72 Hours In Laax, Switzerland

Five seconds after arriving in LAAX, one of Switzerland’s biggest and highest ski resorts, I saw something I’ve never seen before in the Swiss Alps – a skateboarder rolling down a sidewalk with a snowboard tucked under his arm. I knew immediately I was no longer in Kansas, and by “Kansas” I mean the traditional kind of Swiss ski resort I’d grown accustomed to after years of visiting this magnificent part of the planet.

Skateboards, and surfboards believe it or not (more on that later), are part of the cultural fabric of this incredibly unique, Oz-like alpine Emerald City regarded by many as the Mecca of freestyle and snowboarding in Switzerland, if not in the whole of Europe. I’d made my way to LAAX in early December, because for years I’d heard about Switzerland’s iconic Vorab Glacier, and the vast ski resort with great snow built in its shadow. But, as a traditional skier heavily focused on World Cup alpine ski racing, with almost no ties to the world of freestyle and snowboarding, I had no clue on what I was about to experience at this hip, progressive, eco-friendly, and highly non-traditional Swiss mountain playground.

The jewel in the crown of this fabulous alpine wonderland is Rocksresort – the brainchild of visionary Swiss entrepreneur Reto Gurtner – a visually stunning collection of Cubist-style, square-shaped buildings housing restaurants, shops, and apartments built on the former site of the resort’s parking lot at the doorstep of LAAX’s Murschetg valley station gondola. Opened in 2009 by Weisse Arena Gruppe, and constructed out of local wood, and 40-million-year-old quartzite, these magnificent buildings stand out like majestic stone monoliths, yet still find a way to blend in perfectly with the natural environment they’re hyper-focussed on helping sustain. At its core, Rocksresort is meant to be a “one-stop-shopping” experience, with everything you could possibly need on a winter leisure holiday at your fingertips – and it is exactly that!

If you’ve ever lived and skied in California, you’ll definitely feel very at home in LAAX and Rocksresort, as the laid back and very chill vibe of that great American state is palpable in this part of the Swiss Alps. But despite feeling super-relaxed during my visit, my time in LAAX seemed to zoom by as there was so much to see and do there when I wasn’t floating through the never ending supply of powder gifted to me by the snow gods during my stay. Here’s how I spent my 72 hours in LAAX…

Don’t let the rustic, weathered, 300-hundred-year-old wood beams on the exterior of this striking Swiss chalet fool you as the four luxury suites inside Casa Mulania are freshly renovated (2022) and decorated to perfection, with every type of high end modern gizmo, gadget, and plush accoutrement you’d expect from a high-end, chic mountain accommodation – including a full kitchen if you’re in the mood to cook!

Situated right in Rocksresort, Casa Mulania’s location couldn’t be better. I loved it not only because I had so much elbow room (giant open-plan kitchen/dining/living area) that I felt like I was at home and not staying at a hotel, but because it was a very short walk to the Murschetg valley station gondola when I went skiing, and a 30 second walk to every bar, shop and restaurant I frequented during my stay.

And staying at Casa Mulania has its privileges, like the use of the fabulous wellness and spa facilities at its next door neighbour the Signinahotel, as well as breakfast there too!

I don’t identify as vegetarian or vegan, but I still love to dine at restaurants who cater to folks who do. Riders Restaurant, located in the starkly modern Riders Hotel in LAAX – once a hostel, now a hotel with art on its towering industrial walls that wouldn’t look out of place at the MOMA – is a must if you’re looking for a great meal.

Before you hit the restaurant, take a seat at the Riders Hotel Lobby Bar & Café, a giant island of alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations that sits in the foyer like a pearl in a concrete oyster. I sipped on an Espresso Martini before trying the bar’s signature take on the classic Negroni, very refreshing it was indeed!

The restaurant’s chefs create new 3-course and 5-course menus every other week, made with locally sourced, and seasonal ingredients with vegetarian and vegan options. I chose a 3-course menu that I paired with a delicious 2023 Obrecht Riesling Sylvaner Schiefer white wine produced locally in the Bündner Herrschaft region. For my starter, a heavenly Onsen egg (cooked at 63 degrees the shell) with spinach, a smooth black garlic sauce, topped with grated Belper Knolle (a garlicky, peppery, aged and dried cream cheese) which I could have had five times over!

