Hardly any hotel in St. Moritz is as interwoven with the history of the town as the Badrutt's Palace Hotel. After all, it was built by the successor of the man who first brought winter tourism to the town.
Since the Badrutt's Palace Hotel opened its doors in the heart of St. Moritz in the summer of 1896, the luxurious hotel has continued to open new chapters in its success story. In addition to constant innovation, it is the personalized and impeccable service that attracts guests from all over the world. And this even includes fulfilling unusual requests - even if an elephant has to come into the lobby. The fairytale castle in the Engadin was conceived and built by Caspar Badrutt, the second eldest son of Johannes Badrutt. And he in turn is considered the "inventor" of winter tourism in St. Moritz.
Until the end of the 19th century, the Swiss Engadin was known exclusively as a summer destination. The resourceful hotelier Johannes Badrutt finally thought of a bet. He claimed to his English guests that the sun would shine in St. Moritz even in winter and give them a tan. Badrutt offered to let them stay in his hotel for free for as long as they wanted - if they were not satisfied. The Englishmen could not refuse the offer. They came in the winter of 1864 - and stayed until long after Easter. Only then did they return to rainy England, sun-kissed and tanned. Word quickly spread about the advantages of St. Moritz. The demand for luxurious accommodation grew. So his son Caspar Badrutt opened Badrutt's Palace Hotel in the summer of 1896. And it is still considered one of the best hotels in the world today.
A total of five generations of the family have been committed to the preservation and expansion of the magnificent mountain hotel. Heart and soul, a sense of tradition and innovation were the driving forces behind this. In 1913, the hotel had the first indoor tennis court in Europe and the first ice rink in the region. The first hotel lift arrived in 1920, followed shortly afterwards by the first telephone box in the Engadin. The Acapulco complex was inaugurated in 1969. Thanks to its infinity pool and heated outdoor pool, it quickly became a favorite spot for guests. In 2002, the "Palace Gallery" with boutiques of world-famous brands was added to the offer. The Hans Badrutt Suite was opened in 2003. It is still one of the most exclusive hotel suites in Switzerland. A night here costs up to 23,000 euros in high season. The desire to innovate is unbroken. In 2006, a modern heat pump system was installed, and in 2019, Badrutt's Palace Hotel became the first luxury hotel in Europe to invest in 5G technology.
It's no wonder that over the years a whole host of stars, starlets and celebrities have been there. The repertoire ranges from crowned heads to greats from politics and business to VIPs such as Alfred Hitchcock, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Charlie Chaplin. They all love the mixture of tradition and innovation as well as the hotel's noble charm. Today it has 157 elegant rooms and suites, 40 of which were redesigned last winter. Guests are also pampered in nine restaurants and three bars. They can dine on Swiss specialties in the over 450-year-old Chesa Veglia or Japanese-Peruvian delicacies from Nobuyuku - "Nobu" - Matsuhisa in what was once Europe's first indoor tennis court. The two-star restaurant IGNIV by Andreas Caminada offers an exciting fine dining concept. For physical needs of a different kind, there is the "Palace Wellness" with its first-class spa, massage and beauty treatments.
