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BOOKING
1874 – Today
History of the Palace
The Palace has stood on the highest point of Mürren’s mountain terrace since 1874.
The cozy mountain village in the Bernese Oberland at 1650 m above sea level, high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, is considered the cradle of alpine skiing. At the beginning of the 20th century, the daring, mainly British ski pioneers met here. At that time, the hotel was surrounded by an extensive park. The large panoramic terrace with fountain offers a magnificent view of the unique Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountain range.
The Grand Hotel in Mürren is considered to be the oldest “Palace” in Switzerland. Until the 1930s, it accommodated the rich and famous from all over Europe. After the Second World War, Mürren was overtaken by St. Moritz and Gstaad as a VIP hotspot.
In 2023, the Palace is awakened from its dormancy after many eventful years and over a decade of standstill. The renovation of the existing hotel building will begin in summer. Work on the new Dépendance will start at the same time.
1874
After five years of construction, the Grand Hotel in Mürren celebrates its opening. It presents itself to an illustrious clientele under the name “Grand Hôtel des Alpes”. Customers are attracted by the promise of “unsurpassed views of the snow-capped mountains” (see “Mürren in der Architekturgeschichte der Schweizer Hotelbauten” by Roland Flückiger-Seiler).
1891
From now on, guests can travel in comfort from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren by cable car.
The historic Hotel Palace des Alpes with panoramic terrace and park.
Zeitstrahl
The first winter season
In 1910, the mountain railroad also runs to Mürren in winter for the first time. Just two years later, the Mürren Ski Club is founded. Tourism booms until the First World War.
1911
The Palace is extended and receives its magnificent ballroom as a popular venue.
1928
The representative east-facing transverse building burns down. Today’s hotel building is erected on the Art Nouveau hall as a replacement. The viewing terrace is removed and the surrounding area becomes overgrown.
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
(Source: Poster Team, Switzerland)
Very difficult years and then the standstill.
At the end of the 1970s, the rear part of the hotel building had to make way for the construction of the alpine sports center. What remains is the entire hotel infrastructure, but only 90 beds and the historic hall for 300 people. This meant that the hotel could no longer be run profitably. It changed hands several times, closed in 2009 and went bankrupt in 2013.
After turbulent times, 2016 marks the start of a promising future.
In this year, locals, second home owners and long-standing Mürren vacation guests found Palace avenir AG. It buys the hotel from the bankruptcy estate in 2018, redeems existing time-share interests and sets up a pop-up operation from 2019 until spring 2023 to cover the fixed costs incurred.
Since summer 2023, the existing hotel building has been undergoing refurbishment and will be extended with a dépendance. This is the basis for the hotel to function economically. The original landscaping is also being reconstructed, and historical elements such as the spectacular viewing terrace will be brought back to life in future. The reopening is planned for the 2024/2025 winter season.
Looking back and into the future
Peter Wirth with an anecdote from the history books about the English-influenced beginnings of the hotel to an explanation for investors about the investment mix for the new Mürren Palace hotel project.
Dr. Peter Wirth, President of the board of directors Mürren Investment
The first hotel in Mürren has an eventful past. Now the course is being set for the future of Switzerland’s first Palace. To make the hotel fit for the future, the number of rooms needs to be increased. This is being done with an extension, in which spacious and comfortable serviced apartments are being created. These also form the second pillar of the financing.
“Once a year you should visit a place you have never been before.”
Dalai Lama
The magic of the new Mürren Palace will resonate. All the better to come back again soon.