To the manor barn

Spear’s | 13 Jan 2012

Switzerland presents the tourist with two competing visions: getting back to nature as you glide effortlessly – or tumble gracelessly – down a black run, and avoiding nature entirely in some of its best hotels, tapping away on your BlackBeryy as you ignore your family. The two rarely collide, so when one of those five-star hotels offers a stay in the most expensive rustic hut on the planet, something uniquely, oddly Swiss is happening.

• Travel: Europe/ Africa