Chronology Sporthotel Pontresina

1 chronology

1.1 background
1.2 hotel pontresina , post (1881)
1.3 hotel pontresina (1895)
1.4 boom , bubble (1901-1914)
1.5 world war (1914-1918)
1.6 postwar austerity (1918-1933)
1.7 financial restructuring (1933)
1.8 more financial restructuring , name change (1934-1939)
1.9 world war ii (1939-1945) , aftermath
1.10 bank exit , hotel rebirth (1963-1971)
1.11 modern times (1972-date)

chronology
background

in 1850 pontresina contained around 270 registered inhabitants, living agriculture , welcoming occasional traveller approaching little used bernina pass. in nineteenth century reconstruction/rediscovery of julier, maloja , albula passes, since end of roman empire had become mere bridle paths, marked lessening of isolation of engadin. swiss postal service founded in 1848 , inaugurated stagecoach service providing, first time, regularly operated transport network. development associated tourism surge. beneficiaries tarasp , st. moritz, 2 resorts able boast spa facilities, , in these 2 resorts first new hotels in engadin region built.

the first visitors came because doctors had recommended health cure, these joined more recreational travellers. 1850 there rapid growth in mountaineering leisure activity. pioneering mountain tourists, many of whom came england, favoured pontresina on st. moritz starting point engadin climbing holidays. first edition of s piz languard und die bernina-gruppe bei pontresina, oberengadin appeared in 1858. in tour guide parish priest st. moritz , samedan described hiking , mountaineering tours in wide area around pontresina. local improvement association ( verschönerungsverein ) founded in 1872 , 1890s had laid out network of paths , riding tracks extending more 80 km (50 miles). routes given euphonous names such schluchtenpromenade , thaispromenade or flazpromenade , total cost recorded 35,151 swiss francs.

visitors accommodated in simple guest houses such wirtschaft zur krone (which subsequently morphed grand hotel kronenhof ), , in rented rooms in homes of private individuals. 1870 sustained demand accommodation led hotels building boom, , 1890 number of hotels lined main street (via maistra), today.

hotel pontresina , post (1881)

construction of hotel pontresina & post




on left of block former photographic shop acquired alexander flury. in centre till had been maison stiffler guesthouse. right, ground floor of 4 floor extension on southern end of site has been built.

most of many hotels in pontresina either constructed purpose built or else result of change of use existing house. sporthotel pontresina s structure results more convoluted , iterative series of steps. hotel opened in 1881 still, in respects, comprised @ heart old maison stiffler guest house, dated 1866, architect brothers ragaz integrated overall building separate photographic shop acquired photographer, named alex flury. on ground floor of former photographic shop hotelier stoppany installed pontresina s (second) post station, generate customers hotel , restaurant.

the hotel pontresina after 1881 rebuild (now new church behind it).

the architects designed new unifying facade combined buildings , added floor on top of had been maison stiffler, resulting in 4 storey building. traditional post hotel ( hotel post ) nomenclature , increased number of relatively basic rooms part of hotel provided suitable overnight halt stage coach passengers , other guests simple requirements.

the fourth floor extension on main building applied simplified reading of renaissance revival style, flat roof topped off large hotel pontresina sign. greater height caused tower above less flamboyantly restyled building beside it. embellishment elements of five-section front facade formed of wood, sheet metal , zinc castings, coated in stone coloured paint. ground floor contained reception area , restaurant, open passing trade hotel guests not wishing spend time , money on bit meal (so eating à la carte ). @ of building ground floor incorporated kitchens restaurant , hotel. upstairs, more expensive guest rooms on first , second floors, benefitting large windows conferred remodelled facade on building s western (front) face, provided views on road towards roseg valley , glacier. 2 corner rooms particularly coveted, small balconies emerging bevelled corner shape of building. more modest top floor rooms provided guests less demanding requirements , servants accompanying of more affluent guests. 1881 extension left hotel capacity of around 66 beds.

guests politely firmly informed - here in 3 languages - when arrived late miss out on courses had been served.

