By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
The Kulm Hotel is where the Alpine winter holiday was born. In 1864, its owner, Johannes Badrutt, made a famous bet with four English summer guests: if they returned in winter and did not enjoy themselves, he would pay their travel costs. They came, stayed until Easter, and winter tourism in the Alps began. More than 160 years later, the Kulm is still one of the grandest hotels in St. Moritz, standing high above the lake in the heart of the village, with a vast spa, a Norman Foster-restored country club, its own golf course and the legendary Cresta Run on its doorstep.
The Kulm Hotel is where the Alpine winter holiday was born. In 1864, its owner, Johannes Badrutt, made a famous bet with four English summer guests: if they returned in winter and did not enjoy themselves, he would pay their travel costs. They came, stayed until Easter, and winter tourism in the Alps began. More than 160 years later, the Kulm is still one of the grandest hotels in St. Moritz, standing high above the lake in the heart of the village, with a vast spa, a Norman Foster-restored country club, its own golf course and the legendary Cresta Run on its doorstep.
Location: St. Moritz, Switzerland
St. Moritz sits at around 1,800 metres in the Upper Engadine, a high, sunny valley of lakes and larch forests in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, famous for its dry 'champagne climate' and more than 300 days of sunshine a year. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, in 1928 and 1948, and its frozen lake hosts horse racing, polo and cricket on the ice each winter. The nearest major airport is Zurich, around three to three and a half hours away by road or train, and the journey on the Rhaetian Railway, over the Albula line, is one of the most beautiful in the Alps.
The Kulm stands at the top of the village, at 1,856 metres, with sweeping views over Lake St. Moritz and the mountains beyond. The shops and restaurants of the centre are a short walk away, and the funicular up to the Corviglia ski area is a short walk away.
Rooms at Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
The hotel has around 160 rooms and suites, many with balconies facing the lake and the peaks. Traditional rooms keep the Kulm's classic character, with rich fabrics and carved pine, while others have been refreshed by the French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, and a newer wing adds spacious residences. The grandest suites have wide terraces over the valley.
The atmosphere is classic rather than flashy, and the hotel is known for its warm, family-like service and its loyal guests, more than half of whom come from Switzerland.
Facilities at Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
The Kulm Spa covers around 2,000 square metres, with indoor and outdoor heated pools looking over the lake, a salt-water grotto, saunas, steam rooms and treatment rooms. There is also a gym and studio for yoga and Pilates.
The hotel has several restaurants and bars. The Grand Restaurant serves classic evening menus, while the Kulm Country Club, in the old ice pavilion restored and extended by Norman Foster, is a relaxed place for lunch beside the ice. The Sunny Bar, said to be the oldest sports bar in the Alps, is the traditional home of the Cresta Run's riders, and in winter the seasonal fine-dining restaurant the K by Mauro Colagreco, created by the three-Michelin-star chef of Mirazur, won a Michelin star within weeks of opening. The hotel also has its own natural ice rink and a nine-hole golf course, the only hotel golf course in St. Moritz.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is a bright winter morning beside the Cresta Run, the famous natural ice toboggan track that starts in the hotel grounds, watching riders hurtle head-first down the ice, then walking back through the snow for lunch on the Country Club terrace in the sun.
In the evening, swim in the outdoor pool as the lake turns pink and the lights of St. Moritz come on below, before dinner in the Grand Restaurant, where Badrutt's English guests began a winter tradition that changed the Alps for ever.
Why Kulm Hotel St. Moritz is one of the best mountain hotels
The Kulm earns its place because no hotel has a stronger claim to the history of the Alpine winter, and because it has kept that heritage alive while adding a superb spa, serious food and some of the best views in town. It feels less theatrical than its famous rival, Badrutt's Palace, and more rooted in St. Moritz's sporting life.
It is a natural choice for couples, families and anyone who loves winter sport, and it compares well with Suvretta House and the Carlton Hotel. Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in St. Moritz to compare them all.
When to go to Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
The Kulm opens for a winter season, from early December to late March, and a summer season, from mid-June to the end of August. January and February bring the great events on the frozen lake and the Cresta Run, while March offers long, sunny ski days. Summer is ideal for hiking, golf, mountain biking and swimming in the Engadine's lakes. Check exact season dates with the hotel, as they change each year.
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Questions, answered
- Why is the Kulm Hotel famous?
- The Kulm is where Alpine winter tourism began: in 1864, Johannes Badrutt bet four English guests that they would enjoy a winter in St. Moritz. It is also home to the start of the Cresta Run.
- Does the Kulm Hotel have a spa?
- Yes. The Kulm Spa covers around 2,000 square metres, with indoor and outdoor heated pools over the lake, a salt-water grotto, saunas and steam rooms.
- When is the Kulm Hotel open?
- The Kulm has a winter season from early December to late March and a summer season from mid-June to the end of August.
- Is the Kulm or Badrutt's Palace better?
- Badrutt's Palace is more theatrical and glamorous; the Kulm is more classic and sporty, with a larger spa and the Cresta Run on its doorstep. Both are superb.
