As a country known for precision timekeeping, Switzerland also excels at stopping time, particularly inside the majestic halls of its grand hotels. These storied stays have hosted emperors and entertainers and survived wars and reinventions while continuing to offer history with a touch of haute hospitality.
As diverse as its terrain, Swiss hospitality extends from Belle Époque palaces clinging to Alpine cliffs to discreet lakeside retreats with world-class spas. This tradition stretches back to Roman times, when weary travellers soaked in thermal baths before tackling the next mountain pass. After the railways arrived, the alps became a playground for Europe’s elite. Thus, the grand hotel was born.
Switzerland’s hospitality has become a global benchmark thanks to its political neutrality, polished service, and taste for precision. Legendary hoteliers like César Ritz exported the Swiss touch around the globe, while at home, boutique inns and five-star icons continued to define it.
More than 50 historic hotels and inns in Switzerland are part of the Swiss Historic Hotels initiative, which preserves these time-honoured addresses. Here’s where to check in if you want to check out of the present.
Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina
Six kilometres from the flash of St. Moritz, Pontresina is its quieter sister, perched at 1,805m near the Italian border in the Engadine Valley. You’ll find snow-dusted views and 17th-century homes with funnel-shaped windows and heavy doors here. The true centrepiece, however, is the Neo-Baroque Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina, which began life in 1848 as a humble guest house.
Now a horseshoe-shaped monument to Alpine grandeur, it reopened in 2021 after an extensive update that preserved its stately soul. Rooms overlook Rosig Glacier and a spa spanning 21,500 sq ft with hydrotherapy pools, saunas, and saltwater grotto, along with a pure silence that almost could be bottled.
With its vaulted ceiling and hearty Swiss fare, dinner in the Grand Restaurant is sheer theatre in three courses. Fun fact: When wartime tourism waned, the hotel’s wine cellars, thankfully, kept business flowing.
Hôtel Métropole, Genève
Geneva does diplomacy and discretion with aplomb. In contrast, glamour still reigns along the lakefront—especially at the Grand Hôtel Métropole Genève, a landmark with 19th-century bones and a cosmopolitan spirit.
The 1855 building sits on the site of the city’s old fortifications and has hosted famous personalities, including Wagner and Liszt. Today, its two entrances straddle Geneva’s contrasts: the tranquil lakeside and the cobbled charm of the Old Town. Inside, harlequin murals and flying horsemen add whimsy, but the real show stopper is the MET Rooftop, a panoramic perch over the city.
Guests are treated to plush marble bathrooms, lakeside views, and—this being Switzerland—Nespresso machines. If you’re looking for a four-poster bed and a kitchen, book the Presidential Suite. Experience exemplary service from the hotel’s attentive staff, including concierge assistance with reservations and recommendations.
Here you can also enjoy a martini or a glass of wine in the vibrant and cosy Art Deco-style Mirror bar, a local favourite with leather chairs, lacquered tables and thick curtains. Both the two-storey Gusto and the outside patio are great places for breakfast and dinner.
Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, Interlaken
If Wes Anderson directed a Swiss fairy tale, it might look something like the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa. With checkerboard floors, marble fountains and chandeliers that drip from the ceiling like frosting, it is Interlaken’s most photogenic relic of the Belle Époque period.
It was here that writers like Goethe and Byron found inspiration; royals followed when the railways arrived. Originally opened as Pension Victoria in 1856, the hotel expanded to include a dramatic dome and has served as everything from a palace to the headquarters of the Swiss army.
With 59,201 sq ft of indulgence, the Spa-Nescens features a vaulted swimming pool, whirlpools, and Art Deco columns. Le Salon Rouge serves afternoon tea in a setting straight from another era, while Ristorante e Pizzeria Sapori offers some of the best pizzas in Switzerland and sumptuous dinners set beneath murals and stucco.
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St. Moritz
There are grand hotels, and then there is Badrutt’s Palace Hotel St. Moritz. Originally opened in 1896, this Alpine icon has hosted everyone from Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn to Charlie Chaplin and George Clooney. Its setting: snow-capped drama with an unapologetically glamorous vibe.
Here, wellness is serious business. The spa’s therapists and doctors combine Eastern philosophy with Alpine sensibility to offer everything from ayurvedic treatments to facials. With 10 restaurants, three bars, and a cafe, you won’t go hungry. Nor will you be bored—activities range from horseback riding to paragliding.
Afternoon tea in the wood-panelled Le Grand Hall is a St. Moritz ritual. Dinner might mean sushi with a Peruvian twist at La Coupole – Matsuhisa, followed by a nightcap in the moody Renaissance Bar.
THE Dolder Grand, Zurich
Perched high above Zurich, The Dolder Grand is equal parts heritage hotel and modernist museum. Originally opened in 1899 and reimagined by Norman Foster, it balances old-world charm with clean, contemporary lines.
Its guest book reads like a Nobel Prize roll call—Einstein, Mandela, and Churchill have all stayed here. Its art collection is equally starry: Warhol’s Big Retrospective Painting looms over the reception, while Dalí and Niki de Saint Phalle pop up in unexpected corners.
Food is serious here, too. The Restaurant boasts two Michelin stars, and even the Dolder Grand Spa has its own cult following. Want to live like a rock star? Book the Rolling Stones Suite, one of four Presidential Suites with saunas, steam rooms, and private kitchens.
