Deservedly known as ‘the Pearl of the Alps’ Saas-Fee is a beautiful, high Alpine village with an excellent snow record and glacier skiing. It’s sometimes said that the quaint resort of Saas-Fee resembles a historic Zermatt – equally charming but with a slower pace of life and a more traditional ambience.
The enchanting, traffic-free village is surrounded by a magnificent backdrop of dazzling blue glaciers and towering peaks, including the Dom - the highest mountain located entirely within Switzerland. The glacial ski terrain is both picturesque and wild. It is a truly stunning resort in which to ski, explore and admire the view.
The challenging ski areas of Saas-Grund and Saas-Allmagell, further down the valley, are included in the excellent Saas-Fee ski network. In and around Saas-Fee itself the delightful blue and red runs are ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers and boarders. And the excellent Morenia snowpark provides ample entertainment in the form of jumps and rails.
Saas-Fee caters for all ages. Families will appreciate the friendly atmosphere as well as the fantastic, large beginners’ area in the village centre. There is plenty of entertainment to keep you occupied off the slopes, from the state of the art Aqua Allalin pool and spa complex to the Feeblitz bobsleigh/rollercoaster. And après ski in the form of live music and lively bars, ranges from the sophisticated to the downright fun. It is a spectacular location for your winter holiday.
| Skiing levels |
| Beginner |
|
| Intermediates |
|
| Advanced |
|
| Snowboard |
|
| Cross country |
|
| Mountain facts |
| Ski area |
145 km
|
| Runs |
20
19
6
|
| Longest run |
9 Km
|
| Snowparks |
2 snowparks
|
| Lifts |
Drag lifts 22, Chairlifts 4, Cablecars 4
|
| Slope direction |
N,E,W
|
| Ski/resort bus |
False
|
Things to do in resort
Restaurants, food and drink
The cuisine in Saas-Fee ranges from the Michelin starred to friendly pizzerias. On the mountain the world’s highest revolving restaurant, the Drehrestaurant Allalin, is surely a bucket list destination for its location alone. The delicious, traditional Swiss cuisine only makes it even more appealing.
The Schäferstube is a very popular restaurant just by the nursery slope. The traditional, cosy restaurant serves authentic Swiss dishes such as rösti and bratwurst. Simply delicious!
Close to the boarder with the Italian Monte Rosa Alps, it is unsurprising that Saas-Fee has a wealth of decent Italian restaurants. In the village, Del Ponte is an Inghams favourite. Great pizzas and friendly service mark this particular restaurant out. We can heartily recommend the formaggi pizza, excellent after a hard days skiing.
The gourmet Fletschhorn Restaurant has a Michelin star and serves a menu of high quality meals adapted to meet the season. Cheese and wine lovers will appreciate the huge selection of Swiss cheeses and the incredible wine cellar storing around 45,000 bottles.
Après, bars, clubs and nightlife
The après scene in Saas-Fee is fairly chilled, but that doesn’t mean that residents don’t know how to party, and bars and clubs can be become both quirky and lively. By far one of the quirkiest bars in resort is Nesti’s Ski Bar. This popular, lively retreat has mad décor and a surprisingly intimate atmosphere.
Also at the livelier end of the spectrum is Popcorn. By day, it’s a sports shop selling snowboarding apparel; at night it’s a popular clubbing venue with live music and cocktails.
One of our favourite spots in the town is the Larix Bar which is located really conveniently at the bottom of the pistes. The terrace of this après ski bar is an excellent place to unwind after a long day spent skiing.
For a more sophisticated après experience you should head to the stylish Burgener Skihutte. The fabulous décor in this classy wine bar attracts and older crowd looking for a more refined après experience.
Shopping
As a small village there isn’t abundant shopping to experience in Saas-Fee, but you should have no problems finding the essentials. Small supermarkets and locally run produce stores can supply you with snacks for the mountain and sports shops will provide you with rental equipment. There are even a few upmarket gift stores, such as the local jewellery boutique, so you can bring something back home for friends, family, or even yourself.
Spas and relaxation
The Aqua Allalin centre is a state of the art swimming pool and spa complex. In addition to saunas, baths and feature showers there is also a children’s pool and a waterslide making this wellness centre suitable for families.
Both the Hotel Schweizerhof Gourmet and Spa and Hotel Ferienart Resort and Spa have excellent wellness and facilities and indoor pools. The wellness facilities at the Schweizerhof are extensive and include a whirlpool, steam bath and relaxation room. The indoor pool at the Ferienart is particularly luxurious.
