The Kulm Hotel St. Moritz Offers Kids Adventure and “Me Time” for Parents

For well over 100 years, St. Moritz has epitomized the Swiss vacation at its most sophisticated. From its heavenly shoreline to its narrow streets lined with ultra high-end designer boutiques and refined dining, it offers its own brand of cultured fun. In addition to the neighboring mountain ranges quilted with ski runs of every description, it boasts many food and music festivals throughout the year.

While one can see kids traveling with their parents to this European hamlet of posh refined living, the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz (one of the first luxury hotels defining the region’s chichi reputation since opening year) goes a lot further than offering a kid’s club for younger stars ages 3–12 with games and toys in enabling the youngest visitors to make St. Moritz feel more inclusive and impressive.

Kulm Hotel. Photo: Elyse Glickman

On arrival, kids are greeted with a surprise amenity, while parents are assured a bit more relief and “me time” thanks to babysitting services that can be booked in advance or on the spot, free laundry service for kids, babysitting services and complimentary ice cream sundaes at all of the restaurants, which stage pizza baking, mocktail mixing classes and immersive scavenger hunts.

Even with an invitingly cozy and large room, Marmotta Kids Club cannot be confined to one room and part of a patio. While the club space is filled with games and toys in clusters for different age groups, the hotel’s management is intent on getting its youngest guests outside the confines of the club, designating them with “V.I.K.” Status (Very Important Kid), which also ties in the property’s restaurants. However, for date nights and special events such as music and food-wine festivals, kids can enjoy a special supervised dinner with a bespoke menu served at the Marmotta Kids club.

Kulm Sports Field and Playground. Photo: Elyse Glickman

An impressive roster of seasonal outdoor programs extended by the Kulm guarantees kids an only-in-St.-Moritz experience that will stick in their memories. This coming winter, parents can enroll their kids in free ski and snowboard group lessons at the Corviglia ski resort and help kids have use of skates for the hotel’s own ice rink. Between adrenaline sessions, kids and parents can check out expansive hallway galleries of photos and artifacts from sports competitions.

In the summer (for families planning ahead for 2020), the hotel offers access to the Engadin Kids Sports Camps in Silvaplana, also a short distance from central St. Moritz. The camps, operated on weekdays with a surcharge of 30 Swiss francs per day for food and transportation, offer a myriad of half- and full-day programs with instruction and supervision that include stand-up paddling, canoeing, trampoline jumping and field sports. Kids are grouped based on age and native languages. The Silvaplana Tennis School extends similarly structured tennis camps based on levels of skill from beginner to experienced.

Kulm Country Club Bar. Photo: Elyse Glickman

While the formal instruction sessions require a two-day advance reservation, the Kulm also features a children’s water world setup at the pool and golf instruction with free green fees (with license) and use of the driving range. In front of the hotel-operated Kulm Country Club restaurant (complete with its own something-for-everyone menu with an alpine Northern Italian flavor), there is a large field and playground where kids can keep themselves entertained or practice their newfound skills while experiencing St. Moritz “like a local.” In addition, on winding trails around Lake St. Moritz — particularly beautiful in the morning hours — you’ll find rental kiosks for bikes, e-bikes, paddle boards and canoes walking distance from the hotel.

A week in the region can be divided between the Kulm and sister property The Kronenhoff in quieter Pontresina, 20 minutes uphill through forested roads, which provides access for guest families to many of the same programs as well as a bowling alley. Fascinating small museums providing an orientation to alpine life past and present are steps from the museum as are a beautiful network of bike and walking paths.

Kronenhof Pontresina Entry. Photo: Elyse Glickman