My main meal was a wonderfully ingenious Celeriac steak with mashed potatoes, pickled elderflower and onion crunch, a vegan option that I loved, before moving onto a scrumptious dish of white chocolate ice cream with parsnip and poppy seed meringue for dessert.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say tuning into every BBC and ITV channel imaginable on the television in my comfy living room at Casa Mulania didn’t turn into a nightly ritual. For a Canadian starved for British television programming, this place was paradise! The warm wool blanket on the beautiful living room sofa also came in handy!

As a guest of Casa Mulania you have several options, and I’m not only talking about breakfast. Casa Mulania has a concierge service to assist guests with a vast assortment of arrangements such as meals, drinks, lift passes, equipment rentals, and wellness activities – or you can do it yourself. You can also book a “Deluxe” experience which includes things like entry into the Signinahotel’s wellness area, and breakfast among other things.

I opted for the “Deluxe” experience which meant I could enjoy a very ample buffet breakfast at the Signinahotel’s Camino in-house restaurant with other guests, or breakfast in a private room next to the main restaurant for Casa Mulania guests, which I opted for on my first morning at the resort. When I walked into the room, not gonna lie, I was overwhelmed, this was the kind of breakfast I’d only ever seen watching Downton Abbey. From the freshly baked breads and Viennoiseries, to the charcuteries and cheeses, the fresh juices, Champagne and the custom omelet I ordered, everything was top notch, and fit for a king.

It was dumping almost the entire time I was at LAAX, and as it was early December it almost felt like I had the resort’s entire 140 miles of slopes to myself. After a quick ride up the valley gondola to the 7,388 foot peak of Mt.Crap Sogn Gion, I spent the morning ripping on fresh corduroy with a few inches of fresh stuff on top, pure heaven! While I didn’t venture into the resort’s five different snow parks, or try my luck on the largest halfpipe in the world, I managed to clock a ton of vertical in a very short amount of time.

Some of the best cruisers I’ve ever skied were located on the Vorab Glacier, which was easy to access. While the visibility wasn’t perfect, the snow was, which made skiing on it a dream!

Oh, and getting rentals was super fast, and super easy. I picked mine up at LAAX Rental, right in Rocksresort. It’s located in house B in the basement, literally a 15 second walk from the gondola station in case you decide to rent while in LAAX.

On the advice of a local friend I popped into Tegia Miez, a wonderfully cozy, ancient wood and stone chalet with a fabulous outdoor terrace right on the slopes for a hot drink, and a little warming up. As it was a tad blustery, sitting outside was not an option, so I plunked myself down with some very friendly locals and sipped a delicious Schoggi Melange (Hot chocolate with whipped cream) and crushed a flaky Nussstange (Hazelnut filled croissant) in no time. This was the perfect little break before venturing back out for a few more hours of skiing.

The German word for gas station is “tankstelle” and after parking my tired-post-skiing carcass at this wonderfully eclectic bar that is also a vintage clothing shop, I’ll never be able to un-see the coolness this incredible bar/shop oozes!

For starters it looks like it was decorated by Jeff Spicoli, the cartoonish California stoner/surfer dude played by Sean Penn is the 1982 cult classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, with a massive, well-used surfboard sitting in a place of honor right in the middle of the bar (and it’s not the only surfboard in this place).

If you can tear yourself away from staring at the zillion and one tchotchkes, which include a giant moosehead behind the bar, order a slice of pizza just like Mr. Spicoli would do, and wash it down with a colorful Bellini cocktail for good measure. If you’ve still got a little post-skiing energy, maybe even peruse the collection of super cool vintage clothing they have on hand, you never know you might just find a treasure!

