<p>Discover everything the luxury ski resort of Saas Fee has to offer</p>
Photo: PPR Saastal Tourismus AG Christof Sonderegger

The Ultimate Guide to Saas Fee

Discover everything the luxury ski resort of Saas Fee has to offer

Resort Guides
Published at: 24 Aug 2021
Last updated at: 7 Aug 2023

Experience a luxury ski holiday in Saas-Fee with 100 km of ski pistes to explore, as well as a variety of alternative winter activities including the Ice Pavilion.

Alicia Bryan
Alicia Bryan

Where is Saas-Fee?

This charming Swiss village has one of the highest ski resort altitudes with the majority of skiing between 2500m-3500m. Located in the Canton of Valais three hours from Zurich airport, Saas-Fee is part of the Saas Valley which also includes Saas-Almagell, Saas-Grund and Saas-Balen. A traditional car-free resort, Saas-Fee is a popular ski destination with its location close to the Glaciers of Ried and Allalinhorn, as well as the Fee Glacier which is conveniently open for skiing in summer. Once an old farming community, the first hotel in Saas-Fee, Dom was named after the mountain and was built in 1880, marking the beginning of the age of tourism for this charming farming village. Having been used as set locations for both the 1969 Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and Wham’s famous “Last Christmas” music video, tourism in Saas-Fee continues to grow welcoming visitors from all over the world.

Aerial view of Saas Fee in winter with luxury ski chaletsPhoto: Saastal Tourismus AG PuzzleMedia
snowshoeing in Saas FeePhoto: Saastal Tourismus AG
luxury ski chalets at night Saas FeePhoto: Saastal Tourismus AG Christof Sonderegger

Winter in Saas Fee

With 100km of ski pistes, the scenery in Saas-Fee is sure to take your breath away with a panorama of 18 peaks at 4000m. One of the first European ski resorts to open each year, Saas Fee is a popular ski destination with the majority of slopes north-facing and above 2,500m. With a ski area best suited to beginner and intermediate skiers, first-time skiers can make use of the large nursery area at the edge of the village before progressing to the slopes found on the glacier.

A favourite resort with intermediates due to its steeper reds on the lower runs back to the village,the glacier also has further reds to be enjoyed in the Längfluh, Speilboden and Plattjen sectors. Following large snowfall, Saas-Fee provides some attractive powder areas with a few mogul slopes, while freestylers and snowboarders can enjoy the summer park on the Glacier, as well as the Morenia park with boxes, rails and tables for all abilities. Those wishing to explore off-piste in Saas-Fee should always be accompanied by a mountain guide due to deep crevasses in the area.

Providing endless skiing possibilities, Saas Fee is also a haven for alternative winter activities such as night sledging to snow tubing. Adrenaline seekers visiting this ski resort will also love the Gorge Alpine, a rugged gorge leading from Saas-Fee down to Saas-Grund. Led by a mountain guide, if you choose to take on the Gorge Alpine, you will make your way across suspension bridges, ladders and steel ropes surrounded by frozen waterfalls with cable pulleys and a high-speed Tyrolean zip-line sure to get your heart racing. High above Saas-Fee at an altitude of 3,500m, the Ice Pavilion also awaits. After making your way through a 70-metre tunnel, you will arrive in one of the world’s largest ice pavilions containing numerous ice sculptures and an avalanche simulator. Those looking to unwind after a long morning skiing, will enjoy Aqua Allalin with a range of saunas, baths and relaxation rooms as well as a 25-metre indoor swimming pool.

Woman skiing in Saas FeePhoto: PPR Saastal Tourismus AG Vernon Deck
watching sunrise over mountains Saas FeePhoto: PPR Saastal Tourismus AG Buntye
skiing in Saas FeePhoto: Saastal Tourismus/AG Finnegan Laver

Where to stay in Saas Fee

Luxury Ski Chalets in Saas Fee
Luxury Chalet Annapurna Saas Fee at nightPhoto: Chalet Annapurna

Chalet Annapurna has an ideal location on the Hohnegg Plateau from which avid skiers can ski-out straight to the ski lifts nearby. Just a 10-minute walk from the centre of the village, panoramic windows fill the property with light, with old wood featuring throughout to create a cosy Alpine feel. Able to accommodate 16 guests across seven bedrooms, Chalet Annapurna also has a jacuzzi and sauna for some post skiing relaxation.

In a beautiful, tranquil setting close to the forest, Chalet Lycka is a superb property just a few minutes walk from the Hannig lift station. With a Nordic tub on the terrace, a steam room and sauna, not to mention a fantastic home cinema, you will find plenty of opportunities to relax.

Where to Eat & Drink in Saas Fee

A trip to Saas-Fee would not be complete without a visit to the highest revolving restaurant in the world at 3,500m altitude. Providing breathtaking ever changing mountain views, visitors at restaurant Allalin can enjoy local cuisine such as Valaisan Barley soup as the restaurant revolves 360°over the course of an hour.

Another popular spot for traditional Alpine food, Waldhüs Bodmen has a peaceful woodland setting with a unique glass wall in the dining room so children and adults alike can admire rabbits, guinea pigs, llamas and even a camel from inside of this one of a kind restaurant. A popular mountain restaurant, the slopeside Spielboden serves dishes ranging from Poké bowls to warming bolognese and has a vast sun terrace surrounded by stunning views. Families visiting Spielboden in spring and summer can purchase Marmot food bags to feed these sweet alpine animals.

Following an eventful day on the slopes, Saas-Fee has plenty of après ski spots to enjoy. With live music on certain days of the week,The Larix found at the bottom of the ski slopes is a popular venue for a post-ski beer, while the traditional wooden hut of the Black Bull Snowbar is also a favourite for a post-ski tipple.Those looking to continue the party into the later hours of the evening will enjoy the club Poison which offers a lively atmosphere with DJ sets.

Top Events in Saas Fee

No matter what time of the year it is, the events calendar of Saas-Fee always has something to offer, from après ski parades to Alpine Processions. Full of celebrations, the Carnival in the Saas-Valley sees the streets lined with Guggenmusik and people dressed in incredible costumes across the parades. In March the Glacier Bike Downhill welcomes competitors to Saas Fee to take part in this adrenaline-fueled race with cyclists racing down ice and snow from 3,500m with a height difference of 1,700m.

As spring approaches, the four-day event of the Mentelity Games brings people with disabilities from all over the world together to train with coaches and paralympic athletes in all disciplines of snow sports with fun new activities every day.

The Allalin Races in Saas Fee is one of the highest glacier ski races in the world, with competitors racing over nine kilometres of runs to overcome 1800m of altitude and reaching speeds of around 140km/h.

For lovers of film, the Saas-Fee Film Festival is a popular event focussing on a selection of personal and innovative cinematic approaches. A much loved event, the Saas-Fee Film Festival celebrates Swiss films in the Cinema Rex, as well as films from neighbouring countries where the languages of Switzerland are spoken, including Italy, Germany and Austria.

Summer skiing Saas FeePhoto: Saastal Tourismus AG-Puzzle Media

Summer in Saas Fee

Just as popular in summer as it is in winter, avid skiers can enjoy the summer sun as they ski on the Glacier, while hikers can explore the region with day tours to Allalin and Weissmies. An activity to be enjoyed by all, the Feeblitz toboggan in Saas Fee provides an exhilarating experience as you are taken down the mountain along the track at speeds of up to 40km/h! For further excitement, Saas Fee also has a summer rope park which has a challenge course for both adults and children. During their stay, golf fanatics can practise their swing on the driving range and artificial green at the Kalbermatten sports field, or make use of the 6 hole course located in alpine terrains.