While Switzerland is known for its fine hotels, the newest trend is ultra-luxury residences, perfect for families, friends, business meetings, and events. With unsurpassed privacy, amenities, and five-star services, Distinguished Residences, the newest venture by villa specialist Elegant Mexico, has selected the best homes for rent in Europe. This week, we look at the Alpine nation.
1. Geneva
2. Ultima Crans-Montana
3. Megeve
4. Ultima Gstaad
1. Geneva
Ultima Grand Villa Geneva is the latest addition to the Ultima Collection and the first of a series of Ultima properties to be in and around Geneva that will offer both city center and country surroundings.
This 21,500-square-foot, nine-bedroom villa is on the outskirts of Geneva, 20 minutes from the city center, minutes away from Lake Geneva, and comfortably close to Geneva International Airport. The location makes this villa perfect for business meetings, celebrations, and getaways demanding a focus on wellness, quiet, and convenience.
Interior
A mixture of South Beach, Beverly Hills, and the tasteful, design-forward minimalism that infuses Ultima Collection’s rarefied properties, Ultima Grand Villa Geneva is sweet on the eyes and warm on the heart. Find pale hues and cushy furnishings within cathedral spaces bathed by natural light coming in through floor-to-ceiling glass.
Contemporary lines and traditional architecture are complemented by the brand’s signature design aesthetic of leather and natural materials, nubuck, sumptuous textiles, and rare marble sourced from Italy and Brazil. And, of course, find bold art pieces, including an Alec Monopoly piano, playing stunning backdrop to the villa’s muted furnishings.
Ultima Geneva Grand Villa sleeps up to 18 guests, featuring a master bedroom with a private terrace and pool and gardens views from the first floor, and seven other bedrooms with ensuite baths and vanity areas amid the villa’s various levels. A separate one-bedroom villa attaches to the residence for added guests or personal staff.
A spacious living room with sunken sofa seating looks onto a garden of greenery with trees. A dining table there sits 12 guests under elaborate chandeliers and 14-seat Teppanyaki dining arrangement is available on a lower floor.
The outdoor patio by the pool provides space enough for parties and events, or large family and friend get-togethers. Guests can have a quiet barbecue dinner surrounded by lush gardens and quintessentially Swiss tranquility.
Parking is available for up to 10 cars, including a separate glass-cased space for the Bugatti or Tesla. The villa includes a 2,000-square-foot wellness area where guests can choose from a creative menu of holistic therapies.
Anesthetics clinic is on call for more specialist treatments. Guests have use of a private and well-equipped fitness center, as well as a heated outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. An indoor hammam and sauna help detoxify and relax muscles. In addition, find a cigar lounge, bar, wine cellar, and cinema room, and a welcome state-of-the-art sound system at your disposal as you wander the three elevations of the property.
Ultima Grand Villa Geneva can be booked with or without professional staff depending on preference. For those who prefer to be looked after, a private chef is on hand to manage menus and pair the food with wines from the villa’s cellar. Night service with bar staff is on hand to manage the fully equipped lounge. A dedicated concierge service, housekeeping, laundry as well as return airport transfers are villa staples.
Exterior
All views, terraces, and gardens are completely private, shrouded by trees and secure gates. The villa is a five-minute drive or comfortable short amble to Lake Geneva, itself a destination as Switzerland’s largest lake. It hugs the border of France, offering views of the glistening, snow-capped peak of Mont Blanc on clear days and the Jura Mountains on most days. A chauffeur-driven private car is available as part of a stay, allowing for easy and speedy access into the heart of Geneva.
Key Facts
Nine sleeping quarters that can serve up to 18 guests; 2,000-square-foot spa with skilled staff on call; Fitness studio; Underground parking for 10 cars, including a glass garage; Heated swimming pool; Jacuzzi; Cinema room for 10 guests; Living area that can hold 100 people for special events; Outside terrace that can accommodate 300; a lower floor that can accommodate 300 guests; Private dining room for 12 with the dedicated chef; Teppanyaki experience; Smoking lounge & bar; Attached guest villa with bedroom, living room and kitchen with separate entrance (cannot be rented separately); Children of any age welcome; Pets welcome; Extras: Yoga class, personal trainer, cooking classes, helicopter tours, boat tours on the lake.
2. Ultima Crans-Montana
You won’t get closer to terrace views of Switzerland’s iconic Matterhorn than Ultima Crans-Montana, cuddled by the Alps in the country’s southwestern frontier near the border of France.
This mountain chalet spreads to nearly 50,000 square feet as its own private resort with ski-in/ski-out access to the fabulous Crans-Montana ski slopes.
