Flying in with your private jet, suddenly a wide valley opens in front of you, offering an impressive view across the lake district and a majestic mountain range. Just a few more turns before you land at Europe’s highest airport, Samedan,  only 6 Kilometers away, and you catch the first glimpse of the sky-blue shutters and the distinctive turrets of the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains.

With a new sportive and relaxed atmosphere the famous hotel group Kempinski adds fresh wind to the world’s oldest winter resort. On December 15, 2002 and after almost 90 years, Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains is the first five-star hotel to again open in St. Moritz. The hotel dates back to the Parkhotel Kurhaus built in 1864 and was fully renovated and remodelled in a mere 14 months. Kempinski Hotels SA signed a 20-year lease with the owners of the hotel, the municipality of St. Moritz and the St. Moritz Bäder AG.

It’s a grand building with a rich tradition. But the mood changes – gently and unobtrusively – once we say Hello. Bright, warm light seems to reflect in smiles, somewhere you notice a friendly laughter, the Concierge’s radiating smile stays with you and the 5-star-hotel’s uncomplicated attention is our way of spoiling our guests and saying Welcome. The interior design is a model of unobtrusively combining tradition with modern and contemporary design. Antiques, Art Deco master pieces and historic paintings and pictures are tastefully arranged.

Rupert Simoner, the General Manager, has a simple philosophy: “A hotel must always strive to provide its guests with what they are familiar with and pleasantly surprise them with something new”. The mid-season in 2009 has been used to add new colour, fabrics and an alpine atmosphere to the rooms of the first three floors. Want to indulge in some pleasure? First evening. Begin with an Apéro at the Kempinski bar. The perfect place to feel welcome, to relax, to enjoy your favourite drink and watch things while tasting a few delicacies and share the day’s events.

Do you like the alpine style? The Enoteca (15 GaultMillau points) has been an insiders’ tip for a long while. Nowadays there is hardly a guest in St. Moritz that has not spent an evening at this restaurant. The Lifestyle restaurant demonstrates a tasteful blend of tradition – with carefully restored last-century ceiling frescos – an modern appointments. It is located in the north wing near the passageway to the casino. When your menu reads “St. Moriter” or “Engadiner” it refers to the famous Alp tapas. Three small dishes for every course – and if you like – a different wine for every dish.

Or do you prefer an evening in the gourmet restaurant? The young and charming head chef Mattias Roock will tell you what’s “cooking” in the Cà d’Oro (16 GaultMillau points). Simply the very finest in Italian cooking. The choice isn’t made any easier by the international offering in the main restaurant “Les Saisons”. The first morning begins with an exquisite breakfast – whether sporty, traditional, classic or international style. Add a vividly blue sky and the well-known tingly climate – and you have the ingredients for a perfect day coming.

Kempinski The Spa – Beauty is always in vogue

Simply dive into the Kempinski St. Moritz High Alpine Spa. Simple, noble, natural and alpine – experience with all your senses what natural elements and pure alpine products feel like. This uniquely noble atmosphere is created by glacier water, Bergeller granite and Engadine woods. Saunas with different temperature and humidity, a heated swimming pool bathed in light, exercise rooms with top-of-the-line fitness machines, a separate Ladies Spa – a perfect environment for relaxation. How do you like the sound of “alpine warm wrap”, “aromatic relaxation journey”, “alpine stone mosaic” or “snow anemone”? This is what we call our applications with precious and natural textures. Our products too contain the power of the alpine nature. The Kempinski offers a harmonic range of products with Valmont, Maria Galland, Alpienne and Soglio and rounds off its offering at the High Alpine SPA with an Engadine gem, the small yet exquisite company Feuerstein.

Water is a vitally important element. The Mauritius spring originates in one of the hotel’s buildings. It has been excavated, is within comfortable distance from the hotel and available for our guests and visitors of the spa. The famous doctor Paracelsus has described the St. Moritz Mauritius spring as one of the healing springs of Europe. There is also a direct access from the hotel to the medical centre housing sport medicine specialists, better ageing specialists, cosmetic surgeons and general practitioners.

