At 3,000 m above sea level, the air in the Alps is low on oxygen and in winter much colder than below in the valleys.

The view, however, easily makes up for those discomforts. If the thought of enjoying a sunset in the Alps seems enticing, consider spending the night in the mountains as there are a number of hotels located high in the Alps.

The highest hotel, The Grawand in Schnalstal, Italy, has 45 rooms and is situated at 3,212 m above sea level.

"From this point you have a view of 3,000-m mountains as well as the only 4,000-m mountain in the eastern Alps, the Piz Bernina," says hotel director, Arthur Gfrei.

Life at this altitude is more strenuous than in the valleys and people with heart conditions or high blood pressure are advised not to book into the hotel, says Gfrei.

Many guests have problems getting to sleep on the first night, "others wake up during the night."

But after a few days sleeping patterns return to normal. "The body quickly gets used to the altitude."

The Grawand Hotel is only open in winter. The second highest hotel in the Alps is open all year round: Kulmhotel Gornergrat is located at 3,100 m on the same-named mountain in Switzerland, opposite the Matterhorn.

The hotel, built in 1907, casts a spell over visitors to this day.

None of its 25 rooms have a number, but are named after mountain peaks that can be seen from the room's window.

It's not unusual to see visitors taking a snapshot of the Matterhorn at sunrise. Astronomers also come here to study the skies.

The highest hotels in Austria are in Oetztal, or the valley of the Oetz. "They include the Hotel Rimli right beside the ski run in Hochgurgl-Obergurgl," says Birgit Gamsjaeger of the Austrian tourist office in Berlin.

There is one disadvantage to the hotel: "Guests must be ready for fast changes in the weather and bring snow chains for their cars."

(Agencies via China Daily December 20, 2007)