St. Moritz, SwitzerlandSils Maria
Waldhaus Sils
Larch forest grand hotel
Sils Maria St. Moritz, Switzerland
Renovated
2020
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Heritage Classic LuxeOutside the door
Larch forest grand hotel
The hotel rises like a castle through the larches, running on old-world hospitality that has stayed in one family since 1908.
“It's still immaculately kept, many of the rooms with original bathrooms, and there are Jugendstyl fittings throughout.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Karl Koller designed this castlelike 1908 landmark overlooking Lake Sils and surrounding peaks.
Remarkable
Five generations of family management preserve original key racks and daily salon trios.
Notable
Evening table d'hôte dining and wood-paneled bar cocktails served with nightly chamber music.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
Hotel Waldhaus sits above Sils Maria like something out of a storybook. Still in the same family five generations later, it is a true grand hotel: stately and full of personality.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Sils Maria sits just downhill, where horse-drawn carriages set off into the car-free Fex Valley.
The rooms
Select rooms preserve their original 1908 furnishings and period bathtubs alongside quiet, wood-paneled Alpine detailing.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
The 20-meter indoor sports pool sits beneath timber ceilings, and natural light drops through skylights into mosaic baths.
The spa
Subterranean treatment rooms host alpine herbal bath rituals, and wooden loungers look up through skylights at the snowy larches.
Cold plunge and gym
An outdoor cold plunge pool sits between concrete walls below the larches, beside a timber-floored gym with free weights.
Waldhaus Bar & Smoker's Lounge
Cocktails arrive by the fireplace in the wood-paneled lounge, and an adjoining fumoir welcomes cigar smokers.
At the table
The pine-paneled Arvenstube serves regional game dishes, and the terrace looks straight out toward the surrounding peaks.
How it began
Josef and Amalia Giger chose this forest ridge in 1908 so every bedroom would face the peaks, and their family never left.
St. Moritz
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.