Photos by Paul Thuysbaert
To celebrate 100 years since esteemed British film director Alfred Hitchcock entered the film industry, Switzerland’s iconic Alpine hotel, Badrutt’s Palace, where Hitchcock honeymooned in 1926, is launching a dedicated season-long package honouring his lifelong devotion to the hotel and the majestic Engadin valley.
Available from 28 June to 9 September 2019, the three-night experience will include a stay in The Hitchcock Suite (room 501), indulgent Hitchcock-inspired cuisine (based on his favourite dishes), a cocktail making class in the storied Renaissance Bar, and live screenings of Hitchcock’s most celebrated films in the hotel’s celebrated Embassy Ballroom.
For Hitchcock, the St. Moritz valley transcended personal attachment; the breath-takingly scenic views provided the backdrop for many of his most renowned films, including The Prude’s Fall (1924) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), both showing off the prominent mountains sprinkled with stylish skiers.
While sat at his desk in Room 501, he is said to have written The Birds (1963), loosely based on the story of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, and though to have been inspired by the large flocks of mountain birds soaring high above the hotel’s turrets and spires.
For those craving a more exploratory experience, guests can quite literally follow in Hitchcock’s footsteps. His favourite St. Moritz spots included The Leaning Tower, which dates back to the 12th Century and competes for the title of ‘most inclined tower in Europe’, followed by the rustic interiors of the hotel’s village restaurant, Chesa Veglia, a firm Hitchcock favourite.
