Hotel received Certificate of Excellence. (PDF 193 KB

Press Release
KULM HOTEL ST MORITZ & GRAND HOTEL KRONENHOF, PONTRESINA
RECEIVE TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
SWITZERLAND, June 2012 – Kulm Hotel St Moritz and its sister property Grand
Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina are delighted to announce that they have both received
a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence, which honours top-rated accommodation
businesses, restaurants and attractions, as reviewed by travellers on the world’s
largest travel site*.
Kulm Hotel St Moritz; Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina
To qualify, the two hotels maintained an average rating of four or higher out of a
possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria included
volume of reviews and how recently they have been submitted by TripAdvisor
travellers. Only about 10% of the hotels around the world that are listed on
TripAdvisor qualify for the Certificate.
On receiving the award, Kulm Hotel St Moritz General Manager Dominique Godat
said, “We strive to offer our customers a memorable experience, and this accolade is
evidence that our hard work is translating into positive guest reviews on
TripAdvisor”.
Heinz Hunkeler, General Manager of Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, added
“This is the second year running that the Kronenhof has received a TripAdvisor
Certificate of Excellence, providing proof of the consistently high standards that are
maintained by the hotel and its staff. With the hotel set to re-open this weekend, we
are looking forward to another successful summer season.”
“TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as
reviewed by travelers on the site,” said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor

for Business. “The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments
around the world the recognition they deserve. From exceptional accommodations in
Beijing to remarkable restaurants in Boston, we want to applaud these businesses for
offering TripAdvisor travelers a great customer experience.”
Prices at the Kulm Hotel St Moritz star from CHF525 (approx £350) for two people
staying in a double room on a half-board basis. Book online at www.kulmhotelstmoritz.com.
Prices at Grand Hotel Kronenhof start from CHF455 (approx £305) for two people
staying in a double room on a half-board basis. Book online at www.kronenhof.com.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
***
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz was the first hotel to be built in St Moritz. The Kulm Hotel opened its doors in 1856 and
immediately became popular for summer spa and painting holidays, particularly among the British who
comprised around 75% of the hotel guests. The owner of the Kulm Hotel, Johannes Badrutt, initiated winter
holidays to St Moritz from 1864, when he laid a bet with his last departing summer guests that the local weather
was so good they could sun themselves on the hotel’s terrace even in deep December; if not, he would cover the
cost of their vacation himself. He won the bet and within two years, the hotel was fully booked with guests staying
for the entire winter season. The Kulm Hotel St. Moritz can, therefore, take credit for starting the trend for winter
sports holidays.
Since the 19th century, the Kulm Hotel has changed considerably through expansion and renovation, but the
fabulous location at the heart of St Moritz with views over the Lake remains the same. A member of The Leading
Hotels of the World, the Kulm Hotel has 173 rooms, three restaurants (offering formal dining, French fine dining
awarded 15 points by GaultMillau, Italian, local Engadine specialities and Japanese), the extensive Panorama
SPA & Health Club (with 20m indoor pool, various saunas and steam room, a Jacuzzi, a fully-equipped gym and
treatment rooms, all with stunning views over Lake St. Moritz) and six conference rooms, with capacities ranging
from 50 to 500 people.
Entertainment and sports facilities include the 9-hole Kulm Golf Course St. Moritz, three tennis courts, a natural
ice rink, a curling field and the “Marmotta Club” for children. The Kulm Hotel is inextricably linked to the Cresta
Run through the Sunny Bar, where tobogganing pilots have congregated for decades; the walls are lined with
trophies and images of famous people who have hurled themselves down the infamous ice track.
Recent awards for the Kulm Hotel St Moritz include 15 GaultMillau points for the hotel’s gourmet restaurant the
K in 2012. In the latest ranking list of Switzerland's best winter hotels, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz is ranked at
number 4 in the category of five star hotels as 'one of the best managed and most excellent hotel in the Alps with
immaculate consistency'.
Grand Hotel Kronenhof, located in Pontresina, six miles from St. Moritz, offers the best of both worlds: the
chance to enjoy the glitz of St. Moritz, while staying in a peaceful mountain village.

