What five stars means in the Alps, how it differs between countries, and where the service is genuinely exceptional rather than merely expensive.
Hotel classification is set country by country, and the Alps span six systems. A five-star in Italy, in Switzerland and in France are not measuring the same things, and none of them measure the thing guests care about most — whether the staff are good. A property can hold the rating on room size and facilities alone.
This section looks at what the rating covers in each country, and then at what actually separates exceptional alpine service: staff who stay season after season, a concierge who knows the mountain rather than a booking system, the ability to fix a ruined day at short notice. We also cover where the money goes at the top end, and where a four-star with a long-serving team beats the five-star next door.
Judged in context, destination by destination: Switzerland, France, Italy.
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