The hotel is also ideally suited for congresses and incentives. Five daylight conference rooms and an excellently equipped business centre ensure smooth events. There is also room for celebrations and events at the library, the Enoteca and, of course, at the Chesa Chantarella. It is not for nothing that the hotel has again and consecutively been awarded with the World Travel Awards – in 2009 as “World’s Leading Ski Resort” and “Switzerland’s Leading Ski Resort”. In the past, St. Moritz – that ageless winter resort legend – was the location of two Olympic Games and 34 bob and 4 ski World Championships. This village is also an attractive summer holiday location with wonderful hiking trails, exciting mountain bike routes and excellent golf courses.

First Michelin Star for Matthias Schmidberger at the Cà d’Oro

“There is always room for improvement!” – Driven by this motto, enthusiasm, creativity and fun, Matthias Schmidberger and his team cooked their way to the first star of the esteemed Michelin Guide 2012. This makes the Mediterranean gourmet restaurant Cà d’Oro – in its first season under the direction of Schmidberger – the proud recipient of this prestigious award. “During my entire career I was exclusively trained in award-winning restaurants and, naturally, this award was my dream,” said a still stunned Schmidberger. “That it happened so quickly is mainly due to the almost perfect chemistry between Kempinski Executive Chef Mattias Roock and me – but no less because of my young kitchen team and the Italian charm of the service team. Cooking is a team effort!”

For more than ten years, the humble star from Southern Germany has worked on his career in award-winning restaurants: This included the Traube Tonbach, Baiersbronn, the Speisemeisterei, Stuttgart, the Restaurant Waldhotel Sonnora, Dreis, and last but not least the Brenner’s Park Restaurant in Baden-Baden.

His cuisine reflects his passion for the European art of cooking, a no-nonsense presentation and products from first-class origin. In his opinion, there is no better profession: “I work with the best ingredients in the world that appeal to and can inspire all five senses.” Schmidberger is aware of his high level of responsibility. “The Cà d’Oro is now the only restaurant in St. Moritz that has been awarded a Michelin star and we have many very knowledgeable gourmet guests. And now we just continue, because there is still room for improvement” the chief adds with a smile.

How to get to the Kempinski Hotelpearl in the Swiss Alps

From the South of Germany, St. Moritz is best reached by car. For the rest of Germany, use one of the many SWISS, Air Berlin or Lufthansa connections to Zurich. By car, the trip from Zurich to St. Moritz takes about 2 hours 30 minutes, by train 3 hours 45 minutes. Additionally, Swiss Global Aviation (SGA) offers flights from Zurich to St. Moritz/Samedan twice a day.

Facts & Figures Rooms: 184 rooms and suites

• 23 Classic single rooms (25 square meter)
• 46 Resort rooms (from 30 square meter)
• 67 Grand Deluxe rooms (from 35 square meter)
• 27 Classic Junior suites (40-50 square meter)
• 5 Deluxe Junior suites (from 60 square meter)
• 11 Spa suites (separate living room and bedroom, from 80 square meter)
• 2 Spa Corner suites (two bedrooms, living area, 80 square meter)
• 2 Tower suites (two bedrooms, living room, 120 square meter)
• 1 Presidential suite (three bedrooms, two bathrooms, separate living room, 320 square meter)

For bookings please contact Kempinski Grand Hotel des Baigns at the toll-free number 00800-426 313 55 or visit the hotel’s home page at www.kempinski.com/stmoritz. You can also book directly at the hotel by calling +41 81 838 30 65.

Further reports about the region in german

White Turf St. Moritz: Das grosse Pferdespektakel beginnt

Das Engadin hat nichts an Zauber, aber viele Gäste eingebüsst

St. Moritz: Winterurlaub der besonderen „Art“

Engadiner Bergbahnen und Busse im Preis des Hotels inkludiert

Winter-Hideaway mitten im quirligen Oberengadin

Kultur- und Gourmet-Eldorado im Engadin: Hotel Edelweiss

„Monopolstellung“ für einen legendären Winter in St. Moritz

Im Skatingschritt über die Oberengadiner Seen