The Alps · Switzerland
St. Moritz
The Alpine resort that invented winter tourism — and still sets its terms.
- Suggested stay
- from 3 · 5 ideal · up to 7 nights
- Currency
- Swiss Franc (CHF)
- Language
- German, Romansh, Italian, English
- Best season
- Two distinct high seasons. Winter (mid-December to early April) is the social and sporting apex: the Christmas–New Year weeks and February — when White Turf racing fills the frozen lake and the Cresta Run is in full cry — are the most coveted and most expensive. Late June through mid-October is the quieter alternative, with hiking, lake sport and golden larch colour in early October before the seasonal closures begin. The shoulder weeks of late April, May and November are the resort's low ebb, when many hotels and mountain restaurants close entirely.
St. Moritz does not so much host winter tourism as claim to have invented it. The story is well worn but true: in 1864 the hotelier Johannes Badrutt bet his English summer guests that they would find the Engadin winter not merely bearable but glorious, and lost nothing when they returned in the cold months and never really left. From that wager grew the grand-hotel culture, the frozen-lake spectacles and the particular blend of sport and society that still defines the place. More than a century and a half later the resort remains, by some distance, the most self-assured address in the Alps.
What distinguishes it from its rivals is altitude in every sense. At roughly 1,800 metres the light is famously clear and the snow reliable; the skiing on Corviglia, Corvatsch and the high glacier terrain at Diavolezza is panoramic rather than merely extensive. But the mountains are only half the appeal. The frozen lake hosts White Turf horse racing and skijöring in February, the Cresta Run has sent riders head-first down its ice channel since the 1880s, and the village itself concentrates an improbable density of grand hotels and starred kitchens into a small, walkable grid.
The dining is genuinely exceptional for a resort of this size. Within a few minutes of one another sit several two-star tables — Caminada’s IGNIV at Badrutt’s Palace, the Cerea family’s Da Vittorio at the Carlton, Ecco out at Champfèr — alongside Cà d’Oro at the Kempinski and the relaxed pleasures of Mauro Colagreco’s clubhouse and Nobu’s domed room at the Palace. Few mountain destinations anywhere can match that roster, and fewer still pair it with a shopping street, Via Serlas, that ranks among the most concentrated luxury miles in the world.
For the traveller who values discretion, the practical case is equally strong: Engadin Airport at Samedan sits ten minutes from the village, allowing arrival by private aviation directly into the valley rather than the long transfer that burdens most Alpine resorts. The reward is a place that wears its history lightly but unmistakably — a resort confident enough to have stopped trying to impress, because it long ago decided the terms on which it would be enjoyed.
Ideal for
Discerning skiers who value altitude and society over sheer piste mileage · Collectors of grand-hotel ritual and Belle Époque tradition · Serious diners drawn by an unusual density of starred kitchens · Travellers arriving by private aviation directly into the valley
Where to stay
The Houses
Badrutt's Palace Hotel
Badrutt's Palace (independent, family-owned) · Grand dame / landmark palace hotel · Via Serlas 27, overlooking Lake St. Moritz and the village
Opened in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt, the Palace is the resort's defining address — a turreted silhouette above the lake that has anchored St. Moritz society for well over a century. The contemporary Serlas Wing, designed with Antonio Citterio and Loro Piana Interiors, adds restrained modern suites connected to the historic house by an underground passage that also leads to the 17th-century Chesa Veglia. Its dining roster is among the deepest of any single hotel in the Alps.
Why The benchmark against which every other St. Moritz hotel is measured, and the centre of its winter social life.
Dining: IGNIV by Andreas Caminada (two Michelin stars)
Visit hotel →Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
Kulm (independent, family-owned) · Historic 5-star superior resort · Above the village near the Cresta Run and Kulm Park, lake views
The cradle of Alpine winter tourism: it was here in 1864 that hotelier Johannes Badrutt wagered his summer guests they would enjoy winter in the mountains, and the season was born. The Kulm carries that heritage with a less frenetic, more clubbable air than the Palace, set in its own park with extensive wellness facilities. Its kitchens include the contemporary KCC by Mauro Colagreco and the storied Sunny Bar, the oldest sports bar in the Alps and the spiritual home of the Cresta Run.
