The 1856 Engadine hotel where Johannes Badrutt staged the bet that invented Alpine winter tourism, 150 rooms above the Kulm Park ice rink, the property that hosted the first two Winter Olympics, and the oldest five-star superior in the Engadine.
"The hotel where Alpine winter tourism was, literally, invented over dinner, and that 170 years later still runs its own outdoor ice rink, electricity plant, and golf course on the lake."
The Kulm Hotel was founded in 1856 by Johannes Badrutt as the original property of what would become a small dynasty of Engadine hotels. The Kulm is older than the Palace by forty years, and it was here, at a dinner in the autumn of 1864, that Badrutt made the famous bet to four English summer guests that if they came back at Christmas they could ski home in shirtsleeves; they returned, the Engadine valley delivered its bluebird high-altitude winter, and Alpine winter tourism became a category. The Kulm is the building where it happened. It has remained in continuous Badrutt-family ownership for over 170 years, currently run by Heinz E. Hunkeler under the Niarchos family's ownership stake. The hotel hosted the first two Winter Olympic Games (1928 and 1948) and remains the Olympic venue most strongly associated with the original idea of winter sport as luxury hospitality.
The property currently runs 150 rooms and suites, some sources put the count higher when seasonal apartment inventory is included. Standards run roughly 17, 25 square metres at the entry level; Deluxe rooms 21, 25; the Junior Suites 40, 45. The named suites at the top of the inventory, the Engadine Suite, the Kulm Suite, are 70+ square metres with the strongest of the south-facing lake views and the working fireplaces. Across the property the interior design blends Swiss arvenholz (stone pine) panelling, modern art (the hotel maintains a significant private collection), and a quiet preference for craft over flash. The 2026 enhancement programme (running June, August) is the latest in an ongoing investment cycle.
There are five restaurants on site: Sunny Bar (the historic après-ski room beneath the lobby, the rallying point for the Cresta Run riders), The Pizzeria (an alpine standard), The K (the contemporary all-day restaurant in the Olympic wing), and two seasonal venues including Sushi by Kulm. The 2,000-square-metre Kulm Spa was rebuilt in stages between 2010 and 2021 and now operates a 25-metre indoor pool, a separate outdoor whirlpool overlooking the village, a hammam, and a dedicated children's swimming area, the most family-comfortable spa among the St Moritz grand hotels. Outside, the Kulm Park is the property's own private garden, an open lawn in summer that converts in November to an outdoor ice rink and the curling club that hosts the World Cup Curling tournament every January.
The Kulm has a position the others cannot match. It sits on its own elevated lake-view terrace at the top of Via Veglia, behind a private park; the village centre is downhill three minutes' walk; the Corviglia funicular base is two minutes; the Cresta Run starting house is in the Kulm's basement. The property is also Switzerland's first hydroelectric hotel, Badrutt installed a small private power station in 1878, partly to keep the dining room lit through the winter, and the hotel still generates a portion of its own electricity. The combined effect is a more grounded, less ceremonial hotel than the Palace and a more spacious, more family-comfortable hotel than the Carlton. Rates open around CHF 720 in shoulder season; the named suites at peak run into the five figures.
The Kulm is the family-friendliest of the St Moritz grand hotels. The Kulm Park outdoor ice rink, the dedicated children's spa pool, the kids' ski school transfer that runs from the lobby, and the family-suite inventory all hang together for the multi-generation alpine week. Interconnecting rooms in the Olympic wing are the booking; the named suites for the milestone version of the same trip.
For a quieter, less ceremonial anniversary than the Palace, the Kulm is the obvious choice. The Engadine Suite or Kulm Suite for the milestone year; The K for the modern dinner; Sunny Bar for the Cresta-flavoured nightcap; the spa's lake-view whirlpool for the slow morning. Less dressy, no less proper.
The 2,000-square-metre Kulm Spa is the largest dedicated spa in St Moritz proper; the high-altitude air, the outdoor whirlpool, and the option to cross-country ski directly from the Kulm Park onto the lake circuit make this the strongest in-town wellness booking in the Engadine. Five-night thermal-and-altitude packages are a Kulm specialty.
Via Veglia 18
7500 St Moritz
Switzerland
Above Via Serlas on the elevated Kulm terrace; three minutes downhill to village centre; two minutes to the Corviglia funicular
150 rooms and suites
Classic doubles from CHF 720/night
Deluxe rooms from CHF 990/night
Junior Suites from CHF 1,650/night
Engadine Suite from CHF 4,200/night
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Founded 1856; Olympic venue 1928 & 1948; spa renovated 2021
Summer 2026 enhancement works 12 Jun, 30 Aug
Kulm Park private outdoor ice rink
2,000 m² Kulm Spa (indoor & outdoor pools)
Five restaurants (Sunny Bar, The K, Pizzeria, etc.)
Cresta Run start house on premises
Own hydroelectric plant since 1878
Kulm Country Club golf clubhouse
From CHF 720/night. Winter season books five to ten months ahead; the Snow Polo, Cresta Run season, and World Cup Curling weeks are typically allocated nine to twelve months out.
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