Flims Dorf, Switzerland

On a hillside above the Rhine, the attractive resort of Flims is well known to the Swiss, who consistently pack the place out every season, but is much less known abroad, although it offers some of the best snowboarding facilities in the canton. There are two parts: Flims-Dorf is the older, original village with most amenities and the base station for the ski lifts, while on a slightly higher elevation 1km south is Flims-Waldhaus, a newer, quieter area set amidst beech and larch woods, with most of the hotels. Some 5km south of Waldhaus is the village of Laax, with tiny Falera up a 3km branch road completing the picture. All three share the extensive Alpenarena ("Alpine Arena") ski region.

No trains pass this way, but Flims is served by regular postbuses from Chur. All local transport is free with a Guest Card.

The best reason to stay is to experience the stunning, hi-tech ARiders Palace (Tel:081 927 97 00, Web: www.riderspalace.ch ; Price: Fr.150–300), near the Murschetg base station in Laax, perhaps the coolest hotel in the Swiss Alps. The architecture is striking, an innovative juxtaposition of untreated larch wood and glittering walls of glass, giving floor-to-ceiling panoramic views over the forest and slopes. Everything is geared to a young, sporty clientele: all room rates include a lift pass (which is also valid for the day you arrive and the day you check out), whether you opt for a bed in a shared room, a double or a Starck-designed suite. The slick, minimalist guest rooms and the 24-hour hotel bar feature plasma-screen TVs, sound systems, games consoles and more, while the basement club hosts international DJs every weekend throughout the winter (past residences have included Ministry of Sound and Cream).

Less trendy options include the tiny, modern Uaul Pign in Waldhaus (Tel:081 911 13 39, Web: www.kpage.ch/garni.htm ; Price: Fr.100-150), in a tranquil location well away from the road, its ten balconied rooms looking into the forest; and, in Laax, the quiet Bellaval (Tel:081 921 47 00, Web: www.hotelbellaval.ch ; Price: Fr.150-200), with pleasant, well-appointed rooms. There are also plenty of dorm places, including the SB hostelBackpacker Deluxe/Capricorn in Laax (Tel:081 921 21 20, Web: www.caprilounge.ch ; Price: Fr.100-150; dorms Fr.34) and the Mountain Hostel in an unbeatable location on the Crap Sogn Gion (Tel:081 927 73 73, Web: www.mountainhostel-laax.ch ; Price: Fr.100-150).