Inside Badrutt’s Palace: St. Moritz’s Icon of Elegance and Hotel of the Year 2026

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Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz is far more than a luxury hotel—it is an institution of elegance and heritage, a place where history and haute hospitality converge. Crowned Hotel of the Year 2026 by GaultMillau, this Alpine icon continues to redefine exclusivity with its new Serlas Wing, eleven world-class restaurants, and a devoted team of 660 professionals orchestrating impeccable service.

From suites commanding up to CHF 40,000 per night to bespoke moments that become lifelong memories—a silver wedding in the snow, a sheikh’s lakeside picnic, or a family’s first journey to the Alps—every stay at Badrutt’s Palace is an experience scripted in sophistication.

Open year-round, the Palace embodies the soul of St. Moritz: timeless tradition, visionary innovation, and the quiet assurance that true luxury is not just seen, but felt.

Badrutt’s Palace Luxury Limousine Service

Badrutt’s Palace Luxury Limousine Service

A Palace with a Soul: Where Every Stay Becomes a Story

A true luxury hotel is never merely a place—it is a promise kept. A sanctuary where imagination takes form, and every moment lingers as a memory. In the heart of the Swiss Alps, one address fulfills this promise with effortless grace: Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz.

Here, heritage and vision converge; culinary mastery, culture, and character intertwine. In 2026, GaultMillau crowned this iconic retreat Hotel of the Year—a recognition that simply affirms what discerning guests have always known.

Because the true essence of Badrutt’s Palace is not found in its accolades, but in the stories quietly written within its walls—stories of celebration, discovery, and moments that transcend time.

Badrutt's Palace

Badrutt’s Palace

St. Moritz Luxury at Its Peak: Where Perfection Finds a Home

The title ‘Hotel of the Year’ from GaultMillau is reserved for those rare establishments that achieve excellence across every dimension. At Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz, this distinction is richly deserved: a seamless harmony of heritage, innovation, and heartfelt hospitality defines every moment within its walls.

  • Eleven world-class restaurants.
  • 660 employees who redefine service.
  • The new Serlas Wing with 25 suites, investment: CHF 70 million.
  • Pools that embody superlatives – from 200 m² garden pools to outdoor pools the size of a soccer pitch.
  • A suite that costs CHF 40,000 per night – and yet is regularly booked.

Yet all of this is merely the stage. The true performance unfolds through the people—guests and staff alike—whose presence and passion bring each day to life.

Where Luxury Meets History: A Legend Since 1896

For more than 125 years, Badrutt’s Palace has presided majestically over Lake St. Moritz. Its visionary founder, Johannes Badrutt, introduced the international elite to the Swiss Alps, establishing a sanctuary where glamour and exclusivity became inseparable.

Kings and princesses, artists and actors, entrepreneurs and statesmen—all have left their imprint. Audrey Hepburn danced here, Alfred Hitchcock found inspiration, and Winston Churchill savored cigars on the terrace.

Badrutt’s Palace has never been merely a hotel. It is a realm of luxury in its purest form, where world history intersects with private stories, and every stay becomes a chapter in an enduring legacy.

Badrutt's Palace Outdoor-Pool

Badrutt’s Palace Outdoor-Pool

Summer at the Palace: Where Mountains Meet Endless Leisure

St. Moritz often evokes winter, skiing, and the glittering jet set. Yet the true promise of Badrutt’s Palace unfolds in summer, when the Alps reveal a different, equally enchanting allure.

  • Guests from Brazil enjoy the fresh Alpine air.
  • Families from India experience the magic of the mountains for the first time.
  • The outdoor pool – the size of a soccer pitch – is the setting for unforgettable moments.
  • Private picnics, helicopter flights and exclusive mountain hikes turn summer into a spectacle.

Thus, Badrutt’s Palace remains Switzerland’s premier luxury destination, a haven for the world’s elite throughout the year.

Badrutt's Palace

Badrutt’s Palace

Where Luxury Meets Gastronomy: A Voyage for the Senses

At the Palace, gastronomy is more than dining—it is a symphony of flavors, meticulously composed for the discerning palate:

  • Nobu by Matsuhisa: Japanese sophistication, sushi and omakase in an iconic setting.
  • Le Restaurant & Le Relais: Classic haute cuisine by candlelight, with waiters in tails.
  • Chesa Veglia: A rustic Engadine farmhouse where truffle pizza meets world class.
  • Paradiso: Sun terrace with a view of the Alps, where champagne bottles sparkle.
  • Renaissance Bar: evenings in Armani bespoke suits, where guests enjoy drinks that write stories.

At the Palace, luxury is not merely offered—it is artfully orchestrated.

Badrutt's Palace Suite

Badrutt’s Palace Suite

Badrutts'Palace Le Grand Hall

Badrutts’Palace Le Grand Hall Outdoor

The People Behind the Palace: 660 Masters of Service

At a world-class luxury hotel, service defines the experience. At Badrutt’s Palace, every guest is regarded as singular.

