HOTEL AMORE Guide: Big Black Book on Switzerland Part II
How to spend your days well in Vals, Zuoz, St. Moritz, Sils, Zuerich, Verzasca Valley and Davos
Hello dear Internet Friends,
I hope you are doing good and you had a fun week. It felt like Back to School for adults this week! On Wednesday, Condé Nast Traveller Germany had their launch event at the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin, followed by a party - it was the first event after the summer and it felt like everyone was there, which was fun! Next week Berlin Art Week starts which I am looking forward to.
Do you remember when I said last week that my dream car is a Suzuki Jimney? A very talented photographer friend who I have worked with before had read my newsletter, dm’d me on Instagram and told me she had one and if we want to go for a joyride, which we did yesterday <3 I love the internet and the Jimney now even more.
I have spent a lot of time on my vespa last and this week, out and about all over the city for the upcoming Big Black Guide for Berlin, which has been really fun! I feel like I am getting to know my city in different ways - which includes of course revisiting my OG places like Paris Bar but also lots of new places after more than twelve years of living here. The guide will be published in three parts from September, 20th!
Thanks also for a lot of new paid subscribers last month, I am very grateful for your support and it motivates me so much to pour even more love into this newsletter.
Today however we won’t talk Berlin.
Instead I would like to share Part II of The Big Black Book on Switzerland and in specific about these incredible places Vals, Zuoz, St. Moritz, Sils, Zuerich, Verzasca Valley and Davos. I wrote this guide over the course of five weeks, always finding an additional information which had to be added or changed and I couldn’t stop - but now she’s out, so I have to stop! I really hope this guide achieves its goal in being a good and strong inspiration springboard for an amazing trip in La Suisse <3
I have done all the trips I am recommending to you, and always when I come back I do them again and again, with my starting point being Laax (Big Black Book Laax is here) to discover the places I know more in-depth. In fact, each visit peels back another layer, revealing better and less-known spots, and yes, more insider tips that you can only gather from repeat pilgrimages. Below a video from Sils - a place I visited for the first time and was so in love.
A big thank you to the fantastic hotels for hosting us. For transparency, I reached out to the hotels myself because I genuinely think they’re incredible. There was no agreement on what to write; it was simply an invitation to experience their offerings so I could share my thoughts which I did below.
Vals
Vals is a very small and charming village, about a 45-minute drive from Laax. The route to get there is so beautiful: On the left of the road, you have the towering mountains, and on the right, the Rhine river flows steadily alongside you. Keep your eyes open, especially when you will pass this tiny, beautiful house along the way, almost when you have already reached Vals. It has a very distinct Wes Anderson vibe, with its quirky, almost cinematic presence. I always try to snap a photo, but it always just appears, so I’ve never quite managed to capture it. You’ll know it when you see it, about 20 minutes before you reach Vals! Please send pics.
Accommodation
My family has come to the thermal baths in Vals which were designed and built by the famous architect Peter Zumthor since they opened in 1996. It has always been and still is one of my highlights of every trip to Switzerland. The way the baths are incorporated into nature is so particular in a way in which I have never seen anywhere else. Watching the mountain landscape, lying on one of the iconic chaiselongues which are also incredibly elegant is something else, I call it Mountain Cinema. Every season is special: Come in winter, you’ll get an incredible snowy surrounding, fog and cosy darkness. Come in summer, and you can observe the lush greenery of the grass which looks almost silky, hear the bells of the cows and get kissed by the warmth of the sun. Below you can see the most incredible view which I took during breakfast at the 7132 - the lush greenery seems almost silky in the morning light, do you see it?
Hotel 7132 House of Architects
The iconic 7132 - House of Architects, which is part of the famous thermal baths has 73 rooms. They were designed by four very famous architects: Peter Zumthor, Thom Mayne, Kengo Kuma and Tadao Ando. We spent the entire day in the thermal baths, I read the fantastic book Butter by Asako Yakuza and had a very relaxing night in one of the beautiful rooms by Kengo Kuma, watching Youth by Sorrentino, my favorite film that I always watch when I'm in Switzerland.