Grand Hotel Kronenhof has a rich and interesting history, having first opened its doors in the first half of the 19th
century as a guesthouse. However, the main part of the current building, which is a registered historical
landmark, was built at the very end of the 19th century in neo-Baroque style. The latest addition, completed in
November 2007 and costing CHF 50 million (approximately £30 million), consists of 28 new guest rooms and a
stunning spa complex covering more than 2000 square metres.
The spa is certainly one of the hotel’s highlights and has been named “the best Alpine spa”*. Facilities include a
20m indoor infinity pool with counter-current system, a flotation pool with underwater music, a wide range of
saunas and steam rooms, a luxurious private suite for couples to enjoy wraps and massages together, and – for
the perfect final touch – a crackling log fire in the relaxation room.
Gourmet cuisine is also a speciality at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof. Awarded the title of GaultMillau Hotel of the
Year in 2009, it has four restaurants (the formal Grand dining room in an elegant neo-baroque vaulted room,
Kronenstübli – awarded a Michelin star in November 2011 – serving local Engadine specialities, the traditional
bowling lanes where Swiss raclette is served and an informal pavilion for light lunches).
Finally, Grand Hotel Kronenhof is renowned for its extensive children’s activities and facilities (a kids’ playroom
and Rondelle, a restaurant just for younger members of the family).
Recent awards for the Grand Hotel Kronenhof include the HolidayCheck Award 2011 (99 most popular hotels of
the world), first place in the Best Of Swiss Gastro (gourmet category), GaultMillau Hotel of the Year 2008, the
`Bilanz‘ hoteliers of the year award presented to Heinz E. and Jenny Hunkeler in 2008, and 16 GaultMillau
points for the à la carte restaurant ‘Kronenstübli’.
Both the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz and the Grand Hotel Kronenhof are owned by the Niarchos family.
(* Tyler Brule writing in the FT, November 2009)
SWISS (www.swiss.com/uk, 0844 601 0956) operates 34 daily flights from London Heathrow, London City,
Birmingham International, Manchester and Dublin to Switzerland, return fares cost from £89 return, including
all airport taxes. A Swiss transfer pass, covering a return train ticket from Zurich to Pontresina, costs from £79;
book in advance at www.swisstravelsystem.co.uk.
TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site, enabling travellers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor
offers trusted advice from real travellers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features (including
Flights search, TripAdvisor Mobile and TripAdvisor Trip Friends) with seamless links to booking tools.
TripAdvisor® Media Group, operated by TripAdvisor LLC, attracts more than 50 million unique monthly
visitors* across 18 popular travel brands**. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in
the world, with more than 40 million unique monthly visitors***, 20 million members, and over 45 million
reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 29 countries worldwide****, including China under daodao.com.
TripAdvisor also operates TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry
access to TripAdvisor's millions of monthly visitors. The division includes Business Listings, which allows
hoteliers to connect directly to millions of researching travellers, and Vacation Rentals, which helps property
managers and individual home owners list their properties and showcase hotel alternatives.

TripAdvisor Media Group websites have been recognized as top travel resources in 2010 by Condé Nast
Traveller, Good Housekeeping, TIME magazine and Travel + Leisure.
TripAdvisor Media Group generated $486 million in revenue in 2010. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the
TripAdvisor Media Group are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).
TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S.
and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of
their respective owners.
©2011 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Media Group Sites, Worldwide, August 2010
** In addition to TripAdvisor, The TripAdvisor Media Group of websites includes: www.airfarewatchdog.com,
www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com,
www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com,
www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com,
www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com and www.kuxun.cn.
***Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, Worldwide, August 2010
**** TripAdvisor sites operate in 29 countries worldwide: www.tripadvisor.com, www.tripadvisor.co.uk,
www.tripadvisor.ca, www.tripadvisor.it, www.tripadvisor.es, www.tripadvisor.de, www.tripadvisor.fr,
www.tripadvisor.jp, www.daodao.com, www.tripadvisor.in, www.tripadvisor.se, www.tripadvisor.nl,
www.tripadvisor.com.br, www.tripadvisor.com.tr, www.tripadvisor.dk, www.tripadvisor.com.mx,
www.tripadvisor.ie, www.tripadvisor.com.au, www.tripadvisor.com.sg, www.tripadvisor.co.kr,
no.tripadvisor.com, pl.tripadvisor.com, th.tripadvisor.com, www.tripadvisor.ru, www.tripadvisor.com.gr,
www.tripadvisor.co.id, www.tripadvisor.com.ar, www.tripadvisor.tw and www.tripadvisor.com.my.
For more information, please contact:
Sue Heady
Director
Heady Communications
T: 01608 651 692
M: 078 5595 0705
E: sue@headycommunications.com