September and October are probably one of the best times for visit the Engadin Valley in Switzerland, if you ask me. You can still enjoy the beautiful warm weather and breathtaking landscape, but with a lot less tourists around. That’s why we decided to go for weekend trip in the region and stayed with the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina. We also took our Golden Retriever Dodo with us this, since the Grand Hotel is known for its family and dog friendliness.

We stayed at freshly renovated grand classic junior suite, which is south-facing with a spectacular view of the Roseg Glacier. The bathroom was very modern with white marble and Verde Spluga granite. The hotel also prepared little carpet, food and water bowls as well as treats for Dodo, which he appreciated very much.

We have always been fascinated by hotels with a long history and the Grand Hotel Kronenhof has just that, 170 years to be exact. Originally built as a Gasthus Rössli, hotel has gone through many upgrades and conversions. In 1898, the Grand Hotel l finally settled on its horseshoe-shaped three-wing structure and offered more than 350 beds. This neo-baroque building is one of the most architecturally significant Alpine hotels of the 19th century. During the First and Second World Wars, with few tourists around, the Grand Hotel managed to survive by selling Valtellina wines. It was finally after the 1948 Winter Olympics games, the Upper Engadine region become a fixed travel destination for the international crowd, especially during winter months.

When walking around the Grand Hotel , we were impressed by many original features that are well kept and preserved after so many times of facelifts over the years, such as the fresco in the Grand Restaurant, the Lobby, the Grand staircase, and so on. Two of our favorites, genuine Engadine parlor and the old Bowing Alley. The parlour is a little basement storeroom below the kitchen, which used to be the family room of the previous owner, the Gredig family. You can get some taste of domestic life from the times past. Now many abandoned skis from former guests are shown here, together with vintage dining table and chairs, and a tiled corner file place, which connected to the previous bedrooms upstairs. There is also a seat by the window, which overlooks the main street of Pontresina. Story goes that the Grandma of the family used to sit there everyday to watch the approaching guests. Judging by the types of carriage that the guests were riding with, the Grandma will shout to the rest of family on how much they should charge the guests per night. Now the room is served as a private dining space. The vintage Bowling Alley, also used in Winter months as a restaurant to serve traditional Swiss specialities, such as Fondue Chinoise, Cheese Raclette, is incredibly cute and charming. The kids had never played bowling below, so we taught them how to do it and played many games. It was really good fun!

Speak of dining, the Grand Hotel Kronenhof is an absolute heaven for foodies like us. We enjoyed our breakfast at the magnificent Grand Restaurant. Admired its beautiful fresco dated back to the 1800s while sipping a cup of English Breakfast and savoring some fresh pastries. For lunch, we sat on the balcony of Le Pavillon and had some traditional Swiss Rösti with an stunning view to the glacier. Last, but not the least, we had an amazing gourmet dinner at Kronenstübli, which has been awarded 16 Gault Millau points*. A combination of Italian-Mediterranean and French dishes were served to us. Not only was every single dish utterly delicious, but also the service provided by the staff was impeccable, reflecting the highest standards of the Swiss.

Obviously, one of the main reasons that attracts us to Engadin Valley is its breathtaking landscape and we were definitely not disappointed. There are many amazing hiking options near Pontresina. Lucky for us and any guests that are staying for two nights or more at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof, they offer free travel on all mountain railways operating within the Engadin St. Moritz holiday resort.

On day one, we opted for a breathtaking hike from Corvatsch Middle Station, to Fuorcla Surlej, then hike back to Pontresina, thanks to the great suggestion from the concierge of the Grand Hotel . Altogether including lunch, it took us about 6 hours to complete the hike. We first took a taxi to Corvatsch Station and took a cable car all the way up to the peak. There is considered the best view point of the entire Engadin Valley. Then we took the cable car back down to the middle station and started hike towards Fuorcla Surlej. This is an easy 30 mins hike on a well-maintained path with stunning views of the ice giants of Piz Bernina, the Biancograt ridge and Piz Roseg. Right beside Fuorcla Surlej restaurant, there is a small alpine lake mirrors the panorama of mountain peaks and makes the view of the glaciers of the Bernina range even more spectacular. Dodo couldn’t resist the temptation of the water and went in for some doggy paddling. We also sat on the terrace and enjoyed some simple and delicious Swiss lunch (make sure you bring cash here). After that, we started walking down the mountains and headed towards Pontresina. This journey took almost 2.5 hours and the views were very impressive.

On day two, we took advantage of the complimentary e-bikes offered by the Grand Hotel and did the Val Roseg tour. It was one of the most pleasant bike rides we have ever done. The tour begins in Pontresina Railway Station( about five minutes ride from the Grand Hotel) and continues slightly uphill along the valley floor on a wide unpaved road. Along the way, we could hear the Roseg stream's gentle babbling waters until we got ever nearer to the snow-covered tops of the highest summits in the Eastern Alps.

Last, but not the least, I must mention the wellness aspect of our stay at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof. First of all, definitely experience their indoor pools as they have absolutely breathtaking views to the mountains. Secondly, try their yoga lessons in the morning. I did a morning session on our stay and loved it a lot. The instructor was very great and I felt really relaxed and rejuvenated at the same time. When the weather is nice, they would even do it outside with the amazing mountain views.

Of course, with so much to experience, our two-day stay at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof went by like a blink of an eye. Hope we can return again, maybe in the winter time. I heard it is even more magical then. Can’t wait!

*Gault Millau rates on a scale of 1 to 20, with 20 being the highest. Restaurants given below 10 points are rarely listed. The points are awarded based on the quality of the food, with comments about service, price or the atmosphere of the restaurant given separately.

** We are invited by the Grand Hotel Kronenhof as guests, but all opinions are my own.