Why Quieter and more rooted in tradition than its lakefront rival, with genuine claim to being where it all began.
Suvretta House
The Leading Hotels of the World (family-owned) · Secluded ski-in/ski-out grand hotel · Set apart in its own grounds at Chasellas, between St. Moritz and Champfèr
Opened in 1912 and still family-run, Suvretta House stands deliberately apart from the village in a forested setting with its own private ski lift onto Corviglia — the only St. Moritz grand hotel with true ski-in/ski-out access. The mood is patrician and discreet, with a notably serious family and children's programme alongside an expanded spa. The Grand Restaurant, under long-tenured chef Fabrizio Zanetti, anchors the dining.
Why The choice for guests who want grand-hotel service and ski-in/ski-out convenience without the village crowds.
Carlton Hotel St. Moritz
Tschuggen Collection · Intimate design-led 5-star · Perched above the lake on the village's sunny side
The most intimate of the leading houses, the Carlton holds roughly sixty suites and junior suites, every one facing the lake or the Engadin peaks. A Carlo Rampazzi redesign gave it a richer, more contemporary character than its neighbours, and the three-floor spa is among the resort's best. Da Vittorio, the Cerea family's two-star outpost, is its culinary headline.
Why Scale and privacy the larger palaces cannot match, paired with a genuinely destination kitchen.
Dining: Da Vittorio St. Moritz (two Michelin stars)
Visit hotel →Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St. Moritz
Kempinski · Grand spa hotel · At the foot of the Signalbahn gondola, edge of the village near the mineral springs
A palazzo-like grand hotel dating to 1864, built beside the famous St. Moritz mineral spring and now the resort's largest five-star superior house. Its position at the foot of the Signalbahn gives near-direct access to the Corviglia slopes and the Hahnensee run. The one-star Cà d'Oro provides the fine-dining anchor among several restaurants.
Why The strongest ski-access address in the village and a polished spa, under a known international flag.
Dining: Cà d'Oro (one Michelin star)
Visit hotel →Giardino Mountain
Giardino Hotel Group · Boutique alpine retreat · Champfèr, a few minutes from St. Moritz toward Silvaplana
A small, design-conscious house in the hamlet of Champfèr that trades village bustle for a more romantic, contemporary-alpine intimacy. Its standout is Ecco St. Moritz, one of only a handful of two-star kitchens in the valley, alongside a well-regarded spa. The scale and location suit those who want the Engadin's gastronomy without St. Moritz proper at the door.
Why A serious gastronomic destination in a discreet, design-led package away from the main resort.
Dining: Ecco St. Moritz (two Michelin stars)
Visit hotel →Where to dine
The Tables
IGNIV by Andreas Caminada
2 Michelin starsContemporary sharing / fine dining · Hotel fine-dining restaurant
Caminada's playful, generous sharing format executed at two-star precision inside Badrutt's Palace.
Da Vittorio St. Moritz
2 Michelin starsItalian · Hotel fine-dining restaurant
The Cerea brothers' Alpine outpost of their celebrated Bergamo three-star, the resort's reference for Italian haute cuisine.
Ecco St. Moritz
2 Michelin starsContemporary French · Hotel fine-dining restaurant
A two-star kitchen rooted in French technique, set apart from the village in Giardino Mountain at Champfèr.
Cà d'Oro
1 Michelin starModern European / Mediterranean · Hotel fine-dining restaurant
The Kempinski's elegant one-star, the most refined dinner among the village's larger hotels.
La Coupole – Matsuhisa
Japanese-Peruvian · Hotel restaurant / sushi and cocktail bar
Nobu's signature Nikkei cooking in one of the most theatrical rooms in St. Moritz.
