Accommodation
Quick answer: St Moritz suits those wanting five-star luxury, Michelin-starred dining and a genuine touch of glamour alongside serious, sun-drenched skiing, intermediates and experts who want long, scenic cruisers and challenging descents like the Hahnensee run, and freestylers thanks to the World Cup-hosting Corvatsch Park. It is less suited to budget travellers, or those wanting a simple, rustic ski village feel.
Quick resort facts
Ski area: Engadin St. Moritz, 350km of pistes across the wider region, 45 lifts · Altitude: 1,750m, skiing up to 3,303m on the Corvatsch · Ski pass area: Ski Engadin · Nearest airport: Zurich (200km)
St. Moritz is one of the world’s most legendary ski resorts – synonymous with luxury, glamour and heritage. Set at 1,856m in the Upper Engadin valley of south-eastern Switzerland, it offers 155km of local pistes and access to around 350km across the wider Engadin St. Moritz region.
Regarded as the birthplace of winter tourism, with its first winter visitors arriving back in 1864, St. Moritz combines high-altitude, sun-blessed skiing with Michelin-starred dining and a genuinely glittering social scene. It attracts royalty and celebrities, but it’s every bit a paradise for serious skiers too, thanks to long, scenic slopes and impressively reliable snow.
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Terrain split: gentle nursery slopes at Salastrains and Corviglia, perfectly groomed long cruisers from Piz Nair down towards the village with views over the frozen lakes, and serious challenges including the 9km Hahnensee run and freeride terrain on Diavolezza.
Best for: those wanting five-star luxury, Michelin-starred dining and a genuine touch of glamour alongside serious, sun-drenched skiing; intermediates and experts who want long, scenic cruisers and challenging descents like the Hahnensee run; freestylers, thanks to the World Cup-hosting Corvatsch Park.
Not for: budget travellers, as St. Moritz is one of the most expensive resorts in the Alps; those wanting a simple, rustic ski village feel rather than an elegant alpine town with designer boutiques and a jet-set crowd.
St. Moritz is an elegant alpine town rather than a simple ski village – glamorous yet unmistakably Swiss, with Engadin architecture, frozen lakes and luxury boutiques creating an atmosphere that mixes high society with genuine mountain adventure. The Engadin St. Moritz ski area spans several distinct mountains, including Corviglia, Corvatsch, Diavolezza and Zuoz, each offering its own character and terrain.
Sustainability is central to the resort’s operations, with renewable energy powering many lifts and regular eco-initiatives in place to help protect the wider Engadin valley.
The Engadin St. Moritz ski area offers 155km of local pistes and access to around 350km across the wider region, with altitude reaching up to 3,303m and cutting-edge snowmaking ensuring a long, reliable season from late November to April. Fast cable cars from St. Moritz Dorf and Celerina reach Corviglia within minutes, while the Corvatsch cable car climbs to 3,303m for genuinely high-altitude snow.
The scenic Bernina Express railway connects the resort with Tirano in Italy, adding a memorable rail journey to the wider Engadin experience, and the Corvatsch Park is one of Switzerland’s top snowparks, regularly hosting World Cup freestyle events. Comparing options before you book? Our ski holiday deals and ski resort search tools make it easy to weigh up St Moritz against other Swiss bases.
Beginners have gentle nursery slopes at Salastrains and Corviglia, backed by excellent ski schools. Intermediates are extremely well served by perfectly groomed red and blue runs, including long cruisers from Piz Nair (3,057m) down to the village with spectacular views over the frozen lakes, plus some of the Engadin’s best intermediate skiing on Corvatsch.
Experts can tackle steep descents like the 9km Hahnensee run and freeride terrain on Diavolezza, where glacier routes stay open well into spring. Freestylers head to the Corvatsch Park, one of Switzerland’s top snowparks and a regular World Cup freestyle venue.
High altitude, reaching up to 3,303m, combined with cutting-edge snowmaking, ensures a long, reliable season running from late November to April. St. Moritz is also famous for its exceptionally sunny microclimate, so skiers can expect excellent conditions on top of the reliable snow – January through March is the prime window for the best combination of both.
The Engadin St. Moritz Mountains Pass covers the whole region, with an adult day pass costing around CHF 82 and a 6-day pass around CHF 410. Children aged 6–15 get roughly 50% off and under-6s ski free, with family and multi-day discounts available, plus “Sleep + Ski” offers giving discounted passes when booking partner hotels.
St. Moritz has excellent ski schools offering lessons for all ages and abilities, with strong beginner programmes at Salastrains and Corviglia, and numerous hire shops throughout the town covering everything from first-timer packages to premium and freeride equipment. Our ski gear guides are worth a look if you’re buying your own kit.
Few ski towns match St. Moritz for elegance and choice, from budget-friendly B&Bs and apartments in nearby Celerina or Pontresina, through 3–4-star options like Hotel Hauser and Art Boutique Hotel Monopol, up to iconic luxury properties including Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz and Suvretta House.
St. Moritz’s dining scene is exceptional, boasting over a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants alongside countless mountain huts. El Paradiso and Trutz combine fine cuisine with jaw-dropping lake views, while IGNIV by Andreas Caminada delivers refined tasting menus. Après-ski here leans towards elegance: Sunny Bar and Hauser’s Rooftop offer relaxed cocktails, while King’s Club at Badrutt’s Palace hosts genuinely glamorous late-night parties.
As a full winter destination, St. Moritz offers a wealth of non-ski attractions: ice skating and curling on the frozen lake, horse racing, polo and even cricket on snow during the famous White Turf festival, tobogganing on the world-famous Cresta Run, designer shopping along Via Serlas, spa and wellness retreats in all major hotels, and art galleries, museums and historic walks through the old town. Planning a family trip? Our family skiing guide has more advice on choosing the right base.
Fly into Zurich, around 3 hours from the resort by train or car. Alternatively, the scenic Glacier Express links St. Moritz with Zermatt in around 8 hours, for those wanting to combine resorts in one trip. Drivers should allow around 11 hours from Calais via Chur.
St. Moritz is Switzerland’s most glamorous winter resort, combining sun-drenched slopes, historic prestige and five-star luxury with genuinely impressive skiing. Its style and heritage attract a jet-set crowd, but the snow quality and variety ensure it appeals just as much to passionate skiers – for those who want Alpine sophistication, sunshine and serious skiing in equal measure, St. Moritz remains the definitive Swiss classic.
St. Moritz welcomed its first winter visitors back in 1864, making it one of the earliest destinations to promote winter holidays as an attraction in their own right.
Yes, Salastrains and Corviglia offer gentle nursery slopes and excellent ski schools, even though the resort is equally known for challenging terrain elsewhere.
The Cresta Run is St. Moritz’s world-famous natural ice toboggan track, a historic and thrilling attraction that has drawn daredevils to the resort for well over a century.
Fly into Zurich, around 3 hours from the resort by train or car, or combine your trip with Zermatt via the scenic 8-hour Glacier Express railway.
Yes, St. Moritz is one of the priciest resorts in the Alps, known for its luxury hotels and Michelin-starred dining, though more affordable accommodation can be found in nearby Celerina and Pontresina.
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