Engadine Promotes Both High-Octane Glamour And Peaceful Tranquillity
Travellers are reacting differently to the last 18 months – some want to get out and celebrate after months of being cooped up, others want to retreat to a place of blissful tranquillity. Luckily, Switzerland’s Engadine valley can accommodate both. While the glitzy resort of St. Moritz will be staging a winter season of full-on, high-octane glamour once again, its low-key neighbour Pontresina will be welcoming visitors yearning for a quieter pace of life.
In St. Moritz, the season starts with a bang with the Audi FIS Ski World Cup (11 & 12 December), followed in the New Year by two of the resort’s most popular events the Snow Polo World Cup and the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival, which both launch on 28 January, with White Turf following fast on their heels with race dates on 6, 13 and 20 February.
An addition to the resort’s winter offering is “Amusements on the Lake” in the months of January and February, when frozen Lake St. Moritz will become a hub of activity for the whole family, providing the chance to ice skate, curl, ski-jore, cross-country ski and/or play a little winter golf, in between hot chocolate stops and bites to eat.
At the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, many guests will have a first chance to sample the delights of the superstar chef Mauro Colagreco, who opened his first venture in the Alps in the property’s gourmet restaurant the K in December 2020 and six weeks later won a Michelin star in record time.
Rates at the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz start from CHF885 for two people sharing a double room on a half-board basis. The property is also offering a Ski Special package that includes half-board accommodation, a ski pass for the duration of the stay and complimentary ski transfers to the Corviglia base station; a minimum three-night stay starts from CHF3,110, additional nights are bookable on request. Reservations can be made online at www.kulm.com or via phone on +41 81 836 8000.
Those who prefer to get away from the crowds in search of peace and quiet will want to head to the enchanting resort of Pontresina, which is less than a 10-minute drive from St. Moritz, offering the possibility to dip in and out of the glitzy lifestyle as and when the desire strikes.
A traditional mountain village lined with historic buildings and beautiful old homes adorned with sgraffito (sculptured decoration), Pontresina lies in a sunny, sheltered side valley of the Engadine. Local festivals, the sing-song tones of Romansch in the streets and the stunning natural environment (within touching distance of wild Swiss stone pine and larch forests, with wonderful views of the magnificent Roseg glacier) further set it apart.
There are no downhill ski pistes here (aside from a kids’ slope), so cross-country skiing enthusiasts prefer to base themselves in Pontresina, along with nature lovers (ibex winter observation walks take place in February and March), and those who simply want to wallow in the warm waters of winter wellness.
Grand Hotel Kronenhof’s extensive 2000 square metre spa with its floor to ceiling wraparound windows allows guests to relax and rejuvenate while gazing out at the beauty of the Engadine valley. Whether it’s a treatment to pamper, a PT session in the gym to kickstart a new fitness regime or simply time in the hydro-spa pool for quiet reflection, the Kronenhof Spa has something – and space – for everyone.
Additionally, once a month in the winter season, a Yoga Summit takes place that includes both hatha and yin yoga classes, as well as meditation sessions, meaning guests can improve their flexibility and achieve greater relaxation through conscious breathing; it’s the perfect chance to “come up (to the mountains) to slow down” over the course of a long weekend.
Rates at Grand Hotel Kronenhof start from CHF565 for two people sharing a double room on a half-board basis. The cost of the Yoga Summit package, which is in addition to the accommodation charge, starts from CHF45 for a single class rising to CHF200 for all the classes held over three days. Reservations can be made online at www.kronenhof.com or via phone on +41 81 830 3030.
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz (www.kulm.com) was the first hotel to be built in St. Moritz. The Kulm Hotel opened its doors in 1856 and immediately became popular for summer spa and painting holidays, particularly among the British who comprised around 75% of the hotel guests. The then owner of the Kulm Hotel, Johannes Badrutt, initiated winter holidays to St. Moritz from 1864 and, as a result, the hotel, resort and Switzerland itself celebrated 150 years of winter tourism in the 2014/15 season.
Since the 19th century, the Kulm Hotel has changed considerably through expansion and renovation, but the fabulous location at the heart of St. Moritz with views over the Lake remains the same. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz has 164 rooms, five restaurants (including formal dining in the Grand Restaurant, the K by Mauro Colagreco, the Italian Pizzeria with 14 Gault Millau points and local Engadine specialities at Chesa al Parc), the extensive Kulm Spa St. Moritz (with a 20m indoor pool with underwater music, various saunas and steam room, a Jacuzzi, a fully-equipped gym and treatment rooms, all with stunning views over Lake St. Moritz) and six conference rooms, with capacities ranging from 50 to 500 people.
Entertainment and summer sports facilities include the 9-hole Kulm Golf Course St. Moritz (the oldest golf course in the country), three tennis courts and the Marmotta Kids’ Club for younger guests.
Grand Hotel Kronenhof (www.kronenhof.com), located in Pontresina, six miles from St. Moritz, offers the best of both worlds: the chance to enjoy the glitz of St. Moritz, while staying in a peaceful mountain village.
Grand Hotel Kronenhof has a rich and interesting history, having first opened its doors in the first half of the 19th century as a guesthouse. However, the main part of the current building, which is a registered historical landmark, was built at the very end of the 19th century in Neo-Baroque style. The latest wing, completed in November 2007 and costing CHF 35 million (approximately £24 million), consists of 28 new guest rooms and a stunning spa complex covering more than 2000 square metres. More recently, the internationally-renowned interior architect Pierre-Yves Rochon has been renovating a few guest rooms per year, in his own inimitable style, along with the creation of an elegant cigar lounge and adjoining billiards room.
The spa is certainly one of the hotel’s highlights; facilities include a 20m indoor infinity pool with counter-current system, a flotation pool with underwater music, a wide range of saunas and steam rooms, a luxurious private suite for couples to enjoy wraps and massages together, and – for the perfect final touch – a crackling log fire in the relaxation room.
Gourmet cuisine is also a specialty at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof; it has three restaurants (the formal Grand Restaurant in an elegant Neo-Baroque vaulted room, Gourmet Restaurant Kronenstübli serving Italian-Mediterranean cuisine with 16 GaultMillau points and the informal Le Pavillon for light lunches). In addition, the hotel features a 19th-century original bowling alley where Swiss raclette is served.
Finally, Grand Hotel Kronenhof is renowned for its extensive children’s activities and facilities (a kids’ playroom and Rondelle, a restaurant just for younger members of the family).
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz will open on 3 December 2021, while Grand Hotel Kronenhof will open on 10 December 2021; both properties close on 3 April 2022.