the middle column, in english, includes injunction:

on western face of building, close mountainside, grand dining room positioned above kitchen on first floor. height encompassed both first , second floors. guests eating here benefitted multi-course menu, albeit without being able select individually dishes wished served. guests dined @ long banquet style table (the table d’hôte ). main meals served @ fixed times - 13.00 , 19.30 - , guests politely firmly informed when arrived late miss out on courses had been served. ( herrschaften, die verspätet ankommen, werden mit laufender platte servier .) supplementary payment of 1 swiss franc (lunch) or 2 swiss francs (dinner) guests elect served not @ shared long table @ separately assigned small tables.

the original painted ceiling of grand dining room today hidden behind painted plaster ceiling. separated , hidden, in hidden mezzanine gallery, storage location hotel silver, plates , dishes, heated hotplates , centre pieces tables , other elements appropriate quality of guests , formal meals @ table d’hôte . above dining room, on fourth floor, there more of modest hotel rooms, similar on fourth floor @ front of building.

individual private guest bathrooms, in exclusive hotels, not usual in europe in 1880s. each floor had grouping of washrooms , wcs, more sufficient number of bedrooms, beside main staircase. if guest wished take bath zinc bathtub produced , placed in guest s bedroom, , filled water hotel staff using jugs, in manner have reflected arrangements in homes of more affluent guests. although there @ stage no plumbed water supply guest bedrooms, basic personal ablution, urination , defecation, rooms provided own jugs, basins , night chamber pots. hotel still retains few porcelain examples, inscribed prestigious names of manufacturers brown-westhead, moore & co , villeroy & boch.

electric lighting installed 1891. guests prepared pay supplement able specify electric lighting bedrooms in place of more conventional (and dimmer) candle lighting.

across main street guests use hotel terrace, views of hotel gardens sloping away towards mountain stream flowing through resort , higher, across roseg valley. beneath terrace cellar, used storage, , accessible main hotel cellar using tunnel under main street. 2 wooden pavilions enabled guests sit , enjoy gardens while protected sun , rain.

hotel pontresina (1895)

hotel pontresina

commercial success permitted stoppany enlarge hotel in 1895. rebuild provided capacity increase 150 rooms 200 beds. guests had become more demanding in terms of creature comforts since 1880: hotel pontresina of 1895 able compete on equal terms @ top end of market constructed or renovated rival establishments in pontresina , st. moritz.

for planning, florian stoppany again employed architect jakob ragaz. had been new extension on southern end of building, in 1881, retained, , new northern wing joined it, replacing old maison stiffler guest house , former photographer s shop. greater overall symmetry of resulting structure made imposing contemporary palace-style hotel. replacement of hotel post portion of old building triggered name change: hotel known hotel pontresina . within enlarged hotel stoppany no keen able accommodate postal , communications facilities, , these repositioned in 1894/95 new purpose built post office @ via maistra 160, on readily identifiable site across road 50 m (160 ft) south, marked today (2015) current hotel post .

the architect ragaz again chose renaissance revival style, balanced 1881 extension. however, more ornate interpretation adopted, respecting fashion changes during intervening fifteen years. parts of building placed securely on single 4 sided basement. because of slope of land northern portion of building given additional floor beneath level of main first floor above basement section. roofline middle section followed line of existing attic windows did curved lintels on palladian-style windows. facing street on building s western side, above front facade , central lintel, in large letters, written pontresina−hotel−pontresina .

the side facades on southern , northern ends more impressive. 1881 extension had featured balconies corner rooms on first , second floors, of first , second floor rooms incorporated window own small balcony, on building s north face. other ornamentation included little round niches, containing small swiss crosses, reflecting increasingly assertive nationalism of age. streetside beveled corners of hotel building built out, first on northwest corner , subsequently on southwest corner, , topped off little crowned domes. large western facade facing main street repositioned little away road, making space terrace between public street , hotel s public rooms. no longer necessary guests cross road in order sit on hotel terrace , watch traffic , bustle along increasingly busy road bernina pass, beyond more distant view across roseg valley, glacier, , surrounding mountains remained purposes unimpaired.

