Richard Branson built The Lodge in Verbier as his own private mountain retreat before opening it to paying guests, and that origin story is visible in every decision the building makes. Constructed from hand-hewn Canadian log timber — the exterior photographs show full-diameter round logs stacked in the traditional blockhouse method, their amber warmth radiating even under deep snow — the three-storey chalet sits at the quieter edge of the village with views across the Pennine Alps that feel genuinely earned rather than engineered. Inside, the interiors navigate the familiar chalet vocabulary with more confidence than most. Reclaimed timber planks line the ceilings throughout, their silvered grain carrying genuine age, while the main dining room suspends a dense chandelier of what appear to be horn or translucent stone pendants above a single live-edge communal table — the effect somewhere between a Nordic hunting lodge and a contemporary gallery. The bedrooms range between two distinct registers: one treatment deploys a woven grass-panel headboard against a near-black wall with bleached log-section side tables, while the suite under the eaves uses a double-sided gas fireplace set into a plastered dividing wall to separate sleeping from sitting, the mountains framing the whole composition through wide casement windows. Eight rooms and suites, a pool terrace that functions across both seasons, and a staff-to-guest ratio that recalls a private house more than a hotel complete the picture.

2hr 30min drive from Geneva airport (GVA); 3hr 10min drive from Milan Malpensa airport (MXP)

The Lodge is Sir Richard Branson's mountain retreat in Verbier, perched high in the Swiss Alps. Complete with nine stunning bedrooms and suites, an indoor pool, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis and a friendly team of experienced staff including Michelin-star trained chefs, The Lodge is a true alpine paradise, ideal for a luxury ski holiday or an active summer break. Available for individual stays, and Exclusive Use bookings.