No one would blame you if you walked into Grandis Ustria da vin, one of the most elegant restaurants at Rocksresort, and thought you’d walked into a wine museum, because that’s exactly what it looks like. With more than 1000 bottles of fine wine and spirits on display on elegant wooden showcases, it is the perfect place for a delicious bottle of vino, especially if you’re into Swiss wine that is very hard to get outside of Switzerland.

I decided to pick my wine first and then work from there. After selecting an absolutely fabulous, medium bodied, 2023 Grendelmeier Pinot Noir produced by a nearby winery, I decided to match it with a scrumptious creamy tomato soup, and a perfectly cooked filet of Angus beef. For dessert – Tiramisu – which pairs really yummily with Pinot in case you’ve never tried it!

After a quick buffet breakfast at the Signinahotel I dashed out to meet a friend at Piazza Cafedeli for what I was told was the best coffee in LAAX. What I found was a very roomy, yet still very cozy cafe & deli full of comfy corners surrounded by bookcases and armchairs to sip, what turned out to be one of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever tasted. As a Canadian with donut lust embedded in his DNA, I couldn’t resist pairing my cappuccino with a very delectable zebra striped vanilla and chocolate glazed donut…and it was out of this world!

LAAX is a giant-sized snow playground, which includes Flims and Falera, trust me when I say you could spend days here discovering new pistes, and stopping for selfies in front of the resort’s incredible panoramic views of the surrounding Lepontine and Appenzell Alps. I didn’t take any scenic selfies during my visit because I was too busy making fresh powder tracks all day long as it never stopped dumping while I was on skis, but trust me, LAAX is a place known for its sunshine, and I will definitely go back sometime to see it in all it’s glory.

In some ways LAAX is the ski & snowboarding version of L. Frank Baum’s Emerald City from the Wizard of Oz, as it’s one of the greenest resorts on the planet in terms of sustainability, and eco-consciousness.  All of LAAX’s 29 lift facilities run on CO2-neutral solar and hydro power, all part of the resort’s trail blazing “Greenstyle” initiative which puts a heavy focus on the conscious use of resources and protection of the environment. Spearheaded by Reto Gurtner (I call him the Wizard of LAAX behind his back), and his colleagues in the Weisse Arena Gruppe, the folks who run LAAX have made sustainability and climate protection their top priority, with the hope of having the entire Rocksresort community run completely on renewable energy by 2030 – an example they hope other alpine resorts and communities will take to heart and emulate for the sake of the entire planet.

After a few hours of skiing, I went back into “GALAAXY” the main hub of the LAAX ski area to take a peek at the really, really, really, cool sci-fi/007-villain-looking building you’ll be passing through as you exit the gondola when you ski here.

GALAAXY is known locally as the “Space Station of LAAX” because it kinda looks like the ISS (International Space Station) which orbits our planet 250 miles above us. Like the ISS, it’s a conglomeration of different spaces that all fit together in perfect harmony. This incredibly unique collection of “spaces” include: Mountain Hostel (where you can stay overnight), a elegant restaurant called Capalari with an exquisite menu of local Grisons specialities, a digitally catered restaurant called Main Station (where you order your food beforehand on the resort’s LAAX app (with a ton of vegetarian and vegan options), a main gondola building with a really cool wall of vinyl records (thousands of them) and DJ turntables, the Satellite Bar (an outdoor terrace perfect for drinks and snacks when the weather permits), and Hangar which is a restaurant and event area for guests and the children of the ski and snowboard school during winter.

Another interesting part of this unbelievable whole is called “Workspace The Bridge” – where you can work and play simultaneously in an “open office” environment at almost 7400 feet above sea level on the Crap Sogn Gion peak!  But it’s an extra, you have to book a daily “membership” which will cost you CHF 20 outside your lift pass, or CHF 40 for a daily membership which includes one gondola ascent and descent if you don’t already have a lift pass.