the hall-lounge fireplace right





the corner rooms large best rooms in hotel , booked exclusive use of adjacent bathroom (but further best rooms lift/elevator)





the view guests rooms on north side of hotel featured church of san niculò

during final decades of nineteenth century there had been trend enlargement of public spaces hotel guests meet , interact socially, , ragaz incorporated these trends in enlarged ground floor design, large new vestibule, extending across entire width of central part of structure, placed beside existing (since 1881) restaurant. other public rooms accessible guests included bar, writing room, substantial shop space (described in architect s plan bank ) , even, @ northern end of building, room designated in architect s plan ping-pong . large vestibule dominated impressive wrought iron staircase, while former main staircase @ southern end of building designated side-staircase . there side-staircase towards hotel s northern end. each of side-staircases had 2 wcs positioned beside them, while in pride of place, positioned new main staircase, there lift (elevator), adumbrating trend become mainstream in european luxury hotels after 1900.

the hotel manager s own office positioned right of main entrance on hotel s western face, mirroring position of guests writing room left of entrance. in anticipation of intensive footfall, entire vestibule given tiled floor (today covered on carpet) using mettlacher platten (mettlach process tiles) developed jean boch-buschmann (lb) (1782-1858) , supplied villeroy & boch.

to left of vestibule, front half of new northern wing was, on ground floor, entirely occupied large hall-lounge. @ 1 end of area, beside vestibule , separated rest of hall glass doors , glass partition, hotel library, comprising more 300 volumes, kept in large wall mounted glass fronted bookcase. @ heart of room, on eastern side, fireplace. elsewhere clusters of arm chairs , sofas grouped around low tables. walls coated in fabric , hall featured parquet flooring. adjacent games room, allocated in architect s drawing ping-pong , has @ different times been used billiards room , bridge (card game) room.

on right side of vestibule, restaurant , bar in front half of 1881 southern wing unchanged. in southwestern corner former reception area replaced shop space, identified in architect s plan bank . on far side of building, enlargement of hotel called extension grand dining room: extended south, raising capacity approximately 50%. 2 broad arched windows on had been external southern wall of room adapted arches connecting new , old parts of enlarged dining room.

upstairs, in new northern wing rooms layouts on first, second , third floors virtually identical. rooms lined on either side of single corridor, on western (street) side of building broader, divided atrium, shared bathroom, enclosed northern side-staircase , lift/elevator. corridor turned through 90 degrees @ north-western corner of building , corridor along north side of building had rooms on each side. during 1890s en-suite bathrooms still unusual, in 1895 design hotel pontresina there few bathrooms placed between of bedrooms, connected inter-connecting doors, reserved 1 or 2 of adjacent guest rooms according of interconnecting doors made available , locked. although there still no question of individual bathrooms each of guest rooms, ratio of bathrooms , wcs guest rooms more generous 1:20 (bathrooms) , 1:8 (wcs) recommended in newly updated (1894 edition) architecture handbook

the best rooms, both on account of size , because of view across valley roseg glacier, in middle part of building on front/west facing facade. importantly, these close lift/elevator, , offered exclusive use of adjacent bathrooms. there 3 of these rooms on each floor, positioned contiguously, , central 1 of 3 redesignated private salon attached adjacent bedroom. larger parties, issuing keys appropriate communicating doors possible convert group of 3 adjacent rooms apartment of 3 large rooms own bathroom. flexibility available issuing guests keys enabling them use communicating doors connecting adjacent guest room or bathroom not restricted large rooms on hotel s western face. same adaptations made in respect of smaller less expensive rooms facing north or south along, building s north wing, view north featured no glaciers. instead, guest looking out these rooms observe reformed-evangelical church of san niculò, hamlet-district of pontersina-laret, , on horizon above , beyond these, piz julier (mountain).

following 1895 rebuild, rooms incorporated electric lighting. electricity came generator in cellar.

boom , bubble (1901-1914)

the hotel founder florian stoppany died on 25 january 1901. wife had died 5 years earlier. direction of hotel passed eldest son, johann stoppany, , after 1906 siblings shares in hotel transferred johann. siblings nevertheless remained active in hospitality business. eldest sister married man called christian kuoni-stoppany, , in 1903 took on grand hotel miramar in santa marherita on ligurian coast. in 1908 second brother took on new station restaurant in pontresina, running till after first world war.

