From another time: Six seminar hotels with history

HISTORICAL HOTELS exude the atmosphere of a bygone era. They were lived in, and for these reasons they are often visited - also by seminar participants. In response to demand, the hotels presented here have upgraded their seminar facilities.They were once grand hotels from the pioneer era, monasteries, Art Nouveau palaces, castles and Bauhaus buildings. Today, they invite visitors on a journey through time. Many of them are family-run businesses and are managed as personally as the hotel itself. The timeless charm, the authenticity and the immersion in another era are some of the reasons why the Swiss Hoteliers Association brought together such authentically historic hotels and restaurants under the "Swiss Historic Hotels" brand in 2004.Historic used to be considered dusty and unfashionable, but today modern is so omnipresent and no longer new that a retro wave broke out and a new trend became old. Modern is what is retro.Throughout Switzerland, 50 historic buildings belong to the association. To belong is not easy, strict criteria must be met, which are checked by independent experts. For example, the main building must be more than 50 years old, the architecture must be of historical significance, and the furniture and furnishings must be based on originals.Following the retro wave and the historical ambience, many seminar participants are also drawn to these locations. MK presents six such historic hotels.

Grimsel Hospice

Like a castle, the Grimsel Hospiz is enthroned on the Nollen, which rises from the fjord-like Grimselsee as a symbol of water power. In 1142, the Grimsel was mentioned as the first inn in the country, and in 1932 the new building made news as the first electrically heated hotel in Europe. After the major renovation from 2008 to 2010, the hotel combines modernity and history and includes 28 rooms, a restaurant with terrace and various seminar facilities. These include the gym for up to 200 people, the pioneer room for 24 people and the Bergsteigerstübli for 12 people. The true "treasure" of the Grimsel Hospiz is the rock cellar, which reveals itself as a wine chamber and can be used for a cozy aperitif. Over 300 different wines are stored there.As a supporting program, the hospice recommends the three cable cars Sidelhorn, Gelmer and Trift. All three lead to hiking routes and viewpoints. The Triftbahn takes passengers to the highest hanging rope bridge in Europe.www.grimselwelt.ch

 Grandhotel Giessbach

Built in 1873 by the French architect Horace Edouard, the elegant Grandhotel Giessbach stands between the peaks of the Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Eiger and Mönch. Although it faded in splendor and glory during the World Wars, environmentalist Franz Weber succeeded in getting this "fairy-tale castle" listed as a historic monument and reopened in 1984.Today, the Grandhotel has three restaurants, including one with a terrace, and a hotel bar. It also has 70 rooms and suites in 13 different categories - such as Nostalgie, Romantik and Bellevue. The rooms are partly furnished with original restored furniture from the turn of the century.Another important pillar of the hotel are the various celebration and meeting facilities. For example, Giessbach has function rooms, lounges and a banquet hall for weddings, concerts, theater and conferences. The "Seeblick" seminar room can accommodate 110 people and includes a built-in screen and modern, technical infrastructure. The Salon Davinet is a two-part hall with a bay window and has a high ceiling with individual, continuously switchable crystal chandeliers.But visitors come mainly for nature, more precisely for the Giessbach Falls. The Giessbach waterfall thunders 400 meters down 14 steps past the fairy-tale castle. In addition, the hotel has a natural swimming pool.www.giessbach.ch

Hotel Terrace on the Lake

This historic hotel was opened by the Arther-Rigibahn-Gesellschaft in 1873 and was called Hotel-Pension Rigibahn. Already a few years later, at the turn of the century, a first reconstruction took place. Another full floor was added to the hotel and it underwent a transformation. The name was changed to Hotel Terminus. 64 years passed until the Rigibahn company decided to sell the hotel to the Fassbind family. And so the name of the hotel was finally changed to Terrasse am See. To date, the hotel has undergone further extensive renovations and acquired its current historic charm.The Hotel Terrasse am See positions itself as a classic seminar hotel. It includes two seminar rooms and a total of 21 hotel rooms. In January 2016, the third seminar room will be opened. The "Rondel" ballroom with a 180-degree view of the lake and mountains is recommended for events. In addition, the hotel has a lake and winter restaurant and a garden restaurant. For relaxing moments, guests visit the mineral baths at Rigi-Kaltbad.www.hotel-terrasse.ch

Romantik Seehotel Sun

Staying dynamically on the pulse of time and at the same time maintaining proven traditions and values - that is the philosophy of the "Sonne". The hotel has been around since 1641, when it was run as an inn by a married couple. Over generations it was passed on and managed with heart and soul. Today, the Romantik Seehotel almost resembles a museum, as the owners are strongly committed to art. Thus, paintings and sculptures by Alois Carigiet, Augusto Giacometti and other artists can be viewed in the house. For companies, the hotel offers a total experience. The meeting rooms are mostly historic parlors and halls with paintings, tiled stoves and wood paneling. These include a banquet hall, the Guggenbühl, Prunk and Küsnacht parlors and the tower hall. These make various events possible, from banquets to company celebrations to cozy dinners. Supporting programs are numerous in the surrounding area. Whether a boat trip, a hike, a concert or relaxation: the hotel puts together a tailor-made offer.www.sonne.ch

Hotel Monte Verità

The hotel built by Emil Fahrenkamp in 1927 in the Bauhaus style, the à la carte restaurant with a view of the lake, the Japanese tea house with a Zen garden, the park with its exotic plants - all this distinguishes the Hotel Monte Verità in Ascona. In the early 20th century, Monte Verità was the seat of a life-reforming artists' colony, which today is considered one of the cradles of the alternative movement. This movement shaped today's Hotel Monte Verità as a conference and cultural center with six meeting rooms, an auditorium and, in particular, an open-air stage that was once a swimming pool and is now ideal for open-air events. The capacity reaches up to 300 people. The hotel complex consists of various houses, including the Villa Semiramis. But what makes the Hotel Monte Verità, as the name says, is the hill. The park can be visited for a relaxation in the teahouse, but also for discovery trips to one of the viewpoints.The Monte Verità restaurant offers a large dining room for groups, an indoor area with à la carte service and a summer terrace overlooking Lake Maggiore.www.monteverita.org

Hotel Saratz

In the village center of Pontresina stands the Hotel Saratz, built in 1865. The elements of Art Nouveau and the Belle Epoque are unmistakable. The 4-star superior hotel is managed by the Geiger-Starkloff family in the fifth generation. Wellness, golf, tennis, two sun terraces and a 35,000 square meter hotel park await guests. The infrastructure of the hotel offers possibilities for seminars up to 50 persons. The two seminar rooms are equipped with modern technology, and Saratz also offers various places for aperitifs, stand-up lunches and dinners. This includes the hotel hall "Ela Tuff" with a view of the Val Roseg, which has 150 square meters. The restaurant Chesa Nuova with its large hall is ideal for banquets and gala dinners with up to 120 people. For smaller meetings, the Hotel Saratz also offers the Salon Rouge with comfortable lounge furniture. Guests can get further relaxation in the wellness area with hamam, saunas and baths. For a dose of action, the area holds several biking and hiking trails. In addition, the area is popular for skiing and snowboarding in winter.www.saratz.ch