New Design Hotel for the Swiss Alps

In addition to Alpine views, the Nevai boasts a restaurant, two penthouses, a pool, a sauna, and a Turkish hammam.

Nicholas Tamarin -- Interior Design, 1/18/2008

The Nevai hotel, designed by European architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh, recently opened in the Alpine resort town of Verbier, Switzerland. Mahmoudieh, the winner of the European Hotel Design Award for her Hotel Rheinsberg in Germany, was responsible for the 33-room hotel's two penthouses, restaurant, bar, and lounge, and spa with a pool, sauna, and Turkish hammam.

Located less than two hours by car from Geneva in the Four Valleys area of the Swiss Alps, Verbier is one of Europe's premier skiing destinations, with 250 miles of trails. The hotel's Alpine influence is apparent throughout, from the structure's subtle icicle motif to the interior's traditional pale wood flooring.



More modern touches can be seen in the lobby's organically curved reception desk which faces a video installation that reflects the areas changing seasons with images of snow (the hotel's name, Nevai, is derived from the local Valaisian dialect's word for snow) in the winter and local flowers in the summer. Guest rooms also embrace technology: Each is wired with a flat screen TV and an iPod system.

Penthouses feature large living rooms with fireplaces, private entrances, state-of-the-art sound systems, secluded terraces with whirlpools, and views of the surrounding mountains. The hotel's restaurant shares these spectacular views and offers more fireplaces, while a long area off the restaurant provides plush armchairs and a lengthy bar that is perfect for post-slope cocktails. Downstairs from the restaurant is the boudoir-themed bar, complete with sunken seating areas. Looking for a little more action?  Next door is the legendary Farm Club, considered one of the area's most exclusive late-night venues.

From top: The lounge at the Nevai hotel in Verbier, Switzerland. One of the hotel's suites.
Images courtesy of Yasmine Mahmoudieh