I loathe skiing and the cold — but Switzerland in the summer? Heaven

Times

2 days ago

It's the height of summer and I'm normally embracing my inner lizard beside a pool in the 30C-plus heat of a Mediterranean island.
Instead I find myself in hiking gear beneath the shadow of a glacial Swiss mountain, having gone into full Heidi mode. Shy chamois graze on the hillside, rare wildflowers burst out and the silence is broken only by the clanging bells of a cow herd.
I'm out of my holiday comfort zone, but this year — like many other Brits — I wanted something more chilled than the soaring temperatures of the southern Med hotspots.
Switzerland has never appeared on my bucket list. I've been once and that was by mistake, after driving back through the Alps from Rome in April while caught in the Icelandic ash cloud of 2010. We let the kids out of the car for five minutes to make snow angels before motoring on. I loathe cold weather, can't ski and am indifferent to fondue. But Switzerland in summer is an altogether different creature.
After two trains from Zurich to Chur, I board a pristine red double-decker Rhaetian train, on time to the second, for the start of a very different sunshine adventure. The route takes me on one of the world's most scenic journeys, nearly four hours of jaw-dropping drama through Unesco world heritage protected areas to my minibreak destination, the mountain village of Pontresina in the southern Upper Engadin region. A carousel of turquoise lakes, snow-capped mountains, storybook cabins in wildflower meadows and the spectacular Landwasser viaduct play out like CGI (one-way ticket from about £70; rhb.ch).
It's the first time in my life I haven't been desperate to reach my hotel, and I hope it won't be a letdown after the dazzling entree. One glance at the five-star neo-baroque structure of the Grand Hotel Kronenhof, in all its Wes Anderson-style glory, stop those thoughts in their tracks. The handsome building, which opened its doors in 1848, has 112 elegant rooms.
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Like many Swiss grandes dames, the hotel originally made its name by attracting upper-class English gentleman types who journeyed for days to take in the local spa waters and pure air. Now visitors are mostly Germans and Italians, us lot having long since discovered the allure of the package deal. But the Kronenhof is on a mission to get the Brits back by promoting the appeal of spending summer and autumn in the region, and staying at the hotel (which is a third less full than in the peak ski season).
The panoramic view and intense colours continue from the hotel windows and balcony in my airy, modern room. To the left is the Roseg glacier, straight ahead there are green pines and larch forests which become a symphony of reds and yellows in the autumn and, beneath me, a rushing blue river. It's priceless, which is just as well because this place doesn't come cheap, reflected in everything from the impeccable service to the tasteful furnishings. Some rooms, including the Kronenhof cocktail bar, have been transformed by Pierre-Yves Rochon (the designer behind the Four Seasons George V in Paris and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills) with teal sofas and dark cherry walls.
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In the reading room I count 11 original black Eames lounge chairs, and the rather magnificent Grand Restaurant (jacket required for men) has ceiling frescoes by Otto Haberer, chandeliers and a minstrels' gallery for the occasional string quartet, while offering a formal yet family-friendly breakfast and dinner. Standout dishes include the poached rock lobster and cheesecake with chocolate almond crumble and cherry foam.
I try the other two restaurants, each with its own distinct flavour and character. There is a weekly Swiss fondue or raclette served up in the hotel's basement bowling alley. The gourmet restaurant Kronenstübli is a slice of old Switzerland with pine-panelled walls and original Engadin furniture. But a simple salmon salad lunch at the old wooden Le Pavilion in the garden is just as satisfying, a bowl of sunshine topped with homegrown herbs and flowers. The Swiss cheese platter is presented so prettily that I have to photograph it.