in 1901 hotel pontresina connected power grid. existing electricity power generation set-up, had been installed in 1891 no longer needed, , records accordingly show sale of 2 petrol (gasoline) powered dc generators, each rated @ 7 hp , producing 40 amps @ 120 volts. accumulator battery , circuit board sold off @ point.

hotel buses awaiting guests @ samedan railway station

technical progress impacted transport links. on 1 july 1903 albula railway opened between thusis , samedan, connected engadin region cantonal capital, chur. hitherto hotel guests had been required undergo ten-hour journey, post carriage, via julier or albula pass in order reach pontresina chur. ten hour post carriage journey replaced four-hour railway journey. @ samedan station trains met hotel pontresina s own horse-drawn bus final 6 km (4 mile) climb valley pontresina. 5 years before branch line passing through pontresina opened, on 1 july 1908, in process linking albula railway bernina railway , creating through route tirano in italy.

a more rapid and, in winter, more predictable transport link brought increase in tourist numbers. in response, there sudden increase in tourist facilities, including number of substantial new hotels, in pontresina. result , driver of tourism boom funicular service opened in 1907 between punt muragl , new muottas muragl viewing station, part completed before pontresina rail link itself. existing hotels constructed operate during summer season embarked on upgrades in order accommodate winter season clientele well, in order service more reliably debt incurred finance construction. hotel pontresina participated in development.

since 1891 enlargement, 16 of hotel s 66 guest rooms had been provided own wood-burning stoves. guests accommodated in these rooms billed using stoves according number of crates of fire wood consumed. however, room stoves ever intended compensate short episodes of cold weather, , not have been considered practical operate them on sustained basis through winter season. 1906/07 winter season, therefore, central heating system installed, extended in 1913. new elaborate illustrated brochures produced, french , english lanuguge versions german ones, in order draw in more hotel guests winter season. new or expanded activities available included skiing, tobogganing, skijoring, ice skating , excursions horse sled.

further innovations designed build winter season business included programme of dances , costume balls arranged larger hotels, including hotel pontresina, advertised both own guests , guests of other pontresina hotels. in january 1913 1 of balls held celebration of german kaiser s birthday. of experiment, in view of @ least 1 contemporary reporter, introduction of tango tea party @ hotel pontresina on 27 december 1913.

despite growth in tourist numbers, there suggestions pace of new hotel construction @ times outstripped demand. in 1890 there 1,200 recorded hotel beds in pontresina. increased 1,530 in 1900 , 1,850 in 1910. significant new openings included of hotel schweizerhof in 1905 , of hotel palace (today hotel walther ) in 1907. 1908 saw expansion of hitherto insignificant, in capacity terms, hotel enderlin , relaunched schlosshotel enderlin new structure incorporated arrestingly eye catching tower. last significant new hotel in pontresina before war broke out in 1914 hotel rosatsch , built on plot directly beside hotel pontresina. fashionable new architecture - whether inspired gothic castles or more homely alpine chalets - , integrated modern facilities, these newly built hotels enjoyed competitive advantage on establishments built or extended in 1890s.

in increasingly fevered atmosphere of period, on 15 july 1909 johann stoppany sold hotel newly created a.-g. hotel pontresina company price of 1.06 million swiss francs. @ same time new company spent 0.2 million swiss francs on buying hotel furniture st. moritzer bank. johann stoppany himself invested 148,000 swiss francs in 296 shares of new company, fell 4 shares below 50% of issued share capital. however, company register discloses siblings , other relatives included among fellow shareholders. nevertheless, new hotel director, hans beck, took on in 1911, first director since before 1881 not member of stoppany clan.

world war (1914-1918)

the outbreak of war @ end of july 1914 abruptly ended pontresina s hotel boom. despite switzerland s political , military neutrality, country impacted war, in respect of industries, such high-end tourism, of customers came countries, such germany , england, among leading belligerent powers. supply of hotel guests dried , became clear financial survival of pontresina s hotels threatened not because of high proportion of running costs fixed costs (incurred regardless of occupancy levels), because of indebtedness left on boom years, loans fell due repayment , interest on outstanding balances remained payable.

