I Visit Saint Moritz Every Winter—Here’s How I Spend 6 Days Leave a comment
Monica Mendal is a Who What Wear editor in residence, a former fashion editor, a travel writer, and the author of So There’s This Place…—a Substack newsletter where she shares curated guides, insider tips, and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Since moving to Europe three years ago, I’ve found myself returning to Saint Moritz multiple times each winter, almost instinctively. It’s become one of those rare places that feels both indulgent and deeply comforting at the same time.
What keeps pulling me back is its particular brand of quiet luxury: the grand, old-world hotels with their impeccable old-school hospitality, the sense of discretion and polish that never feels showy. The town’s scene revolves around these timeless hotels that act as hubs for everything from après-ski gatherings to art openings, creating a rhythm that’s both social and sophisticated. There’s something about the cadence of life here—mornings on the mountain, afternoons skiing or attending the many cultural events, long lingering lunches at my favorite spots, evenings that move seamlessly from cozy to elegant—that feels effortlessly refined yet unmistakably alpine.
Beyond the slopes, I love the town itself: the local shopping and restaurants, the world-class galleries, and the steady calendar of art and cultural events that give it a cosmopolitan energy. It’s glamorous without being loud, historic yet lively. It’s a place that manages to feel both worldly and snug at the same time. Below is how I spent six perfect days in Saint Moritz, including my routine stop in Zürich on both ends of the trip.
Day 1: Train from Paris to Zürich, night in Zürich
To get to Saint Moritz, I take the three-and-a-half-hour train from Gare de Lyon straight to Zürich. I love Zürich so much that I always use it as an excuse to break up the trip with my same little ritual: one or two nights at one of my all-time favorite hotels, Baur au Lac. This time, I stayed just one night on this end and made sure to have dinner at Baur’s—mainly so I could get my schnitzel fix.
Day 2: Train from Zürich to Saint Moritz, spa evening followed by a fancy dinner
The next morning, I had breakfast at the hotel, then headed back to the train station for my scenic three-hour journey to Saint Moritz. Upon arrival, I was greeted on the train platform by Suvretta House’s driver, Carlo. I love Suvretta House for so many reasons. It’s one of Saint Moritz’s few heritage hotels that’s not directly in town, but it’s just a few minutes away by shuttle. It has the chicest crowd and feels like a glamorous secret away from the hustle of the village. I checked in just in time for Suvretta’s iconic afternoon tea in the living room off of the hotel lobby while I waited for my friend to arrive from NYC.
We headed down to check out Suvretta House’s new spa, which was legendary. It spans three floors with multiple saunas, steam rooms, and an outdoor hot tub and pool overlooking the wellness garden and ice-skating rink. Plus, there’s a dedicated area just for children, which makes it great for families and everyone else.
After an evening at the spa, we got dressed for a fancy dinner at the Suvretta House’s Grand Restaurant. (Men wear suits and ties, and ladies are advised to dress elegantly.) I look forward to this meal so much, as I get to order my all-time favorite dish here: the lemon spaghetti with caviar.
Day 3: Ski and lunch on the slopes, dinner in Sils Maria
The best thing about the grand hotels in Saint Moritz is that they all have rental facilities on property, so you can buy your lift tickets and rent all your equipment right downstairs at the Suvretta Sports Alpine Center and store everything in your personal locker at the end of the day. What makes Suvretta House especially unique is that it’s the only ski-in, ski-out hotel in Saint Moritz. While the other hotels on the Corviglia side require shuttles and telecabines to reach the slopes, Suvretta House has its own private base with a Poma and ski lift that connect directly to the mountain. It feels like the ultimate luxury.
After a few ski runs, we made our way to Trutz for lunch, a Saint Moritz classic perched at the top of the Suvretta mountain station. I usually sit outside on the sun deck, but since the conditions were a bit dicey, we ate inside, which felt just as idyllic. Trutz is known for its cozy, homestyle cooking and classic Grisons hut dishes. We ordered a goulash soup and their signature veal ragù served with rösti. We were full, but the staff was so warm and friendly, and they could tell we were tempted by their famous kaiserschmarrn—a fluffy shredded pancake with red fruits—when they brought us a small portion to share. From Trutz, we skied directly back down to Suvretta House.
After a shower and a brief rest, we took a short taxi ride to Sils Maria, the sleepy village just 15 minutes down the road, for drinks and dinner at the new Chesa Marchetta. Recently taken over and beautifully reimagined by Artfarm, the creative hospitality company founded by gallerists Manuela Wirth and Iwan Wirth of Hauser & Wirth, Chesa Marchetta feels like a thoughtful revival rather than a reinvention. The historic Engadin house has been restored with a light touch—original woodwork, painted ceilings, and antique details balanced by clean, contemporary art and furniture. The restaurant has quickly become a destination in its own right with a lively yet intimate atmosphere and a menu rooted in the region: refined alpine classics, seasonal produce, and comforting, beautifully executed dishes that make you want to linger late into the evening before grabbing a drink at the bar, then heading back through the quiet, snowy valley to Saint Moritz.
