Grand Hotel Kronenhof

Setting the Stage

HISTORY IN BRIEF
1851: Opening year.
2004: AG Grandhotels Engadinerkulm acquire the hotel.
2006: The hotel receives a 37 million Swiss franc revamp, equipping it with a state-of-the-art spa.

HISTORY IN DETAIL

1849: Andreas and his son Lorenz Gredig buy the inn "Roessli"
1851: Lorenz Gredig changes the name to Gasthof zur Krone-Post
1856: Hotel Kulm St Moritz opens
1857: Gasthof zur Krone-Post changes name to Hotel Krone
1865: Over 600 guests that year
1870: Expansion of the hotel to a total of 50 guestrooms.

1877: Bellavista tract
1886: 154 guestrooms
1894: The highest golf course of Europe opens in Samedan
1897: Palace St Moritz opens
1905: The Simplon tunnel opens 1906: First railway reaches Samedan
1914: World War I leads to total closure of most Swiss seasonal hotels. The Kronenhof guest books show no record until 15 December 1920.
1923: The first car is allowed on the streets of the Engadin.
1928: Olympic games in Pontresina and St Moritz
1939-1945: In World War II, most of the hotel is closed. Only the small original building is operated to accommodate the small number of occasional guests.
1950s: The hotel is booming again. King Faruk of Egypt makes it his home.
1974: Rita-Angela Gredig manages the house and its 140 staff. Sean Connery arrives to shoot Five Days One Summer, directed by Fred Zinnemann.
1989: The hotel is sold to a Swiss group of financiers.
2004: The AG Grandhotels Engadinerkulm becomes the new owner.
2006: In the good old tradition of the house, the new management team is a couple: Heinz E. and Jenny Hunkeler. The hotel faces its most challenging renovation, spending 37 million Swiss francs on 29 rooms and a state-of-the-art spa on 1500 square metres.

Famous guests who have stayed at The Kronenhof over the years include the exiled King Farouk of Egypt, Sean Connery, Stefan Zweig and Richard Strauss.

Curling and skating at the hotel, approx.1930s

All guest records are still kept in the archives of the Kronenhof. Hence, we know that there were 14 guests in the first year (1851), 11 Germans and ‘other’ nationalities, and three English guests. One of them was a certain F. Hugh who brought his dog Flip (to give you an idea of the sort of archives we found!).

Pre-eminent among the myths of St. Moritz is the tale of how, through a bet with some English friends, Caspar's father Johannes Badrutt (at the Hotel Kulm) reputedly "invented" the concept of wintering in the Alps. One summer day, the legend goes, he was asked what they did up here in the rough mountain climate during winter when it was all ice and snow for months on end. 'In winter,' he replied, 'it's sometimes so sunny and warm that we wear short sleeves.' 'Not true', the Englishman laughed, a foggy London winter day in mind. 'I bet you. If it's not true, I will pay for your stay.' Winter arrived. When the skeptic Brits arrived to bright sunshine, they found that they had packed everything one needed for cold winter days: pullovers, sweaters and gloves. But one essential item was missing: sun glasses! Thus, the winter season was born and guests from all over Europe soon flocked to the mountain destination.

As mankind needs games, skiing, skating and curling were invented. St Moritz knew what it owed the British and American guests and invented The Cresta, an ice run, three quarters of a mile long. The first rider to adopt the now traditional head-first position was a British subject, a Mr Cornish, in the 1887 Grand National. Riders brake using the rakes on their boots and if they are out of control they are certain to go out at Shuttlecock, the most famous corner of the Run. Fallers at Shuttlecock automatically become members of the Shuttlecock Club and are entitled to wear a Shuttlecock tie. It's that sort of game.


The invention of winter tourism: climmbing party in Pontresina.

World War 1's effect on tourism in Switzerland was so bad that the Kronenhof guest books showed no record between 1915 and 15 December 1920.

In 1920 a certain Professor J.E. Brewer arrived at the start of the season to become the new scating instructor of the Kronenhof. The hotel had its own spendid ice rink, a tradition that is still kept. Skisport was in the firm hands of the British visitors. Arnold Lunn wrote "Ski-ing for Beginners" and became the first popular ski author. His book spans from "the equipment" to "repairing a broken ski", the "telemark turn", the "stem turn" and "slip christiana". ***** Until 1923 automobiles were banned from the region of Engadin, where Pontresina is situated. The first public transport with a motor engine was the exceptional mail bus in 1922.

The Kronenhof still follows its strict dress code for dinners. Jacket and tie. Parents are encouraged to have their smaller children eat earlier.

Recently a guest remark reached us: 'The manager attended each meal and made a point of coming around to each table to make sure you were well taken care of. I have never, EVER been to a hotel before where the people were so incredibly eager to please and the service was impeccable.'

- 2001 Xaver Stocker
2001-2006 Henry J. Hunold
Since 2006 Heinz E. und Jenny Hunkeler