I love the architecture of the hotel entrance. My favorite photo of it is the one below, featuring a beautiful vintage Porsche, which I took during a visit in 2019. When you enter the House of Architects, you will find a very tastefully designed lobby with some beautiful Bertoia Diamond Chairs. I love the sprinkled stone floorings with 70s vibes, which is so elegant. There are diamond chairs at the outside of the conference rooms too which is a great vibe for a conference! I want to go to that conference. On the right image below you can see how the building of the thermal baths merges in such a natural way into the landscape.
Thermal baths
The thermal baths were built in 1996 and, in my view, are one of the most relaxing places on earth. They were built from 60.000 slabs of Vals quartzite. Inside, there are various pools with different temperatures. I love starting in the cold 13°C pool, followed by the 42°C one, and repeating the process several times. There are beautiful wooden lounge chairs on which you can relax and doze out or read for hours. Outside there is a beautiful pool: Go and try to find the hot streams in the corners of the pool (IYKYK)! The thermal baths have a no-phone policy which means that you can really relax fully. There is no music - just the architecture, the mountains and your own presence. The chaiselonges are called Valserliege, and are also designed by Zumthor, they are beautiful and perfectly fit into the landscape. Here is an interesting article about the chairs, if you want to read more about it!
Lunch
Walk 6km uphill from Vals village, and you get to this lovely place with really sweet owners. You can also drive up by car - which we did because we were very lazy. It’s quite curvy and steep, you might not want to drink if you do come by car, just to note :) In this place you can also overnight in one of two beautiful jurts. Unfortunately they will close down by end of September and it was all booked out until then (I asked, because I would have loved to do that). But you can have lunch or dinner here, which I would definitely recommend!
More Things To See & Do
There is a very cute shop close to the Therme called Terralpin Alpiner Genussmarkt, which sells Swiss specialities. Among those specialities we can also find marmot cream. I don’t really know what that is and I am not sure if I am repulsed by it or what. I could google what it is, but I like the mystery so I will not.
We usually have a drink at the beautiful Hotel Alpina on the village piazza, I did also have a really great and very pretty hay soup with flowers there recently. 7132 also opened a design cafe with coffee, baked goods and coffee table books which I think will be worth seeing - but we were there outside the opening hours, so I didn’t see it in person.
Zuoz
I had never been to this wonderful village before until my friend Raphaela told me about it and I started to look into it for our roadtrip. Just twenty minutes by car from St. Moritz, this is the most beautiful, charming village and it is full of art. The as called Art Public Plaiv is a project focused on contemporary art in public spaces between the villages of La Punt Chamues-ch and S-chanf (I don’t know either how to pronounce those names) which includes also Zuoz. The works by internationally acclaimed artists such as James Turrell and Kippenberger are standing around in the village basically - free to see for everyone.
Accommodation
Hotel Castell
I came across this hotel by chance while I was researching the iconic James Turrell - Skyspace which we wanted to visit in Zuoz. The space is literally two minutes by foot from the hotel and part of the Art Public Plaiv.
I have never come across a hotel like the Castell: Staying here feels like a really fun Easter Hunt for contemporary art. You will come across works by famous artists really everywhere - from the back door of the garage to the playroom, the pool and the terrace from artists such as Kippenberger, Laurence Weiner, Carsten Hoeller, David Renggli, Fischli & Weiss - and these artists have mostly also stayed in the hotel. We really enjoyed this place so much! We lingered across every floor, making sure we don’t miss any works. The Castell also hosts art weekends, read here for more information - there is something happening at the Castell in mid September with artists Tadashi Kawamata, Gina Fischli, and Florian German which looks great!
