Pontresina resort guide - a general overview
Pontresina is small and sedate and an excellent base for the extensive cross-country skiing of the Engadine area. It is a sheltered, sunny village with one main street. The skiing is reached by road so unless you are OK with using local buses it's best to have a car in resort. Ski holidays in Pontresina are a cheap alternative to staying in neighbouring St Moritz but the nightlife is quiet by comparison and the shopping not as good either! Maybe that's not a bad thing. Dining is centred around the several good quality hotels here.
The local ski area a few kilometres away at Diavolezza is really very good, especially if you are an expert and can make the most out of some truly spectacular, untracked and long off-piste descents. The on-piste skiing is good but as this area is relatively small there is not enough to amuse beyond one or two days. However, St Moritz (in the other direction) offers two much larger ski areas with much more to interest the piste cruiser as well as off-piste experts.
Resort stats
350km
1,805m - 2,980m
Level of skiing
- Beginners
- Intermediates
- Experts
- Snow sure
- Off-piste
- Ski area
Qualities
- Charm factor
- Non-skiers
- Nightlife
- Resort layout
- Fine dining
- Short transfer
- Resort value
Airports
- Zurich
- 4hrs
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Cheaper alternate base from which to explore Engadine area than St Moritz
- High snow sure skiing with good snow record and over 300 sunshine days a year
- Excellent cross country terrain on the doorstep
- Good quality relatively inexpensive hotels
- Not popular with the British so that you get the genuine feeling of being 'abroad'
Cons
- Limited nightlife which revolves around hotel bars
- You need a car to reach the skiing and to best explore the Engadine area
- Long transfer although the rail journey is very pleasant
Restaurants
Pontresina Resort Restaurants
This small, sedate village surprisingly has a lot to offer when it comes to culinary delights. You can choose to go for a four course gourmet dinner Berghaus Diavolezza which offers magically creative dishes (at a cost!). Or if you would like a local cheese specialty head to one of the rustic pine-panelled restaurants such as the Bundnerstube Rosatsch. Many more restaurants offer these local specialities and there are also a couple of restaurants offering varied international cuisine including Asian and Italian. There is certainly something for everybody in Pontresina.
Pontresina Mountain Restaurants
Mountain restaurants are quite limited in Pontresina. For more choice head over to St Moritz which has plenty more to choose from. St Moritz has some of the most glamorous mountain restaurants in the Alps. The one to head to is the trendy El Paradiso which is at the far end of Corvgilia which has stunning views and the food is outstanding. For a more rustic, chalet style restaurant head to the Alpetta which also has great reviews.
Funicular
Cable Car
Gondola
Chair lift
Drag lift
Property
