Switzerland

A luxury villa or chalet rental in Switzerland will whisk you away to a land of jagged mountain peaks and glistening glaciers. Whether you're on the hunt for rustic barn house conversions with ski-in/ski-out access to the slopes or chalets that flaunt hot tubs and infinity pools overlooking the Matterhorn, there's bound to be something to suit.

The winter season takes centre stage here. For that, we've got cosy boltholes and family-friendly chalets right at the base of the ski lifts, offering roaring log fires and bubbling Jacuzzis in the snow. But the summer has its own draws, as the hiking trails of the great Swiss Alps open in earnest and the lakesides of Geneva come into their own.

Verbier leads the way from December to March. It's the centrepiece of the Four Valleys ski domain, which counts 93 marked runs and over 400 kilometres of groomed pistes, plus some of the most challenging off-piste terrain in the Alps. The town fizzes with life all season, unfolding in a medley of sleek champagne bars and epicurean bistros, with just a few bumping après venues for good measure.

Others might prefer Zermatt. Perched 1,600 meters up on the edge of the Swiss-Italy border, it's a car-free town of gingerbread cottages and timber buildings that oozes style at every turn. There are more deluxe chalet rentals than you can shake your fondue stick at here, many of which offer front-on or broadside views of the gnarled finger that is the Matterhorn, Europe's most curiously shaped mountain.

Meanwhile, the idyllic Engadin Valley over in eastern Switzerland plays host to St Moritz. Steeped in glitz and glamour, it's one of Europe's original ski towns, with palatial hotels framed by the mirror-like waters of the Lake St Moritz below and the craggy tops of Piz Julier above. Luxury Swiss apartments rub shoulders with grand 18th-century palaces in these parts, but access to the ski lifts is usually just a matter of minutes' walk.

The charms of Switzerland continue on as you move north to fairy-tale Grindelwald. This legendary section of the Alps is skewered by the infamous North Face of the Eiger. But the peaks soon give way to the softer lake regions of the Bernese Oberland, Zurich, and Geneva. These are areas that bloom with wildflowers in the summer, offer thousands of miles of marked hiking trails over lush highland meadows, and beckon with the best winelands in Switzerland.

Whether you're after a relaxing sojourn on the side of Lake Geneva, a winter ski trip to one of Europe's most iconic mountain towns, or a slow-pace escape to Swiss wine country, luxury villa holidays in Switzerland could just be the perfect choice.

From catered ski chalets in Verbier to fire-warmed townhouses in St Moritz, see our collection below to be inspired this season.