Suvretta House: St Moritz Style Par Excellence
(above: The outdoor terrace at Suvretta House is the ideal place to view some of Switzerland's finest mountain peaks).
One of Switzerland's legendary hotels, the exquisite Suvretta House welcomes guests with the refinement of yesteryear coupled with the facilities sought by today's elite traveller.
Entering the enormous main hall of Suvretta House is to enter a world of unpretentious excellence, historic charm, and exceptional service. The cavernous space is at once vast and cosy, with numerous nooks for reading, games, or conversation. If it invokes images of English manor houses, that is not accidental; many of the hotel's guests were British when it opened its doors in 1912 and to this day the British are still a considerable presence here, now joined by a cosmopolitan mix of guests from all over the world. If a handsome gentleman is seen talking with a lovely woman in a corner of the hall, these are quite possibly the general managers, Peter and Esther Egli, (below) who looked to have stepped off the pages of Esquire and Vogue to supervise the operations of this most impressive of hotels exemplifying Swiss hospitality management at its finest.
Suvretta House is a crown of a hotel sitting on a pillow of a bluff overlooking a turquoise-green glacial lake, but not the Lake of St Moritz. Instead, Suvretta House, two kilometres from St Moritz village but worlds away in demeanour, faces Lake Silvaplana and Lake Sils beyond it. The glitz and glamour of the village are certainly appealing in their own way, but guests at Suvretta House are more likely to prefer privacy to showiness. The old-time bus and new-time Tesla sedan ferry guests into town for shopping and sightseeing, but otherwise Suvretta House is very much a self-contained world of wonder both in the summer and winter seasons. The special vehicles are also used for transfers between the hotel and the St Moritz train station or the local airport; for international travellers arriving at Zurich Airport, Swiss Helicopter provides direct transfers from Zurich to Engadin Airport, a short ride from the hotel—though it is also possible to land a helicopter directly on the hotel grounds and stroll to the reception desk to check in.
(above: Suvretta House is a favourite venue for exclusive events). Suvretta House is a crown of a hotel sitting on a pillow of a bluff overlooking a turquoise-green glacial lake, but not the Lake of St Moritz. Instead, Suvretta House, two kilometres from St Moritz village but worlds away in demeanour, faces Lake Silvaplana and Lake Sils beyond it. The glitz and glamour of the village are certainly appealing in their own way, but guests at Suvretta House are more likely to prefer privacy to showiness. The old-time bus and new-time Tesla sedan ferry guests into town for shopping and sightseeing, but otherwise Suvretta House is very much a self-contained world of wonder both in the summer and winter seasons. The special vehicles are also used for transfers between the hotel and the St Moritz train station or the local airport; for international travellers arriving at Zurich Airport, Swiss Helicopter provides direct transfers from Zurich to Engadin Airport, a short ride from the hotel—though it is also possible to land a helicopter directly on the hotel grounds and stroll to the reception desk to check in.
(above: Suvretta House occupies a beautiful and private setting).
Downstairs from the black tie galas is the place where tuxedos and evening gowns are exchanged for parkas and boots. Not content to be merely a landmark hotel, Suvretta House is also a ski resort of the highest calibre, the only five-star ski-in, ski-out resort in St Moritz.
(above: The view from Suvretta House's Restaurant Trutz).
The hotel's Snowsport Centre is a marvel of organisation, with numerous heated lockers and spacious areas for arriving and departing slalomists. Suvretta House has its own ski lift to take guests to the top of the mountain; along the way is the cosy Trutz restaurant, a splendid stop for coffee, hot chocolate, or a hearty meal between descents. At 2200 metres, the sun terrace at Trutz makes a superb observation deck for taking in the extraordinary views across the glacial lakes and mountain peaks in this part of the Upper Engadine region.
(above: Suvretta House suite living room). Another mountain lodge restaurant, Chasellas, is open during the winter season. Eating well is one of the great joys at Suvretta House. Gastronomy takes many forms here, all of them wonderful. The Suvretta Stübli serves classic regional dishes in a traditional atmosphere, while the Grand Restaurant lives up to its name in recalling the grandeur of travel when travel was still a privilege of the wealthy classes. Suit and tie are de rigueur for gentlemen, as are the aperitifs and excellent Swiss wines on a comprehensive wine list that includes valuable bottles of rare vintages. The beautiful room transports guests back in time while serving them a menu of delicious selections, some with a decidedly modern twist to satisfy the expectations of those who are accustomed to dining well. Head Chef Fabio Zanetti sees to it that patrons of the Grand Restaurant leave the table both satisfied and impressed. As in many historic hotels, the rooms and suites vary greatly in size and configuration. At Suvretta House, they are neither ornate nor opulent; that is not the hotel's style. Instead, there is an abundance of space and elegance to suit an exacting clientele secure in their net worth without the need to flaunt it to strangers. Indeed, many guests at Suvretta House are lifelong friends who have returned at the same time every year since childhood. Now, their own children forge friendships for the next generation. Some hotel guests leave their belongings at the hotel, which stores them until the next visit and sets them out again to make people feel like they are returning home.
(above: Suvretta House swimming pool).
Not all the activity at Suvretta House takes place on mountain slopes. The hotel's excellent spa provides welcome relief to tired muscles that have been skiing, snowboarding, hiking, skating, touring, or (in summer) golfing all day. Part of the pleasure of Suvretta House is not doing anything, just enjoying the views and a good book with a warm slice of the local Engadiner walnut cake to follow the warm welcome. St Moritz is one of the most alluring destinations in the world not only for its physical beauty and fresh air but also for the many cultural and recreational activities it offers. A never-ending calendar of events makes exceptional experiences possible throughout the year. In summer, the Festival da Jazz, more discreet than Switzerland's more famous jazz festival in Montreux, allows for attending concerts by world-famous singers in intimate venues. The British Classic Car Meeting takes place in July, with the St Moritz Art Masters festival following in August. In winter, St Moritz hosts an annual Gourmet Festival each January which sees tables set up on the frozen lake for a truly unusual dining experience to complement the lake's other famous event, White Turf, when horse races and polo take place on the ice on weekends during the month of February. More information about events in St Moritz and the Swiss canton of Graubünden can be found on the websites of Switzerland Tourism, Graubünden Tourism, and St Moritz Tourism.
suvretta.ch/en
swisshelicopter.ch
myswitzerland.com
en.graubuenden.ch
stmoritz.ch/en