Hotel Albris

Hotel Albris, Pontresina: A Michelin Key Selected Gem in the Engadine

Hotel Albris in Pontresina, a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently receives high praise from guests for its blend of traditional charm, modern comfort, and exceptional service. Nestled in the heart of the stunning Upper Engadine valley, this family-run hotel offers a memorable Swiss mountain experience.

Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for Hotel Albris is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently rating it as "Wonderful" (9.4 out of 10 based on 147 reviews on Booking.com). Reviewers often express a strong desire to return, highlighting a delightful and relaxing stay. The hotel is praised for being friendly, clean, and providing a relaxed atmosphere.

Key Highlights

Guests consistently rave about several aspects of Hotel Albris:

• Exceptional Service: The warm, personal, and attentive service from the multi-generational Kochendörfer family and their dedicated staff is a recurring highlight.
• Superb Dining: The quality of the food, particularly the breakfast with fresh bread from their own bakery and the award-winning fish specialties, stands out.
• Prime Location: The hotel's central location in Pontresina, offering direct access to trails and proximity to public transport and local attractions, is highly valued.
• Comfortable & Thoughtful Design: The rooms are noted for being tastefully decorated, cozy, and featuring beautiful Engadine pine wood (Arvenholz) which contributes to a healthy and natural sleep environment.
• Wellness Facilities: A small but excellent wellness area including a sauna, sanarium, steam bath, and a relaxation room with mountain views adds to the guest experience.

Room Quality

The 37-38 high-quality rooms at Hotel Albris are described as comfortable, clean, and well-appointed with modern amenities. Many rooms are furnished with local Engadine wood, particularly Swiss pine (Arvenholz), known for its pleasant scent and promoting healthy sleep. Recent renovations have introduced new bed systems made from Engadine pine wood in the "Best" category rooms. Guests can choose from various room types, including spacious Swiss pine rooms with views of the Diavolezza, Roseg Valley, Julier mountain range, or the Tais forest. The luxuriously renovated attic rooms, featuring fragrant larch wood, offer fantastic views of the Engadine mountain landscape or the Bernina stream. Barrier-free and wheelchair-accessible rooms with new bathrooms are also available. Amenities typically include a flat-screen TV, minibar, safe, hairdryer, bathrobe, and free Wi-Fi.

Dining Experience

The dining experience at Hotel Albris is a significant highlight. The on-site à la carte restaurant, Kochendörfer, is celebrated for its delectable menu featuring market-fresh Swiss and international cuisine. Head Chef Claudio Della Pedrina and his team are particularly renowned for their "culinary supreme discipline of perfect fish preparation," which has earned the restaurant the "Golden Fish Excellent" award.

Breakfast is consistently praised as "super nice" and features a wide selection, including fresh bread baked daily in their own wood-burning oven, scrambled eggs, crepes, freshly squeezed orange juice, muesli, local meat, and cheese specialties. In the afternoons, guests can enjoy aromatic coffee and delicious fresh cakes from the hotel's own bakery, which has been producing a variety of pastries, pralines, and the house specialty, the Engadine cake, since 1896. For half-board guests, an extensive selection menu is offered in the Arvensaal, allowing guests to determine the number of courses and portion sizes.

Service & Staff

The service at Hotel Albris is consistently described as warm, personal, friendly, and excellent, reflecting the Kochendörfer family's four-generation philosophy of pampering guests. Staff members like Martina and Umberto, the two Chef de Service with decades of experience at the hotel, are highlighted as a "dream team" known for their charm, wit, and dedication. Guests appreciate the attentive nature of the staff, with one reviewer mentioning free overnight washing of skiing clothes as an example of exceptional service. Complimentary services such as shuttle service to and from Pontresina train station are also available.

Location & Accessibility

Hotel Albris boasts an "excellent" and "wonderful" location in the heart of Pontresina, a picturesque village in the Upper Engadine surrounded by breathtaking mountain landscapes. It offers direct access to hiking trails and ski slopes. The hotel is conveniently located a short walk from Pontresina Train Station, providing seamless connections to popular destinations like St. Moritz, Davos, and Zermatt. Local bus services are also easily accessible, allowing guests to explore the surrounding area at their own pace. Nearby attractions include Piz Languard (1 min walk), Alpin Museum Pontresina (6 min walk), Bellavita Pool and Spa (9 min walk), and Val Roseg (14 min walk).

Value & Pricing

Guests generally find Hotel Albris to offer good "value for money," with an average rating of 8.9 on Booking.com. Room prices vary by season and room type. For example, in winter (December to April), prices start from CHF 290 for room and breakfast, and from CHF 380 for half board for stays of 2 nights or more. In summer (June to October), prices begin at CHF 270 for room and breakfast, and CHF 360 for half board for stays of 2 nights or more. These prices are per room per day, excluding a tourist tax of CHF 3.10 per person per day. A significant value add for stays of 2 nights or more during summer is the free use of Upper Engadine mountain railways and public transport. During winter, guests have the option to purchase a hotel ski pass at a reduced price of CHF 47 per person per day for the entire duration of their stay.

Common Complaints

While overwhelmingly positive, some minor points have been noted:

• Accessibility: The hotel is generally not barrier-free, although new barrier-free and wheelchair-accessible rooms are now available.
• Air Conditioning: Hotel rooms at Albris do not have air conditioning. However, given the mountain climate of Pontresina, this is often not a major concern for guests.
• Cancellation Policy: For restaurant reservations, a cancellation fee of CHF 50 per person may be charged for cancellations made less than 12 hours before the visit or in case of no-shows.

Sources

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5. myswitzerland.com
6. michelin.com
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