Check In
Marlene Deitrich, Alfred Hitchcock, Andy Warhol, John Lennon. Over the last century, Badrutt’s Palace, the 127 year-old red-turreted palace hotel looming over St Moritz, has hosted everyone of them. In fact, most visitors, famous or not, come to peacock in the hotel lobby, known as as "St Moritz’s living room," at some point during their stay in this resort town.
Built in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt, the son of Johannes Badrutt (the founder of Kulm Hotel St. Moritz), the Neo-Gothic hotel maintains its history — from the hulking, hand-carved furniture to the 19th-century Italian art. The 155-room hotel is indeed grand: There is an old fashioned dress code in the evening (jackets for men; dresses for women) and a harpist plays during breakfast in the formal dining hall. A Rolls Royce Phantom, once owned by Queen Elizabeth, transports guests from the station to the hotel. But the atmosphere is far from starchy. The staff, warm and accommodating, is known for indulging any whim, whether it’s staging their famous New Years Eve party for 1500 celebrants or filling the pool with sea lions (per the wishes of one guest). These days, however, they cater to loyal customers who return every year.
The Look
This fairy tale castle on the hill is a labyrinth of hidden spots, from the four-bedroom tower penthouse apartment tucked in one of the turrets to the sprawling, grotto-like spa. The marble-clad Grand Hall is filled with heavy carpets, chandeliers, art and antiques. There are two furniture repair workers on staff to fix any broken or worn down pieces. The most impressive detail in the lobby? The view of the mountain from the sitting area’s large picture window. As one staffer explained: “This is the most instagrammable shot on property.”
The Rooms
The 155 rooms are spacious — a lot of guests check in for weeklong stays — and most come with large balconies overlooking out on the lake or the charming village. Not too long ago, a portion of the rooms and suites were redone by Champalimaud, a New-York based design house, so expect an elegant palette of beige and pale blues. The Hitchcock suite is named after the filmmaker, who wrote The Birds during one visit. (The film is available for guests to screen in the room.) The suite is pretty much preserved the way it was when Hitchcock stayed there, with the same antique tiled stove and wooden furniture.
Food and Drink
There are 12 on-site restaurants (and 13 food-and-beverage concepts) during the winter season, including the Michelin-starred Le Relais, La Coupole, the brainchild of Matsuhisa Nobu. Le Relais is a white-table-cloth affair. Waiters prepare dishes like beef stroganoff and flambee table side. For a more casual meal or après-ski cocktails, head to the nearby historic Engadin farmhouse Chesa Veglia (“old house” in Romansh, the local dialect) for wood-fired pizza or classic regional dishes. The just-launched Carigiet Fondue Stübli houses only three tables and spots for 12 diners — one of the smallest nooks in the Engadine. You’ll have to take the funicular or get a driver to get to Paradiso Mountain Club, which is perched in the peaks above the hotel. On bluebird days, the deck is packed with fur-clad guests drinking and dancing straight out of Slim Aarons photo. The King’s Social House, a subterranean restaurant and nightclub inspired by the King’s Club, once the oldest club in St Moritz. This is the epicenter of the town’s nightlife. British chef Jason Atherton helms the kitchen and a roster of European DJs take the stage. There’s also the Renaissance Bar, a small smoking lounge where revelers sip hot negronis (Campari, red wine, cranberry and juniper berries) around the fireplace. In December, Chef Eric Kragh Vildgaard and his wife, Tina Kragh Vildgaard, will bring their taste of Jordnær to the Engadin valley. And in February, star Chef Zineb Hattab of KLE will bring her seasonal, plant-based culinary magic to Badrutt's palace.
Check Out
The spa’s Olympic-size indoor pool features a rock cliff from which you can dive), a whirlpool and a grotto. Guests can swim out to the heated outdoor pool from here to breathe in the refreshing alpine air. For kids, there are also tennis courts and a trampoline. Down near the lake, the hotel offers everything from paddleboarding to windsurfing. You can also rent e-bikes to tour through town and out further to swimming lakes. During the winter, there is snowshoeing, curling and ice skating at the hotel’s ice rink. But perhaps the favorite sport is simple people watching in the hotel lobby, where every visitor in town seems to make an appearance.
