Chalet Eugenia

Last updated
Chalet Eugenia
Founded by Baron Bentinck
Chalet Eugenia.png
Chalet Eugenia in Klosters-Serneus
General information
Type Chalet
Architectural style Swiss Alpine Chalet
Location Klosters Graubünden
Switzerland
Coordinates 46°53′35.66″N9°53′0″E / 46.8932389°N 9.88333°E / 46.8932389; 9.88333
Elevation1,179 m (3,868 ft)
Construction started1958
Renovated2014
Owner Rolf Theiler
Height
Top floor5
Technical details
Floor area12,500 square feet (1,160 m2)
(300 m2 Spa Facility)
Design and construction
Architect(s) Bentinck
Other information
Parking8 cars (Underground)

The Chalet Eugenia is a chalet in Klosters [1] [2] which has been used by members of the British royal family for over three decades. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

History and background

Chalet Eugenia was built after World War II and was completed in 1958 by Baroness Thyssen-Bornemisza. It was subsequently bought by the Bentinck family and later sold in 2012 to the Swiss businessman Rolf Theiler. [6]

Style and interior

Chalet Eugenia's stone kitchen & original wood fired oven. Chalet Eugenia Kitchen No.3.png
Chalet Eugenia's stone kitchen & original wood fired oven.

The chalet's interior design dates from the 1950s, and has been largely retained. [7] [8] [9] The drawing room has a central pillared stone log fireplace leading onto an oak beamed and paneled dining room. The second dining room is equipped with the original wood fired oven. [10] [11] Most rooms have their own balconies and terraces with views of the Gotschna mountainous region. [12] In 2006 Tom Robbins described the chalet as "the poshest pad in the Alps". [13] The chalet overlooks the village of Klosters, [14] described by Harper's Bazaar as "the ski resort beloved of the royal family". [15]

Skiing

Chalet Eugenia has a 'Ski in & Ski out' children's Heid Ski Lift [16] directly next to the northwesterly side of the chalet, allowing access to the T-bar lift powered slope. [17] [18] [19]

Klosters and society

The Klosters ski resort has long been a winter destination for the British royal family. Prince William and Prince Harry learnt to ski in the village. [20] Other celebrities who have vacationed at the resort include Paul Newman, Audrey Hepburn, Diana, Princess of Wales, Winston Churchill, Howard Hawks, William Wyler, John F. Kennedy's sister Patricia Kennedy Lawford, Kenneth More, Major Hugh Lindsay, Vivien Leigh, Lauren Bacall, Stavros Niarchos, Carol Thatcher, Georgina Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk, Gregory Peck, Yul Brynner, Kay Kendall, Juliette Gréco, Roger Vadim, David Niven, Robert Capa, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Greta Garbo and Gene Kelly, who danced on the tables in the hotel bar of the Hotel Chesa Grischuna where Rex Harrison discussed his musical notes for "My Fair Lady" with the hotel pianist. [3]

Producer of 'Gone with the wind', David O. Selznick and his wife Jennifer Jones along with Julie Andrews, Peter Sellers and Britt Ekland were all regulars in the sixties. Irwin Shaw had a street named after him. Billy Wilder came to ski and party in the village every winter, Julie Andrews wrote; "I could have danced all night!" Baroness Joanna von Schenk's chalet has the following quote carved into the wood; "If you were very good in a previous life, God will give you Klosters in the next." Peter Viertel described Klosters as "Hollywood on the Rocks" in his autobiography 'Dangerous Friends' and in 1960 he married Deborah Kerr in the village. [3] [21] [22]

More recent visitors include Peter Mandelson, billionaires Nathaniel Rothschild, [23] and Peter Munk [24] Benjamin Wegg-Prosser,[ citation needed ] Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Sir Simon Robertson, Rupert Everett, John Fairchild, [25] Nicholas Wheeler, Chrissie Rucker [26] and Swiss movie producer Marc Forster. [27] In 2009 and 2010 Prince Andrew rented Chalet Eugenia during the Davos World Economic Forum, [28] [29] hosting Lord Mandelson and George Osborne during his first visit. [30] [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davos</span> Municipality in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland

Davos is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 10,832 (2020). Davos is located on the river Landwasser, in the Rhaetian Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Ranges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Moritz</span> Municipality in Grisons, Switzerland

St. Moritz is a high Alpine resort town in the Engadine in Switzerland, at an elevation of about 1,800 metres (5,910 ft) above sea level. It is Upper Engadine's major town and a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gstaad</span> Town in Saanen, Bern, Switzerland

