Before St. Moritz existed, there was Engelberg. In the 1920s, Europe’s golden society flocked here to ski badly while looking utterly magnificent doing so. The premier destination of the era was Klein-Versailles, a palace in the heart of Engelberg run by the Cattani family. A century later, the palace still stands — today as the Kempinski Palace Engelberg.
Arrival Between Mountains and Blossoms
I arrive in late spring. The mountain village lies nestled between Titlis and Hahnen. Carpets of crocuses, flowering meadows scattered like stars, a modest wooden hut, and the return of that feeling only the Alps can evoke.
I imagine it resembles what Julie Andrews once felt when she sang in The Sound of Music: «The hills are alive.» Much like in the film, Engelberg grew around monastic life and still carries an almost naïve charm.
The hotel lies nestled between Titlis and Hahnen. (Image: Kempinski Palace Engelberg)
