Standing at 1,800 metres above sea level, the air is wonderfully clear, there is a white covering of snow over the pines and larches, and the Roseg Glacier sparkles in the sunlight: welcome to winter in the Swiss Engadin valley. Just six kilometres from busy St. Moritz is the small mountain village of Pontresina and the “Grand Hotel Kronenhof”, recently named “Hotel of the Year” by the Swiss Gault Millau guide. Swiss business magazine Bilanz also counts the Kronenhof as one of the finest luxury hotels of 2008. Furthermore, the jury pronounced the couple that run the establishment, Heinz E. and Jenny Hunkeler, the “Hoteliers of the Year”. “The pair give the historic building a sense of integrity that aesthetics alone cannot convey. Their style is relaxed, and they effortlessly strike the perfect balance between professional service and human warmth,” commented the jury. And if all that wasn’t enough, the hotel’s wellness centre was named one of the “Top 3 in Switzerland”.

The history of the “Grand Hotel Kronenhof” stretches back to 1848. Since then, the former Gasthaus Rössli has undergone a host of transformations, the most recent coming in 2007. The hotel’s owners, the Greek Niarchos family, invested nearly 23 million euros in renovating the property, and installing a modern 2,000-square-metre spa and wellness centre that is nothing short of divine.

The opulent lobby was created by Otto Haberer in the early 1900s, and has been restored to its former glory, with beautiful neo-baroque ceiling paintings recalling the glamour of days gone by. Each of the hotel’s 114 rooms and suites are extremely spacious, ranging from 37 to 63 square metres, and offer comfortable living spaces with luxurious fitted marble and granite bathrooms.

Guests can enjoy culinary delights and variety in the impressive settings of the “Grand Restaurant” and the traditionally rustic “Kronenstübl”. Head chef Bernd Schützelhofer and his team serve up high-quality Swiss specialities and international creations, and were awarded a score of 16 points by the Gault Millau.

Text: Rainer Meier

Grand Hotel Kronenhof

CH-7504 Pontresina-St. Moritz (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 81 830 3030, Fax +41 81 830 3031

For further information: www.kronenhof.com/