Suvretta House

Last updated

Suvretta House
Suvretta House 2012.jpg
Suvretta House, 2012
Suvretta House
General information
Location St. Moritz, Switzerland
Coordinates 46°29′4.7″N9°49′12.45″E / 46.484639°N 9.8201250°E / 46.484639; 9.8201250 Coordinates: 46°29′4.7″N9°49′12.45″E / 46.484639°N 9.8201250°E / 46.484639; 9.8201250
GroundbreakingApril 22, 1911
OpeningDecember 16, 1912
Other information
Number of rooms181
Number of suites10
Website
suvrettahouse.ch

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.

Contents

It is St Moritz's only ‘ski-in’ and ‘ski-out’ hotel. [1]

History

Earliest history

Suvretta House, 1913 Suvretta 1913.JPG
Suvretta House, 1913

Suvretta translates to "house above the woods" and it was built by hotelier Anton Sebastian Bon. [2]

The history of Suvretta House dates back to the beginning of the 20th century when an English shipbuilder had the "Villa Suvretta" built for his wife by Swiss architect Karl Koller. However, his wife didn't like the villa, and he sold it to his friend, Charles Sydney Goldman, British Member of Parliament and businessman who had made a fortune trading in diamonds. [3] Goldman admired the house and gradually bought 4.5 hectares of surrounding land. Goldman met Swiss hotelier Anton Bon, and both agreed on building a new hotel. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 22 April 1911. [4] According to the hotel, the cornerstone was laid on April 22, 1911, with the hotel erected over the next year and a half. It was inaugurated on December 16, 1912, [5] with 200 invited guests. The interior had been created in 1912.

The hotel had 370 beds, 250 rooms, 110 bathrooms, and rooms for bridge and billiards when it first opened. It also had a library, rooms for smoking and tea, a library, a music salon, and "several interconnected banquet and dining rooms." [2] Marie Bon co-ran the hotel until Anton Bon died in 1915, after which "it was Marie who helped to give the Suvretta its distinct atmosphere of old world charm matched by the polished nickel heights of modern luxury comforts." [1] In 1916, her son, Hans Bon (1882-1950) was appointed as the new director.

In 1919, Russian ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky took his final bow at Suvretta House Hotel. [6] The Australian ballet work Nijinsky opened " in the ballroom of the Suvretta House Hotel," marking Nijinsky's last public performance, which Nijinsky called his "wedding with God." [7] Notable guests have included King Farouk of Egypt, Crown Prince Akihito, the Shah of Persia, Gregory Peck, and Evita Perón. [4]

Later generations

Original hotelier Anton Bon AntonBon.jpg
Original hotelier Anton Bon

In 1935, one of the first ski lifts in Switzerland was inaugurated at the Suvretta. It led from Suvretta to Randolins. Actor Douglas Fairbanks was the first person to use the lift. The lift made it possible to reach the Corviglia ski area directly from the hotel. The hotel was closed from 1941 to 1946 as a result of World War II. Later, renovation work was carried out. In 1963, Suvretta House acquired additional land to protect downhill slopes from building developments.

The hotel has been owned by multiple generations of the Bon family. [2] In 1968, management changed to Dorli and Rudolf F Muller. [2] During renovations and expansions, it has had a swimming pool and spa added, as well as a winter ski room, and an electronic games room. [2] One renovation was completed at the end of 2017, [2] and that year the hotel won the Prix Bienvenu of the Swiss Tourism Association. [1] In 2018, it was still managed and owned by the extended Bon/Candrian family, specifically by Esther and Peter Egli. They had taken it over from Helen and Vic Jacob in 2014, who in turn had managed the resort since 1989. [2] Peter and Esther Egli continued to manage the Suvretta House in 2018. [1] After Peter and Esther Egli took over, features such as more sporting facilities, "yoga on snow," ice hockey, cross country skiing, and a children's ski school. [1] A house gin brand, [8] Lady's and Gentleman's Gin, was added. [1]

Features

The building has six floors. [9] In 2022, it had 171 rooms and 10 suites, equaling 181 total units, [10] and is about a mile outside of town. [11] There is a Belle Époque exterior. During 2017, a renovation was completed by UK interior designer Sue Freeman. The 181 rooms and suites face all directions around the building. Business Traveler described an "unusual" but "generous amount of wardrobe space," with the larger rooms "set up to encourage longer stays and the amount of clothes you would need." [2]