Chesa Veglia
Engadine / Italian · Historic farmhouse with multiple dining rooms
Wood-panelled rooms and a wood-fired pizzeria in the resort's most atmospheric building, an institution in its own right.
KCC by Mauro Colagreco (Kulm Country Club)
Contemporary / brasserie · Clubhouse restaurant
Colagreco's relaxed, produce-led cooking in the handsome former Olympic pavilion — a destination without the formality of the starred rooms.
Sunny Bar by Claudia Canessa
Peruvian / Nikkei · Historic sports bar and restaurant (winter only)
For the room and the lore as much as the cooking — the Cresta crowd's century-old haunt inside the Kulm.
What to do
Experiences
The Cresta Run
Club-controlled; riding is subject to St. Moritz Tobogganing Club arrangements and conditionsSport / heritage
The natural-ice skeleton toboggan course built in 1884–85 between St. Moritz and Cresta, still run by the St. Moritz Tobogganing Club as it has been for well over a century. Riders descend head-first at speed down a hand-built ice channel; the club controls access and riding.
Why A living Victorian institution found nowhere else on earth, and the origin of the resort's daredevil mystique.
White Turf horse racing on the frozen lake
Private hospitality suites and trackside boxes by advance arrangementEvent / society
Across three Sundays each February the frozen surface of Lake St. Moritz becomes a racecourse for flat racing, trotting and skijöring — the latter a discipline, unique to St. Moritz, in which skiers are towed at speed behind galloping thoroughbreds. A temporary pavilion city provides private hospitality, dining and entertainment.
Why The resort's defining society spectacle, staged on a setting no other course in the world can offer.
Skiing Corviglia, Diavolezza and Corvatsch
Private mountain guides and instructors arrangeable through the hotelsSkiing
The Engadin's linked ski areas span roughly 150 kilometres of piste, from the sun-facing Corviglia terrain directly above St. Moritz to the high glacier skiing at Diavolezza and Corvatsch with views to the Bernina massif and the Morteratsch glacier. Diavolezza hosts occasional full-moon descents to the valley.
Why High-altitude, reliably snow-sure skiing with some of the most dramatic glacier panoramas in the Alps.
Sunrise ascent of Muottas Muragl
Private dining and early-access arrangements available at the summitMountain experience
A funicular climbs to the panoramic terrace of Muottas Muragl, looking down the chain of Upper Engadine lakes. The summit offers winter walking and a long toboggan run, and is a celebrated spot for sunrise over the valley.
Why The single finest viewpoint over the Engadin lake plateau, away from the ski crowds.
Glacier Express and Bernina Express by private carriage
Excellence Class and private carriage charters bookable in advanceRail journey
St. Moritz is the eastern terminus of the Glacier Express to Zermatt and the northern end of the UNESCO-listed Bernina line across the Alps to Tirano in Italy. Both run through the surrounding peaks and viaducts; premium and privately chartered carriages are available.
Why Two of the world's great scenic railways depart the resort's own station — best taken in a reserved or private carriage.
Engadin lake sport and wellness
Private sailing instruction and hotel spa reservations on requestLakes / wellness
In summer the Upper Engadine lakes draw sailors and windsurfers on the reliable Maloja wind, while in winter the frozen lake supports skating, kite-skiing and snow polo. The mineral springs that first made St. Moritz famous still feed the resort's spa culture.
Why The waters that gave St. Moritz its name remain central to its appeal in both seasons.
Shopping
The Maisons
Via Serlas
Running from Badrutt's Palace into the village centre, Via Serlas bills itself as the highest luxury shopping street in the world and concentrates the major maisons in a short, walkable stretch.
Village centre (Via Maistra and around)
Beyond Via Serlas, the pedestrian heart of the village holds Swiss watch boutiques, jewellers and established local houses alongside ski and sportswear specialists.
