Set in a quintessential Swiss village, The Brecon is a design-led sanctuary where true luxury revolves around place and genuine hospitality.

It’s only minutes after pushing through the revolving timber door into the lounge of The Brecon, an intimate adults-only lodge in the Swiss village of Adelboden, that I’m offered a glass of champagne, or coffee if I’d prefer.

“Well, only if it’s open," I hesitate. “It’s always open," comes the immediate reply from our host, Martina von Deschwanden. I think I’m already smitten with this stay.

The vision behind the hotel

The Brecon is the vision of Welsh brothers Grant and Craig Maunder, who’ve been returning to this Bernese Oberland village for nearly 50 years, beguiled by its alpine beauty and laid-back character. After dreaming as teenagers of one day staying in the village’s grandest hotel, decades later they purchased it instead, transforming it into The Cambrian, now Adelboden’s contemporary grand dame.

When another hotel at the other end of the village came up for sale, they put their hands up again. What was originally envisaged as ‘a quick lick of paint’ became a two-year transformation. Named for a mountain range in Wales (the Swiss would call them hills), The Brecon opened its doors in July 2024.

Grant Maunder spends four or five months a year in Adelboden. Our stays overlap, allowing a long chat over a drink about his vision for the hotel.

“Luxury for me is a sense of place, feeling at home, and the people that you interact with that you genuinely remember from a stay," he tells me. That philosophy extends to an all-inclusive model where guests don’t need to make decisions or constantly put their hands in their pockets. “Making it feel like you’re more at a generous friend’s home was genuinely what I wanted to try and achieve with it."

The style and character

The feeling of wandering into a friend’s home begins with the eclectic interiors created by Amsterdam design studio Nicemakers. Rather than a perfectly polished hotel aesthetic, the spaces feel collected over time: warm and richly tactile, layered with earthy tones, and textures of timber, marble and slate.

Every detail feels considered without feeling contrived, from the welcoming table that replaces a traditional reception to creased leather lounge chairs, bouclé sofas and the ‘crazy paving’ of the slate floors. Bold ceramics, hand-knotted rugs and a seaweed pendant light add unexpected touches; pops of retro glamour recall Adelboden’s pioneering British ski tourism; and bespoke woollen throws woven at Melin Tregwynt mill in Wales speak to the owners’ heritage. And that revolving door? It’s a nod to the comedy gold of a Pink Panther movie scene.

History remains in the traditional timber chalet exterior and a spiral staircase with burnt-orange mosaic tiles. Chairs from the original hotel sit alongside market finds, and artworks selected by the Bisou Gallery in Amsterdam, from bold contemporary abstracts to vintage posters, complete the mix. It feels as though each piece has found its natural place over time.

The rooms at The Brecon

With 18 rooms and four suites, the hotel accommodates a maximum of just 44 guests. My Mountain Cosy room is compact but oozes comfort, with exquisite timber detailing and bathroom finishes. There’s no mini-bar (just holler for a drink) or television, of course. Instead I throw open the curtains to mountain views and watch snow drift down from the sky and settle on the rooftops below, nature’s own winter performance.

The dining at The Brecon

“What should we wear for dinner?" asks my husband of a staff member wearing the hotel’s signature crocs and socks. “Whatever you like," comes the reply. “This is your home now."

Each evening, guests gather for pre-dinner drinks before selecting a table for dinner – a choose-your-own-adventure that makes it easy to meet fellow travellers, or enjoy a romantic tête-à-tête. Dinner is a four-course affair with wine pairings. It’s sophisticated fare without being fussy, showcasing local produce in this alpine setting – perhaps beetroot carpaccio, buffalo ricotta ravioli or slow-cooked beef cheek, finished with a Swiss chocolate torte.

Afternoon tea is also an enticing spread of sweet and savoury treats, including another nod to Wales: surprisingly delicious Welsh cakes, a bit like raisin-speckled flat scones. The beautifully crafted ceramic coffee cups and tableware – all 980 pieces of them individually made by Grant’s artist wife Andrea Anderson – are another expression of the care that underpins a stay here.

Snow and steam

My husband hits the ski slopes for the day (there’s more than 200 kilometres of runs to choose from) while I opt for a day of spa indulgence, moving from spa room to sauna before heading outside. As fluffy snowflakes drift down from the sky, I swan around in the deliciously warm outdoor pool – a haze of steam rising from the water – gazing up to snow-dusted firs above and the majestic Wildstrubel mountain beyond. For a short few days, it’s felt like home. It’s left me wondering though: should I keep the bubbles permanently open too?

The details

Adelboden is around three hours by train from Zurich or four hours from Geneva, plus a short bus ride from the nearest station to the village. Transfers can also be arranged.

Seasonal rates at The Brecon start from AU$1120 per night for two, including breakfast, afternoon tea, four-course dinner with matched wines and all drinks. Sister hotel The Cambrian, with 72 rooms and a restaurant led by acclaimed Welsh chef Bryn Williams, offers a more traditional stay.