My favorite art work inside the hotel was the Red Bar, designed by the famous artist Pippilotti Rist whose beautiful light work Pixelwald is currently on display in Kunsthaus Zuerich. I also loved the hamman, which has different cabins you can enter with your hamam ingredients, the cabins shine in orange, pink and red light and almost feel like being inside another Turrell work :)
Art Highlights
Galerie Tschudi
Wow, this place. You enter the gallery through a small, wooden door thinking it’s just two rooms but then you realise you came into an impressive multi-story house with art works of famous, contemporary artists and an architectural fusion of the old and the new. Make sure you don’t miss the top floor with an amazing 360° view and chairs to enjoy it fully <3
James Turrell, Skyspace Piz Uter, 2005
The beautiful Skyspace focuses on the interaction between architectural interior and natural exterior spaces by "bringing" the sky into the ceiling opening. Come at different times of the day to experience different colors inside the building and the sky - it’s perfect if you stay at the Castell, because as mentioned the hotel is literally two seconds away by foot.
Martin Kippenberger, Transportabler U-Bahn Eingang, 1997
This is one of his as called “pointless construction projects” (love that idea generally), of which he built a couple - one on the Greek island Syros, one in Canada and one in Leipzig. The artwork is so special, especially with the surrounding mountain landscape, they are really worth a visit.
Lunch / Dinner
Dorta
We had already booked a really good dinner in our hotel, but Dorta had also been recommended by quite a few friends. We passed by to have a look and it looked very cute - the waiters told us reservations are needed! Next time.
St. Moritz
About St. Moritz: It is what you make it to be and which places you choose to go to. I guess you can go to incredibly expensive, posh restaurants and spend more money than what it would actually be worth. Or you can take out the gems of this place and stay away from the show-offs, which is what we usually do. This time we came in the summer break which sadly meant that all the galleries were on a summer break. We had come in winter already, and saw this amazing show Engadin by Gerhard Richter which I will not forget.
How to get here: Depends of course from where you arrive, but if you come from Laax, the fast route is to pass through the Julierpass. Just be aware that the conditions in winter can be *interesting*. We drove over last year in winter when it was raining in Laax - little did I think about the fact that rain in Laax means absolute snow, ice and fog chaos on the pass. We drove a 4x4, but it was so icy that the car did a 180° on the mountain glacier street. I didn’t know anymore where the front and where the back of the street was, so much fun lol! In summer it’s really a blast driving up here, don’t know if I would come back through the Julier in difficult conditions though lol. St. Moritz is just twenty minutes away from Zuoz, and about 1:40 from Laax.
Accommodation
We didn’t stay overnight, but I would like to stay at the Kulm Hotel which is iconic and exclusive or Hotel Reine Victoria, which seems more simple but also very beautiful. Maybe I can go next time, then I can report back on how it was. We got a coffee at the terrace of Kulm though, which was nice!
Galleries & Museums
Hauser & Wirth
When we came last time in winter, we came for the amazing Engadin exhibition of Gerhard Richter, curated by Dieter Schwarz at Hauser & Wirth (as well as Segantini and Waldhotel Sils). The Engadin exhibition was all about Richters’ relationship to the alps which has lasted already since the 1989s when he visited the Alpine village Sils for the first time. I loved this exhibition so much, one image from the exhibition is in the below image gallery. The gallery space is great, it has two floors and a small book shop, it is very central in town. During the summer break, the gallery opened a bar space called Roth Bar. Here you can find the programme for the next months!