The resort is not open year-round - instead, it opens early December and closes in early April. It opens again in late June, then closes in early September. [12] The resort has daily guided activities, such as "Nordic walks," sailing, golfing, yoga, and pilates. There are three tennis courts which become an ice rink in winter. There is an indoor pool, a wellness center, and an outdoor Jacuzzi. [2] There is a 25-meter indoor pool, and an outdoor hot-tub, and a spa. An adult's-only area has an "icy plunge pool" as well as saunas and steam rooms. 45 of the 181 rooms have balconies. [13] There are a number of shops on the bottom level. [12]

Skiing

It is St Moritz's only ‘ski-in’ and ‘ski-out’ hotel. [1] Conde Nast Traveller described it as "completely isolated" in the mountains. [14] The Trutz Chalet restaurant is at 7,200 feet above sea level, and can be reached by a ski lift. [15] The resort has a private ski lift, with Suvretta as the sole "ski-in/ski-out hotel" in St. Moritz. It also has an on-site ski shop. All guests are given private lockers for skiing. [12]

Restaurants

According to Spears, at Le Grand, "architect Karl Koller designed the dining room to be vast and long, with a decorated ‘cassette ceiling’, honey oak paneling and carved supporting pillars" which evoked the "great ocean liner age of the 1920s and 30s." In 2018, it required a jacket and tie, the suits having been dropped around 2014. [1]

The Grand Restaurant requires formal dress, and there are two mountain restaurants within walking distance associated with the resort. [2] As of 2018, the hotel had several restaurants. The Grand Restaurant had a dress code, while there was also the Suvretta Stube for breakfasts and other meals. [2] The two mountain restaurants include the Restaurant Chasellas, which opens at lunchtime and dinner for hikers. [2] Higher up is the Trutz, another mountain restaurant. [2]

At the main hotel on the ground floor, Anton's Bar stays open late. [2]

Related Research Articles

<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">Doppelmayr USA</span> Aerial lift manufacturer in Salt Lake City

Doppelmayr USA, Inc is an aerial lift manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a subsidiary of the worldwide Doppelmayr Garaventa Group. The United States company was formed in 2002 after the merger of Garaventa of Goldau, Switzerland, and Doppelmayr of Wolfurt, Austria. Between 2002 and 2010, the company was named Doppelmayr CTEC. From 2011 the company has operated using the Doppelmayr brand name, in common with most other Doppelmayr Garaventa Group subsidiaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Anton am Arlberg</span> Place in Tyrol, Austria

Sankt Anton am Arlberg, commonly referred to as St Anton, is a village and ski resort in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It lies in the Tyrolean Alps, with aerial tramways and chairlifts up to 2,811 m (9,222 ft), yielding a vertical drop of 1,507 m (4,944 ft). It is also a popular summer resort among hikers, trekkers and mountaineers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowbird, Utah</span> Unincorporated community in Utah

Snowbird is an unincorporated community in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is most famous for Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, an alpine skiing and snowboarding area, which opened in December 1971.

<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">Sestriere</span> Comune in Piedmont, Italy

Sestriere (/se'strjɛre/) is a ski resort in Piedmont, Italy, a comune (municipality) of the Metropolitan City of Turin. It is situated in Val Susa, 17 km (11 mi) from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Mountain (Washington)</span> Ski area in Washington, United States

Crystal Mountain is a mountain and alpine ski area in eastern Pierce County, Washington, United States, located in the Cascade Range southeast of Seattle. It is the largest ski resort in the state of Washington and lies within the Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. The resort is accessible from the Seattle–Tacoma metropolitan area via State Route 410.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badrutt's Palace Hotel</span>

The Badrutt's Palace Hotel is a historic luxury hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The hotel opened in 1896 and has 155 rooms, of which 43 are suites. The majority shareholder is Anikó Badrutt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Springs Mountain Resort</span> All-season resort in Pennsylvania, US

Seven Springs Mountain Resort is an all-season resort located in the borough of Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. It has a relatively high elevation for a Pennsylvania ski area, at 3,001 feet (915 m) above sea level. Activities include biking, canopy touring, ziplining, sporting clays, fishing, hiking and golfing in the summer and skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing in the winter. The ski season at Seven Springs typically begins on the day after Thanksgiving and continues to mid-April, weather permitting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shymbulak</span>

