The Kulm Hotel St. Moritz (www.kulm.com) and its sister property Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina (www.kronenhof.com) have won significant recognition in the 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice® awards, with the Kulm Hotel being named Switzerland's Top Hotel.

Now in their 13th year, the Travelers' Choice® awards are determined by the millions of reviews and opinions collected by TripAdvisor travellers around the globe in a single year. In addition to being crowned Switzerland's Top Hotel, the Kulm Hotel took second place in the Luxury hotels in Switzerland category and the fifth spot for Best Service in Switzerland, while Grand Hotel Kronenhof is the third Top Hotel in Switzerland, as well as the third best Luxury hotel and second for Best Service in Switzerland. Grand Hotel Kronenhof was also ranked nine among the top hotels for Romance in Switzerland – a heads up for those yet to book their Valentine's break!

On receiving news of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz's win, Director Heinz E. Hunkeler said: "At a time when the Kulm Hotel is celebrating 150 years of winter tourism, which the then owner Johannes Badrutt instigated in 1864 with a famous bet, it is a great pleasure to be named the Top Hotel in Switzerland. The win proves that the Kulm Hotel is still providing its guests with the highest levels of services and amenities that they have come to expect from us over the last 150 years and we thank them for taking the time to support our efforts by posting positive comments on TripAdvisor®”.

Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor® added: ““TripAdvisor®'s community of millions of travelers has helped us highlight some of the very best hotels from around the world. The Travelers' Choice list of thousands of award-winning properties is perfect to inspire travelers as they think about their 2015 travel plans. From opulent luxury hotels to budget-friendly B&Bs, those looking for accommodation can research, compare prices and book a Travelers' Choice property on TripAdvisor®, or any other hotel that meets their travel needs.”  

To see all the 2015 Travelers' Choice® winners, go to www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice and to
join the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice® discussion on social media use #travelerschoice.

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Notes for Editors

Kulm Hotel St. Moritz (www.kulm.com) 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 and, as a result, the hotel, resort and Switzerland itself celebrates 150 years of winter tourism in the 2014/15 season.

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 16 points by GaultMillau, Italian, local Engadin 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.

Awards in 2014 for the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz include a place in a list of the top five best holiday hotels in Switzerland compiled by renowned Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung. In January 2015, the Kulm Hotel was named the best five-star hotel in St. Moritz for wellness, active holidays and luxury travel by HolidayCheck.

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 35 million (approximately £24 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” (according to Tyler Brule writing in the FT, November 2009). 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 specialty at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof. Awarded the title of GaultMillau Hotel of the Year in 2009, it has five restaurants (the formal Grand Restaurant in an elegant Neo-Baroque vaulted room, Gourmet Restaurant Kronenstübli serving Italian-Mediterranean cuisine, the traditional bowling lanes where Swiss raclette is served, the informal Le Pavillon for light lunches and the kids' restaurant Rondelle).

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 Top Hotel in the World 2014 according to TripAdvisor®, a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence for the fourth year running in 2014, the HolidayCheck Award 2010-2014 (for most popular hotel in Switzerland, five years in a row) and three HolidayCheck Awards in 2015 for best wellness, active vacation and luxury travel in the five-star category in Pontresina, as well as a place in a list of the top 20 best holiday hotels in Switzerland compiled by renowned Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung and the most welcoming luxury hotel in the country as awarded by Switzerland Tourism in 2014.

Previous awards include first place in the Best Of Swiss Gastro (gourmet category), GaultMillau Hotel of the Year 2008 and the 'Bilanz' hoteliers of the year award in 2008.

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

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About Travelers' Choice Award

For the 13th year, TripAdvisor® has highlighted the world's top properties based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travelers around the globe.  Winners were identified in the categories of Top Hotels, Bargain, B&Bs and Inns, Family, Luxury, Romance, Service and Small Hotels. The hallmarks of Travelers' Choice winners are remarkable service, quality and value.

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For more information, please contact:
Sue Heady
Director, Heady Communications
T: 01608 651 692
E: sue@headycommunications.com