If you are someone who loves five star hotels or if you're a history buff, or fortunate enough to be both, then you're going to love the Kulm Hotel in St Moritz. Built in 1856, it is the oldest hotel in St Moritz – it actually had the first electric lights in the town. The Kulm Hotel is the home of the infamous Cresta Run, one of St. Moritz's oldest traditions where men hurl themselves down a luge-style track on a sled. The Cresta club has its home here in the hotel, and has for many decades.
The Kulm Hotel is huge – there are a 105 rooms. The Superior rooms are great – they’re generously proportioned, have a small living area and some have views of St Moritz village, views of Corviglia, or out to the lake. There’s a variety of suites The rooms are done in a traditional elegant style, with wood everywhere and lots of blues and reds. Each one is a little unique.
But there is so much more to the Kulm than just the rooms. There are seven restaurants which vary from the informal pizzeria right through to the Le Grand Restaurant, which is worth having a look at, even if you don't dine there. It is a grand ballroom style dining room, and gentlemen are required to wear jackets and tie in the evening.
A must see is the Sunny Bar. This place is absolutely packed with history as it’s the official home of the Cresta club. If you're wondering what the rings hanging from the ceilings are, there's a tradition that those who can hang from the ceiling the longest are the strongest. So you can imagine the scene after race days, where the bar can get quite lively. There are trophies and old photos all over the walls. It is like a mini-museum of machismo. They also serve Peruvian food at the Sunny bar.
The K is a more formal restaurant, it is contemporary in design and serves classic French cuisine. This is the most highly awarded restaurant at the hotel, where we recommend dining at least once. There are also two bars and a nightclub at this hotel. If you are on half board, you are allowed to choose from five restaurants, so you won't get bored with all the variety in your evening meals.
Despite being a fancy hotel, the Kulm hotel is great for families. There’s the Marmotta Kids’ Club, that has supervision every afternoon for children aged 3 to 12 (included in the room rate). They also have a special children's dinner at 6:30pm, to let you enjoy an adult meal at the bars and restaurants in the evening. They also have free, group ski lessons for kids aged 3 to 12 for half or full day, in a variety of languages.
Not surprisingly for a hotel of this standard, the wellness and spa facilities are excellent – they have more things to do here than you can't fit in just a day. Enjoy everything this spa has to offer: indoor pools, outdoor pools, children's pool, Jacuzzis, a grotto, steam bath, and infrared cabin, Finnish sauna and a bio sauna for women. Some of these are nude only, and they're divided between the sexes. There's also a very big gym, yoga and pilates classes and personal trainers all for an extra charge. Of course, the wellness area will not be complete without a beautiful spa that offers a full range of massage and beauty treatment services.