Then there's the spa. If Daniel Craig had helicoptered on to the lawn in his James Bond Speedos and breaststroked across the infinity pool, I would have been stirred but not greatly shaken, such is the lavish scale of this 2,000 sq m glass structure. The saunas alone are dizzying. There's a Finnish one; a nude, women-only one with coloured lights and essential oils; a stone steam bath; a flotation room with underwater music; a saltwater grotto; as well as whirlpool, jets and waterfall. There are 13 therapy and treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, and experiences from guided mountain treks to biking tours. I make my own bath salts in the lupin-filled gardens, grinding together freshly picked herbs, then sunbathe on the day beds, breathing in pure mountain air and admiring the bluest of pollution-free skies.
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The hotel is in the heart of Pontresina, a charming and characterful spa village 1,800m above sea level, with its own microclimate and more than 300 sunny days a year. Those interested to learn more about the area may enjoy the Museum Alpin, about flora, fauna and geology, and the traditional houses, renowned for their signature sgraffito wall etchings.
In the summer months temperatures are hot but not blistering, making it a paradise for hikers and bikers. There are also plenty of cafés, gift shops and outdoor adventure stores with names like Go Vertical. Tourists and locals look like they eat a lot of muesli and many are carrying backpacks bigger than themselves.
If you are even mildly adventurous, you will embrace this place. There's wind and kitesurfing, paddleboarding and canoeing for the water-lovers, and endless trails for hikers and runners. In the summer months, bird watching, forest bathing among the Swiss pines and goat trekking are popular. The hotel offers ebikes and a 20-minute ride will reward you with Lej da Staz, a beautiful lake in the middle of a pine forest, popular with wild swimmers and picnickers.
Bling-lovers, bear with me. Just a ten-minute cab ride away to the west is the glitz and glamour of St Moritz, beloved by Hepburn, Hitchcock and Chanel and now home to every designer label under the sun, like a small and more perfectly formed Bond Street. The Kronenhof's sister hotel, the Kulm Country Club, claims the best views over Lake San Moritz — do stop by for a drink.
Will a few days in the Upper Engadin financially set you back more than a week at your usual European summer destination would? In all honesty, probably. But is it worth it? Höll yes. I can't think of anywhere lovelier for a cheeky minibreak. You can keep your snow, your skis and your puffer jackets. But a Swiss summer? It's the future …
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Marianne Jones was a guest of Grand Hotel Kronenhof, which has B&B doubles from £320 (kronenhof.com). Fly to Zurich
By Siobhan Grogan
The Scuol cable car lifts stay open throughout summer. Have lunch at a mountaintop restaurant, then hire a scooter to speed downhill on the dedicated 10km track (£28 rental including lift ticket; bergbahnen-scuol.ch).
If the weather's good, ditch the hotel pool for a plunge in Lake Staz, where the water flows from the glaciers of the Bernina Alps, or Lake Marsch near St Moritz-Bad, which has a small beach for drying off afterwards. Kite-surfing lessons are available at Lake Silvaplana — some claim the sport was invented here (three-hour lesson from £167; kitesailing.ch). You can also try your hand at an archery course, shooting at 28 targets spread through a forest (£14; bogensport-engadin.ch).
Watch traditional cheese making over an open fire at the Morteratsch Alpine cheese dairy, then stick around for a bath in a barrel of the resulting warm, fresh whey, said to nourish the skin (£56 including drink, cheese-making free to watch; sennerei-pontresina.ch).
Hop on an ebike to explore the region's beauty spots without having to struggle up the steep sections. There are more than 400km of well-signed trails that pass through forests and run beside lakes, or you can brave the flow trails on the Corviglia mountain. These smooth biking paths have curves and hollows for riding over bumps for a rollercoaster-like experience — the 2km Marmotta trail is best for families and beginners (half-day ebike rental from £78; engadin-bike.com).
Family-friendly hiking trails in the region are often themed, with some focusing on lakes, flowers, smugglers or animals to keep kids engaged (free; engadin.ch). It's also possible to arrange a walk alongside some specially trained, trekking-ready billy goats, with a scenic stop for a cheese fondue or picnic en route (£88; minigeiss-dinigeiss.ch).
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