The New Address for Riyadh in the Alps

Ultima opens an ultra exclusive address for families and friends

Riyadh’s luxury set has a new Swiss address to know. Ultima Collection is opening Ultima Promenade Gstaad this December, an ultra-exclusive private chalet on the village’s historic promenade that once belonged to the late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. The residence has been reimagined as a sanctuary of quiet grandeur and contemporary ease, designed for families, friends, and the kind of celebrations that become stories.

Spread across four expansive floors, the chalet balances intimacy and spectacle. There are eight bedroom suites and a children’s dormitory for full-house gatherings. A grand living room with wrap-around balconies and an open fire sets an elegant tone, while a dramatic dining room with soaring ceilings anchors long winter nights. Leisure comes by way of a private cinema, cigar lounge, games room, and even a discreet disco, so the mood can shift from low-lit conversation to late-night energy in one address. Interiors read timeless and tailored, with subtle Alpine cues and a calm palette that works in every season.

Art is part of the narrative. Through a collaboration with Geneva’s Artion Galleries, rotating contemporary works are hand-selected to reflect the sensibilities of each stay, creating a considered dialogue between guest, place, and piece. It feels curated rather than decorated.

Wellness is given an entire floor. Guests move between sauna, hammam, whirlpool, snow shower, cool pool, massage room, gym, and an indoor swimming pool. Programmes are bespoke and draw on Ultima’s expert team, from transformative personal training to signature spa rituals using Seed to Skin Tuscany and Augustinus Bader. Beyond the walls, the concierge shapes quiet journeys into Gstaad’s hidden corners so time away feels restorative and intentional.

Service is where Ultima’s signature lives. A dedicated house manager anticipates the unseen, while a private chef, massage therapist, butlers, and chauffeur keep everything effortless. This winter also brings a gastronomic first. Zuma arrives in Gstaad with an exclusive pop-up at Ultima Hotel Gstaad and extends to the promenade chalet, where guests can host modern Japanese menus in residence prepared by a dedicated Zuma private chef. It is a welcome contrast to classic Alpine flavors and a clear signal of the collection’s culinary ambition.

The address itself is part of the allure. Ultima Promenade Gstaad sits on the village’s most coveted stretch, surrounded by maisons from Louis Vuitton to Hermès and within a short glide of the slopes. Winter in Gstaad is a season of culture as much as snow, from the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad to Art Gstaad, with the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, polo tournaments, and tennis championships carrying the energy through summer. The new opening places guests inside that rhythm with privacy and theatre in equal measure.

Ultima Promenade Gstaad is set to become one of the destination’s defining stays. For Riyadh travelers who value discretion, design, and hospitality that moves at their pace, the promenade just gained a new pinnacle.