News From Murren For The 2024/25 Season
Switzerland’s beautiful car-free village, Mürren, has been a British favourite for more than a century, celebrated in the Victorian era for its giddy cliff-top location and stunning views, later as the breeding ground of champions in the young sport of downhill ski racing. Respectful of its heritage and traditional charm, Mürren is equally proud of its record as a leader in innovation. This winter sees the launch of the world’s steepest cableway and the relaunch of Hotel Mürren Palace, one of the most iconic properties in the history of winter sport, revamped to the highest level of 21st century luxury. www.muerren.swiss
It was Mürren’s genius for breakthrough technology – the original Schilthorn cable-car and mountain-top revolving restaurant, conceived by local engineer Ernst Feuz – that brought about its selection as the setting for the classic Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Named after its role in the film, Piz Gloria restaurant at the Schilthorn continues to revolve and takes 45 minutes to go full circle, treating customers to a slow-moving panorama that stretches from Mont Blanc to the Jura.
The Schilthorn Cableway’s ambitious 20XX project comes on stream this winter. From 14 December the world’s steepest cable car will transport visitors from Stechelberg (866m) in the Lauterbrunnen valley to Mürren (1641m) in less than four minutes, with a new gondola continuing on up to Birg (2676m) at the heart of the high-altitude ski area. The final link of the cable-car chain, from Birg to the Schilthorn (2973 m), will open on 15 March 2025, reducing the four-stage journey to three, cutting journey time from valley to summit by a third to 22 minutes, and more than doubling passenger capacity to 800/hour. High wind resilience, 365 days per annum accessibility and enhanced aesthetics are added benefits. Construction began in 2022 and the entire 20XX project, including finishing touches to the stations (interiors, exteriors, dining, shops and facilities) is set to complete in summer 2026. www.schilthorn.ch
Sustainability is at the heart of the 20XX project. Operating a hybrid battery system (braking energy and solar panels), it will run on clean energy and supply additional green power to the village, its inhabitants and the Schilthorn’s extensive attractions. Even the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant’s toilets operate from collected rainwater – a system devised in 2013 during a refurbishment to upgrade facilities and construct Spy World, Mürren’s homage to James Bond.
On 26 December, Mürren’s Palace Hotel will reopen its doors after 15 years of closure. An investment of CHF30 million (c. £27 million) has funded a complete reconstruction, renovation and refurbishment of this historic landmark. The result is a fabulous four* hotel of 49 high quality bedrooms and suites.
The building’s exterior, dating from 1911, has been preserved and restored. The interior has been gutted and modernised – except for the listed Ballroom which has been meticulously restored. Adjacent to the hotel and linked via an underground tunnel, a new low-impact six-storey tower called Palace Ellipse houses 14 outstanding suites, including three senior suites each with a whirlpool on the penthouse floor. All benefit from awesome views of the surrounding mountains. On the ground floor a Body & Mind room provides a flexible space for yoga, social activities and events, and the lower ground floor has a boutique spa with two saunas, a cold water plunge pool, and steam and treatment rooms.
Guests will take meals in the magnificent Ballroom (open 7am to 1am) and relax in the convivial bar or on the terrace looking across the valley at the Eiger. The hotel has a direct link by covered walkway to Mürren’s well-appointed sports centre, with its vast heated swimming pool, gym, spa, alfresco whirlpool, skating and curling rinks and tourist information centre. Doubles from CHF 400 per room per night (2 sharing B&B; minimum 5 nights’ stay in high season).
Reservations: www.muerren-palace.ch
From his base in the Palace, Henry Lunn’s son Arnold made Mürren’s reputation as the cradle of Alpine ski racing in the 1920s, inventing the Slalom and campaigning successfully for the official recognition of the downhill sport. In January 1928 Arnold Lunn was one of the 17 British skiers who walked up to the Schilthorn and raced down to Lauterbrunnen in what was then, and remains, the world’s longest downhill race. One hundred times that number of amateur racers now make the annual pilgrimage to Mürren for the Inferno, which is the climax of a four-day festival (22-25 January 2025) with cross-country and Giant Slalom races before the Downhill, followed by an uproarious after-party going deep into Sunday morning.
