badrutts palace

Swiss Deluxe Hotels, Synonymous with Quality and Luxury

Mount Cervin Palace hotel in Zermatt is a member of Swiss Deluxe Hotels, the leading association of luxury hotels in Switzerland.

Planning an escape to Switzerland and in need of a luxury hotel? Look no further than Swiss Deluxe Hotels , which is synonymous with exclusive quality and superlative standards.

Swiss Deluxe Hotels, more formally known as the Association of Swiss Deluxe Hotels, comprises 39 of the most prestigious five-star hotels in all of Switzerland, of which 17 are city hotels and 22 are resort hotels. Each property must be independently run, or as a member of a hotel chain, be mainly autonomous.

Member hotels include The Dolder Grand and the Savoy Baur en Ville in Zurich, the Gstaad Palace, the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues and the Le Richemond in Geneva (recently renovated and a member of the prestigious Rocco Forte Collection). In St. Moritz, members include the Suvretta House, the Carlton Hotel and Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St. Moritz (a Luxist Awards nominee for best international ski hotel).

Gallery: Swiss Deluxe Hotels

Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues in Geneva

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Celebrate Christmas at Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St. Moritz

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Badrutt's Palace in St. Moritz, Switzerland

Skiers in search of a sophisticated destination where they can enjoy the Swiss Alps over the Christmas holidays need to look no further than Badrutt's Palace hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The legendary hotel, which was a Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Nominee for Best Ski Hotel, is located in the center of legendary ski paradise St. Moritz and is situated amidst breathtakingly beautiful and unspoiled scenery. One of the top lifestyle addresses in the world, the family-owned hotel is known for its unrivaled luxury, immaculate service and extravagant and exclusive Après Ski experience. Badrutt's Palace has long been hailed as a favorite of celebrities and royalty alike since its opening in 1896.

This winter, festivities at Badrutt's start with La Notte Bianca on December 23rd, when chic boutiques on the Luxury Mile, Via Serlas, remain open until midnight, including such boutiques as Chopard, Bucherer de Grisogono, Louis Vuitton, and Merkur. Spend December 24th browsing at the Donde Art Exhibition and the Sabbadini jewelery exhibit before celebrating Christmas Eve in Badrutt's renowned "Le Restaurant" for Christmas Dinner, with classic entertainment from Gruppo Cameristico Alcimea. Guests are also invited to enjoy after-dinner drinks at the Managing Director's Annual Christmas Eve celebration in the Embassy Ballroom beginning at 9:00 pm.

Gallery: More from Badrutt's Palace

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Readers' Choice Award Nominees for Best in Winter Travel

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Best Caribbean Cruises
Each of finalists for the Readers' Choice for the Best Caribbean Cruse offers the ultimate in luxury. One features a ship that cost $800 million to build, measures 1,132 feet in length and is outfitted with the latest and most modern amenities, including a pool with a retractable dome. Another offers all-suite, all-balcony ships and the must inclusive ultra-luxury experience with everything included in the fare, including air, gratuities and unlimited shore excursions. The third nominee is perfect for anyone seeking an exclusive experience on a smaller ship while the fourth nominee bills itself as the world's best upper premium cruise line. Finally, there's a nominee known for the feng shui-inspired elegance of its ships as well as the rich cultural activities for its passengers.

Crystal Cruises
Cunard Cruise Lines
Oceania
Regent
Silversea

Best City Hotels
Nominees for Readers' Choice for Best City Hotel include one considered to be the most glamorous in all of London that has been the destination of choice by Kings and Queens alike, not to mention a smattering of Hollywood stars. Another, designed by world-renowned architect, I.M. Pei, rises high above Manhattan offering stunning views. The third nominee is a historic hotel that is only a few short steps away from the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Another nominee, also in Paris, is a breathtakingly beautiful property that was originally a palace commissioned by Louis XV. The final nominee is a tranquil, lush getaway amid gorgeous manicured gardens in Venice, accessible only by boat.

Claridge's, London
Four Seasons, New York
Four Seasons George V, Paris
Hotel Cipriani
Hôtel de Crillon, Paris

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Badrutt's Palace: Pampered Luxury Since 1896

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Badrutt's Palace, the landmark hotel in the center of legendary ski paradise St. Moritz, is a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Ski Hotel. Situated amidst breathtakingly beautiful and unspoiled scenery, Badrutt's Palace has long been hailed as a favorite of celebrities and royalty alike since its opening in 1896.

One of the top lifestyle addresses in the world, the family-owned hotel is known for its unrivaled luxury, immaculate service and extravagant and exclusive Après Ski experience.