Whether it is a forgotten tie shipped from New York within 48 hours or a rare wine sourced from a boutique in Bordeaux, the team fulfills requests that would seem impossible elsewhere.

Equally remarkable is the loyalty of the staff: many have devoted years to the Palace, with an average tenure of 8.5 years—a testament to enduring passion, dedication, and seamless teamwork.

Badrutt's Palace Le Grand Hall

Badrutt’s Palace Le Grand Hall

Moments Beyond Time: The Stories of Badrutt’s Palace

1. Silver wedding anniversary in the honeymoon suite

A couple from New York celebrated their silver wedding anniversary where it all began: in the same room where they spent their honeymoon 25 years earlier. The room was decorated identically, the same flowers, the same champagne, the same menu. Tears flowed – and the Palace continued to write a love story.

2. The sheikh and the private pool

A sheikh from the Middle East reserved the gigantic outdoor pool just for his family. A private picnic was waiting at the edge of the pool – oysters, dates, champagne. Children splashed around, adults laughed. A picture for the ages – only possible in a top-class luxury hotel.

3. The extended Indian family and the Alps

For a large Indian family, the summer of 2025 was their first contact with the Alps. Children saw snow for the first time, heard cowbells and felt the clear mountain air. In the evening, they enjoyed pizza with truffles – an experience that will connect generations.

4. The Hollywood star incognito

A world-famous actor booked a suite under a false name. The staff recognized him immediately – but kept quiet. He spent three days at the Palace, strolling through St. Moritz unrecognized. On the day of his departure, he wrote in the guest book: “I was here. I was free.”

5. The winter wedding of a princess

A European princess got married at the Palace. Horse-drawn sleighs brought the guests and the ceremony took place overlooking the frozen lake. The luxury hotel was transformed into a fairytale castle – a winter dream for eternity.

6. The entrepreneur and the vision

A tech billionaire spent a summer at the Palace to plan a new project in peace and quiet. Every morning he swam in the garden pool, then discussed it with his advisors on the terrace. Months later, the idea became reality – a company that now moves millions.

Badrutt’s Palace: A Place Where Stories Live

  • In the 1960s, an Arab prince landed in Samedan in his private jet – and had the tower called to be served dinner at the Palace.
  • An Indian billionaire booked the entire Serlas Wing to celebrate his daughter’s wedding in the closest of circles – including a private fireworks display over Lake St. Moritz.
  • Stars such as George Clooney and Naomi Campbell enjoyed undisturbed days here – in a house that has made discretion its top priority.

Each story serves as proof that Badrutt’s Palace defines the pinnacle of Swiss luxury, shaping standards recognized across the globe.

A luxury hotel that reinterprets the seasons

Winter at the Palace

  • Champagne on ice in the “Renaissance” bar.
  • Ski instructors who only work for one family.
  • Horse-drawn sleigh rides through snow-covered forests.

Summer at the Palace

  • Sailing on Lake St. Moritz.
  • Picnics on alpine meadows.
  • Sunsets by the pool, accompanied by DJ sets.

The Palace turns every season into a celebration.

White Turf

White Turf

An Elite Partnership in St. Moritz: Badrutt’s Palace & White Turf

When the thoroughbreds take to the frozen lake at White Turf, Badrutt’s Palace places guests at the very heart of the action. As an official partner, the legendary hotel provides exclusive VIP lounges, bespoke gourmet experiences, and unrivaled views of the races. Here, glamour, sport, and Alpine elegance converge, creating a singular winter highlight in the Engadin that only the Palace can deliver.

The Palace as a Stage: Where Emotions Come Alive

What makes Badrutt’s Palace truly exceptional is that every stay becomes a personal story. Some guests celebrate love, others ambition, and still others seek moments of serene reflection.

A hotel of this caliber is never merely walls and service—it is a sanctuary where one can rediscover oneself, immersed in unparalleled luxury and timeless elegance.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Expression of Swiss Luxury — Badrutt’s Palace

Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz is more than GaultMillau’s Hotel of the Year 2026. It is a palace of stories, a crossroads where the world’s distinguished travelers and timeless human experiences converge.

Here, past and future, exclusivity and emotion, meet effortlessly. Guests do not merely occupy a room—they become part of a living legend.

True luxury is measured not in stars, rates, or pools, but in moments that linger and memories that endure.

This is the essence of Badrutt’s Palace: a hotel in a class of its own, where every stay writes an unforgettable story.

Our tip:
Elevate your stay at Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz, by pairing it with an exclusive, bespoke journey through Switzerland—an experience where every desire is anticipated and every detail perfected:

Your Guide to Switzerland’s Most Exclusive ELITE VIP Luxury Experiences

Let yourself be enchanted on a 7-day EXPRESS, 10-day GOLDEN, 14-day DIAMANT, tailor-made luxury trip or luxury trip before/after river cruise or luxury trip before/after ocean cruise through magnificent Switzerland and your charming Swiss tour guide Brigitte Heller.

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