Stores along Gstaad's main shopping street, Hauptstrasse, seem more upscale, more lavish, and more aggressively tuned to the big-city affluence of Paris, London, and Munich than in virtually any other ski resort in Switzerland. Most of the shops that sell sporting goods in Gstaad inventory other sorts of casual and formal clothing as well, allowing buyers one-stop shopping for the layered look that keeps you warmer on the slopes. Two worthy outlets are Brand, Palace Strasse (tel. 033/744-17-75; www.brandsport.ch), and Vertex Sports, Viktoriastrasse 2 (tel. 033/744-15-47; www.vertex-sports.ch). If you want to check out the kinds of jewelry bought by the resort's most glamorous clients, consider a visit to Villiger, Promenade (tel. 033/744-11-22). Barring that, you can always visit any of the aggressively upscale, relentlessly chic luxury boutiques in the Palace Hotel.
Von Siebenthal, Promenade (tel. 033/744-12-81), is a three-story housewares emporium filled with high-performance Swiss-made gadgets, ranging from wooden molds for making anise cookies to fondue sets.
The best bookstore for reading on a cold alpine night is Media Treff Gstaad, Lauenenstrasse (tel. 033/744-39-90; www.mediatreff.ch).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
