Switzerland’s most surprising art museum? It’s a hotel
In the snowy heights of Switzerland's Engadin valley, hotel Castell Zuoz stands as more than just a luxury mountain retreat - it's a masterclass in contemporary art collecting. The former sanatorium-turned-boutique hotel in tiny Zuoz has, under the careful curation of owner Ruedi Bechtler, transformed into what might be the Alps' most compelling art destination.
@Castell Zuoz
Walking through Castell's sun-drenched corridors feels like exploring a carefully curated museum where the art isn't merely decorative - it's the hotel's beating heart. James Turrell's light installation "Skyspace Piz Uter" crowns the property, a mesmerizing space where the artist's signature manipulation of light frames the Alpine sky in ways that shift one's entire perception of color and space.
Skyspace Piz Uter by James Turrell
Skyspace Piz Uter by James Turrell
@Castell Zuoz
The Red Bar by Pipilotti Rist and Gabrielle Hächler
@Castell Zuoz
The hotel's collection reads like a who's who of contemporary art. Julian Schnabel's enormous plates installation commands attention in the restaurant, while Roman Signer's "Steinhaus" - a tiny stone house with water periodically cascading down its roof - provides an unexpected meditation on Alpine architecture. Guests might find themselves having breakfast next to a Pipilotti Rist video installation or discovering a Dan Flavin light piece illuminating an otherwise unassuming corner.
@Castell Zuoz
But what sets Castell apart is how seamlessly the art integrates with the hotel experience. This isn't a sterile gallery space - it's a lived-in environment where contemporary masterpieces coexist with the day-to-day rhythms of hotel life. The 1913 building itself, with its distinctive yellow facade and modernist touches, provides a perfect canvas for this artistic intervention.
For those seeking both altitude and cultural elevation, Hotel Castell offers a rare combination: world-class art amid the rarefied air of the Engadin, where every window frame captures a masterpiece of nature to rival the art within.
@Castell Zuoz