Laax, Switzerland is a venue of the annual Burton European Open Snowboarding Championships and a hometown of the legendary Riders Palace Hotel. The Swiss resort (on the way to Saas-Fee), boasts the biggest half pipe and the best snow parks in Europe. It holds prestigious events that gather snowboard mega-stars, super-fast ski lifts and a vastness of terrain for both skiing and snowboarding. In comparison with French Chamonix, the slopes of the Alps are not so steep, yet the expanse of snow-covered fields and woodlands is seemingly infinite. Crowds of tourists literally dissolve, leaving a feeling that only few people are sharing a slope with you. One of the best things about Laax is its Riders Palace Hotel, initially built as a snowboard-culture-devoted youth hostel. Ten years ago it seemed almost incredible - a dorm-style lodgings right next to ski-lifts, 4 people per room, for a very affordable price. What, such a "studentish living" in Switzerland?! Riders Palace concept received such a wide acclaim that soon another, its more sophisticated sibling was built. It's a very incarnation of modern architecture of the Alps. It features lots of wood and glass, a cubistic façade, multimedia suites equipped with DVD players, Playstation videogames (snowboard-themed, of course) and Dolby Digital Surround sound system. Not to mention plasma TVs and a multitude of lighting options, adjustable according to ones mood! That's not all yet. There is a vast collection of snowboard movies and magazines, a ground floor bar and a transformable basement-floor garage that can be turned into a concert hall! As unbelievable as it may sound, Busta Rhymes himself has performed there in front of 3000 spectators. It's useful to know, however, that Riders Palace is opened only during the season and booking well advance is highly advisable.