Arts, culture and events
The rich history of Saas-Fee is explored in the Saaser Museum, housed in an old wooden vicarage that dates back to 1732. As well as traditional artefacts, costumes and decorative crafts the museum houses a recreation of famous, local writer, Carl Zuckmayer’s study.
Saas-Fee hosts a number of sporting events throughout the winter. A particular highlight of the local calendar is the Ice Climbing World Cup which brings with it a great, bustling atmosphere and an amazing party vibe. This action packed sporting event takes place every January and welcomes athletes from across the world.
Starting at an altitude of 3,500 m on the Mittelallain glacier, the Downhill Glacier Bike Race is a spectacular sporting event full of exciting, high-speed action. The racers hurtle down an icy mountain course covering an elevation of 1,700m. You can simply spectate or sign up to participate on this crazy race which is held in mid-March.
Also making excellent use of the glacier are the Allalin Races, which are the highest downhill, glacier race in the world. This long established racing event is traditionally held towards the end of the ski season, around the end of March and beginning of April.
Saas-Fee is an adventurer’s paradise and the resort abounds with exciting winter activities. The year-round snow presence on the glacier has given the resort a strong pedigree when it comes to snowbound activities.
The resort offers so much to explore, whether its trekking on the glacier at over 3,000m above sea level or tackling one of the many giant peaks in the area, such as the Dom. There are plenty of mountain guides in resort and its incredibly easy to arrange a touring safari of the local area.
Adrenalin Cup
Fancy a challenge during your ski holiday? Then the Adrenalin Cup might just be for you. This exciting challenge is a fun addition to your lift pass and will encourage you to get the most out of the resort.
Various activities or ‘challenges’ are dotted around the mountainside. Ranging in everything from giant slalom and sledding to speed challenges and winter hikes. As you complete different disciplines you’ll accumulate points and, as the saying goes – points mean prizes.
Bobsleigh-rollercoaster
Known as the steepest toboggan lift in the Alps, the Feeblitz Rodelbobbahn combines the thrill and excitement of both bobsleigh and a rollercoaster. Essentially a toboggan on rails, as you descend the mountain you can reach speeds of up-to 40kmph!
This exciting activity is great fun for all the family and makes an excellent afternoons entertainment, especially if the weather isn’t ideal for skiing. The Feeblitz Rodelbobbahn is open every Wednesday to Sunday from 1pm until the early evening.
The Ice Pavilion and Glacier World
The mysteries of the Allalin are revealed in this fascinating ice grotto cut deep into the glacier. As you wander the corridors of the ‘ice palace’ you’ll stumble upon incredible ice sculptors carved into the walls, including grotesque faces representing traditional masks worn during the Lötschental ‘Tschäggätta’ carnival.
Visitors to the Ice Pavilion can go beyond the ethereal and explore the science of the mountain. An avalanche simulation lets you experience what it would feel like to be in a landslide and exhibits reveal information about the glacier.
Ice Climbing
With its extensive glacier providing year-round opportunities to attempt this exciting sport, Saas-Fee is an excellent destination for ice climbing enthusiasts. Beginners can also obtain an excellent introduction to climbing techniques using both indoor and outdoor climbing facilities as well as the excellent ice climbing instructors.
Torch light walk
Every Thursday evening a torch lit walk takes groups through the romantic woodlands of Saas-Fee to the village of Gletscherdorf for a candlelit fondue dinner. Along the way you’ll encounter extraordinary, magical views. To get involved with this atmospheric experience you will need to register before 6pm on the Wednesday. Speak to your rep for more details.
Other Activities
- Curling
- Ice skating
- Sledging
- Hill Walking
- Night/Moonlit Skiing
- Tobogganing
- Zip Wire
- Snowshoe trekking
- Winter walking
- World's highest revolving restaurant
- Children's funpark
New Kids Club ‘Knights Kingdom’
- From 18mths to 6yrs located at the Hotel Du Glacier in the resort centre.
- 16 Dec - 9 Apr 8am - 6pm (closed Saturdays).
- Open for all guests.
- Guests staying at partner Hotel Dom receive 25% discount.
- Normal price is Sfr80 per child per day including drinks, snack and lunch or 1hr = Sfr15 per child, 4hrs = Sfr40 per child.
- Limited availability - advance direct booking recommended (pay locally).
Saas Fee is traffic-free
'Elektro-bus' is Free
Car hire is available
Location in resort
- Longitude: 7.9362
- Latitude: 46.1151
- Location Description:
- Situated in the heart of the village
- The hotel offers a free hotel electric taxi service daily to the ski lifts, which are approx. 10 minutes' walk away
For more information on travel and transport visit our Saas Fee page
