The Best Mountain Huts in Switzerland: Valais Region

I just spent an amazing week exploring the beautiful Valais region, where I stayed in some of the best mountain huts in Switzerland. In this post, I’ll share the three I stayed at and why I love them, along with a few others that I learnt about along the way.

How to get to the Valais region

I flew into Zurich and took a few trains/buses to get to the Valais region. You could also fly into Geneva, which is pretty close to the region. I was so happy I had a Swiss Travel Pass. Switzerland has one of the biggest and most reliable public transport systems in the world. It combines trains, buses, trams, boats, and railways into one network.

This pass provides:

• Unlimited travel by train, bus, and boat.
• Free entrance to hundreds of museums.
• Free mountain excursions to peaks like Rigi, Stanserhorn, and Stoos, and 50% off most others.
• Full coverage on scenic panorama trains.
• City transport and other perks!

If you’re not renting a car and using mostly trains, buses, and boats to get around, I’d definitely consider the pass.

Buy your Swiss Travel Pass below:

Everything you need to know about mountain huts

Before you visit the best mountain huts in Switzerland…

Book a head of time: Many of these huts book out quickly, especially the popular ones. I would note which huts you want to do and find what time they open for reservations. Some open as early as January.

Packing list: I made a detailed packing list here.

Sleeping arrangements: Every hut is different, but usually there is a big room with multiple bunk beds in it. Some can have 4 beds and can go up to 20 beds.

Sleeping tips: Bring ear plugs and an eye mask. People will come in and out of the room, wake up/go to sleep at different times, etc.

Pack a sleeping bag liner: This is a non-negotiable for all huts. Make sure you pack it!

Respect the rules and hut wardens: The hut wardens will share the rules of the hut, so simply follow them.

Slippers: You’re usually not allowed to wear shoes in the hut, so there is usually slippers (or Crocs) to wear. I brought my own Crocs since they’re so light.

Cell service/wifi: I had cell service most of the time on my trek but I heard there are times that it can drop. There is wifi (bring cash) at some huts, but not all.

Download offline maps: All trails in Switzerland have really great signage, but I still like to download an offline map.

Food: Buy the halfboard so you get breakfast and dinner. The food is delicious and it’s so worth the experience. Dinner is usually a soup, main course and dessert (served at a fixed time) around 6-7pm. Breakfast is usually simple: bread, jam, muesli, coffee/tea, cheese, etc. around 6-8am. You can also book lunch for the next day which they called a ‘picnic’ in the huts I stayed in.

Snacks: Even if you get the halfboard and picnic/lunch, I would still bring snacks.

Water: Most huts I went to had potable water, but one didn’t and I had to buy bottled water (which was expensive). Bring a water filter if you’d like to bypass that fee.

Showers: There are usually showers in Swiss mountain huts. Sometimes they are free, but sometimes there is a fee (bring cash).

Cash: Bring cash (CHF) for things like snacks, alcohol, showers, wifi, etc.

Electricity: Not all huts have electricty, so I brought a portable charger.

Cancellation: Make sure you call the hut and cancel your reservation if you are no longer going to stay.

Leave No Trace: This is always a rule, but I carried all my garbage with me. Feel free to ask a hut warden if you can throw some garbage away, but I think it’s usually no.

A note from Angela: Some of the links on this blog may be affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and purchase, I may earn a small commission. It won’t cost you anything extra, and it helps me keep sharing posts like this—a win win🙂

The Best Mountain Huts in Switzerland

1. Cabane de Moiry

Cabane de Moiry is hands down one of the coolest places I’ve ever spent the night. The dining area is filled with windows that frame the surrounding glaciers so beautifully, and this view alone was worth the climb.

I hiked from the far end of Lac de Moiry (Moiry Lake) by the restaurant, so that I could walk along the lake first. My watch tracked about 8.5km with 700m of gain (5.28 miles with 2,297 feet).

You also have the option of starting the hike at the parking lot beside Lac de Châteaupré, which is closer to the hut. From here, there is 500m of gain in about 3km. There is a bus stop there as well, but drop off/pick up times aren’t too frequent, so this is better option if you have a car.

From this parking lot, you cut off a lot of the distance, but you still have to make a steep ascent, so I’d give yourself at least 1.5 hours.

It feels more like a hotel than a hut, with modern design. There’s a new and an old part of the building. I slept in the old building in a 12-bed dormitory, which was the cheapest, and it was great. There are other rooms with only 4 beds in them if you prefer. There are a ton of showers and toilets in each building.

