As you cross the threshold to this legendary hotel, you are following in the footsteps of many guests for whom the Waldhaus and surroundings have always meant pleasure and tranquility.
It was here, peaceful and unencumbered, far from the bustling world, on a hill in the forest high above Lake Sils that forebears decided to build the Waldhaus. Continuing their tradition, the fifth generation now personally welcomes guests.
HISTORY
The Waldhaus was opened on June 15, 1908, by great grandparents Josef Giger (1847–1921) and Amalie Giger-Nigg (1849–1924).
For many years, they had managed grand hotels but were not the owners.
They were followed by their daughter and son-in-law Oskar und Helen Kienberger, masterful pilots under frequently the most adverse external conditions.
Then their son Rolf Kienberger (1917–1994) und seiner Frau Rita (1926–2006) took over.
Starting in 1977 Maria und Felix Dietrich-Kienberger assumed responsibility, first shared with Maria’s parents, then, starting in 1989, with Maria’s brother Urs Kienberger.
Since 2010, brothers Claudio und Patrick Dietrich have taken over management.
Claudio is in charge of everything concerning food and drink, with Patrick responsible for accommodations, from reservations to housekeeping.
Together they continue to give the Waldhaus a human face and a very personal character.
The Waldhaus thus remains purely a family affair without external partners or managers, very rare for a hotel of this kind and size. Of course, even here many things have changed.
Dawn over Lake Silvaplana. The Fex Valley to the south. Maloja and Lake Sils to the west. Ibex, chamois and bearded vultures high up and above Piz Grevasalvas and Piz Lagrev.
As appealingly diverse as these views are, the 140 rooms and suites at the Waldhaus are just as distinctive.
Just as at the beginning of the 20th century, rooms can be combined to meet the space requirements of guests, particularly families.
Three styles of rooms are available: classic, modern and nostalgic, the latter with the original restored furnishings from 1908.
And, as team make every effort to match guests’ personal room requests with diverse range of rooms, they are glad to learn about your needs and preferences.
The sitting room, bedroom and one of the two bathrooms with authentic appointments from 1908, when the hotel opened, lovingly and carefully restored.
The largest suites, unconventional and unmistakable.
Executive Chef Dennis Brunner, Sous-Chef Fabian Marolf and Pastry Chef Renato Pellegrinellihas have consuming passion.
What their kitchen crew lovingly arranges on the plates is nothing less than the taste of the Waldhaus itself: forest and garden, the Fex valley and Bregaglia, Alp Prasüra and the mountains.
With great respect for local producers in a region blessed by intact nature, chefs serve discerning guests a series of delights both large and small.
Wine steward Oscar Comalli and Managing Director Claudio Dietrich share a passion: the Waldhaus wine cellar.
Some 35,000 bottles, of which around 30 to 40% are Swiss wines, are stored here. Prominent rankings by wine experts and publications often mention wine list.
It represents a stunning selection at decidedly reasonable prices.
Flambéing, filleting, carving: you can experience the many skills of a good waiter at the Arvenstube restaurant.
Here, you can enjoy regional specialties, changing spécialités du marché, fine fish cuisine.
You can also order, à la carte, any dish from daily menu.
Head waiter José Manuel dos Santos and Jakob Schukraft invite you to come in. And look forward to welcoming you. Fragrant stone pine spices up the atmosphere.
The cozy Arvenstube is the only part of the hotel with a connection to local, alpine-rural building traditions.
In 1928 Waldhaus architect Karl Koller designed this room as a “Bündner Stube” for the first Swiss Exhibition for Women’s Work in Berne.
Brought home to Sils-Maria in 1929 and carefully restored in 2012, Arvenstube has been reborn twice over without losing the old charms.
International cuisine
The breakfast buffet is the domain of proud young chefs, whom you will meet personally in the dining room.
Maître d’Hôtel Walter Nana, Giuseppe Santoro and their team ensure prompt and friendly service.
Chef’s Table: a chance to take the true measure of a kitchen crew in full swing. Room for up to 12 guests. Chef’s Table – a delightful experience.
Executive Chef Dennis Brunner invites you to join him for an exclusive dinner in the impressive kitchen, preceded by a cellar visit to taste and select the appropriate wines.
Lovely great lounge with far-reaching rotunda, whose generous windows make it seem that you are sitting in a fairy-tale forest, is like a stylish living room. It is the focus of the hotel.
A peaceful private haven and public space at the same time. A place to read and reflect, play and dance, talk, meet and enjoy afternoon tea.
And, as the great lounge is such a special place, team tends atmosphere like a magical garden. Just next to the lounge is the bar, which Basel architects Miller & Maranta extensively restored and renovated.
Here you can enjoy a beer on tap, study the splendid selection of pure spirits, single malt whiskeys and other rarities.
You can also have lunch here, either à la carte or half-pension.
The gentle airs of the Waldhaus Trio drift through the bar and the lounge in late afternoon and from 9 p.m.
Beverages
There is no better way to get to know culinary philosophy than by opting for the traditional half-pension plan. Executive Chef Dennis Brunner and his kitchen crew bring close to a thousand different dishes to the table in the course of a season.
