Hotel of the Year! 11 Fun Facts About Badrutt’s Palace

 

The Badrutt’s Hotel has just been named Hotel of the Year by Gault Millau. Exactly during my stay there! Before my review on H, the Swiss Deluxe Hotels Magazine is out, here are my 11 fun findings about this St. Moritz icon.

1. Garage Goals
The underground garage includes a full professional car washing system. Because your Aston Martin deserves spa days too.

2.The Tower Suite Costs Around 40,000 CHF Per Night
Yes, really. And it’s often booked. Exclusivity has a price—and apparently, no ceiling.

3. The Green Roof Is a Landmark
That emerald spire is part of the St. Moritz skyline. Renovate the façade? Please don’t. It’s postcard-perfect.

4. It Was the First Luxury Hotel in Europe to Install 5G
In 2019, Badrutt’s Palace became the first to offer 5G mobile technology to guests. Even your Instagram stories get the royal treatment.

5. A Guest Once Requested an Elephant
For his wife’s birthday. The staff delivered—literally. An elephant walked into the lobby.

6. It’s a Historic Pioneer of Winter Tourism
Caspar Badrutt opened the hotel in 1896, following his father Johannes Badrutt’s legendary bet that convinced Brits to try winter holidays in St. Moritz. Spoiler: they loved it.

7. Alfred Hitchcock Was Obsessed With it
He spent his honeymoon here in 1926 and returned over 30 times, always staying in Suite 501. He even wrote _The Birds_ while gazing out the windows at the alpine choughs. The hotel now offers a Hitchcock-themed experience, complete with vintage cigars and “Hitch-Cocktails” in the Renaissance Bar.

8. Staff Loyalty Is Legendary
One team member has been working here for 35 years. Many others for over a decade. It’s not just a hotel—it’s a family.

9. Generational Guests
Some guests first came as toddlers. Now they bring their own toddlers. It’s like a very posh family tradition.

10. The Longest Escalator in Switzerland (and second in Europe)
It takes over two minutes. Only the one of the Elbphilarmonie in Hamburg, Germany, is longer.

11. Michelin-Starred Chefs Cook Here for Months
With 11 restaurants linked to the hotel, including IGNIV by Andreas Caminada and Matsuhisa by Nobu, you’ll never go hungry—or bored.

I stayed just one night, but I felt like royalty and that I could get away with anything. Everyone remembered my name, let me sneak a coffee at dawn, let me play the drums at 6 am, and made sure I didn’t miss a single moment of indulgence.

Next time, I’m staying longer. And maybe I’ll ask for a giraffe.