Kulm Hotel St. Moritz

Rooms and decor

Picture a large cream-coloured building standing on a rise in the centre of St. Moritz, looking down over a dark lake ringed by snowy peaks — that is the first impression of Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, and plenty of guests say they have to stop and take a photo. This is not just another luxury hotel; it is the town's first grand hotel, open since 1856, so the inside blends old-Europe classic style with modern comfort. High ceilings, chandeliers, warm wood, a lounge with a fireplace for a mulled wine after skiing. All 150 rooms and suites are done in soft, warm tones, and many face the lake so well that opening the curtains in the morning feels like hanging a painting in the window. The overall mood is quiet luxury with roots and a story, not a place that shouts.

History and the building

The fun part of Kulm is that it is not just an old hotel but the birthplace of winter tourism across the Alps. The legend goes that the pioneering owner Johannes Badrutt bet a group of English guests in the autumn of 1864 that winter in St. Moritz was sunnier and warmer than London — and if he was wrong, he would cover their travel costs. The guests ended up staying until Easter, word spread that you could holiday in the Alps in winter, and that was the start of everything. Today Kulm still keeps that history alive: it hosts an on-site skating and curling rink, has the Sunny Bar tied to the legendary Cresta Run bobsled track, and is full of old photos and memorabilia that tell the town's story everywhere you walk.

Food and amenities

Kulm has nearly everything in-house, so you barely need to leave. The headline is the 2,000-square-metre Kulm Spa, with an indoor pool that runs into an outdoor pool where you can soak while watching the snow, plus a sauna, hot tub and treatment rooms. On the food side there are 5 restaurants to suit any mood, from Michelin-level fine dining down to a relaxed bistro and bar — full-dress dinner or an easy post-ski meal, both covered. There is also the free smart card for the Corviglia cable car and the local trams and buses, included for the whole stay.

Location and getting there

Kulm's location is a real advantage. It sits in the heart of St. Moritz Dorf on a rise above the lake, a few minutes' walk from the Via Serlas shopping street lined with luxury boutiques, and close to the Corviglia cable-car station that runs up to the ski slopes. St. Moritz station on the Rhaetian Railway is about 10 minutes away, or you can call the hotel shuttle. The catch is the slope — walking up and down to the shops or station means dealing with a grade, and in winter there is snow underfoot, so anyone who finds that awkward, or who has a lot of luggage, may end up relying mostly on the hotel shuttle.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the price: in high season — Christmas, New Year and the ski festivals especially — rates climb very high and rooms go fast, so plan to book several months ahead. Second, because it is a historic building, room types vary quite a bit in size and position. Some entry-level rooms can be smaller or have a less open view than the hotel's reputation might lead you to expect, so if you want the full lake view, ask for a Lake View room specifically at booking. Worth checking these points before you commit.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real guest reviews, our team sees Kulm Hotel St. Moritz as a grand hotel that sells two things with full confidence — history you can touch as the town's original hotel and the birthplace of Alpine winter holidays, and a lake-and-mountain view that is hard to match anywhere. Add the big spa, the outdoor pool, the 5 restaurants, and service that reviews consistently call warm and family-like. If the trip in your head is skiing, soaking in a pool while watching the snow, then settling by the fireplace with a mulled wine in a building that is 168 years old, this is about as right as it gets — you just have to accept the high-season prices and book far ahead. Overall we give it 9.5/10, best suited to couples and luxury travellers who want view, history and rooted luxury all in one place.