Why Stay at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel is inseparable from the identity of St. Moritz.
Founded in 1896, the hotel occupies a prominent position on Via Serlas, overlooking Lake St. Moritz and the surrounding Engadin mountains.
Its appeal extends well beyond its historic architecture. Badrutt’s Palace combines a substantial collection of rooms and suites with extensive dining, wellness, shopping and seasonal experiences, allowing the hotel itself to become part of the destination.
For travellers visiting St. Moritz for the first time, this creates a particularly complete introduction to the resort. Winter sports, summer landscapes, fine dining, wellness and the social life of the village can all be incorporated into a stay without the property feeling detached from St. Moritz itself.
The St. Moritz Icon
Badrutt’s Palace was founded in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt and has remained closely associated with the development of St. Moritz as an international Alpine destination.
Its location plays a central role in that identity.
Via Serlas runs through the heart of St. Moritz and has become particularly associated with luxury shopping, while the hotel looks across towards Lake St. Moritz and the Engadin mountains.
The result is a property that sits between several different sides of the resort.
Guests can move from the hotel into the village, spend the day on the mountain, return for wellness or dining, and remain connected to the social life of St. Moritz without staying in a more isolated resort environment.
The historic building remains central to the experience, but Badrutt’s Palace has continued to evolve through contemporary additions and redesigns rather than relying only on its past.
The Hotel Experience
Rooms and Suites
Badrutt’s Palace currently comprises 163 guestrooms, including 47 suites.
Accommodation ranges from rooms overlooking St. Moritz village to larger rooms and suites facing the lake and mountains.
The collection is deliberately varied rather than visually uniform.
Some accommodations retain a more classical Palace character, while newer areas such as the Serlas Wing introduce a contemporary interpretation through a collaboration involving Loro Piana Interiors and ACPV Architects.
At the upper end of the collection, the hotel offers substantial signature accommodation including the St. Moritz Suite, Hans Badrutt Suite, Helen Badrutt Suite and Tower Penthouse Apartment.
The Tower Penthouse occupies the upper levels of the Palace tower and is configured as a four-bedroom private residence.
For families, several St. Moritz Suites can connect with additional rooms, providing greater flexibility without requiring guests to leave the main hotel environment.
The most useful way to approach the accommodation is therefore not simply by category, but by deciding whether the priority is lake views, village views, contemporary or more traditional design, additional living space or accommodation suited to a family stay.
Dining
Dining is one of the strongest components of the Badrutt’s Palace experience.
The hotel operates an unusually broad collection of restaurants and social spaces, with the exact selection varying between winter and summer.
Le Grand Hall functions as one of the principal gathering places within the Palace, combining lake and mountain views with afternoon tea, drinks and all-day social life.
La Coupole – Matsuhisa introduces Japanese-Peruvian cuisine within the former tennis hall, beneath its distinctive glass dome.
Le Relais offers another interpretation of the hotel’s heritage through Belle Époque interiors, lake views and tableside service.
Elsewhere, Chesa Veglia houses several more traditional dining experiences, including Swiss and Italian concepts within a historic Engadin house.
Paradiso Mountain Club & Restaurant adds a completely different dimension by taking the Badrutt’s Palace experience onto the mountain.
Rather than treating dining as a single restaurant reservation, guests staying several nights can experience very different atmospheres without repeating the same style of evening.
Palace Wellness
Palace Wellness provides a substantial counterpoint to the hotel’s social and sporting identity.
The facilities include a 25-metre indoor infinity pool, a heated outdoor pool overlooking the surrounding landscape, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam facilities, fitness areas and private Spa Suites.
The outdoor pool can be used in both winter and summer, creating very different experiences according to the season.
Private Spa Suites provide additional treatment and relaxation space, while the fitness centre supports individual training and personal coaching.
This breadth makes wellness particularly useful during longer stays.
A winter day can move naturally from skiing to the pool or spa, while summer itineraries can combine hiking or cycling with time reserved for recovery.
Winter at Badrutt’s Palace
Winter remains one of the defining seasons at Badrutt’s Palace.
The hotel does not need to be described as ski-in/ski-out to have a strong skiing identity.
An in-house ski rental and shop allows equipment to be organised directly from the hotel, while complimentary shuttle transportation connects guests with the cable car.
Private ski instruction can also be arranged through the St. Moritz ski school.
This makes Badrutt’s Palace particularly practical for travellers who want the ski experience to be carefully organised while remaining based in the centre of St. Moritz rather than directly beside a piste.
Beyond skiing, winter around the hotel can include ice skating, cross-country skiing, snow activities and time on the frozen lake.
The hotel’s own ice rink adds another layer to the winter experience without requiring guests to leave the property.
Summer at Badrutt’s Palace
Badrutt’s Palace also operates a dedicated summer season.
The character of the stay changes significantly once the snow disappears.
Lake St. Moritz, hiking, cycling and the wider Engadin landscape become more prominent, while the hotel’s terraces, outdoor pool and mountain dining take on a different role.
For travellers who associate St. Moritz primarily with skiing, summer reveals a much quieter relationship between the hotel and its surroundings.
The same lake and mountains remain present, but the itinerary can focus on walking, outdoor sport, scenic drives and longer days across the Engadin.