Segantini Museum
Part II of the Gerhard Richter Engadin exhibition was shown at the Segantini Museum, which is another beautiful gallery a bit outside the centre of St. Moritz. The museum opened in 1908 and was created as a memorial to the painter Giovanni Segantini. Beautiful rooms! Only thing to note, the exhibition was quite small and the cost for the entrance ticket quite high (I think it was something like 20 Franks)
Cafes/Restaurants
Hanselmann
When it comes to St. Moritz, I’m acutely aware of where we choose to go. I don’t appreciate posh places where one overpays for mediocre quality and is surrounded by posh people - I mean who likes that. So we asked our Swiss friends where they would go - and Hanselmann despite being not a secret tip was mentioned again and again as the OG. They’ve got a café inside and a Bratwurst stand outside, which sounds promising enough. To be honest, in the end I don’t think it makes sense to stay in the cafe to sit, the view isn’t great and the staff was rather rude (?), but they sell really beautiful chocolates and we had a very delicious mini thing with salmon cream and a sour cucumber which was tasty! Will go back but do take-away next time and buy some little gifts :)
We didn’t have lunch in St. Moritz as we moved on to Zuoz, but on my wishlist is the restaurant La Scarpetta, which looks really good and has been recommended by many
Architectural Highlights
Oscar-Niemeyer-House
We set out to view the only Oscar Niemeyer house in Switzerland, a rare gem nestled at St. Moritz lake. The best way to take in this architectural marvel is by embarking on the scenic hike around the lake, a 4-kilometer trail that skirts the lake's edge. Niemeyer, the Brazilian visionary is often mentioned alongside his mentor Le Corbusier, and is celebrated as one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. The house in St. Moritz, now serving as both home and studio to the photographer Florio Puenter (lucky him!), remains off-limits to the public. However, it’s still very much worth the visit, as you can admire its distinctive design from the outside. Located at Via Dimlej 14, the house stands out unmistakably along the lake path, making it a must-see for any architecture enthusiast visiting the area.
Chesa Futura, finalized in 2004
This is a pretty sick holiday home designed by the renowned Zurich-based British architect Norman Foster, which he created to become a personal retreat for himself and his circle of friends (why am I not his friend I wonder). Chesa Futura, meaning house of the future in Romansch, stands out with its striking, bubble-like form that feels very organic. The textured wooden exterior draws inspiration from the traditional local chalets but fusing this alpine heritage with modern innovation. The spacious terraces not only create inviting outdoor spaces but also offer pretty breathtaking views of the Alps, allowing natural light to flood the interior. The effect is stunning, a seamless integration of architecture and nature that epitomizes Foster's visionary approach to design. You can only see the house from outside, or you need to become Fosters’ friend.
Sils
The distance from Zuoz or St. Moritz to Sils is like a hop and a step, making it an essential stop on any Engadin itinerary. This picturesque village, with just 750 inhabitants, may be small, but it leaves a big impression. We spent a whole afternoon here, and it’s a place I can’t wait to come back to with more time.
The natural beauty surrounding Sils is breathtaking, with the serene lakes with crystal clear turquoise water, the Silvaplanersee and Silsersee, which are framed by majestic mountain scenery. There’s a sense of perfection here, with Switzerland as a sanctuary. There’s something undeniably comforting about spending a bit of time in a place that feels untouched by the world’s troubles.
Accommodation
Waldhaus Sils
We didn’t stay overnight, but we did stop for coffee at the renowned Waldhaus Sils, a place that has been a favorite retreat for the famous painter Gerhard Richter. I was so excited to go and I was somehow surprised, it was really unpretentious (in a good way), much less then I think the website does communicate it to be.
I kind of loved their merch especially in the light of the current great trend of very hip ghia & Comme Si water bottles (I bought the ghia one, of course), the Waldhaus Sils one is very iconic!
I really enjoyed sitting in the hotel restaurant, sipping my wine and watching some guests playing tennis and others strolling around in bathrobes, as the SPA was just next door. I felt a bit like in a movie doing that?
Hikes
There were plenty of great options, this time we opted for a softer hike around Silsersee. As we wandered, we stumbled upon the Nietzsche Haus, where the philosopher once lived. Honestly, no wonder he came up with such brilliant ideas—I would too if I lived in that house?
The hike itself was pure bliss, leading us to this honestly ridiculous and unreal tiny village where we stopped for a really nice lunch at a restaurant at the lake, called Lagrev. Ignore their website, it doesn’t do justice to the place. You can’t walk around the entire lake, but frequent buses swing by to take you back, so there’s no stress about the return trip. It’s the perfect way to soak in the beauty of the area without overexerting yourself.