Gstaad is a town in the German-speaking section of the Canton of Bern in southwestern Switzerland. It is part of the municipality of Saanen and is known as a major ski resort and a popular destination amongst high society and the international jet set. The winter campus of the Institut Le Rosey is located in Gstaad. Gstaad has a population of about 9,200 and is located 1,050 metres above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece</span> Danish princess by marriage

Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, Princess of Denmark, is married to Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, son of King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. Marie-Chantal's husband was the heir apparent to the now defunct throne of Greece, as the monarchy was abolished in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megève</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Megève is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France with a population of more than 3,000 residents. The town is well known as a ski resort near Mont Blanc in the French Alps. Conceived in the 1920s as a French alternative to St. Moritz by the Rothschilds, it was the first purpose-built resort in the Alps. Originally it was a prime destination for the French aristocracy; it remains one of the most famous and affluent ski resorts in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arosa</span> Municipality in Graubünden, Switzerland

Arosa is a town and a municipality in the Plessur Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is both a summer and a winter tourist resort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zell am See</span> Place in Salzburg, Austria

Zell am See is the administrative capital of the Zell am See District in the Austrian state of Salzburg. Located in the Kitzbühel Alps, the town is an important tourist destination due to its ski resorts and shoreline on Lake Zell. While Zell am See has been a favored winter and summer resort for the European aristocracy since the 19th century, it is known as a hub of the international jet set today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verbier</span> Swiss village

Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all year. Skiers have settled in the Verbier area in order to take advantage of the steep slopes, varied conditions, and resort culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria von Thurn und Taxis</span> Dowager Princess of Thurn and Taxis

Gloria, Dowager Princess of Thurn and Taxis is a German noblewoman, socialite, businesswoman, Catholic activist, and artist. Through her marriage to Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, she acquired the courtesy title Princess Consort of Thurn und Taxis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klosters</span> Municipality in Grisons, Switzerland

Klosters is a Swiss village in the Prättigau, politically part of the municipality of Klosters-Serneus, which belongs to the political district Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden. In 2021, the municipality shortened its name to Klosters. Klosters itself consists of the two main parts Klosters Dorf ('Village') and Kloster Platz ('Place'), and the settlements Selfranga, Äuja, Monbiel. Together with neighbouring Serneus, the two villages form the former municipality of Klosters-Serneus. On 1 January 2016, the former municipality of Saas im Prättigau merged into Klosters-Serneus.

Major Hugh Charles Lyttelton Lindsay, LVO was Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II from 1983 to 1986. He was killed in an avalanche during a ski trip on 10 March 1988.

Charles Anthony Palmer-Tomkinson is an English landowner and philanthropist, a former Olympic skier, and a close friend of King Charles III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aiglon College</span> Independent day and boarding school in Chesières-Villars, Vaud, Switzerland

Aiglon College is a private co-educational boarding school in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. Founded in 1949 by former Gordonstoun teacher John C. Corlette, it occupies a scenic location in the alpine village of Chesieres, close to the ski resort of Villars-sur-Ollon, 58 kilometers from Lausanne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolf Theiler</span> Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist

Rolf Theiler is a Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder and co-owner of Mercedes CSI and chairman and president of Laureus Foundation Switzerland. Theiler is also the former co-owner and chairman of BVG Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Guler</span> Swiss skier and hotelier

Ruth Guler was a Swiss skier and hotelier, who ran the Hotel Wynegg in the skiing resort of Klosters, Switzerland. Her hotel was regularly visited by members of the British Royal Family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpina Gstaad</span> Luxury hotel in Gstaad, Switzerland

The Alpina Gstaad is a luxury 56-room hotel in the Oberbort area of Gstaad, Switzerland. It is owned by Jean Claude Mimran and Marcel Bach. It was opened in 2012 and was the first luxury hotel to be built in Gstaad for a century.