Because Badrutt’s Palace operates seasonally, travellers should always check the hotel’s current opening periods when planning spring or autumn travel.
Who Badrutt’s Palace Suits
Badrutt’s Palace is particularly suited to travellers who want more than a quiet hotel from which to explore St. Moritz.
The property has its own dining, wellness, shopping and social ecosystem, making it possible for the hotel itself to become part of the reason for travelling.
It works particularly well for guests interested in the heritage and social character of St. Moritz, couples seeking a complete luxury stay, families requiring flexible suite configurations and travellers who want skiing or summer activities organised around a highly central base.
Those looking primarily for a secluded Alpine retreat away from the village may naturally prefer a different part of St. Moritz.
Badrutt’s Palace is strongest when access to the village, hotel life and the surrounding Engadin are all important parts of the journey.
For a broader comparison of the resort’s leading properties, explore our Luxury Hotels in St. Moritz guide.
Experiencing St. Moritz from Badrutt’s Palace
The position on Via Serlas makes the hotel particularly convenient for experiencing St. Moritz beyond its own facilities.
Shopping and the village centre begin immediately around the property, while the lake provides a natural reference point below.
During winter, private ski days can be organised around Corviglia and the wider Engadin ski region.
In summer, the same stay can shift towards hiking, the lake, scenic drives and mountain experiences throughout the valley.
A private helicopter flight can provide a very different perspective on the Engadin, while privately guided ski or mountain days allow the itinerary to be adapted to experience level and weather.
For broader planning around the destination, explore our St. Moritz travel guide.
Private Travel and Chauffeur Service
St. Moritz is compact enough that a chauffeur is not required for every movement within the village.
Private travel becomes more valuable for arrivals, departures, luggage, ski equipment, regional experiences and onward journeys through Switzerland.
Zurich is the principal international gateway for many travellers arriving by air, with the road journey to St. Moritz taking approximately two and a half hours under normal conditions.
For travellers arriving by private aviation, Engadin Airport near Samedan provides a much closer regional access point.
Luxury Switzerland can arrange private chauffeur travel according to the itinerary, whether for an airport transfer, a scenic journey through the Engadin or a vehicle available for a wider programme.
Continue Your Journey
St. Moritz can form part of a much broader Swiss itinerary.
Zurich provides the most natural major-city connection and one of the principal international gateways for the Engadin.
Travelling west towards Lucerne creates a transition from the high Alps towards Central Switzerland and Lake Lucerne.
To the south, Lugano introduces an entirely different Swiss atmosphere shaped by Ticino, Italian-speaking culture and the lakes.
Private point-to-point travel allows these longer journeys to be planned around luggage, weather, hotel arrivals and the wider itinerary rather than treated as isolated transfers.
Planning Your Stay
Where is Badrutt’s Palace Hotel located?
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel is located at Via Serlas 27 in central St. Moritz.
The property overlooks Lake St. Moritz and sits directly beside Via Serlas, one of the principal shopping streets in the resort.
When was Badrutt’s Palace founded?
The hotel was founded in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt.
Its long history has made it closely associated with the development of St. Moritz as an international luxury destination.
How many rooms and suites does Badrutt’s Palace have?
The hotel’s 2026 press information lists 163 guestrooms, including 47 suites.
The collection ranges from village-facing rooms to substantial lake-view suites and private-residence-style accommodation.
Is Badrutt’s Palace ski-in/ski-out?
Badrutt’s Palace should not be described as a ski-in/ski-out hotel.
Instead, it provides an in-house ski rental and shop and complimentary shuttle transportation to the cable car.
This allows guests to combine a central St. Moritz location with organised access to the ski area.
Is Badrutt’s Palace open in summer?
Yes.
Badrutt’s Palace operates both winter and summer seasons, with seasonal closing periods between them.
Travellers planning spring or autumn stays should check the hotel’s current opening dates before finalising their itinerary.
Does Badrutt’s Palace have a spa?
Yes.
Palace Wellness includes treatment facilities, private Spa Suites, sauna and steam facilities, fitness and dedicated relaxation areas.
Does Badrutt’s Palace have a swimming pool?
Yes.
The wellness facilities include a 25-metre indoor infinity pool and a heated outdoor pool overlooking the surrounding landscape.
What restaurants are at Badrutt’s Palace?
The hotel operates an extensive collection of dining venues.
Current examples include Le Grand Hall, La Coupole – Matsuhisa, Le Relais, La Diala, several restaurants within Chesa Veglia and Paradiso Mountain Club & Restaurant.
The exact selection varies by season.
Is Badrutt’s Palace suitable for families?
Yes.
The hotel offers family-oriented accommodation options, including St. Moritz Suites that can connect with additional rooms, together with a supervised Kids Club programme for younger guests.
How far is Badrutt’s Palace from Zurich Airport?
The hotel’s 2026 press information places Zurich approximately 220 kilometres away, with a road journey of around two and a half hours.
Actual travel time can vary with traffic, weather and mountain road conditions.
Can Luxury Switzerland arrange a private transfer to Badrutt’s Palace?
Yes.
Private chauffeur travel can be arranged from Zurich, other Swiss cities and regional arrival points, with vehicle choice adapted to passengers, luggage and ski equipment when required.
