A weekend at the Carlton Hotel, St Moritz
“A hotel that set a new standard on Luxury Executive - a world for its own”
St Moritz doesn‘t need any introduction. Describing itself as „Top of the World“ and portraying this lifestyle ever since makes this Swiss ski resort one-of-a-kind worldwide. Sitting at an altitude of 1800 meters, having the most sun of all other European ski resorts and boasting the poshest winter experience one can ever dream of, are just three reasons for a trip to the prettiest corner of Switzerland. As most of the time travelling, the choice of accommodation and F&B offers make a destination stand-alone. So does St Moritz. While this town has the most five-star hotels on inhabitants, it‘s the four grand hotels that make St Moritz the real winner above any other ski resort worldwide. Each of the four grand hotels, fortunately, comes with its personal DNA. The Carlton Hotel is the third hotel we have stayed at in St Moritz and it‘s also the first time, the stay didn‘t go as expected in the most dazzling town of the Engadin. This experience once again showed how essential it is to judge places only once you have been there. On the other side, this is exactly how life should be. It never should be as expected and surprises come in handy as they are the ones staying in memory rather than routines and expectations.
Our stay at the Carlton Hotel started quite fantastic with a scenic drive passing stellar mountain ranges, through the traditional Engadin valley. After a sharp 3.5 hour‘s drive from Munich, we pulled up right in front of the main entrance of the Carlton and were blown away already - not only by the presence of the four bellmen rushing around the car already - but also by the view of the lake and St Moritz itself. Somewhere between a „warm welcome to the Carlton“ and another staff member opening the heavy doors, we lost the connection to the normal world and stepped inside what felt like a dream from this very moment we headed towards the hidden front desk. Check-in was professional just like you would expect it from a hotel of this calibre. From this moment onwards, our experience took an unexpected turn. Our room wasn't ready yet, so the gentleman from the front desk thought it might be a good idea to park us at the terrace on the hotel‘s Bel Etage. He couldn‘t be more wrong. The welcome glass of Sauvignon Blanc from nearby Graubünden turned into two extremely delicious bottles and that‘s when it became crystal clear to us.
In fact, we just realized that none of the three other high-end hotels in St Moritz might be able to compete with the Carlton Hotel. When you have (almost) seen it all, it‘s the first impression a hotel makes when you realize if this place has got it all to be legendary. We were sitting at the terrace enjoying this out-of-the-world view (even making the million-dollar view at Four Seasons Geneva look basic) and had the time of our lives not even losing a single thought about anything else rather than how lucky we are to be sitting there. Thanks to the wine and views, we weren’t blown away by the fact that the room was ready so quick. However thinking about it now, it seems like a phenomenon that they were preparing the room within ten minutes after check-in. Once we anyhow made it to our room on the third floor, we were blown away once more and I can‘t remember why we assumed that the view didn‘t get better. A spacious entree with a cool layout made up the first impression of our Junior Suite. Entering the open-plan living-/bedroom, the red-coloured suite matched the overall style of the Carlton Hotel very well and felt like a cosy place in midst of the Swiss Alps.
It often happens that hotel images look better than reality. I can‘t remember any examples of the contrary but the Carlton. Not just was the exact Junior Suite way bigger than on the images online but also the bathroom blew our minds off. Just our bathroom was the size of entry-level rooms in Parisian luxury hotels. Is this one of the reasons the Carlton feels like the most underrated of all four grand hotels in St Moritz or is it desired discretion to over-perform? Speaking of overperforming, I am not a friend of the combo sustainability and luxury hotels and it‘s one of the moments expectations weren‘t met but exceeded. I would have never expected that the Molton Brown toiletries they once had weren‘t missed any minute because the Swissed-based Nooii toiletries smelled so much better and felt of much higher quality than I have imagined. Needless to say that housekeeping did an incredible job twice daily - I love having two huge bath towels per person and they replenished them even though they put a strong focus on sustainability. Honestly, Tschuggen Hotel Group, the owner of the Carlton Hotel, is triggering the right points not to make sustainability look cost-cutting.
The centrepiece of the Junior Suite was the vast king bed with comfy linen by Swiss-based Leinenweberei Bern. While there was a TV on the right side of the bed (god knows who needs such a thing in this special location), the other side boasted a never-ending array of wardrobe space. We couldn’t have filled all the space even if we would have stayed for two weeks. Opposite the bed and right next to the foyer was the sofa (that can be turned into a sofa bed when travelling with children), two armchairs and a coffee table. The welcome amenities consisted of a fruit platter, two pralines and a cake from the restaurant Romanoff. These days, it seems like an unofficial rule at Swiss luxury hotels that the minibar is complimentary and replenished daily. Next to two bottles of Swiss beer and water, there were three juices, two bottles of coke, a bar of chocolate and three snacks. We loved the Nespresso machine for a pre-breakfast coffee and could therefore enjoy a coffee with a view before hushing down to explore the buffet.
What’s better than starting a perfectly sunny day in St Moritz with a sumptuous breakfast and a glass of Roederer champagne? Well, it might just get a little more glamorous when you’re served Eggs Benedict along with one of the best breakfast buffets we have ever had. All of the products offered on the buffet were of top quality, for example, the mouth-watering selection of smoked fish and salmon, their significant range of raw meat or the delicious bread assortment. It took us a while to reflect on the sumptuous restaurant setting, elegantly dished tables and out-of-this-world views to realize we aren’t dreaming anymore. When the lovely waitress tried to get our breakfast orders, she had to discreetly laugh just as she realized how overwhelmed we were with the situation. Generally, the down-to-earth service approach made us feel so welcome throughout the stay. Staff members are not just trying to be authentic, they just come with a natural attitude.
After a day on the slopes of St Moritz's famous Corviglia ski resort and an afternoon at the so-chic Paradiso mountain restaurant, we were very much looking for a relaxing evening. Thanks to the on-demand ski transfer service, we called the concierge who sent a driver to Suvretta to get us back to the Carlton Hotel. Minutes later we found ourselves covered in cosy bathrobes on the way to the Carlton Spa. While we very much enjoyed the indoor pool and especially loved the perfectly heated outdoor vitality pool, our favourite apres-ski spot remained the steam room and panoramic sauna. I hardly remember the last time I was so relaxed and knocked out of my everyday life. Even though the hotel was full, the spa didn’t feel crowded at all and every guest had its own private corner to hideaway. Right in time, after the spa, we were expected in one of Carlton’s four fondue gondolas. You can choose between either the classic Swiss cheese fondue or the posh truffle fondue. Obviously, we went for the latter one and besides having had an incredible first fondue experience, the real deal-winner was the fact that we had the gondola all to ourselves and enjoyed private dining with all its laughter and deep talks.
Overall, as mentioned earlier, the stay didn’t go as I expected. I had so many plans, so many to-do’s for St Moritz, so many different thoughts on how this weekend needed to be. Admitting, that in the end, it was far better than I could have ever wished for. Let’s not forget that the only thing that’s infinite are memories. Therefore make sure to spend your time - the most valuable thing in your life - wisely with people you appreciate in locations that are worth being appreciated. The Carlton Hotel exceeded all our expectations and as superb as the hotel was, we will never forget the moments and memories we were able to create at this outstanding hotel.
The Winter season runs until 27 March 2022, so this is your chance to make use of perfect slopes, sunny St Moritz and the most fantastic hotel in the Swiss Alps.
