slopes. The hotel's stepped roofline echoes the surrounding mountain peaks, blending naturally into the landscape.
5. Hotel Zhero — Ischgl/Kappl, Austria
The hotel Zhero — Ischgl/Kappl is situated near the Austrian municipality of Kappl and the ski resort of Ischgl, which can be reached by bus for a full range of winter sports. From the windows of the dark, hunting-lodge-inspired rooms, guests can take in the wooded slopes of the Tyrolean Alps.
6. Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman
Leaving Europe and the Alps behind, we turn to the Omani resort of Alila Jabal Akhdar, set in the Hajar Mountains. The stone building seems to grow naturally from the surrounding landscape, while the interiors' Eastern motifs lend the space a distinctive atmosphere. From the hotel's windows and generous terraces, guests look out over the austere beauty of the desert slopes. The resort also caters to the active traveller — hiking trails and cycling routes through the surrounding terrain await.
7. Sparkling Hill Resort, Canada
The hotel Sparkling Hill Resort is located in the Canadian city of Vernon, surrounded by mountains. The building is almost entirely white, with floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, and the main lobby resembles an enormous glass crystal. Guest rooms and open-air pools afford breathtaking views of Okanagan Lake and the mountain ranges beyond.
8. Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden, Germany
The hotel Kempinski Berchtesgaden is situated in the town of Berchtesgaden, amid mountain peaks. This stunning setting offers a wide range of outdoor pursuits in both winter and summer.
9. Grand Forest Metsovo, Greece
The understated white building of Grand Forest Metsovo stands among the forested mountains of the Pindus range in Greece. Visitors explore the surroundings on foot or on horseback, while winter brings skiing and snowboarding. Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the hotel's windows, terraces and covered pools.
10. Solis Sochi Hotel, Russia
And finally, a Russian hotel — Solis Sochi — in the town of Esto-Sadok, not far from Krasnaya Polyana. In winter, guests can hit the ski slopes; in the warmer months, lunch on a terrace with views of the sun-drenched mountains.
Of course, this selection is far from exhaustive when it comes to spectacular views. Travellers in search of something truly out of the ordinary can take in the splendours of Elbrus from their hotel room — having first made the journey to its summit. Mountain scenery can be enjoyed not only from the windows of luxury hotels, but also from observation platforms — such as the Trollstigen viewpoint in Norway.
Perhaps the most extraordinary stay of all, though, is at the South Pole — something we have also written about. Guests there sleep in semi-spherical rooms, gazing out at towering glaciers and paying visits to penguins.
