January is not the busiest month at Alphaus. It's the quietest — and if you've ever spent a week here in the first weeks of the new year, you already know exactly why we're writing this.
The guests who come in January tend to be people who know exactly what they’re looking for.
The Light
January light in this valley is unlike anything the other eleven months produce. The angle of the sun — low and oblique until well after 9:00 am — catches the snow at a horizontal that turns everything briefly golden before settling into the sharp, shadowless white of a clear alpine winter day. This lasts for about forty minutes each morning. The breakfast room faces east.
On overcast days, the valley fills with a flat grey that has its own quality — closer, quieter, more enclosed. Some guests prefer it. The mountains disappear into the cloud and what’s left is the hotel, the trees, the road, the silence.
What January Feels Like
By January the high-season crowd of December has dispersed. The hotel is full — we’re almost always full in January — but the village is quieter, the ski lifts move faster, and dinner at The Stube has a different pace to it. The guests who come in January tend to be people who know what they’re looking for. They’re not here for the first time.
The snow is usually at its best in the second and third weeks of January. The base has had time to build since December and the heavy falls of late January haven’t complicated it yet. If you ski, this is the window to aim for. If you don’t ski, January is still worth it — the snowshoe routes above the hotel are accessible from the front door, and the cold makes the thermal pool at La Pierre feel like the most sensible place on earth.
What’s Happening in the Valley
The village below holds a small market on the second Saturday of every January — mostly food, some craft, always a stall selling Glühwein at a temperature that varies by the weather. It takes about thirty minutes to walk down from the hotel, less if the path is well-cleared. Worth the trip.
There’s a local ice skating rink open from December through to late February, five minutes from the village centre. It’s not large and it’s not glamorous. Children from the village use it most evenings. Guests who stumble across it tend to mention it as one of the best things they did.
What We’d Suggest
Book early. January fills before December does, particularly the second and third weeks. We typically have no availability from mid-November for the peak January window.
Pack warmer than you think. The hotel is warm and the rooms are well-insulated, but the walk from the front door to the ski lift is exposed. If you’re not sure whether you need the extra layer — you need the extra layer.
Plan at least one full day with nothing in it. This sounds obvious but people often don’t. One day at the spa, two meals at The Stube or The Refuge, a long bath, an early night. That day tends to be the one people remember most.
To check availability for January or any other time of year, use the booking form on the website or contact the team at stay@alphaus.com. We’re happy to suggest specific dates based on what’s happening in the valley while you’re considering.
