Switzerland! Where every vista is postcard perfection. And Davos was no different. In the Canton of Graubünden (same as Lenzerheide), located on the Landwasser River in the Swiss Alps, is Davos. At an altitude of 1,560 m (5,120 ft), it is the highest city in Europe.
Davos hosts the World Economic Forum every year and is also home to Switzerland’s biggest ski resorts. For us Davos was the marriage of adventure and beauty.
Getting There
We arrived in Davos via bus 183 from Lenzerheide. Davos is on a train line and the major two stations are Davos Platz and Davos Dorf. It’s approximately 2-hours from Zurich via car. The smaller town of Klosters is about a 20-minute train ride northeast from Davos.
Getting Around (And How To Save Money)
If you are coming to Davos or Klosters during the summer season for just 1 day then you will need to pay for your chairlifts, trains and buses. However, if you stay even one night in a local hotel you automatically receive the Davos-Klosters card.
When we checked into our hotel we were each presented with a Davos-Klosters Inclusive card. The card provides travel for free on 5 mountain lifts, regional trains between Klosters and Davos and local buses. You also get free entry to Alpinum Schatzalp, the open-air ice rink and discounts at a whole range of outdoor sports and amusements.
Where To Stay
When we booked at a Sheraton I expected the classic towering hotel chain. When we arrived at the Sheraton Davos Hotel Waldhuus I was pleasantly surprised.
This Sheraton looked like all the other Swiss Lodge hotels we had come to fall in love with, complete with charm, character and with exceptional service. There were steps at reception for the kids to climb and see over the counter (and sneak lollies), downstairs was a kids club complete with outdoor playground and the best part for our kids - their own robes and super-cute slippers.
We received half board during our stay and I have to say the service was exceptional and the food was outstanding. Breakfast buffet offered a broad selection with eggs made to order. And the one night we enjoyed a dinner there, well, I’ll talk about that below.
What To Do
Our first day in Davos was really wet and rainy, so we ended up spending a leisurely afternoon in the hotel and at Chalet Velo for dinner. Our next day was jam packed with everything we could get out of Davos and the neighbouring town, Klosters.
You can read all about it on our other post.
What To Eat
Local
On our first evening in Davos we visited Chalet Velo at the Adventure Park. From the moment we stepped in we were presented with blankets to keep us toasty and seated in a heated room and felt so welcome.
We received suggestions to try a few local Swiss delicacies. For Josh that meant multiple types of sausages and he was in heaven. The kids were enthralled with their wood-fired pizza made with local cheese and I was compelled to demonstrate how important sharing is when the dessert pizza came out. ;-)
Mountain
Bergrestaurant Madrisahof sits atop of Madrisa, a mountain in the Rätikon mountain range, overlooking Klosters. Its summit (2,826 metres) is located near the Austrian border. The mountain view is phenomenal; we took the gondola ride to the top and then a little walk a up to Öpfelsee Lake.
Sitting on the small lake is a large, gorgeous wooden chalet housing impressive function rooms, expansive wine cellars and a restaurant with views into the soul of Switzerland.
The food was hearty and actually fairly reasonably priced since we were quite isolated on top of a mountain (and in Switzerland!).
They offered children’s play toys inside and outside, including a toddler wading pool. There was also a “healing walk” around the lake that you could do barefoot through various surfaces like mud, water and rocks.
Sophisticated
Inside the Sheraton Davos Hotel Waldhuus is Restaurant Waldhuus. You can take advantage of the restaurant for a la carte dinners or part of the half board for your hotel stay. We were delighted with half board, which included an incredible breakfast buffet and dinner.
The dinner half-board menu gave us a choice between a couple dishes in a 4-course meal. I chose the salad bar, while Josh chose a risotto for entree. The kids were also allowed to eat from the salad bar.
Check out scrumptious pictures of our main meals and dessert.
The alpine theme fits beautifully into the Swiss countryside and the international menu was developed with emphasis on local and regional produce.
What Language Do They Speak?
The official language is German, however we did not have any problems speaking in English to shop keepers, hotels, or bus drivers. Almost all tourism-related businesses here are accustomed to the international guests that engulf the town each year and are often fluent in multiple languages.
Why Is It Family Friendly?
Hotels with kids clubs, mountains of activities (literally!) and delicious fresh food. What’s not to like about Switzerland? Top that off with the region’s friendly yet gentle temperament, divine weather in summer or winter, and it’s a real winner. Regardless of the altitude, you’ll be sure to leave this place on a high… a totally legal one, of course.
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean. 
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