Elite Traveler Winter 2024/25

EXPLORE STMORITZ

WHE R ETOSTAY

BADRUTT’S PALACE Badrutt’s Palace has soared in neo-Gothic glory over Lake St Moritz since its doors were opened by Johannes Badrutt’s son, Caspar, in 1896. Arriving by train or jet? A black Rolls-Royce will greet you (pre-request the vintage model previously owned by the British royal family). The hotel has kept much of its turn-of-the-century splendor, and the best place to soak it in is in Le Grand Hall, where immense arched windows frame the lake to the tinkling of a grand piano. It is not di ffi cult to see why some of the world’s most famous faces, including Coco Chanel, Charlie Chaplin and Alfred Hitchcock, were regulars. The new Serlas Wing will be unveiled this winter — an expansion created by renowned architect Antonio Citterio that includes 25 contemporary rooms and suites. For a stay unlike any other, book The Tower Penthouse Apartment, one of the most prestigious residences in the Swiss Alps. Occupying the top three fl oors of Badrutt’s iconic tower, with its own private elevator, it acts as a luxury four-bedroom chalet in the sky. Tower Penthouse Apartment from $20,378 per night. Contact Gloria Maglia, reservations manager, reservations@badruttspalace.com, +41 818 372 645, badruttspalace.com CARLTON HOTEL Despite celebrating its 111th birthday, the Carlton Hotel still manages to feel very ‘now’ while maintaining an air of Belle Époque style. Every winter, a jet-set crowd checks into its 60 rooms and suites — all with lake views. The spa occupies three fl oors; its holistic Moving Mountains concept

incorporates everything from Swiss mountain herb massages and high-tech facials to sessions with an ‘art butler’ and forest bathing. There’s also the option to follow a specially designed nutritional menu, but it may be challenging to resist the two Michelin-star restaurant. Spanning the entirety of theeighth fl oor, the 4,155-sq-ft Carlton Penthouse o ff ers 360-degree views of St Moritz and the valley fromits fi ve terraces. All three bedrooms feature king-size beds and marble-decked en suites with bathtubs. With over 1,000 sq ft of living space, this is a place to gather with loved ones around the glow of theopen fi re and share chef-prepared meals straight from your kitchen. Carlton Penthouse Suite from $25,000 per night. Contact Ryan Imboden, director of sales, r.imboden@tschuggencollection.ch, +41 793 895 058, tschuggencollection.ch SUVRETTA HOUSE Suvretta House’s location is the stu ff of Alpine fairy tales — a turreted palace built in 1912 nestled among the pines in the upper Engadine Valley, gazing over the lake below. Set just outside of town, it is the only ski-in/ski-out hotel in St Moritz and boasts its own signature emerald-hued ski lift. The in-house ski school has an impressive instructor-to-guest ratio and, in winter, the garden is transformed into a skating rink and a curling fi eld. Suvretta House attracts a sophisticated clientele, drawn to its reputation for quiet but assured luxury. Dinner at the oak-columned Grand Restaurant is a dressy a ff air with classic French silver service, while younger guests will love The Teddy Club, a dedicated

children’s restaurant with miniature booths and a menu fi lled with kids’ classics given a Swiss spin. Of the hotel’s 181 rooms and suites, reserve the 1,400-sq-ft Tower Suite, which has an apartment like feel. The one-bedroom suite features a sprawling terrace, perfect for an indulgent breakfast while you take in the winter magic that unfolds before you. Tower Suite from $5,580 per night. Contact Florian Thöni, marketing manager, fthoeni@ suvrettahouse.ch, +41 818 363 636, suvrettahouse.ch KULMHOTEL St Moritz’s fi rst hotel and where it all began, the Kulm Hotel started life as the Faller Pension in 1855. It stayed within the Badrutt family until the late 1950s, by which point the hotel and its country club had reached cult status, racking up quite the list of achievements. It’s the home of the Sunny Bar, Switzerland’s fi rst sports bar, which remains a fi rm favorite; the Winter Olympics were held here twice; and the Cresta Run (a legendary white-knuckle ice skeleton toboggan race) was founded here in 1884. It’s no surprise that the hotel draws winter sports enthusiasts. Fresh from a facelift by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, the Corvatsch Suite is 1,894 sq ft of pure Alpine chic. Many elements have been sourced directly from the Graubunden and its surrounds, while sheepskin armchairs, pine wood paneling and a log fi replace nod to the golden age of après-ski. Corvatsch Suite from $6,018 per night. Contact Katharina Rehbock, reservations manager, reservations-manager@kulm.com, +41 818 368 000, kulm.com

Clockwise from top right Carlton Hotel; Kulm Hotel; Suvretta House; Badrutt’s Palace