By appointment
Private watch and high-jewellery viewings arrangeable through Cartier, Bulgari and Harry Winston boutiques · In-hotel boutiques at Suvretta House (Zegna, Fedeli Cashmere)
Arrival & departure
Coming & Going
Airports
Europe's highest airport at ~1,707 m, dedicated to general and private aviation; full FBO with snow/ice handling, customs and immigration during operating hours, hangarage and limousine transfers. The 1,800 m runway and altitude impose performance limits — operators plan carefully for long-range jets.
Principal international long-haul gateway with private terminals and helicopter onward transfer to Samedan.
Alternative international gateway from the south; also used as a weather-diversion option for Samedan.
Private terminals
- Engadin Airport (Samedan) FBO and general-aviation terminal
- Private/business-aviation terminals at Zurich for onward helicopter transfer
Meet & greet · gate escort
- Airport meet-and-greet and discreet customs/immigration assistance at Samedan
- Hotel concierge greeting and luggage handling on arrival
First-class & arrivals lounges
- Engadin Airport passenger and crew lounge
- Premium and business-aviation lounges at Zurich and Milan gateways
Private transfers
- Limousine transfers from Samedan to the village (about 10 minutes)
- Helicopter transfers Zurich/Milan to Samedan
- Hotel chauffeur services and in-resort transfers
Private aviation
- Samedan handles long-range business jets subject to altitude and runway performance limits
- Snow and ice ground handling, refuelling (Jet A1/Avgas), hangar and parking, fire and rescue ICAO categories 1–6
- Helicopter operators connecting Samedan to Zurich, Milan and other Alpine points
Immigration fast-track
Dedicated customs and immigration support at Samedan minimises waiting and maintains discretion for international arrivals; fast-track available at the major onward gateways.
Curator’s notes — pending verification
- Michelin stars reflect the current Guide Switzerland as reported across the official Michelin Guide and hotel/restaurant sources (2024–2025 cycle): two stars at IGNIV by Andreas Caminada (Badrutt's Palace), Da Vittorio (Carlton) and Ecco St. Moritz (Giardino Mountain); one star at Cà d'Oro (Kempinski). Stars should be re-verified against the live Michelin Guide before publication, as the next Switzerland edition may shift ratings.
- KCC by Mauro Colagreco (Kulm) and the Grand Restaurant at Suvretta House carry GaultMillau points but I could NOT confirm a current Michelin star for either; both are listed at 0 stars. Verify before asserting any star.
- Other one-star kitchens in the wider Engadin (e.g. Talvo in Champfèr, Krone in La Punt) appeared in some sources but were not confirmed for the current cycle and are excluded from the dining list; verify if added.
- Hotel website URLs were checked via search/fetch and resolve, with two caveats: the Carlton also operates under carlton-stmoritz.ch (the canonical Tschuggen Collection URL is used here), and the Giardino Mountain URL (https://www.giardino-mountain.ch) and the Ecco/KCC sub-page URLs were inferred from the site structure and should be click-tested before publication.
- Da Vittorio St. Moritz is the Cerea family's Engadin restaurant within the Carlton; its two-star status is St. Moritz–specific and distinct from the three-star Da Vittorio in Brusaporto/Bergamo.
- The St. Moritz Gourmet Festival moves to summer from 2026 (reported 25–30 August 2026), ending its long run as a winter event — confirm exact dates with the organiser.
- White Turf 2026 dates (8, 15, 22 February) and the Cresta Run's access/operating arrangements are seasonal and change yearly; confirm current-year schedules and any club access conditions.
- Samedan's suitability for a given long-range aircraft depends on altitude/runway performance, weather and seasonal conditions — operators must confirm per tail and date; helicopter transfer times from Zurich (~75 min) are approximate.
- Languages: Graubünden is officially trilingual (German, Romansh, Italian); German predominates in St. Moritz and English is widely spoken — listed in that practical order rather than strict official ranking.