Located very conveniently right off slopes on the Falera side of the resort near the Falera-Curnius and Laax Murschetg-Curnius lifts is Tegia Curnius, a sprawling log cabin, with a great bar on one side of the building, and a large, chic cafeteria style restaurant on the other. At first glance Tegia Curnius gives off a distinctly Canadian-vibe architecturally speaking, but don’t let that fool you, this impressive  on-slope restaurant specializes in “hausgemacht” (homemade) local Grisons culinary delicacies from the Graubünden Canton such as Hausgemacht Maluns mit Apfelmus und Bergkäse (grated potato fried with flour and butter, mountain cheese, and apple compote) Gerstensuppe (a delicious and very traditional Grisons soup with veggies and cured meats) and Salziz (smoked sausage).

They also have fresh BBQ chicken roasting right before your eyes, and killer chili con carne here – not necessarily Grisons gourmet classics, but hard to pass up if you love chili and BBQ chicken! For dessert try a delicious slice of Nusstorte (like a tart with a walnut and caramel sauce filling) or Nussgipfel (a flaky croissant-like pastry with a sweet nut filling) with coffee and you’ll be fueled and ready for an afternoon of shredding, I certainly was.

The pool, sauna, and fitness wellness area at Signinahotel (which was included with my accommodation pack at Casa Mulania) are heavenly and transformative after a full day of powder hounding on the slopes, but pale in comparison to the euphoric joy connected to a full body “chocolate” massage.

This wasn’t my first chocolate massage either, I’d had one previously at the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, but it was the first time I had one with Swiss Chocolate, and it was absolutely fabulous. For a mere CHF 125 I had a mixture of coconut, cocoa, and shea butter massaged (gently for me, no rough stuff!) into my aching bones for 50 minutes. The delicious scent of chocolate apparently stimulates the release of “happiness” hormones – and I can confirm this because the muscles on my face actually hurt from smiling so much after the massage ended.

You’ll be tempted to never want to shower again, because the smell of chocolate on your body will be intoxicating…trust me when I say take a shower though, this is one of the stickier massages out there! Oh and no photos for this section, I was too busy enjoying my massage and cameras and smartphones are a no-no at the spa!

If you’re craving Pan Asian cuisine while staying at Rocksresort – you are in luck! Located right in the heart of the resort you’ll find Nooba (literally a 30 second walk from Casa Mulania) one of the best Pan Asian dining establishments you’ll ever have the good fortune of sitting down at. Nooba’s menu has all the classics of Japanese, Thai, Chinese, and Indian cuisine on it, so you can go country-hopping from the comfort of one of this wonderfully unique restaurant’s super chic bench-style tables.

I started my journey through Asia with a sparkling Mango drink that reminded me of an Indian Mango Lassi, very refreshing and the perfect companion for the shrimp and veggie Dim Sum I had for my starter, one of my all-time favorite Chinese dishes. For my main I moved on to Thailand for a creamy, and very coconutty, red Panang Curry chicken served with Jasmine rice, and finished my culinary odyssey off with a ridiculously light and delicious sticky rice and mango dessert. I can never imagine going back to LAAX without dining at this fantastic restaurant again, an absolute must-dine if you love Pan Asian cuisine done perfectly.

After another fantastic breakfast at the Signinahotel, and some more powder laps up the mountain, I decided to go for a little hike on the Senda dil Dragun (The Path of the Dragon) the world’s longest treetop walkway located right at Rocksresort. This 1.5 kilometer long (almost a mile) elevated forest trail winds through a handsome, green mountain forest full of towering pines teeming with wildlife.

The highest point of Senda dil Dragun is 90 feet above the forest floor and connects Rocksresort to the nearby hamlet of LAAX Dorf. The peaceful tranquility of nature, as you’re cocooned by giant pines covered in snow, and the sights and sounds of birds and other woodland creatures echoing up from the forest floor to the top of the tree canopy is unforgettable. I felt like I was floating above the trees while on Senda dil Dragun, I have no doubt you will too!

Oh, and give yourself an hour or two for your hike as there are five “adventure areas” where visitors can find out more about the flora, fauna, geological and human history of the area, and four platforms where you can sit and take in the views you get from the treetops. There’s even a 240 foot-long slide at the entrance to the tower at Rocksresort that will surely be a ride younger visitors will want to experience!