St. Moritz is split between the hillside village of Dorf and the lakeside area of Bad, with the ski areas spread around the valley. Pick your base by which mountain you’ll ski most and how much you want to spend. Wherever you stay, guests at participating hotels and holiday apartments staying more than one night get free public transport in the Upper Engadin, which takes the sting out of not being right by the lifts.
Best areas to stay in St. Moritz
St. Moritz Dorf
The upper village, with the funicular up to Corviglia, the smart shops and most of the famous hotels. It’s the most convenient base for Corviglia, and the most expensive.
St. Moritz Bad
Down by the lake, quieter and more relaxed, with more mid-range hotels and apartments. Buses run to Corvatsch. Bad has its own cable car up towards Corviglia, the Signal, but it didn’t run in winter 2025/26 and was listed as out of service when we checked; the lift company has a project to replace it with a new gondola. Unless it’s confirmed as running, assume you’ll need the bus or a trip up to Dorf to reach Corviglia.
Suvretta and Champfèr
West of the centre, towards Silvaplana, and quieter still. This is home to some of the grandest hotels, including Suvretta House, set apart from the village bustle.
Celerina
The next village down the valley, with its own lift up to Corviglia via Marguns. It’s also where the Mountys Adventure Trail for children ends, at the Celerina valley station. A good base for families who want Corviglia without the prices of Dorf.
Staying close to the lifts in St. Moritz
True ski-in/ski-out is rare in St. Moritz: the town sits below the ski areas, and you reach Corviglia by funicular from Dorf or lift from Celerina. The practical answer is to stay close to the Corviglia funicular in Dorf, or in Celerina near the Marguns lift. Ask your hotel how far it is to the nearest lift, and whether it runs a ski shuttle.
Best family hotels in St. Moritz
| Hotel | Area | Why families like it |
|---|---|---|
| Suvretta House | Suvretta | Five-star with a Kiddy-Club, the Teddy-Club kids’ restaurant, Kids Water World and its own kids’ ski school |
| Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski | Bad | Indoor and outdoor pools in a 2,800 m² spa, and a ski pass for the whole stay |
| Hotel Laudinella | Near the lake | Newly renovated four-star with a rooftop spa and infinity pool, a short walk from the lake and the mountain railway |
| St. Moritz Youth Hostel | Bad | The budget option, with family rooms |
For ski schools, the Safe Kids Zone and the OVAVERVA pool, see St. Moritz with kids.
Luxury hotels in St. Moritz
St. Moritz is one of the great luxury resorts of the Alps, and these are the names that define it:
- Kulm Hotel, Dorf: five-star superior, above the lake, where winter tourism began in 1864. It includes a free Ski & Mountain Pass for the same number of days as nights booked. Winter season: 4 December 2026 to 29 March 2027.
- Suvretta House, Suvretta: five-star, set apart west of the centre, with extensive family facilities and its own kids’ ski school. Winter season: 4 December 2026 to 29 March 2027.
- Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski, Bad: five-star in a 19th-century building, with indoor and outdoor pools in a 2,800 m² spa. Guests can buy the hotel’s ski pass, valid for the whole stay on all the mountain railways, including evening rides at Muottas Muragl and the daytime ski buses.
Good-value places to stay in St. Moritz
St. Moritz is expensive, but you have options:
- St. Moritz Youth Hostel in Bad is the budget choice, with family rooms.
- Hotel Laudinella, a renovated four-star near the lake, is a more affordable alternative to the five-stars.
- St. Moritz Bad generally has more mid-range hotels and apartments than Dorf.
- Celerina, Silvaplana and other Engadin villages give access to the same ski areas, and free public transport for guests at participating accommodation links them together.
- A hotel with an included lift pass, like the Kulm, can change the value sum completely once you add up lift tickets for a family.
Tips for booking a last-minute stay in St. Moritz
- Count the lift pass in the price. Engadin lift passes are dynamically priced and early-booking discounts apply, so a hotel that includes or discounts passes is often the better last-minute deal.
- Check the hotel’s season. Suvretta House and the Kulm open on 4 December and close on 29 March, while Corviglia’s lifts open on 28 November.
- Check the event calendar. World Cup races and White Turf horse racing on the frozen lake fill the hotels.
- Don’t rule out the villages. Celerina and Silvaplana are calmer, and the bus and train links between the ski areas are free for many guests.
- Arriving by train before mid-November? The Albula line is closed between Thusis and Preda from 29 October to 13 November 2026, with replacement buses.
For the skiing and how to get there, read our St. Moritz ski resort guide.
