St. Moritz, 21 March 2013: AG Grand Hotels Engadinerkulm St. Moritz is delighted to announce that, as of 1 April 2013, Heinz E. Hunkeler, the current Director of Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina will take over the management of both the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz and the Grand Hotel Kronenhof. At the same time, Heinz and his wife Jenny Hunkeler will assume joint directorship of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz.

Directorship change at Kulm Hotel St. Moritz after 10 years
Heinz E. and Jenny Hunkeler replace Dominique N. Godat and his wife Barbara Kälin Godat, who have had a successful 10 years at the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, positioning it as one of the world’s leading hotels. The appointment of Heinz E. and Jenny Hunkeler, both graduates of the Ecole Hôtelière Lausanne, comes after their achievement in elevating the luxurious Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina to the top of the list of Swiss vacation hotels while generating a remarkable increase in occupancy.

Combined management of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz & Grand Hotel Kronenhof
In addition to holding joint Directorship of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz with his wife, Heinz E. Hunkeler will also supervise the strategic management of the Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina. This role will include overseeing substantial investments in both properties, such as the construction of staff accommodation and the completion of ongoing renovations of rooms and suites.

New director for Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina
As of 1 April 2013, Marc Eichenberger will assume the position of Director of Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, with responsibility for the hotel’s day-to-day operations. A 37-year-old Swiss national, Marc Eichenberger is a graduate of the Schweizerische Hotelfachschule Luzern, where he qualified as an Hotelier and Restaurateur. He has extensive knowledge of the luxury hotel segment in Switzerland, having previously worked at the Arabella Sheraton Atlantis Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, Park Weggis Hotel in Lake Lucerne and Suvretta House in St. Moritz; the four years he spent at the latter means he also has excellent knowledge of the Engadine Valley.

About Grand Hotel Kronenhof
Grand Hotel Kronenhof, located in Pontresina, six kilometres 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 Kronenhof Spa is certainly one of the hotel’s highlights and has been named “the best Alpine spa”*. Facilities include a 20 m 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, Gourmet Restaurant ‘Kronenstübli’ – awarded a Michelin star in November 2011 and as of April 2013 17 GaultMillau points – serving international cuisine with a local flair, the traditional bowling lanes where Swiss raclette is served and an informal Le 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 & 2012 (99 most popular hotels of the world) and in 2013 as ‘Best Hotel in Switzerland’.  The hotel ranked in first place at the 2013 Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Awards as best Swiss Hotel. 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 a Michelin star and 17 GaultMillau points for the à la carte restaurant ‘Kronenstübli’. Reservations can be made by phone: +41 (0) 81 830 30 30 or by email via [email protected], www.kronenhof.com
(* Tyler Brule writing in the FT, November 2009)

About Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
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.

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, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz has 173 rooms, five restaurants (offering formal dining, French fine dining – the Gourmet-Restaurant the K awarded 15 points by GaultMillau, Italian, local Engadine specialities and Japanese with 13 GaultMillau points), the extensive  Kulm Spa St. Moritz (with a 20 m indoor pool with underwater music, 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 St. Moritz 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'.

Reservations can be made by phone +41 (0) 81 836 80 00 or by e-mail via [email protected], www.kulm.com.

Both the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz and its sister property Grand Hotel Kronenhof are owned by the Niarchos family.