one rapid response, in december 1914, creation cantonal government of graubünden credit co-operative (bündner kreditgenossenschaft), objective of preserving intrinsically viable enterprises , minimizing losses of value ( zur durchhaltung lebensfähiger unternehmungen und zur verhinderung des untergangs bedeutender werte ). credit co-operative s own capital subscribed local communities affected , banks hotel businesses , suppliers. providing additional subordinated mortgage loans able provide vital additional working capital. records of subsequent conversion of mortgage loans share capital show hotel pontresina 1 of institutions benefit these emergency measures.

support hotels sector came federal government, on 2 november 1915 enacted socalled decree concerning protection of hotels industry consequences of war ( verordnung betreffend schutz der hotelindustrie gegen die folgen des krieges ). involved wide-ranging deferral of loan interest , capital repayment, , protection of hotels foreclosure. however, included, in § 27 on obligation clase became known hotels building prohibition , under mnost circumstances prohibited both construction of new hotel buildings , conversion use hotels of existing commercial premises.

guest lists war years make clear difficulties involved in trying replace foreign guests staying away swiss guests. summer season swiss customers tended prefer more competitively priced second , third rank hotels on luxury establishments such hotel pontresina, while winter seasons during war years pontresina remained shut.

postwar austerity (1918-1933)

the outbreak of peace brought no dramatic upturn in hotel s fortunes, , again remained closed 1918/19 winter season. switzerland infected general european inflation followed deficit funding of war, , prices surge had adverse impact on economic costs of running business.

there no return freedom of travel people had been able take granted before 1914. in 1911 baedeker guide switzerland had advised travelers need passport when collecting registered letter, or when hiking in areas close frontiers france or italy. after war travellers switzerland abroad needed not merely passport visa. struggle against visa requirements , visa fees became enduring priority schweizerische hotelierverein ( swiss hoteliers association ) , 1918 successor organisation, bündner hotelierverein .

the hotel pontresina had traditionally been particularly focused on guests germany , german economy suffered more in aftermath of war. german hyperinflation of 1920s made switzerland particularly expensive germans, , particularly destructive of economic security of high spending upper middle classes had provided of german clientele hotel pontresina before 1914.

on 18 december 1920 government renewed decree [to protect] ... hotels industry consequences of war , had promulgated emergency wartime measure. qualified debt moratorium thereby sustained, along ban on new hotel building strictly enforced. in end, demand hotel accommodation showed no sign of returning prewar levels, ban on new hotels , on expansion of existing hotels found way standard legal code, statute ratified on 16 october 1924, , effective 1 january 1926. in meantime schweizerische hotel-treuhand-gesellschaft , established in 1921, in respects took on graubünden credit co-operative left off, providing low interest credit hotels renovation , modernisation of existing facilities, notably in response increased customer expectations regarding bathroom , toilet facilities.

from 1924 guest numbers began slow recovery, benefitting of region s hotels, including hotel pontresina. brochures of time indicate management took opportunity resume renovations, notably of public rooms on ground floor. there evidence growth in popularity holidaymakers during 1920s of recreational swimming , bathing, , bathing facilities made available @ lake staz , in surrounding woodlands ( stazerwald ) between pontresina , st. moritz.

despite bitter resistance of canton s more conservative elements, ban on private motor car usage grudgingly lifted in mid 1920s, after more prosperous guests, whom hotel had been built, increasingly arrived in own cars. cantonal ban on private cars had been in force since 1911, @ time car ownership had been limited tiny pioneering elite of motoring enthusiasts. during 1920s in germany , switzerland car ownership accelerated if still, @ stage, rather gently. time tourist industry, including hoteliers association, lobbying increasing urgency lifting of ban, not till tenth referendum on subject, on 21 june 1921, roads of graubünden opened private motorists.

the 1929 wall street crash ushered in more years of exacerbated financial hardship across europe. germany introduced foreign currency restrictions on citizens, while both germany , great britain abandoned gold standard in late summer of 1931. swiss franc soared in value against currencies in of hotel pontresina s guests received incomes: visitor numbers collapsed correspondingly.

financial restructuring (1933)

hotel pontresina:

balance sheet , 12 month income statement summary

during twelve months ending 31 march 1933 accumulated losses of a.-g. hotel pontresina rose 146,782 234,357 swiss francs. accumulated losses represented more 80% of nominal share capital value had remained @ 300,000 swiss francs since company had been set in 1933. although income statement twelve months ending 31 march 1933 disclosed significant operating loss, larger loss financial one, in form of 74,345 swiss francs of interest expense. financial restructuring unavoidable.

