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The Kronenhof Spa will stay open until midnight on Saturday 10 March, so that both hotel and external guests can relax before slipping off to sleep: swim a few leisurely lengths of the impressive swimming pool and then enjoy the delights of the hydrotherapy pool, the saunas including various steam baths, the saltwater grotto, the stone grotto steam room and the walk-in
flotation area.
 
The Engadin’s Full Moon activities start on Wednesday 7 March with late night, moonlit skiing from 7:30pm to 11:15pm on the ski area of Diavolezza.  A traditional tummy-warming fondue in the mountain restaurant at the top of Diavolezza is followed by a peaceful descent
of the slopes, which take on dramatic monochromatic shapes under the light of
the moon.  We would say it’s amazing, but the locals, speaking in Romansh, say it’s simply “fabulus”, which means like a fable or fairy tale – which is a far more evocative way to describe the incredible experience.

Thursday 8 March is the day of the Full Moon and there is a guided snow-shoe tour of the Muottas
Muragl mountain, from 7:30pm to 10:30pm. Muottas Muragl is said to have the most beautiful views in the Engadin, so it makes sense that a slow, gentle walk has been planned that will allow participants to really savour the mystical beauty of the Alpine vistas.  The walk lasts for about 90 minutes, followed by well-deserved cakes and mugs of mulled wine in the panoramic restaurant,
before the oldest funicular in the Engadin takes the group back down to the valley.

On Friday 9 March, between 6pm and 11pm, visitors will have a rare chance to ride on the Rhaetian Railway by the light of the full moon to the Alp Grüm/Bernina Pass.  Sitting in the observation car, with its glass sides and roof, guests will be served a complimentary aperitif before the train starts off along its UNESCO World Heritage run. Grandstand views of the magical world of imposing mountains and mighty glaciers will be accompanied by the rich history
of the region, as told by local experts.

This special night-time trip begins in Pontresina (or St. Moritz), from where the train climbs past the ancient icy glaciers of the Bernina Massiv and onward to Alp Grüm. One of the high points - literally - of this trip is a meal in the Ristorante Albergo Alp Grüm at 2,091 metres above sea level, as twilight falls.  On the return journey, with the full moon shining in all its glory, the lights of the train will be switched off and classical music will accompany the stunning views – your Veltlin wine will be sure to taste twice as good!

For more details of the Full Moon events, please visit www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/winter/en/. 

For more information or to book a stay at Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Pontresina, please
visit www.pontresina.com. 

-Ends-
/Travmedia.com/

Notes
for editors

Grand Hotel Kronenhof, located in Pontresina, six miles from St Moritz, offers the best of
both worlds: the chance to enjoy the glitz of St Moritz, while staying in a peaceful mountain village.

Grand Hotel Kronenhof has a rich and interesting history, having first opened its doors in the first half of the 19th century as a guesthouse. However, the main part of the current building, which is a registered historical landmark, was built at the very end of the 19th century in neo-Baroque style. The latest addition, completed in November 2007 and costing CHF 50 million (approximately £30 million), consists of 28 new guest rooms and a stunning spa complex covering more than 2000 square metres.

The spa is certainly one of the hotel’s highlights and has been described as
“the best Alpine spa” (Tyler Brule writing in the Financial Times).  Facilities include a 20m indoor infinity pool with counter-current system, a flotation pool with underwater music, a wide
range of saunas and steam rooms, a luxurious private suite for couples to enjoy wraps and massages together, and – for the perfect final touch – a crackling log fire in the relaxation room.

Gourmet cuisine is also a speciality at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof.  Awarded the title of GaultMillau Hotel of the Year in 2009, it has four restaurants (the formal Grand dining room in an
elegant Rococo vaulted room, Kronenstübli with 16 GaultMillau points serving local Engadin specialities, the traditional bowling lanes where Swiss raclette is served and an informal pavilion for light lunches).

Finally, Grand Hotel Kronenhof is renowned for its extensive children’s activities and facilities (a kids’ playroom and Rondelle, a restaurant just for younger members of the family).

Both the Grand Hotel Kronenhof and its sister property the Kulm Hotel-St Moritz are
owned by the Niarchos family.