While staying at Swiss ski resorts can rarely be described as cheap, there are some weeks of the year when families looking to stay in the alpine nation’s top resorts will either have to fork out thousands of francs for accommodation or look elsewhere. That is certainly the case in Davos, Canton Graubünden next week, where a studio in the Swiss mountains will set you back 5.635 francs a night - a price the resort blames on the World Economic Forum (WEF).
According to 20 Minuten, those hoping to hit the slopes of Parsenn, Jakobshorn, Pischa and Madrisa are largely out of luck from January 16 to 20, as the vast majority of accommodation in Davos has been fully booked. Of the hotels that are available, some are charging exorbitant prices for the smallest rooms.
For example, for those looking for a 40 square-metre studio in town, one is available at 22.500 francs for a four-night stay. Elsewhere, a four-night stay in a 50-metre “chalet” is offered for a far more reasonable 22.000 francs. On Airbnb, a single room in someone's house is being advertised for over 3.000 francs a night.
The sky-high prices have also spread to other towns in the canton, with accommodation in Klosters also close to capacity. Only a three-star hotel appears to be available in the town itself, but thrill seekers will either have to fork out 2.000 francs a night for a standard room or 9.000 francs a night for a penthouse apartment.
Speaking to 20 Minuten, Destination Davos Klosters CEO Reto Branschi blamed the high prices on simple supply and demand. He noted that at least 80 percent of hotel beds are reserved for the World Economic Forum - which is due to run from January 16 to 20 - so it wasn't surprising that a trip to the resort would be expensive while the conference was being held.
The World Economic Forum, usually based in Geneva, is a non-governmental lobbying organisation that pushes for international reform of business, politics, finance and academia. For most, however, the WEF is most famous for its annual meeting in Davos, where upwards of 3.000 participants, from world leaders to celebrities, meet in the alpine city to discuss global issues.
With the WEF 2023 expected to be one of the largest ever, Branschi argued that most prices are “absolutely fair” given the demand. "Of course, there are individual hotels that want to benefit from the demand for these remaining rooms and charge astronomical prices… these providers are not only damaging the WEF, but the entire destination," he noted.
"Basically, we are very happy that the WEF will take place again as usual in January. After all, we are welcoming our biggest and most loyal regular guest. Preparations are in full swing, everything is going according to plan and we are ready,” Branschi concluded.