If ever there was a built environment that perfectly represented the synergy of dichotomous characteristics and periods, it’s Hotel Maistra 160 in Pontresina, a traditional mountaineering village in the Engadin region of Switzerland.

Designed by Gion A. Caminada, one of the country’s most celebrated architects, the hotel (which is a member of the Aficionados collection of design-forward hotels) is a 36-room and 11-lodge boutique property offering the throngs of outdoor enthusiasts who visit the area a respite that reads part rustic alpine lodge, part urban resort, and part grand hotel of a bygone era.

Amethyst-hued ceiling panels mark the spa atrium

At the start, visitors are greeted with a façade of clean lines and a rigid geometric, almost Brutalist composition of concrete cladding and local Bodio Nero granite columns. The latter continues inside the lobby, giving the space a monochromatic and minimalist appearance. The columns also informally become a wayfinding system, ushering guests down a terrazzo-floored corridor flanked by the hotel’s restaurant and bar on one side and the reception, library, and lounge on the other.

Yet the design manages to counterbalance the spare structural language with a cozy casualness using round chandeliers with an ambient glow, warm wood paneling, curved forms, and upholstered furniture in the surrounding amenity zones. In one of the dining rooms, the Arvensaal, the design once again feels grand with its soaring double-height ceiling of coffers fitted with a blue acoustic textile, and an open fireplace. The space below, meanwhile, is clad entirely in warm pine and grounds the room, making it feel much more intimate. All these public-facing areas enjoy massive picture windows offering panoramic views of the varied landscape, from the Via Maistra promenade to the Corviglia and Piz Julier mountains.

Green velvet seating lines the perimeter of the lounge, which invites in alpine views

After the day’s activities, guests who want a restorative experience before retreating to their rooms can visit the hotel’s spa, which spans two levels and includes every type of facility one expects to find in a sleek holistic wellness center, from a basalt-clad steam bath and Finnish sauna to a sundeck.

Drawing from elements of nature—such as water, fire, air, stone, and earth—the spa’s design merges these in both a literal and visual way that, once again, presents some intriguing juxtapositions. For instance, a stone-columned space evokes a traditional cloister but with modern details such as an open-air concrete oculus and a bed of jagged stones unexpectedly poking out the center of a shallow, jetted warm-water relaxation pool.

At reception, blonde timber backs the front desk and draws attention to a statement-making chandelier

Meanwhile, the spa’s lounge area overlooking the cloister through full-height glazing recalls the elements of fire and stone with its pink-reddish Swiss marble tiling on the floor that carries through to the custom fireplace and complements amethyst-hued ceiling panels.

It’s in the hotel rooms where guests encounter a more traditional alpine feel. Here, floors are made with unstained Swiss stone pine, which partially wraps up the wall to form a headboard. “This is the predominant wood here that you see used in old Engadin houses,” says Richard Plattner, who co-owns the property alongside his wife and business partner Bettina Plattner-Gerber.

Swiss stone pine envelops the guestrooms, covering the floors and rising up the walls to form headboards, while a floral mural painted on the ceiling adds a vibrant touch

The material reappears in the Stüvetta, a dramatic feature found within every room. “It’s an intimate ‘room within a room’ cabin offering a peaceful retreat,” explains Plattner. Accessed via a sliding glass door, the Stüvetta is clad entirely in the pine, ceiling included—much like a sauna but without the heat—and is furnished with a stool and simple daybed. A cozy nook for reading, napping, working, and meditating, it’s windowed to allow ample natural light in but also to redirect focus onto the mountain landscape.

In keeping with the play on dualities, Caminada juxtaposed ruggedness with elegance, in the process bridging old with new in the rooms: The raw look of the pine—accompanying modern furnishings—and a clean neutral palette meet a colorful and romantic flourish wallpapered onto the ceiling above the bed. Indeed, the ceiling murals are unique to each room, depicting motifs ranging from traditional Grisons carnations to an elegant rose.

“These floral ornaments evoke the centuries-old tradition of ceiling painting and the grandeur of the Engadine hotel industry during the Belle Epoque,” says Plattner-Gerber. “It’s bringing the past to the present—and connecting with guests on a deeper level.”

 

This article originally appeared in HD’s April 2025 issue.