Suvretta House review: chalet chic on the slopes in St. Moritz
This palatial hotel is an old grande dame of the Swiss skiing scene
![Suvretta House in St. Moritz](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xYT9H5w2GYarR2nhFnRWUU-415-80.jpg)
A warm welcome awaits in wintry St. Moritz. After a scene-stealing train journey ascending through the sleepy Swiss alps from Zurich, upon arrival, a vintage Ford bus and well-bedecked driver are on-hand to whisk you up the last leg to Suvretta House, a glorious and glamorous chalet-style hotel based 50 yards from the base of the pistes. For fans of something more modern, racing-green Teslas are also on hand.
Why stay here
An old grande dame of the Swiss skiing scene, Suvretta House’s imposing, palatial structure sits about a mile from the town of St. Moritz. The hotel has a shuttle to whizz you about should you feel the urge to explore, but your best bet is to stay within its calming, cosy confines. It’s part fairy-tale castle, part lodge; constructed in 1912, many of the stunning original features remain – the Suvretta Stube restaurant is the oldest part of the hotel and feels like you’ve stepped into a magical train carriage, only one where endless raclette is served.
Inside, the grandeur continues with yawning, vaulted ceilings and outsized windows creating portraits of the wispy trees and dappled, snowy mountains beyond; fires crackle in imposing fireplaces inscribed with intricate wooden carvings.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Even at this scale, it’s comfortable – the hotel is a place where generations of families come and stay together (Christmas is booked up two years in advance). The interiors are a hybrid of Swiss and British styling; the English relationship with the hotel and region go way back. Indeed, a recent refurb was completed by UK interior designer Sue Freeman who sourced all of the materials from the British Isles. Those creature comforts don’t come at the cost of service though – it’s a slick, efficient and attentive affair.
Rooms and suites
The 171 rooms and ten suites follow the grand theme and are a lesson in old-school elegance, with sumptuous dark wood and light hued soft furnishings. Gargantuan windows are filled with stark white mountains, a perpetually moving image as the sun shifts through the day, moving through shades of blue and purple and eventually black, with minute arcs of light from snow-ploughs bashing the pistes at night like tiny, snow-bound explorers.
Soft, comfy, huge beds are just what the weary skier ordered – after a bath dosed with relaxing epsom salts in your monochrome marbled bathroom.
Eating and drinking
Breakfast is a gorgeous spread of Alpine treats – meats, cheeses, Swiss speciality bircher – with a distinct nod towards health and the sporting nature of the hotel. The in-house bakery manages to produce 60 types of bread every night served across the restaurants.
Suvretta Stube, tucked away in the lower, older part of Suvretta House, is a bistro doing a range of Swiss classics and food from the canton of Graubünden – star of the show is the manager Kurt who has been here more than 30 years. The raclette is a must-order – they’ll bring you plate after plate till you meekly wave “no more” before rolling off to bed.
The jewel in Suvretta’s crown is the Grand Restaurant; it’s one of those rooms you walk into that transports you somewhere. It’s built entirely of oak, around 100 yards long, and is all sultry, decadent charm. It’s got a strict dark suit and tie dress code – the elegance this delivers to the scene is matched in the theatre of the entire experience, lived out under the shimmering light from custom-made murano glass chandeliers. This is a restaurant about showmanship and flamboyance – classic French old world food served with style, tableside – steak tartare, a glorious foie stuffed beef wellington for two, crepes suzette flambe.
For pre-dinner drinks there’s Anton’s Bar, named after the hotel’s founder, where you can sample Suvretta House’s own Ladies and Gents gin. Slopeside, mountain restaurant Trutz (owned by the hotel) is a safe bet; packed with locals and tourists alike, it’s buzzing – service is friendly, the food is hearty, warming fare and the beer is very, very cold.
What to do
You’re here to ski – you can walk two minutes from the hotel’s on-site ski storeroom to the base of the pistes. Suvretta House has its own lift, decked out in its favourite racing green, which is open to the public, but residents can skip the queue. From here you can access just under 100 miles of pistes which is plenty to keep you occupied for a week or two. There’s also an ice rink to spin about on.
There are Nordic walks from the hotel up into the mountains with picnic rewards provided at the end. In summer, there are plenty of other activities including swimming in Alpine lakes (warmer than you might think), hiking, tennis played on courts with fabulous views down the slopes as well as mountain biking.
Apres-ski here equals spa time – a large pool, an outdoor heated jacuzzi, multiple saunas, steam rooms and a freezing cold plunge pool for the bold await.
William Leigh was a guest of Suvretta House. Winter rates start from CHF630 (approx. £567) per night in a double room on a half-board basis (breakfast and dinner). Suvretta House, Via Chasellas 1, CH-7500 St. Moritz, Switzerland; suvrettahouse.ch
For more Switzerland travel information and things to do, see MySwitzerland.com. SWISS offers more than 160 weekly flights from various UK airports to Zurich or Geneva. One-way fares start from £76 to Zurich and from £54 to Geneva, and include all taxes, fees and surcharges, one piece of checked luggage weighing up to 23kg and one piece of hand luggage. For more information see swiss.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Red Speedo: a 'darkly comic' doping drama
The Week Recommends Lucas Hnath's play stars Finn Cole as a 'reptilian' swimmer determined to win at all costs
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
One Aldwych: where London's creative spirit takes centre stage
The Week Recommends This five-star Covent Garden hotel is the epitome of elegant independence
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Charlotte Dujardin and equestrianism's dark side
In the Spotlight Olympic gold medallist and dressage star's suspension over horse whipping brings abuse in horse sports back into the spotlight
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
7 snowy places around the world to escape a hot American summer
The Week Recommends It's a winter wonderland in the Southern Hemisphere
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Isles of Scilly: discover the abundant joys of island life
The Week Recommends Ramble, sail and feast your way around Scilly to experience a region like no other
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Raffles London at The OWO review: a quintessentially British stay
The Week Recommends This heritage building has been given a twist as a luxury hotel in the nation's capital
By Leaf Arbuthnot, The Week UK Published
-
Royal Hideaway Corales Beach, Tenerife: sleek hotel offering culinary adventure
The Week Recommends Discover the island's volcanic beauty and black sands from this adults-only hideaway
By William Leigh Published
-
Lanzarote travel guide: a sea-swept volcanic paradise
The Week Recommends Even a short exploration quickly shows the out-of-this-world island is undeserving of its 'Brits abroad' reputation
By William Leigh Published
-
My Arbor: a unique treetop retreat in the Dolomite mountains
The Week Recommends Detox like a true European in the South Tyrol region of northernmost Italy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Palazzo Durazzo Suites in Genoa: a palatial gem in northern Italy
The Week Recommends Live your Italian dream in this astonishing and recently restored palace in the heart of the city
By Nick Hendry Published
-
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay: unwind at this picture-perfect resort
The Week Recommends The retreat that's ideal for recharging your batteries while experiencing life on an Indonesian island
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published