Family Focus For Easter In The Engadine in a family-owned hotel

The focus for Easter breaks in the Engadine, Switzerland, is very much on families at the Kulm Hotel St Moritz (www.kulmhotel-stmoritz.ch) and its sister property the Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina (www.kronenhof.com). Though Easter falls quite late in the season, there should still be plenty of fun to be had in the snow, thanks to the resorts’ locations at high altitude. And, if not, there is no need to worry as the hotels are laying on plenty of activities to keep the kids amused from dawn till dusk.

The Kulm Hotel’s Eggs-clusive Easter Offer includes either four nights’ (5 to 8 April) or seven nights’ (1 to 8 April) half-board accommodation, a three- or six-day ski pass, Easter activities in the hotel’s new Marmotta Kids Club with the Easter Clown, an Easter concert for the whole family on Saturday 7 April and either a 50-minute massage or a 50-minute facial for parents. Prices start from CHF1,710 (approx £1,175) per adult sharing a double room for the four-night package; children under the age of 12 stay free in their parents’ room.


To book, call the Kulm Hotel St Moritz on +41 81 836 8000 or email reservations@kulmhotel-stmoritz.ch.

Grand Hotel Kronenhof (www.kronenhof.com), located in nearby Pontresina, has a four-night Easter in the Engadine package valid any time between 1 and 8 April. This package includes half-board accommodation, a Champagne aperitif and gala dinner on Saturday 7 April, Easter brunch buffet on Sunday 8 April, a delightful Easter programme for younger guests (such as egg painting and an Easter egg hunt, all with a fully trained child minder), a 60-minute Carita facial for mums and a 50-minute full body massage for dads, as well as unlimited use of the Kronenhof Spa and a Fit & Fun sports programme that changes daily. Prices start from CHF1,330 (approx £915) per adult sharing a double room; a 30% discount is offered on a second adjoining room for the kids, but this does not include half-board.

For those wishing to enjoy an early spring ski holiday but not necessarily Easter, Grand Hotel Kronenhof offers an alternative Sunshine Days package from 11 March to 4 April. This includes a minimum of three nights’ half-board accommodation, a two-day ski pass or a Kronenhof Spa wellness pass worth CHF150 (for those not wishing to ski) and unlimited use of the Spa; prices start from CHF795 (approx £545) per person. Substantial discounts are available for children.

To book, call the Grand Hotel Kronenhof on +41 81 830 3030 or email reservations@kronenhof.com.

FACTFILE:
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, five restaurants (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 Concierge of the Year and Maitre d’ of the Year, as awarded by Swiss economic journal Bilanz in 2010, 15 GaultMillau points for the hotel’s gourmet restaurant the K in 2009, and the best winter holiday hotel according to the publishing house MetroPool in 2008.

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 inNovember 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.

Winter Sessions Festival Chamonix 2012

Kicks off with it's festival launch party at Brick Lane's Vibe Bar on Friday November 18th  8pm-1am with a showcase night for the festival featuring Dj Flo (Ninja Tune), Paddy Freeform, Russ jones AKA Hackney Globe Trotter, Uncle Joe and more.

The snow and music festival is taking place 30th & 31st March in Chamonix, France.

www.wintersessions.net / www.universalvibes.com / www.offthepiste.com

Winter Sessions Weekender is boutique a snow fuelled music festival in the heart of the French Alps taking place in the mecca of adventure sports, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. A two day festival on and off the slopes of the Mont-Blanc Massif with its heart and soul rooted in creating good times party vibes.

The explosive collection of Alpine parties has taken the mountains by storm over the last six years with an international line up of DJ’s, artists and MC’s creating some of the most exciting and unique events to be found in the Alps recently. 

To celebrate the start of winter and give Londoner’s a taste of what to expect this season in the Alps, Winter Sessions is hosting an exclusive launch party at Brick Lane’s infamous Vibe Bar. The lineup is an eclectic fusion of all the genres of music you might expect to hear during the Weekender.

The night will feature Russ Jones aka Hackney Globe Trotter famed for his Latin, cumbia flavoured global beats, Paddy Freeform with a foot stomping house set, Ninja Tune’s party starter, DJ Flo and Winter Sessions very own Uncle Joe cranking out some jungle and classic drum & bass. ‘Nuf said, this Winter Sessions party will be no different to the rest – unadulterated ass wiggling pleasure!

After kicking off the start of the season amongst fellow Londoner’s, Winter Sessions makes its way back to its Alpine home to continue a season of parties and gigs building up to the Winter Sessions Weekender.

Taking place on the 30th & 31st March with the legendary Norman Jay, electric hip hop ensemble, Lazy Habits and Solid Steel’s video wiz kid Cheeba, the Weekender is any adventure seekers heaven. Set in one of the most spectacular places on earth, Chamonix provides that certain je ne sais quoi to create a once in a lifetime experience - perhaps it’s the 600km of pistes, the longest ice cave in the world or the highest vertical cable car on the planet – but we highly recommend you check it for yourself.  

This year, Winter Sessions have teamed up with snow obsessed tour operator, Off The Piste to offer some brilliant holiday packages around the Weekender. 7 nights from £314 including accommodation, ski pass and festival wristband which you access a range of fantastic discounts with across the Chamonix valley. Visit www.offthepiste.com to book.

Tickets for the Winter Sessions Launch Party are available on the night or from the Vibe Bar box office. Tickets for the Winter Sessions Weekender are on sale this month available from www.seetickets.com

www.universalvibes.com // www.vibe-bar.co.uk // www.chamonix.com 

Winter Sessions Launch Party: Friday 18th November // Vibe Bar // Brick Lane // London E1