The modern-meets-rustic-meets-Luxe Gothic Transitional decor keeps eyes entertained and inspiration piqued through two exquisite and expansive chalets that can be booked together for a large gathering, or separately.
Whatever the need, find plenty of places to wander at Ultima Crans-Montana. Together these chalets, sleep up to 38 people in luxurious spaces and plush sleeping quarters that make them large enough to be together and at the same time alone amid stunning and intimate relaxation.
Interior
Crans 1 makes up the larger footprint with 10 bedrooms (including two expansive children’s dormitories). Each bedroom is a suite with its own sense of style. Adjacent Crans 2 can accommodate up to 12 guests in similar flair across six en-suite master bedrooms with dressing rooms and balconies.
Together they share a buzzworthy marble, glass, and teak underground spa and salon area with massage therapists, medical staff, and cosmetologists on call and at the ready. Indulge in beauty treatments under Baccarat chandelier lighting.
Enjoy a starlight hammam experience followed by a cooling snow blizzard session, and a warming chromatic shower. In the evening, watch Netflix or a first-run film on a movie screen sitting on soft couches while the chalet’s staff brings made-to-order popcorn and cocktails.
A billiards room, a cigar lounge, private bars, and a dining room that can seat 16 with entrees created by the in-house private chef comprise just a few of the wows here.
Exterior
In winter or summer lie by the outdoor pool and take in the majesty. The pool is heated and makes a refreshing dip as fresh snowflakes swirl around you. Ultima Crans-Montana is in a prime ski-in/ski-out location, allowing guests to ski onto the Les Planches ski slope and optimize time on the ski trails. To get to other ski areas, the center of the ski village is just five minutes away by chauffeured car or 20 minutes by a brisk walk.
Key Facts
48,437 total square feet: Crans 1 runs 41,441 square feet with eight master bedrooms and two children’s dorms. Sleeps up to 26 people; Crans 2 offers 8,826 square feet with six master bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 guests; Ski-In/ Ski-Out access to slopes; Direct access to the 10,663 square foot Ultima Spa, Salon & Clinic; Sizable Outdoor Jacuzzi/Swimming Pool; Common Relaxation Areas, Sauna, Fitness Room, Yoga Studio; Common Balcony/Terrace Areas; Common Cinema Room; Private Fireplace; Private Bar Area; Private Lake on Property; Common Billiard/Games Room; Private Office Space; Private Cigar Lounge; Open kitchen; Library; Views of Matterhorn and Mont Blanc; Private chef, service staff, concierge, spa/wellness staff on call.
3. Megeve
This mountain villa in the French Alps becomes the perfect ski chalet in winter and private getaway in summer offering breathtaking views of iconic Mont-Blanc in any season.
Ultima Megève is a mélange of ultra-luxurious chalets and is expansive enough to sleep 18 people in sumptuous comfort in its nine one-bedroom suites. Composed of stone, marble, and teak these spaces fan out to more than 16,000 square feet – perfect for a multi-generational family vacation or even an elite corporate retreat.
Consider Ultima Megève your own personal private resort. That means you will have your own spa and salon, your own interior swimming pool, cinema, chef, cocktail lounge, and concierge – even your own nightclub.
The location of this French mountain villa is just a few minutes’ drive from the town center of Megève and the Jalliet ski lift.
Interior
Find high-quality, made-to-measure appointments in Ultima Megève’s open-plan living designs. Interiors blend sleek modern concepts with natural, raw edges and exposed wooden beams. Spaces become warming cocoons complemented by a roaring fireplace, following a challenging day on the slopes, as private staff serves aperitifs and appetizers ahead of an expertly crafted dinner.
Each bedroom is its own suite with vanity and marble bath with plush towels, and high thread count linens bearing the clients’ initials. This luxury villa also comes with its own private wellness facility that includes a yoga and fitness studio, a hammam, and an indoor swimming pool with wide-open views of snow-dappled trees and mountain peaks.
Order up an indulgent massage treatment or try a new look in the chalet’s private salon. Following a casual or formal meal conceived and created by Ultima Megève’s dedicated chef, settle in for a film in the villa’s cinema room or work off the calories in the chalet’s private nightclub with DJ standing by. Top off the night with Champagne chosen from the chalet’s in-house wine cellar.
Exterior
Catch the sun on a comfortable patio bedecked with plumped-up chaise lounges and sitting areas that overlook a lush meadow in summer or a field of snow in winter. Find plenty of outdoor wooden decks off bedrooms and common spaces throughout the property. All is quiet and pure, away from the madding crowds.
