Dreams of crisp hotel sheets and meals with my family, I didn’t need to plan or cook, began to feel more and more unlikely as my big milestone birthday approached. Turning 40 mid pandemic was not part of the dream holiday plan, and given all the devastation the world over, I dared not share my disappointment out loud. Though like everyone else, I am exhausted, and not just by those repetitive household chores. Moving to a new country, settling in and making new friends is difficult at the best of times. Throw in social distancing into the mix, creating a new home is downright difficult, not to mention deeply missing my parents back in England. I needed something to lift my spirits, and my husband knew it too. As my new neighbour teasingly voiced, the pressure was on how to make my valentine’s 40th Covid birthday one to remember.
I was filling up my hot water bottle when my husband informed me that things were about to get colder. He advised me to blow the cobwebs off my glad rags and not to forget my swimsuit! Speechless with excitement and with a suitcase of clothes I had not used since we moved here from London, we were soon aboard the car train en route to the magical village of St Moritz.
When I first met my husband, he had taken me to St Moritz. I was 22 and wearing shoes highly inappropriate for meandering around a mountain region! Nevertheless, I had been stunned by the strength of the St Moritz sun and the purity of its nature. After all, St Moritz boasts 322 days of sunshine per year; it’s logo depicting a bright sun and the slogan’ top of the world’. Ten years later, my husband proposed to me atop of the Diavolezza, the dramatic devil’s mountain, in the Engadin, culminating with a couple of unforgettable nights at the Kronenhof. But this time, eight years and two extra suitcases on, our family of four arrived at Kronenhof’s sister hotel, Kulm, to celebrate my 40th trip around the sun.
A trip to St. Mortiz was a sentimental choice by my husband. Below left is a picture of me in the Kronenhof hotel on the phone to my dad telling him I just got engaged. Below right is a picture of me in the Kulm hotel this morning with my giant bag filled with teddies and clothes changes for my children!
Our arrival into the royal-like lobby had my two-year-old wide-eyed and my six-year-old planning daily fluffy pancakes. While their excitement excited me, it also caused butterflies to begin summersaults in my stomach. How on earth would we contain these two during our 4-night stay in a hotel fit for royalty? But those butterflies quickly subsided the moment I learnt of the kids club and completely flew away when I discovered ski-school was completely taken care of by the hotel. I couldn’t believe that a hotel with such ‘grown-up glamour’ was catering for parents needing a break.
From A-Z our boys were welcome at Kulm. From their cuddly toy greeting on their sofa bed to the blue wrist bands enabling hot chocolate whenever they so desired. Kulm made packing our six-year-old off to ski was also an effortless affair. The ski school took him from the hotel to the mountain by horse and cart, bringing him back to us at lunchtime too. All of that included in the price of our stay. While the Kulm can organize lofty helicopter flights to Instagram-worthy fondue picnics amongst the peaks, these generous family offerings, including baring the cost of children’s group ski lessons, made this a stay even more enjoyable for us parents.
My favourite moment of the holiday occurred each afternoon lying in a warm outdoor pool tucked under an endless blue sky in the hotel’s spa. I took the opportunity for my annual holiday massage where the masseuse deleted every knot from each time my toddler had refused the pram or a laboriously cooked lockdown meal! I love spa products and enjoyed quizzing the therapist about both the natural organic spa range and the offering by Swiss cosmetic brand Valmont.
By the time the evening rolled in, our eldest son was keen to get back to his friends in the kids club and join in a supervised evening meal. Both children loved the kid’s club leader, a very competent ex-nurse named Mara. The kids club program was craft heaven for both boys, and the older one also enjoyed a disco night with glow stick accessories! With the kids happy, we could enjoy a meal, just the two of us.
It felt initially strange to eat in a restaurant again. The walk to the table felt a little like a walk across water past mini islands (or tables!) But once seated and masks were no longer required, we could relax and excited to see people and their faces again. People were an interesting and multilingual crowd, with conversation flittering between Italian, German and English. Before we even took a bite to eat, I was re-inspired to learn languages and rediscover human life! I wore my favourite red dress on my birthday but felt equally comfortable in a simple cashmere sweater on other evenings. While we enjoyed all our meals, my dining highlight was the gastronomical trip to Peru with the notable blue-haired chef Claudia Canessa. After a delicious pisco sour reminiscent of student backpacking trips, I discovered unexpected flavour combinations: Sushi decorated with edible flowers and tangy nectar called tiger’s milk. The ceviche was incredibly fresh, thanks to daily deliveries from the fish market in Milan.
Before we left, the managing director allowed me a peek behind the scenes of this historic heritage hotel. I caught a glimpse of the original living room of alpine tourism pioneer Johannes Badrutt which now serves at the managing director’s office. Badrutt, the founder of the Kulm Hotel, was the first to convince English summer guest to give a winter season in St. Moritz a go, promising to reimburse all costs if they did not like it. The guests discovered the year-round sun and stayed all Winter. I explored the infrastructure underneath the hotel and saw florists, upholsterers and chefs. It was a happy atmosphere, and I was particularly touched to meet the long-standing pastry chefs who had made my birthday cake- a perfect Schwarzwalder kirsch torte.
Without having to have stepped onto a plane, our escape to the Kulm Hotel was every bit a dream family holiday as I had picture pre-pandemic. Leaving our habit of chasing the warmer sunshine-filled Middle Eastern destinations for a luxurious staycation turned out not to be the compromise I had imagined it would be. Arguably, it was even better, especially with the children in tow. A trip ridden with such flair, sunshine and relaxation truly had the strength of a trip abroad. I returned home with a sunshine glow and a rejuvenated ‘top of the world’ feeling in my heart.
Inside Tip:
- Look out for the BBC documentary on the Kulm Hotel (Amazing Hotels: Life beyond the lobby) replaying on Netflix soon.
- If an ornate hotel is surplus to demands for exploring the beautiful old culture and landscape of the Engadin, check out Kristin’s article on Scuol, a Romansh speaking region with cake-like architecture
