Weekend In St Moritz With Two Legends—Badrutt’s Palace And Chef Nobu Matsuhisa

01.03.2024 - 11:43 / forbes.com / Marlene Dietrich / Louis Vuitton / Charlie Chaplin / Nobu Matsuhisa

Located high in the mountainous Engadine in Switzerland, St Moritz is the famed Alps ski town in which Badrutt’s Palace is located. A historic ski resort attracting the rich and famous, as well as young European aristocrats, St Moritz continues to amaze.

Whether you arrive by private jet, car, or the iconic red Bernina Express Train, the scenery is breathtaking as you approach the majestic and impressive Badrutt’s Palace. The resort appears as a dramatic neo-gothic castle with its turrets and gables perched on a hill overlooking Lake St Moritz.

A vintage Rolls Royce service is available upon request to pick you up from the nearby train station, where you will pass high-end shops, including world-renowned brands such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Hauser & Wirth. With snow bunnies strolling the streets with their Moncler and Gucci purchases, the place exudes an decadent charm.

Upon entering Badrutt's Palace, you will feel like royalty. The Le Grand Hall lobby welcomes guests with its breathtaking view of snowy St Moritz through enormous windows. The atmosphere is lively, with a fashionable crowd enjoying apres-ski cocktails as a pianist adds to the vibe. You will see rich women adorned with furry hats accompanied by their tanned companions, while posh children and their nannies flock to the Palazzino kid's club.

The hotel first opened its doors in 1896; its founder was Caspar Badrutt, the son of Johannes Badrutt, a skier who brought in hordes of English tourists and founded the nearby Kulm Hotel. Badrutt's went on to become the destination of choice for the most famous people in the world (Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Douglas Fairbanks, Brigitte Bardot, and Marlene Dietrich were frequent guests.) Alfred Hitchcock was an annual New Year's Eve guest after his honeymoon there in 1926, and the hotel eventually transformed his favorite room into the Hitchcock Suite.

The hotel has 155 guest rooms and suites, many of which were recently renovated. The fabulous St Moritz suites are among the very best, with dramatic direct views of the ice-covered lake. The furnishings are original and authentic but refreshed and comfortable, the bathrooms are enormous and well-designed, and the walk-in closet provides the perfect space for your personal butler to unpack on arrival.

Helmed by the fabulous Managing Director Richard Leuenberger, Badrutt’s Palace is growing extensively in the coming year with the addition of a new luxurious Serlas Wing by world-renowned Italian designer-architect Antonio Citterio. There will be 25 spacious suites and rooms and a exquisite penthouse located directly across the street. The new annex will be connected to the main hotel building by a private tunnel.

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