La Passarella
When we got back, we treated ourselves to an ice cream at the café Passarella on the village piazza—a perfect spot to sit back, take in the surroundings, and indulge in some high quality people-watching before heading home. Cash only! Wandering around the village afterward, we stumbled upon some adorable souvenir shops, like these charming key rings that make for a perfect little memento to bring back with you <3
Zuerich
Accommodation
Signau House & Garden
I don’t have a tested hotel recommendation for Zuerich: I was in touch with Signau House & Garden, but our stay didn’t work with their availability, as they are a very small hotel. It is a place I would love to try out, maybe next time!
Restaurants
Kronenhalle
This is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world to me: We come here every time we are in Zürich. At Kronenhalle, you sit beneath masterpieces by some of the most famous painters—Miró, Chagall, Picasso, Giacometti—where legends like Andy Warhol, Catherine Deneuve, Patrick Süskind, Paloma Picasso, and Yves Saint Laurent have all taken their seats.
Kronenhalle feels like the Swiss counterpart of my beloved Paris Bar in Berlin or the fabulous Odeon in New York, a haven for those who appreciate the art of discreet people-watching. You can even request to sit under specific paintings, I personally like to sit under the Miró. I also have to say it feels quite good to write a sentence like that - try and write that into your reservation, you’ll see!
Museums & Architecture
Kunsthaus Zürich
Switzerland’s largest museum is a must-visit, spread across two buildings: the original "Moser Bau" and the striking extension designed by David Chipperfield, and opened in 2021. The Chipperfield addition is particularly noteworthy for architecture enthusiasts!
Inside, you'll find an impressive collection featuring some very important works by Picasso, van Gogh, Joseph Beuys, Warhol, and Rothko, alongside a rotating array of temporary exhibitions. The museum also boasts a design shop, though it’s worth noting that it’s not essential. So often, museum shops fall short, and this one is no exception—sometimes it’s a mystery why they’re not more engaging? I would love to consult museums on that (a museum shop is the perfect place to sell souvenirs and they so often don’t use it!) Nonetheless, the museum itself is a rich experience, well worth exploring for both art and architecture lovers alike.
Pavilion Le Corbusier
I’ve visited the pavilion for the second time already, and it remains just as great. In the summer, you can even take a refreshing dip in the lake that is so close, around the house lots of people are doing picnics which I think is absolutely aspirational. This building is particularly special as it was the last one designed by Le Corbusier, it also features some stunning Prouvé chairs. The blend of architectural brilliance and stylish design makes each visit a delightful experience - one of my favorite details is the oval door which leads to the roof terrace!
Entertainment
Seebad Utoquai
I can never go back to any Berlin waters! Honestly. Fresh water, you can lie on a wooden floor, leave all your belongings there when you take a dip (well..at least that’s what I did, I don’t guarantee anything). There were areas for women only which I thought was awesome. Loved it. A big thank you to my friend Raphaela for telling us to come to this spot! We visited after a hearty lunch at Kronenhalle, and swimming in cold water was exactly what I needed to feel rejuvenated. I expected to be like a deflated swimming balloon, but the invigorating cold water was a refreshing wake-up call. Now I want to move to Zuerich of course!
Ticino: Valle Verzasca, Ascona, Locarno
This is another place from my childhood: Whenever the weather didn’t cooperate in Laax, we would drive about three hours to Ticino, where sunny days were almost guaranteed. The riverbanks here are perfect for relaxing, with striking emerald-green water - there are different points you can go to. Either you can go to the “Ponte dei Salti” and climb between huge stones or find beautiful, hidden spots by hiking the Sentiero hike,
You can also drive a bit further to Maggia, Ticino or Brenno valley. Maybe google what you like best - close by are also the beautifulVilla Scherrer, Ascona and Locarno which is where I took the below images in 2017.
There is also an annual film festival in Locarno which happens in August.
Davos
We came here only once but it was great: We drove here to visit the Kirchner Museum. Worth it, if you like Kirchner, who was one of the most important expressionists who spend his life in Davos!
C'est ça les amis, I gave you all I know. All these places are pretty fantastic and amazing holiday locations. Please report back if you go, makes me so happy to hear.
Have a fantastic weekend.
Your Close Internet Friend,
LKD