Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St. Moritz

Rooms and decor

Picture a big pale palace standing at the end of the St. Moritz lake on the St. Moritz Bad side, by a park ringed with snowy peaks — that's your first impression of the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski. The building is 19th-century, with a domed roof and an elegant symmetrical facade in the old grand-hotel style. Step inside and you find grand high ceilings, a wide lobby, warm tones and classic detailing that's been restored for modern comfort. The rooms and suites are decorated softly in wood and warm-toned fabrics, and many run larger than the hotels in the town center because this is a big resort. Some face the lake and mountains, others face the quiet garden side. With its size and generous shared spaces, the feel is a full-service resort rather than a small boutique — good for anyone who likes room to wander, plenty of options, and full comfort under one roof.

Food and amenities

What makes this more than a standard luxury hotel is the story of the building. The Grand Hotel des Bains has been open since 1864 under the name Hotel des Bains, and the special part is that it was built right over the Mauritius mineral spring that made St. Moritz famous as a European spa-and-holiday town centuries ago. People came to drink and bathe in the mineral water here back when the town was a destination for royalty and the wealthy — the words "des Bains" in the name literally mean "of the baths." Inside, the big draw is Kempinski The Spa, a spacious spa with a historic indoor pool reviewers agree is beautiful and relaxing, plus a sauna, hot tub and full treatments — perfect for a soak after a tiring day of skiing. On the food side there are 5 restaurants, from fine dining for a special dinner to relaxed spots and a bar, so you can choose by mood at every meal without trekking out into the snow. There's also a tennis court and big shared spaces that suit families, and plenty of reviews praise the staff as friendly and attentive. It's run today by the Kempinski group, which kept the old grandeur and added modern comfort.

Location and getting there

The St. Moritz Bad side has a charm of its own — quieter and more natural than the center, right next to the park and the lakeside path you can walk or cycle. The point skiers will love is that it's a few minutes' walk to the Signal cable car station that takes you straight up to the slopes, so you can get out fast in the morning without a long drive. For getting to town, the St. Moritz railway station (Rhaetian Railway) is about 5–7 minutes by car, and the hotel runs a shuttle. The one trade-off is that the luxury shopping street and central bars (St. Moritz Dorf) sit across the lake on the other side, so a night out in town means the hotel shuttle or a taxi rather than a short walk.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the location: the Bad side is peaceful and right by the cable car, but it's on the opposite side of the lake from the luxury shopping street and central bars (St. Moritz Dorf), so anyone who wants to shop or go out every night should budget for the hotel shuttle or a taxi. Second, the size: this is a big resort with several hundred rooms, which means full facilities, but in high season when it's busy, spots like the lobby, spa or popular restaurants can feel more crowded than a small boutique in town — if you want maximum privacy, keep that in mind. Last, price and room views: over Christmas, New Year and the ski festivals, rates are high and rooms fill fast, so book several months ahead. And because the building is large with many aspects, some rooms face inward or toward the garden rather than the lake — if you want an open view, say so clearly when you book so you're not disappointed.

Our take

From reading through a lot of real guest reviews, the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski St. Moritz is a big palace that delivers on completeness and history without apology — open since 1864 over the town's legendary mineral spring, with 5 restaurants, a large spa with a historic indoor pool, a tennis court, and a Bad-side location a few minutes' walk from the Signal cable car. If your trip looks like bringing the family or someone you love to ski all day, then come back to soak in the indoor pool and have a fancy dinner inside, with everything under one roof and no trek out into the snow, this is a strong fit. Just understand it's on the side that's far from the center's shopping street, it's a big resort that won't feel as private as a small boutique when it's busy, and you should book well ahead in high season. Overall we give it 9.3/10 — best for families, couples and skiers who want a full-service luxury resort with a real story behind it, more than the privacy of a small hotel.