Gala Dinners

A gala is a single evening with a job to do. Awards must be given, donors must be thanked, a brand must be celebrated, a milestone must be marked, and every guest has to leave the room with the same feeling. The setting for that kind of evening cannot afford to be ordinary. Altein, at 1,800 metres in Arosa, gives a gala dinner the combination it needs: dramatic alpine staging, formal interior spaces, and the back-of-house discipline to deliver plated multi-course service to a full room without a beat dropped. Zus Brasserie seats up to around 200 for a gala dinner, with Alpensand's rooftop adding capacity for around 80 more.

Spaces for the gala

Two spaces lend themselves to galas. Zus Brasserie, on the lower level, seats up to around 200 for plated dinners and suits a longer, more theatrical setup with full plated service across the room and a clear acoustic line for speeches and award presentations. Alpensand, our rooftop restaurant, privatises in full and configures for round tables under the alpine sky-line for up to around 80 guests, with the panoramic windows doing half the staging work. The room feels both elevated and intimate at the same time, the right register for awards evenings, sponsor showcases, and brand milestones. AV is fully supported: microphone systems, projectors, and stage lighting, with additional production brought in for larger briefs. Full details on the restaurants at Altein.

How the evening runs

The pre-dinner moment matters as much as the dinner. Guests arrive at the Alchemilla Parlour Bar for a champagne reception, with a curated playlist and a signature cocktail tied to the theme of the evening. From there, the room transitions into dinner on a controlled timeline: an MC, a printed run-of-show, a single clear sequence from welcome to dessert. The kitchen plates seasonal multi-course menus designed around the evening's tone, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-aware versions built into the original menu rather than treated as afterthoughts. Coffee, digestifs, and the after-event continuation can flow back into the bar or out onto the terrace, weather permitting. For galas where the agenda also includes daytime sessions, the meeting rooms handle the pre-evening programme.

Why Arosa for a gala

Arosa earns its place on a gala invitation in two ways. First, the journey itself signals the evening's importance. Train from Chur for arriving guests, transfers from Zurich for international attendees, all manageable within a single travel day. Second, the altitude gives the night a quality that no urban venue can fake. At 1,800 metres, an awards moment or a black-tie dinner gains a register that an in-city ballroom cannot match. A daytime activity earlier in the day, a culinary hike or an alpine walk, sets the tone before the evening even begins. See the full list of Arosa activities.

Plan your event

Galas at Altein are planned as production briefs. We work back from your run-of-show to align catering, AV, lighting, transport, and on-site staffing into a single co-ordinated evening. For black-tie corporate galas, charity dinners, partner appreciation events, and sponsor showcases, the proposal includes capacity, menu, AV, stage plan, and the contingency planning that a single-evening event requires.

Send us your gala date, your guest count, and the format of the evening. We will respond with a full plan and a costed framework you can take to your committee.

Frequently asked questions

How many guests can Altein host for a gala dinner?

Zus Brasserie seats up to around 200 for a plated gala dinner. Alpensand, the rooftop restaurant, adds capacity for around 80 more. The two spaces can be used individually or combined, depending on the format of the evening.

Can the venue host multi-course plated service?

Yes. The kitchen plates seasonal multi-course menus designed around the evening's tone, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-aware versions built into the original menu.

Is AV available for awards and speeches?

Yes. Microphone systems, projectors, stage lighting, and a controlled acoustic setup are available. Additional production (LED screens, professional sound, stage builds) can be brought in for larger briefs.

Can guests stay overnight after the gala?

Yes. The property has 126 rooms, so guests can stay over and breakfast at Zus Brasserie the next morning rather than travelling home late. The 950 m² spa is open to guests through the following day.

How do guests get to Arosa?

By train from Zurich Airport in under three hours via Chur, by direct rail from major Swiss cities, or by road on the scenic mountain pass. Altein is 550 metres from Arosa station and group transfers from Chur can be arranged.

How far in advance should we book?

Galas should be booked as early as possible. Peak periods (December to March, July to August) fill first, and key dates like New Year's Eve, festive periods, and major Swiss events can be reserved up to 18 months ahead. Send us a request with your preferred date and we will come back with availability.