Chrissie Rucker is a British businesswoman, best known for founding British retailer The White Company in 1994. Because of her self-made success story and the similar products, she has been compared to Martha Stewart. Rucker is also a founding patron of the not-for-profit social enterprise, woman supporting women, The Princes Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suvretta House</span> Luxury hotel in Switzerland

Suvretta House is a five-star hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Built in 1912, it is part of The Leading Hotels of the World. It features 181 rooms and several restaurants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark</span> Danish and Greek Princess

Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark is a Swiss businesswoman, heiress and socialite. She is a member of the non-reigning Greek royal family and a member of the extended Danish royal family as the wife of Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, son of Constantine II of Greece and Anne-Marie of Denmark. Princess Nina is the founder and creative director of the Kisawa Sanctuary and the founder of the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies, both located in Benguerra Island, Mozambique. She previously worked as the creative director of VistaJet, a luxury private airline company founded by her father Thomas Flohr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berghotel Schatzalp</span> Building in Davos, Switzerland

Berghotel Schatzalp is a historic hotel built in the Art Nouveau style and listed Cultural Property of National Significance in Davos, eastern Switzerland. It is located above the western side of Davos at 1,860 metres (6,100 ft) above sea level on the historic path over the Strela Pass, and forms part of the Schatzalp skiing and recreational area, near the Rinerhorn. Schatzalp is accessed via the funicular Schatzalp-Bahn from the town of Davos below.

References

  1. ↑ "The most expensive chalet holidays in Europe". premiumeurope. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  2. ↑ "Five Best: Luxury Ski Chalets". The Independent . 3 December 2005. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  3. 1 2 3 "High Altitude Society". (March 2013). Vanity Fair
  4. ↑ "The best luxury chalets in the Alps". ski-concierge.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  5. ↑ "chalet eugenia klosters". Leotrippi.com. 2014-08-04. Archived from the original on 2014-08-15. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  6. ↑ "Catered Ski Chalet Klosters: Chalet Eugenia". Leotrippi.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  7. ↑ "How to spend a million". Telegraph. 2003-02-04. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  8. ↑ "Klosters and Davos: Conan Doyle and the height of cool". Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  9. ↑ "Luxury Ski Chalets & Hotels". Ultimate-ski.com. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  10. ↑ "Luxury Ski chalet Chalet Eugenia - Luxury Chalets Klosters - The Oxford Ski Company". Oxfordski.com. 2013-01-01. Archived from the original on 2014-11-23. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  11. ↑ Fair, Vanity (21 August 2009). "Princess Firyal's Friends Defend Her Against Gold-digger Accusations". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  12. ↑ "Royal-Group - Chalet Eugenia". Royal-group.fr. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  13. ↑ Robbins, Tom (29 January 2006). "Tom Robbins: Inside the poshest pad in the Alps | Travel | The Observer". The Observer. Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  14. ↑ "Chalet Eugenia in Klosters, Switzerland". White Blancmange. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  15. ↑ "Chalet Eugenia, Klosters, Switzerland | Harper's Bazaar". Harpersbazaar.co.uk. 2010-08-11. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  16. ↑ "Meeting Points/Times – Skischule Klosters". Sssk.ch. 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  17. ↑ "Children's ski paradise Davos Klosters". Davos.ch. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  18. ↑ "View image: Chalet Eugenia with Princess Diana & Prince Will". Postimg.org. Archived from the original on 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  19. ↑ Raphael, Isabelle. "Growing Up Royal: Childhood Photos of William, Harry, the Queen, and More". Parade.condenast.com. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  20. ↑ Bird, Simon (2013-12-17). "Klosters remains a ski holiday resort that's fit for a king - Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  21. ↑ "Hollywood on the Rocks Davos Klosters". Davos.ch. Archived from the original on 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  22. ↑ "Royal playground Davos Klosters". Davos.ch. Archived from the original on 2014-08-09. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  23. ↑ "Nathaniel Rothschild". Forbes. 2014-07-30. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  24. ↑ "Peter Munk: A mining magnate nears the end of his golden reign". The Globe and Mail. 15 March 2014.
  25. ↑ Gordon, Meryl (10 August 2012). "John Fairchild, Fashion's Most Angry Fella". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  26. ↑ Grainger, Lisa (19 January 2015). "Klosters, Switzerland: inside the White Company's ski chalet". The Telegraph.
  27. ↑ "Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's Klosters". Simonseeks. 2009-12-11. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  28. ↑ Hardy, Felice (2010-12-01). "Royal resorts - Travel - Life & Style - London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  29. ↑ Boniface, Susie (2012-01-29). "Prince Andrew represents UK at Davos despite trade envoy role axe over friendship with sex offender - Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  30. ↑ "Royal ski resorts: Share a chair with royalty". OnTheSnow. 2012-11-20. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
  31. ↑ "World's Sexiest Resorts in Hotel on". Concierge.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.