A Slower Pace: Hotel Waldhaus
A majestic 1908 family-owned grand retreat with every creature comfort at your fingertips, the shimmering Swiss Alps outside your door, and the graciousness of time gone by
There are hotels, and then there are hotels. The Hotel Waldhaus in Sils Maria, Switzerland is the latter. It belongs to a dwindling generation of legendary grand dames, the ones that deliver the kind of Old World experience that make you feel as if the clocks have stopped just before the outbreak of WWI. Like the self-contained world of an ocean liner, these palatial hotels offer their guests everything they could possibly need during their stay. Very few survive, and even fewer have been authentically preserved, but having just returned from a week there, I can tell you first-hand that the Waldhaus sparkles with an ineffable grace and soulful magic that feels increasingly rare in today’s feverishly-paced world.
As a destination that’s been welcoming guests for 115 years, the visitor’s list reads like a who’s who of the 20th century’s best and brightest — a sampling includes Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, Primo Levi, John Le Carré, Gianni Agnelli, Vivien Leigh, Marc Chagall, Herman Hesse (who visited 13 times), and innumerable European royalty. Film director Luchino Visconti first stayed at the Waldhaus when he was three and returned countless times — many think his portrayal of the grand hotel in Death in Venice takes no shortage of inspiration from his memories here.
Even in a country as good-looking as Switzerland, the Waldhaus’ location is unique. Perched high on its own rocky ridge, it offers fantastically beautiful views on all four sides of the Engadine Valley and the soaring Alps beyond. From every window, the forest beckons, making the name Waldhaus, House in the Woods, especially apt.
Architecturally, the hotel’s Swiss Jugendstil design bows to the alpine clarity of its environment. “It’s a bit more sober than Viennese Art Nouveau, but it has a cohesive power of its own — and it feels good and works well,” says Urs Kienberger, the great-grandson of founders Amalia and Joseph Giger.
The monumental marble staircase stretches six stories, all the better to showcase the heritage Art Nouveau iron chandelier suspended on chains, one of the many original lighting fixtures throughout the building. Do take the tour if you have an interest in seeing the private areas of the hotel — the kitchens are a marvel of light and space, and the delightfully oddball tiny museum in the basement will delight guests of all ages.
The great lounge, with its coffered ceiling, enormous bay windows, and dozens of richly upholstered sinkable armchairs is unquestionably the heart of the Waldhaus. Guests are encouraged to treat it as their own living room, and in the hours before dinner, most gather to chat about the day or listen to the resident orchestra trio. Dogs nestle at their owners’ feet, children play puzzles, cocktail glasses are clinked, and if you must make a telephone call, there are two specially reconfigured mobile phone booths off the lobby to to keep your conversation private (see photo on right below). Eccentricities like this are what give the Waldhaus its unmistakable quirky quality, and what weed out their clientele. Some people remark in exasperation, “This is a five-star hotel?” and others with great enthusiasm, “Now this is a five-star hotel!”
Everywhere, a restrained simplicity predominates. Founder Joseph Giger requested “something beautiful, practical, and solid” from Swiss architect Karl Koller, and the rich panelling and woodwork in the bar, Empire room, and reading room are reminiscent of wealthy Engadine homes of the early 1900s. The family has steadfastly refused to turn these generous spaces into profitable boutiques or conference rooms. They are simply there for you to relax, read, play a game, dance, talk and think.
The half-pension (breakfast and dinner included) is the way to go. Whenever possible, food is locally sourced (milk, eggs and butter from the Fex Valley, bread and pastries from St. Moritz, etc), and every effort is made to accommodate specific dietary preferences: after the first evening, my traveling companion, who is vegan, found a thoughtful three-course menu handwritten by the chef waiting for her at our table each night.
There are two other restaurants at the hotel as well: the knotty pine-paneled Arvenstube featuring traditional Swiss cuisine, and Giger’s, located in the middle of the larch forest, with more creative and seasonal dishes.
In a departure from the rest of the hotel, the spa is surreally modern, a vast underground temple of purity and cleanliness featuring multiple pools, saunas, plunges, a cold room and my favorite, the relaxation room which feels like being in a spaceship with a view onto a weird wonderful place called Earth.
Of all the hotels I’ve visited, the Waldhaus has gotten under my skin in a very particular way. Maybe it was the thermos of hot chocolate the concierge had waiting for us at 6:45am when we left for an early hike. Or the enormous glass bottles of delicious local spring water and bowlfuls of ripe red apples on every landing, replenished constantly. Or the way we were solicitously greeted by a family member at check-in, at check-out and at some point every single day. So many people told us they had visited the hotel as children with their grandparents and now come back yearly with their own families. Yes, of course they do. The Dietrich-Kienberger family’s contagious and all-encompassing love for the Waldhaus guarantees that. I’ve started late, but I can’t wait to return.
FOR YOUR NOTES:
Whatever time of year you visit, there are an endless amount of activities to do, and a daily calendar of events is delivered to your room every evening. For skiers, the legendary slopes of St. Moritz are just a few miles away and the hotel provides a free shuttle there and back. In addition, for stays of three or more nights, the Waldhaus gives you a pass for free travel on all cablecars, funiculars, trams, buses and boats (an enormous savings — we took the cable car up to Piz Corvatsch and were thrilled we didn’t have to pay the 46 Swiss franc per person fee).
Craft lovers, you must visit the Engadin Museum in nearby St. Moritz with its rooms laden with carved and painted Swiss furniture and everyday objects (embroidered textiles, pewter kitchenware and ceramics, etc) collected from farmhouses and chalets over the last five centuries.
The Friederich Nietzsche House, a two minute walk from the hotel, is a charming little museum for those who want to see where the author and philosopher lived for seven summers. “Here I feel far better than anywhere else on earth”, he wrote to a friend. (More info in our previous post.)
The hikes, walks and excursions into the Engadine and Fex Valleys are gorgeous and the hotel’s hiking concierge will help you decide which route is best for you. Hiking poles, backpacks, thermoses and more can be freely borrowed as well - just ask! Should you wish to venture farther afield, day trips to Bregaglia, Poschiavo or the Unterengadin (with its tiny UNESCO convent dating back to Charlemagne) are great options.
Movie Homework: For a glimpse into the Hotel Waldhaus through a cinematic lens, see Claude Chabrol’s Rien ne va plus (1996) with Isabelle Huppert and Michel Serrault, and Olivier Assayas’ The Clouds of Sils Maria (2013) with Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart.
— Lisa Borgnes Giramonti
WOW!!!! Gorgeous!! In Hand is awesome. Love it.