Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Switzerland / Pontresina / Grand Hotel Kronenhof
Grand Hotel Kronenhof
Pontresina, Switzerland · Independent · Grand Luxury
Grand Hotel Kronenhof was founded in 1848 and rebuilt by 1898 into a neo-baroque horseshoe structure by architects Jakob and Georg Ragaz, its domed forecourt entrance ranking among the most architecturally significant Grand Hotel forms in the Swiss Alps. The property anchors Via Maistra 130 in Pontresina, a quieter Upper Engadin village near St. Moritz. Its domed Cour d'honneur entrance is listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance, marking it as one of the best-preserved 19th-century grand hotels in the Alps.
- 112 rooms
- Opened 1848
- Rooms from 301 sq ft (28 m²)
- Architect: Jakob and Georg Ragaz (1896–1898 horseshoe main building); Justus Dahinden (2004 spa and 28 new rooms); Rolf Som (modern additions, 2007 works)
- Interiors: Pierre-Yves Rochon
About Grand Hotel Kronenhof
- The hotel began in 1848 as the Rossli guesthouse, stabling horses for the Bernina Pass route, before its Neo-Baroque main building opened in 1898 with Otto Haberer's frescoed ceilings.
- The Niarchos family bought the property in 2004 and added a 2,000-square-meter spa, and the hotel maintains its own natural ice rink at 1,800 meters altitude near St. Moritz.
- Entry-level rooms start at 301 sq ft (28 m²).
History
In 1848 Andreas Gredig bought the Gasthaus Rössli in Pontresina for his son Lorenz, who stabled horses for the Bernina Pass and ran a wine shop. Lorenz named it first Krone-Post, then Krone, and folded outbuildings into a growing hotel. Between 1896 and 1898 Jakob and Georg Ragaz rebuilt it as a horseshoe of three wings with a crowned dome over a cour d'honneur, neo-baroque halls, and Otto Haberer's frescoed ceilings. The name became Grand Hotel Kronenhof und Bellavista, later shortened. The dome and entrance are on Switzerland's inventory of cultural property.
The First World War in 1914 stopped further wings. Wine and farming kept the Gredigs afloat. Heirs sold in 1989 to Swiss private investors, who sold in 2004 to Grand Hotels Engadinerkulm, owners of the Kulm in St. Moritz (atlas notes also name the Niarchos family in that purchase). A spa of more than 2,000 square metres, garage, and 28 rooms were begun in 2006; the hotel closed from April to November 2007, the largest change since the Ragaz plan.
Pierre-Yves Rochon refurbished thirteen doubles and junior suites in 2016. The house still sits in a quieter Upper Engadin village than St. Moritz, with its own natural ice rink near 1,800 metres.
The setting
Grand Hotel Kronenhof anchors Via Maistra 130 in Pontresina, the serene Upper Engadin village that has long offered a quieter, more contemplative retreat beside the glamour of nearby St. Moritz. Founded in 1848 and rebuilt by 1898 into a magnificent neo-baroque horseshoe structure, its domed forecourt entrance ranks among the most architecturally significant Grand Hotel forms in the Swiss Alps. The Morteratsch Glacier, one of the Engadin's most spectacular natural landmarks, lies roughly two hours away on foot, while Lake St. Moritz is 20 minutes by transit and the Corviglia ski area 50 minutes, placing guests equidistant between pristine alpine nature and high-altitude sport. 9 km from Segantini Museum.
Restaurants and bars
- Grand Restaurant im Kronenhof — Restaurant · Fine dining
Amenities
- Spa
- Indoor pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Tennis
- Yoga
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
Open Grand Hotel Kronenhof in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.