This hut is probably the most popular for tourists out of the three I visited, so you need to book as far ahead as possible. Bookings open February 10, 2027.

There is no potable water at this hut so you need to buy big bottles of water that are quite expensive, so I’d bring a water filter.

These are the views if you hike from the start of the lake.. stunning.

Read next: Best 20 of the most beautiful places in Switzerland

2. Hotel Weisshorn

I felt like I was stepping back in time at Hotel Weisshorn. It was built in 1882! It is high on a mountain top with views all around. It’s not like a traditional Swiss mountain hut, and more like a hotel.

The floor boards squeeked, and there was so much of the originial flare. I stayed in a room with two beds and there was one bathroom with showers and toilets on the floor.

There are a few ways to get to Hotel Weisshorn, but I started from St-Luc and took the funicular up, then hiked to Cabane Bella Tola for lunch. From there, I hiked the lakes trail and after a bit of descent, I hiked back up to the hotel.

The best part about Switzerland is that you can find longer or shorter routes (with the help of gondolas and funiculars)—all depends on what you want. You could also just hike straight from Chandolin to Hotel Weisshorn for a shorter day.

You can book at any time and it’s open in the summer and winter.

The 4-course meal is included in your stay and it is incredible. If you’re a foodie, I’d recommend staying (and eating) here.

Here are some photos from the hike where I started in St-Luc (filled up my water) and took the funicular up. After having lunch at Cabane Bella Tola, I hiked the lakes trail the long (but beautiful way) to Hotel Weisshorn.

3. Cabane Illhorn

I absolutely loved my experience at Cabane Illhorn and it was easiest to get to on my Swiss trip (great for beginners). I hiked from Chandolin, and the walk was only about 30 minutes from the village with around 200m of elevation gain.

This alpine hut had such incredible Swiss charm to it, it was beautifully designed, and massive. I loved having dinner and drinks out on the deck with the most beautiful views. There is a beer that was made locally for the hut specifically which was delicious. For the beds, there are about seven dormitories with six bunk beds each. There are a ton of (free) showers and toilets.

Other than a few weeks of the year, you can book all year around. This is a great skiing spot as well right on a ski hill: hello it’s ski-in-ski-out!

From here you can hike up and around to Cabane Bella Tola (where I had lunch). All these areas connect!

Read next: Hut-to-hut Trek in Nendaz, Switzerland

More of the best Mountain Huts in Switzerland to Add to Your BucketList

These mountain huts in Switzerland are on my list to visit.. so I thought I’d share as well. Most of these huts are run by the Swiss Alpine Club (or SAC), and are the leading mountaineering association in Switzerland.

4. Cabane Arpitettaz

Cabane Arpitettaz was shared with me by a local on my trip to Valais, and right when I heard about it, I knew it would be one of the best mountain huts in Switzerland! It’s in Zinal, a gorgeous valley, and there’s a beautiful lake you stop at on the way up to this stunning alpine hut by the glacier.

5. Monte Rosa Hut

Monte Rosa Hut is one of the most unique alpine huts I’ve ever seen (I feel weird calling it a hut), and it is one of the most visited. It has an innovative shape, and the silver aluminium shell looks like a rock crystal. This is truly one of the best mountain huts in Switzerland and it’s next on my list!

Read next: Best Fall Photography Spots in the Italian Dolomites

6. Fluhalp

This is a bucketlist stay of mine because it directly looks at the Matterhorn. You can see the iconic mountain through some of the room windows which is extremely photogenic! The photo below doesn’t do it justice, trust me on this one! While it is on SAC’s website, it is privately owned.

7. Britannia Hütte

Britannia Hütte is one of the most visited Swiss alpine huts in the Alps because it is the starting point of the Haute Route (a popular multi-day trek in Switzerland). There are views of 4000-meter peaks, and you can see as far as Italy.

8. Cabane des Dix

I’ve heard great things about Cabane Des Dix hut, as well as it’s on the Haute Route. It is perched up on a hill overlooking a gorgeous glacier. It is an energy self-sufficient building, which is cool!

9. Cabane FXB Panossière

Don’t let this photo fool you.. this Swiss hut has insane views (when I visit, I will update the photos!). Cabane FXB Panossière has views of the fifth-longest glacier in Switzerland. There is also a suspension bridge hanging about 70 meters (230 feet) above the glacial floor that you need to cross to get here, which sounds fun.

10. Cabane de Louvie

Cabane de Louvie is perched above a small lake with beautiful mountains surrounding it. There are also a ton of ibex, marmots, and chamois that live in the area.

If you want to find more huts.. search the SAC website here!