Shymbulak, also known as Chimbulak is a ski resort near Almaty. It is the largest ski resort in Central Asia. It is located in the upper part of the Medeu Valley in the Zailiisky Alatau mountain range, at an elevation of 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) above sea level. The resort area is about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Almaty city by Medeo road. It is popular for its mild climate, large quantity of sunny days and great amount of snow through the winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loon Mountain Ski Resort</span> Ski resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire, United States

Loon Mountain Ski Resort is a ski resort in Lincoln, Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located on Loon Mountain and sits within the White Mountain National Forest. Its vertical drop of 2,109 feet (643 m) is the tenth largest in New England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kortepohja</span> District of Jyväskylä in Western Finland, Finland

Kortepohja is a district in Jyväskylä, Finland. It is located at around 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) from the city centre on the Western side of Lake Tuomiojärvi. The population of Kortepohja was 8,084 in December 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Londoner Macao</span> Casino resort on the Cotai Strip, Macau

The Londoner Macao is a casino resort on the Cotai Strip, Macau. On 5 August 2011, Sands China announced that the $4 billion property, long referred to as parcels five and six, would be officially named Sands Cotai Central. The first portion of the resort opened on 11 April 2012. The resort was rebranded as The Londoner Macao in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vladislav Doronin</span> Russian businessman

Vladislav Yurievich Doronin is a Russian real estate developer and art collector. He is the owner and chairman of Aman Resorts, chairman and CEO of OKO Group and is a co-founder of Moscow-based Capital Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anton Bon</span>

Anton Sebastian Bon (1854-1915) was a Swiss hotelier who built the Suvretta House in St Moritz from 1911 to 1912, together with the British Member of Parliament (MP), Charles Sydney Goldman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raffles Hotels & Resorts</span> Luxury hotel chain

Raffles Hotels & Resorts is a Singaporean chain of luxury hotels which traces its roots to 1887 with the opening of the original Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The company started to develop internationally in the late 1990s. Since 2015, Raffles is part of Accor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MGM Cotai</span>

MGM Cotai is a casino resort in Cotai, Macau. Opened on 13 February 2018, it is MGM Resorts International's second property in Macau, after the MGM Macau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Western Hotel, Newquay</span> Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall

The Great Western Hotel is the oldest purpose-built hotel in Newquay, Cornwall. The hotel was originally designed by the Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail and first opened in April 1879. The hotel is built in a prominent position overlooking Great Western Beach.

Christina Seilern is a Swiss-Austrian architect. She won the 2013 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) International Prize for architecture and the 2013 RIBA International Award for House of the Year. She established London-based Studio Seilern Architects (SSA) in 2006.

<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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cash, William (21 February 2018). "Review: Suvretta House, St Moritz". Spear's. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Otley, Tom (20 July 2018). "Hotel review: Suvretta House, St Moritz". Business Traveler. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  3. ↑ Daniela Aroche (7 December 2016). "St. Moritz Hotel Owners Talk Marketing Mix, Appealing to Luxury Tourists, and Brand Heritage". Luxurysociety.com. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  4. 1 2 "History - Suvretta House". Suvrettahouse.ch. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "History". Suvretta House. Retrieved 5 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ Freeman, Liam (1 December 2016). "Art, at High Altitudes". The New York Times Style Magazine. Retrieved 25 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ Lawson, Claudia (16 October 2016). "Review: Australian Ballet's Nijinsky earns standing ovation for tale of Russian dancer". ABC News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  8. ↑ Longo, Gianluca (18 February 2018). "Gianluca Longo's Week In St Moritz". Vogue . Retrieved 25 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ "Suvretta House". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 5 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ "Rooms". Suvretta House. Retrieved 5 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ Mitchell, Heidi (1 November 2018). "Skiing St. Moritz in Style". Town & Country. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 Fisher, James (26 November 2019). "Suvretta House, St Moritz: The birthplace of winter sports, with pre-warmed boots and excellent pistes". Country Life. Retrieved 17 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ Royce-Greensill, Sarah (6 February 2018). "Suvretta House". The Telegraph . Retrieved 5 May 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ Davey, Charlotte (25 August 2021). "Luisa Loro Piana's guide to St Moritz". Conde Nast Traveller. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  15. ↑ Rysman, Laura (31 January 2019). "36 Hours in St. Moritz". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
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.