Day 4: Ski and lunch on the slopes, dinner at a Luke Edward Hall–designed restaurant
After a late breakfast, we headed out to ski again. After a few long runs, we stopped for some hot chocolate at Chasellas, which is located at the base of the Suvretta chairlift, before heading back to the hotel to swap hotels.
I always like to switch hotels when visiting Saint Moritz (each one feels like a completely different experience), so we grabbed our luggage and headed to our next stop, the Kulm Hotel right in the heart of the village overlooking the iconic lake. Opened in 1856 by hotel pioneer Johannes Badrutt, the Kulm is often considered the town’s original heartbeat and is widely credited with putting winter in the Alps on the map after his famous wager convinced British guests to return for the snowy season. More than a century and a half later, it still carries that same old-world grandeur—elegant, historic, and deeply tied to the origins of Saint Moritz as a glamorous winter playground. While Suvretta House is more intimate and tucked away for the “if you know, you know” crowd, Kulm has a lively and rather inviting après-ski scene with spots like the Kulm Country Club and the cozy, stylish Sunny Bar buzzing well into the evening.
After checking in to Kulm, we headed straight to the spa, then headed to dinner at Amaru, the hotel’s Peruvian restaurant (which happens to be lactose- and gluten-free!) with whimsical interiors designed by British artist and designer Luke Edward Hall. In this beautiful dining room with hand-painted vaulted ceiling and walls, the menu concept is inspired by the idea of “street food” dishes, which were all delicious.
Day 5: Morning ski, relaxing afternoon in town, then pizza dinner
After another late breakfast, we made our way to the Kulm Alpine Sports Lounge & Boutique, which was recently redesigned by Foster + Partners. It’s unlike any ski-rental experience I’ve ever had. At the entrance across from the gorgeous shop, a counter offers tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and warm homemade treats like waffles and Nutella-topped crêpes, and champagne is poured as you try on your equipment on a plush leather wraparound banquet—making gearing up feel more like a luxe lounge experience than ski prep.
After a few hours on the slopes, we returned to the Kulm Hotel Saint Moritz to drop off our gear and strolled into the village for a coffee at the trendy Café Belmont. Back at the hotel, we indulged in a final spa session before heading to drinks at the Kulm Country Club, where we had direct views of the Pink Mirror Carousel by Carsten Höller perched atop the hotel’s ice-skating rink. We then headed to dinner at one of our favorite spots: the chic Pizzeria at Kulm.
Day 6: Art and shopping tour before a legendary final dinner in Zürich
One of the things I love about Saint Moritz is there’s always something going on here. No matter when you visit in the winter, there’s some incredible art or cultural event you’ll likely have the opportunity to be a part of, from Snow Polo and ICE to Nomad Circle, in my case. (I recommend referencing the event calendar here ahead of your trip to Saint Moritz.) My visit happened to fall over Nomad Circle, the mobile art and design fair focused on contemporary art, collectible design, and architecture, which was taking place right in town.
After our visit to Nomad Circle, we walked around the village and stopped into some of my favorite shops, like Ender Sport for its assortment of chic trachtenjacke (those traditional wool-and-suede folk jackets) and alpine sweaters. I also love Ebneter & Biel for its traditional Appenzeller Swiss belts that make for great gifts. Oh, and I almost bought these incredible “alpine exclusive” Bally boat shoes that were half off at the Bally store but decided I wasn’t about to join a yodeling troupe anytime soon, so I resisted the urge.
I had one more shop I had to visit before leaving Switzerland, but it was in Zürich, so I jumped on the train, checked back into Baur au Lac, and raced to Ludwig Reiter, the Austrian shoe brand that my friend Anny, who I happened to be traveling with, introduced me to ages ago when we were both fashion editors. The brand has a shop right on Wühre, a historic pedestrian street along the Limmat River in the old town of Zürich, and we managed to make it an hour before closing to stock up on another pair of its shearling-lined boots.
Finally, Baur au Lac’s epic concierge team somehow managed to score us a last-minute, prime-time Friday night reservation at the legendary Kronenhalle for one last schnitzel. It was a perfect end to a perfect trip.
What I Packed
I packed a tight edit of elevated alpine essentials that balanced function and polish—anchored by cozy, shearling-lined footwear and rugged après-ski boots; tailored outerwear, like a sculpted zip jacket and classic down layers; and plenty of rich-textured separates. Think corduroy ski pants and wide-leg cords, soft cashmere lounge pants, chunky knits, and refined cold-weather accessories like a Fair Isle scarf that won’t take up space. I tried to skew toward warm, earthy neutrals with a mix of sporty alpine pieces and more structured, quietly chic staples that could move easily from slopeside to nights out.
LE MONDE BÉRYL
Shearling-Lined Suede Ballet Flats
Attersee
The Sculpted Zip-Up Jacket
Blazé Milano
Tatoosh Shearling-Lined Suede Jacket
Bogner
Any Corduroy Ski Pants
Bogner
Marli Shell-Trimmed Corduroy Down Jacket
Citizens of Humanity
Annina Corduroy Wide-Leg Pants
LISA YANG
Sofi Cashmere Wide-Leg Pants
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