The Best Boutique Hotels in Europe for a Winter Escape

If a snow-filled getaway sounds like something you’d like to do this winter, then look no further. Comfort, luxury, cosiness and the ultimate winter stay are all part of the package at these boutique hotels in Europe, from the snowy slopes of the Alps to the wild and untouched northern reaches of Lapland. Finding the ultimate hotel can make or break your stay, and we can guarantee that the only downside to any of these hotels is that you’ll wish you knew about them sooner.

Where Are The Best Boutique Hotels in Europe This Winter?

1. Eriro Hotel – Ehrwald, Austria

If you’re fortunate enough to be planning an Alpine getaway this winter, then you can certainly do worse than staying at the incredible Eriro Hotel in Ehrwald, Austria.

This 9-room boutique hotel exudes both luxury and privacy. Located 1,550 metres above sea level in the heart of Tyrol, in the Austrian Alps, this boutique hotel offers a luxury stay surrounded by mountains, rolling hills, fields and some of the most stunning scenery anywhere in Europe.

This hotel is one of the most stunning in Austria, and is made with locally-sourced wood and stone, offering visitors an authentic connection to nature while being surrounded by some of the highest quality luxury in any hotel.

Fresh food sourced from local farmers is served daily in the restaurant, while the best way to relax after a day on the slopes is to take a dip in one of the hotel’s three pools – all of which have hydrotherapeutic benefits – followed by a visit to the wood-fired sauna.

Spa treatments are also available to book for an additional cost, and because the maximum number of guests at any given time in the hotel is 18, the health and wellness area will never feel overcrowded or busy.

2. The Cambrian Hotel – Adelboden, Switzerland

With 360° mountain views and set in the heart of the Swiss Alps, few boutique hotels rival The Cambrian for a European winter escape.

Recently refurbished, guests can choose from rooms starting at the deluxe level and working their way up to junior suites and right up to three specialist suites – all of which offer impeccable amenities such as 24/7 room service, smart TVs, complimentary drinks and more.

The restaurant’s Welsh name – the Bryn Williams Restaurant – uses locally sourced ingredients in its Welsh and Swiss-inspired menu to create some of the most delectable meals in a fine dining setting, while The Axe Bar & Grill offers a more relaxed dining experience with comfort food favourites such as a selection of juicy burgers and fresh pasta.

There are 210km of ski slopes on the doorstep of the hotel, with snowboarding, winter hiking, sledging, ice climbing and more all available for outdoor enthusiasts – while the hotel’s award-winning holistic spa offers heated indoor and outdoor pools as well as a range of bookable treatments for those who prefer to relax while on holiday.

3. Wilderness Hotel Nangu – Inari, Finland

This adults-only resort, found over 250km north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, is a perfect winter retreat for those looking for a boutique hotel in the middle of nowhere.

Inari is known as one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, and during the winter months, when the Polar Night descends for around six weeks, where the sun does not rise above the horizon, there are few better places to experience this natural phenomenon.

Surrounded by the comfort and luxury of various accommodation choices – from cosy log cabins to glass huts where you can see the Northern Lights as you lie in bed on a night, this is truly a touch of luxury in the heart of Lapland.

Pine forests surround this gorgeous accommodation, and naturally, traditional Finnish saunas are on hand to warm you up after a day of exploring your surroundings. 

The restaurant, which sits on the shores of the frozen Lake Inari, offers traditional Lapland delicacies such as moose, elk and reindeer burgers, perfect for refuelling and warming up by the blazing fires after a busy day of adventuring through the bitter cold of Lapland in winter.

4. The Retreat at Blue Lagoon – Grindavík, Iceland

Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is one of the most iconic places anywhere on Earth, and if you want to make the most of visiting this naturally heated lagoon, then what better way to do so than by staying in the Lagoon’s very own on-site boutique hotel?

The Retreat combines luxury with convenience, and the 60-suite hotel also has its own private section of lagoon and is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant onsite.

The hotel is also incredibly eco-friendly, and like 90% of buildings in Iceland, it is completely powered by renewable, geothermal energy, making it the perfect boutique stay for those who are conscious of their environmental impact when staying in hotels.

Morning yoga is offered every day, and combined with the health benefits of the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon and the hotel’s own spa, which uses the same water, this is also a great location for health-conscious people to stay in.

While slightly on the pricey side, it’s certainly worth a visit for a special occasion or a long weekend in the winter months to blow away the January blues.

5. Chalet Al Foss – Vermiglio, Italy

With just 36 rooms for guests and in the heart of the Italian Alps, Chalet Al Foss is one of the country’s best boutique hotels – and absolutely perfect for a winter escape.

The Italian Alps are often overlooked in favour of the French, Swiss and Austrian Alps, and as such, a stay here is guaranteed to be quieter, especially given that there are limited rooms, too.

The rooms themselves are designed in a log cabin aesthetic, bringing a feel of warmth and cosiness, especially when the snow covers the mountain slopes outside of your window.

The restaurant specialises in authentic Italian food, with fresh pasta and wood-fired pizzas on offer – no imitation New York slices or cheap, knock-off pasta is served here! And what better to pair with your hearty Italian dish than a locally produced vintage bottle of Italian red, or a crisp, chilled white?

Finally, the hotel’s infinity pool is heated and thus accessible year-round, which makes it the ideal place from which to watch the snow falling on the mountains while sipping on your favourite drink in the warmth of the pool.

6. Chateau Herálec – Herálec, Czechia

Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic, is probably not the first place you’d think of staying for a boutique hotel winter escape in Europe, but Chateau Herálec is here to prove why it’s one of Europe’s best places.

Herálec itself is known for getting lots of heavy snowfall in the winter months, making it a great place to visit for a snowy escape, often at a fraction of the cost of visiting places in Scandinavia.

And the setting is to die for: built in a former Bohemian mansion, the five-star Chateau Herálec is the ultimate boujie getaway. Guests can even opt to stay in the hotel’s apartments, which are found at the top of the castle-like turrets at each corner of the mansion, for that extra touch of luxury.

The entire south wing of the hotel is dedicated to the wellness centre, including a gym, swimming pool, sauna and spa, perfect for escaping the biting winter cold and enjoying a day of being pampered.

And although the restaurant is found in the oldest part of the building, the menu is designed to reflect 221st-centurytastes: fresh, local and organic ingredients are expertly blended together by master chefs to create some of the most delicious meals you could possibly imagine.

If you want to be properly looked after, then make sure to book a stay at Chateau Herálec this winter.

7. Storfjord Hotel – Skodje, Norway

The Norwegian fjords are some of the most beautiful natural areas anywhere on earth, and finding a boutique hotel nestled among them is a dream come true for keen winter travellers.

Storfjord Hotel is the ultimate boutique hotel for a winter escape, and the whole concept of your stay here is designed around slowing down and letting yourself be immersed in the wonderful, relaxing world of nature, while surrounded by some of the most incredible scenery in Europe.

With all the different types of rooms offering either forest views or fjord views, you’ll wake up to some of the most incredible sights and crisp mountain air, the best way to start any day. Enjoy your morning coffee tucked up in bed, or out on the balcony admiring the view, or eat breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant next to a roaring log fire.

Take a short walk along the frosted pier in your complimentary bathrobe, and take a dip in the icy cold waters of the fjord, before getting into the wood-fired sauna to warm back up in a matter of seconds, or take part in some cross-country skiing to get the blood pumping and enjoy a hearty meal back at the restaurant on an evening.