As a half-pension guest, you get to choose between different first courses, main courses – including fish and vegetarian options – and desserts every day.
For example, Weekly gala dinners provide further variety, as do dinners with a special theme and other special evenings.
Executive Chef Dennis Brunner is specially certified as a diet chef and would be happy to discuss your personal needs. Do not hesitate to contact him even before your arrival.
Iternational cuisine
The Waldhaus has always a close relationship with local producers. The farmers team works with are passionate about agriculture and take it very seriously.
This, in turn, informs all their dealings with their animals, their crops and their land, and it shows in the quality of their products – whether it is meadow-fresh milk from the Fex valley, goat cheese from Isola, dried meat from Pila or heirloom carrots from the Albula valley.
Note how team carefully list ingredients and suppliers at the breakfast buffet and on daily menus: “Tagliata of beef from Val Poschiavo cooked on 108-year-old charcoal grill, baked potatoes with pimento and rosemary, Sicilian vegetable ragout with Taggiasca olives and apple vinegar, lime chimichurri sauce”.
Enjoying the tasty foods, you also get closer to their origins.
Dolce Vita at the Waldhaus: team offers lunch and afternoon tea outdoors on the romantic terrace in the woods.
The Waldhaus trio plays except on Mondays and on Thursday afternoons.
12.00h - 14.30h
Until 17.30h
The borders between inside and out are blurred. Imposing light wells bring natural light into large rooms, whose walls are decorated with crystal glass mosaic tiles.
Both futuristic and naturalistic, the Waldhaus Spa with a surface area of 1400 square meters on three levels provides space for relaxation and promotes a sense of well-being: fitness, treatments and water-sport activities for all ages.
The new spa was opened for the 2016/17 winter season. Architects Miller & Maranta’s design has been carefully integrated into the surrounding larch and stone pine forests.
They were advised by Austrian spa specialist Susanne Kaufmann.
Gym is equipped with the latest Technogym fitness equipment and is located on the pool level of Waldhaus Spa.
The spa level has a spacious Finnish sauna and two steam baths.
A place for rest and relaxation, a holiday destination for multiple generations, a respite from the bustle of everyday life.
Experience the primal power of the alpine plant world in a contemporary way to promote beauty, health and well-being.
At the pool level with direct access to the terrace, you will find an outdoor whirlpool and a paddling pool, both heated to 34°.
On the treatment level with seven treatment rooms, professional therapists and beauticians enhance your sense of well-being and health.
As Switzerland’s premier winter sports region with two Winter Olympics in past, the Engadine offers an exceptional range of activities for snow-sport fans.
In summer the archaic natural landscape and cultural life are the main attractions.
Trendy sports originate in the Engadine, internationally renowned events are held, award-winning chefs cook, local traditions and a cosmopolitan spirit enter into a fascinating symbiosis.
GOLF
A round of miniature golf on 18-hole course in the larch forest promises a varied course and fun for young and old.
Clubs are available on the lunch terrace in the larch forest or at the Spa reception when the terrace is closed.
The Engadine offers 400 km of bike paths for all levels.
Mountain climbing, alpine tours, rock climbing at the high-rope park, for beginners and advanced climbers.
The Waldhaus is suffused with culture. Culture is in genes.
The romantic bays of crystal-clear lakes and the bubbling mountain streams which grace the landscape around Sils Maria are a paradise for ambitious fishermen.
The region offers an extraordinary range of beautiful opportunities for hikes and walks.
A carriage ride offers a change of pace and is a special experience for all ages.
Several riding schools and lovely bridle paths for exploring the countryside on horseback are nearby.
With the right equipment and professional instruction or in a tandem glider, this can be a memorable part of your summer or autumn vacation.
The legendary Maloja wind makes it possible: Lake Silvaplana is an internationally renowned and popular with sailors, wind surfers and kite surfers.
Four ski areas, with snow you can count on, offer winter sports enthusiasts 350 km of excellent runs.
Just above the Waldhaus, you will find a sledding run leading down to Lake Sils.
Snowshoeing off the beaten track is a splendid winter experience.
A fascinating and peculiar blend of architectural styles, the Redolfi family’s manor house, built in 1723, was expanded to a Moorish-Gothic “castle” after 1850.
Stand-up paddling is booming, particularly among young people.
The Waldhaus has two well-maintained outdoor sand courts and own indoor court.
Team is happy that you are thinking of the Waldhaus for a family vacation. So many of regular guests have been coming to the magical world of Sils Maria since they were children. Families have often been coming for generations.
Quite simply, staff wants to make you and your children feel at home. Young people, too, want their needs to be understood and taken seriously.
The Engadine offers them exciting opportunities right outside door.
A special program and sports activities for children and young people are a regular part of events calendar.
With a wide variety of rooms which can be combined and connected, the Waldhaus can create your family world in line with your needs.
If you have small children, team will be happy to furnish the necessary equipment so that you do not have to pack so much. For a free, team can organize a babysitter for you.
HOTEL WALDHAUS SILS
Via da Fex 37514 Sils-MariaSwitzerland