Key Facts
16,146 square feet; Helipad; Indoor Swimming Pool; Hammam Massage Rooms; Fitness Studio; Sauna; Fireplace; Cinema Room; Private Nightclub; Arcade Games Room; Hairdressing Room; Wine Cellar; Dedicated Concierge services; Geneva airport transfers; Driver service – 2 drivers with 2 cars (Mercedes Viano); Daily breakfast and afternoon tea/delight service; Private chef to prepare your evening meals (food and drink charged as extra); Soft drinks, coffee, and tea at guest’s disposal; Night shift drinks service; Housekeeping and laundry services.
4. Ultima Gstaad
Some call it Swiss Bliss. Ultima Gstaad is a little bit of heaven in the lower altitudes at 3,400 feet, a 10-minute stroll from the quaint pedestrian village of Gstaad in the shadow of glacial peaks and a celebrity slope scene.
Ultima Gstaad is the perfect private complement to a busy ski day. It’s a five-star boutique chalet resort with 11 suites and six private residences. Find comfort in cozy fireplaces, large marble bath areas, soft textiles and furs, riveting mountain views, and a bar-none wellness spa featuring La Prairie beauty treatments, esthetic medical boosts, and healthy elixirs.
Your quarters are just 1,300 feet from the Eggli lift. And when the ski day is done, then all is done for you – from private chef dining or dinner at Duchessa to bespoke smokey cocktails crafted at the lobby bar, to hors d’oeuvres and treats served between meals and during the evening entertainment.
Interior
Enter a fantasyland of transitional contemporary décor where cascading crystal chandeliers, mixed exposed hardwood surfaces, gleaming glass, and veined Northern Italian marbles meet indulgent furs, leathers, and plush beige appointments set off by Victorian red accents. The 11 suites, range in area from 600 square feet to 2,600 square feet, each with its own style and dominant color tones.
All suites have fireplaces, large marble bathrooms with luxury-branded amenities, walk-in closets, swiveling TVs, and iPad-controlled ambiance settings. Special touches, such as bucket-sized candles by the fireplace, unusual sculptures, and coffee table hardbacks, provide an air of hominess.
Every room has at least one balcony, whether overlooking Gstaad or the Diablerets massif, as well as a Nespresso coffee machine and a selection of homemade biscuits. A complimentary minibar provides a selection of two wines, a bottle of Bollinger, and edible gold treats.
Ultima Gstaad’s six residences range from 1,700 square feet to 2,700 square feet and come with two to four bedrooms. All accommodations draw dedicated butler service to handle anything from dining in or dinner reservations out to special bath and bedding requests.
A key amenity of Ultima Gstaad is its in-house spa that drips with luxury throughout its fantastical interiors. The 8,600-square-foot cathedral sanctuary includes a hammam, a 50-foot pool, and a lounge area in a floor-to-ceiling windowed interior looking out onto the peaks.
Also find a Jacuzzi, six treatment and massage rooms, a health bar, and a state-of-the-art gym. All treatments feature products by La Prairie, renowned for precious anti-aging cellular therapies. The spa’s collaboration with Aesthetics Clinics offers guests the opportunity to turn a vacation in Gstaad into a wellness vacation with comprehensive medical consultations and a battery of minimally invasive therapies and beauty fixes.
Exterior
Ultima Gstaad offers a supremely private Swiss luxury chalet experience with old-world Swiss mountain designs that fit right in place. The property accesses endless hiking and mountain biking trails in the warmer months. An elevator and attention to disability codes mean that all family members are welcome in this complex that can sleep as many as 34 guests across 17-bedroom suites. In-resort driver service can be summoned, or guests can take the complimentary shuttle buses equipped with onboard San Pellegrino bottles to area lifts and attractions.
Key Facts
Eleven guest suites in five configurations ranging in size from 600 to 2,600 square feet; Six residences in two- to four-bedroom layouts ranging in size from 1,700 to 2,700 square feet; Swimming pool; Sauna; Hot tub; Steam room; Cigar room; Elevator; Fireplaces; Garden; Gym/Fitness; Integrated sound system; Massage/Treatment Room; Sat/Cable TV; Ski Lockers; Wellness/Relaxation Room; Wi-Fi; Chalet staff; In-resort driver service; Concierge service; Daily breakfast in room or restaurant; Private chef; All food and beverages charged at local cost; Airport transfers.
VIP Contact
Contact CEO Sean Emmerton at sean@distinguishedresidences.com or visit Distinguished Residences.