Located in one of the most challenging ski areas in the world, Badrutt's is renowned as a world class ski resort with extensive and immaculately kept slopes. Guests enjoy moonlit ski runs, skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, vertical ice-wall climbing, torch-light skiing, among many other activities.

Over the past 10 years, the entire hotel was refurbished and modernized, including its guest rooms, suites, spa and wellness areas. There are 159 guestrooms and 38 suites with stunning views of the Swiss Alps and Lake St. Moritz. Luxurious suites include the two-bedroom Hans Badrutt Suite with a surface area of 280 square meters, wood-paneled library. The two-bedroom Helen Badrutt Suite is 250 square meters in size.

The renovated "Palace Wellness" spa offers therapeutic luxury treatments along with the latest in fitness equipment in addition to indoor and outdoor pools with breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps. The exclusive treatment menu offers carefully selected product lines such as Anika Organic Luxury, Intraceuticals, Shodeea and La Biosthetique. Specialized treatments use mainly natural and predominantly organic ingredients to achieve maximum results.

Gourmet dining includes such well-known favorites as Nobu, which offers unique fusion cuisine combining traditional Japanese ingredients with Peruvian influences. The restaurant is only open during the winter months. Another fine dining experience will be had at Le Restaurant, the Grand Dame of the Palace restaurants. Here, guests enjoy glamorous nights in a unique, but classic setting. The venue features international and French cuisine. During the winter months, a harpist entertains guests for breakfast while there is a musical ensemble during the dinner service. The hotel's Chesa Veglia, one of the oldest farmhouses in St. Moritz, features three restaurants and two bars.

The hotel also offers an exciting nightlife at the King's Club and exclusive shopping including Bulgari, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Emilio Pucci, Loro Piana, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chopard and De Grisogono boutiques among others. The Kid's Club features such activities as cooking classes, baking classes, horse carriage excursions, husky sledge excursions, dancing lessons, ice skating lessons and much more.

Daily rates at Badrutt's Palace for 2010 start at 465 Swiss francs for a standard room during the peak and high seasons during the winter months and 4,185 euros per night for a superior suite. Rates include buffet breakfast, internet access, service, tax and VAT.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Gallery: More from Badrutt's Palace

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St. Moritz: On Top of the World

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Skiing in the Swiss Alps is a favorite pastime of moneyed Europeans, and there are few glitzier locales than the town of St. Moritz. Packed with thrills on and off the slopes, the mile-high village, which is one of the best-known holiday resorts in the world. St. Moritz, a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award in the Best International Ski Destination category, is known for its beauty, culture, great shopping, dining and, of course, its world-class skiing.

Located at an altitude of 1,856 meters above sea level, St. Moritz is considered Switzerland's cradle of winter tourism. St. Moritz offers three different ski resorts: Corvatsch, Corviglia and Diavolezza and 350 kilometers of pistes. St. Moritz's "house mountain", the Corviglia, boasts the steepest start slope in Switzerland with the Piz Nair Wall's 100% vertiginous drop. For winter hikers, there are 150 kilometers of winter walking trails while cross-country skiers enjoy a track network of about 180 kilometers.

The town hosted the 1928 Winter Olympic Games and the stadium is still standing. Those who are adventurous may want to visit the Olympic bobsledding run, which is also the oldest bob run still in operation, which is located in St. Moritz-Celerina. There, visitors have the opportunity to have a one-to-one experience schussing down the run at speeds up to 84 miles per hour. The Fun Park for snowboarders features a permanently operational half-pipe, tandem parachute jumps as well as altitude training.

Though the town of St. Moritz dates back to the 12th Century at least, it didn't start to become a tourist destination until the middle of the 19th Century. According to local lore, in 1864 a man named Johannes Badrutt challenged a band of Brits visiting for the summer to return in winter. If they didn't like it, he'd pay for their roundtrip journey; if they did, they could stay as long as they liked. Pleased with the win-win wager, the Brits came back for Christmas – and ended up staying until Easter.

Today, Badrutt's Palace Hotel (a Readers' Choice Nominee for Best Ski Hotel) is a legend in St. Moritz and throughout the rest of the world. The century-old lodge boasts a spa, a fitness center, and the elegant French eatery Le Restaurant, among others. Those with more of an avant garde sensibility might prefer the nearby modern Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains.

Both Badrutt's and Kempinski can give travelers a taste of the finest the Alps have to offer, but be prepared to pay. Given the current exchange rates, Americans will be lucky to land a room for two at either locale for less than $800 a night.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of the Winter Travel categories. Readers' Choice Awards for the Best in Winter Travel will be announced on January 31st.

Gallery: More from St. Moritz