the annual general meeting on 5 july 1933 approved write down of nominal share capital 20% of former value. investors agreed exchange 5 old shares 1 new share, still nominal value of 500 swiss francs. new shares total value of 40,000 swiss francs issued cantonal bank in respect of company s outstanding mortgage debt (which included both capital element , unpaid interest). bank agreed write off 17,800 swiss francs, , waive interest 5 years on remaining 35,000 swiss francs of mortgage. practical outcome of restructuring bank owned hotel, holding 114 of 200 shares remained following completion of restructuring. further 62 of shares held cantonal credit institution ( bündner kreditgenossenschaft ), had been in receivership since 1931, , later during 1933 fell hands of graubündner kantonalbank.

more financial restructuring , name change (1934-1939)

in march 1934, @ end of next financial year, hans beck retired hotel director after 23 years, succeeded hans , mary walther. german economy beginning benefit cyclical upswing, supported ongoing programme of keynesian stimulus, hotel pontresina found operating in financial environment little more friendly. first time in many years, hotel opened winter season in 1934/35. however, annual report year included observation during many years when pontresina had remained closed through winter guests had learned take winter holidays in competitor establishments, , resulting loss in business must judged permanent. interest burden on 1.3 million swiss francs of mortgage debt remained oppressive, taking more 40,000 swiss francs out of business each year. end of 1935/36 financial year company had again eten through share capital. @ general meeting on 21 october 1936 controlling shareholder - still graubündner kantonalbank - again accepted write down nominal value of share capital 80%. new share capital of 100,000 swiss francs provided further conversion of mortgage debt (also held bank). second restructuring wiped out last of minority share holders, left genussscheine ( participation certificates ), while bank owned voting shares apart few qualifying shares legally required held board members. general meeting decided recognise changed ownership structure name change hotel became sporthotel pontresina . new name provided eloquesnt statement of hotel looking clients in future.

newspaper reports of children s polio epidemic during summer of 1936 wiped out summer season tourist businesses in , beyond graubünden. however, authorities devalued swiss franc on 26 september 1936 opened way recovery in tourist numbers. sporthotel pontestrina profited upswing, , @ least 1937/38 summer , winter seasons, reported operating profit.

world war ii (1939-1945) , aftermath

as far britain , germany concerned, war resumed in september 1939. switzerland, in 1914, politically , militarily neutral, countries supplying of hotel pontresina s guests not. swiss frontiers closed holiday traffic in september 1939. swiss vacationers no longer able holiday abroad, , few of them occupied hotel rooms had been emptied war, these, when supplemented use of hotel military accommodation, insufficient, , proved impossible keep hotel open during winter seasons. food , fuel rationed, adding management difficulties. in 1948, 3 years after formal end of war, rationing of basic consumer goods ended. time, in time first post war summer season in 1946, roman und marlies thöndury had taken on @ sporthotel pontresina, while predecessors since 1934, hans und mary walther, had been headhunted (by graubündner kantonalbank controlled both establishments) take charge of relaunching pontresina s palace hotel , grandson , wife still (2015) run has subsequently been renamed hotel walther .

during late 1940s presence across border in southern germany of large numbers of military personnel, disposal incomes useful higher available european populations, provided hotels in engadin welcome additional customer base, numbers insuffiect avert continuation of sporthotel s operating losses. meanwhile, swiss holdaymakers again able take holidays beyond country s frontiers, although in practise vacationing possibilities in neighbouring countries, devastated nevfer before impact of industrial warfare, limited.

the lauded generosity of marshall plan dealt significant blow hotel trade in switzerland enabling alpine resorts in neighbouring austria rebuild , construct new generation of hotels, benefitting generous credit terms not made available in switzerland, , designed start accommodate set of operational cost structures , customer preferences had shifted since great heyday of swiss hotel building, during first fourteen years of twentieth century. during 1920s , 1930s lean state of european economies had starved swiss hotels of funds investment in modernisation. around 1950 shattered economies of western europe belatedly began revert growth pattern, overseas holiday makers felt able contemplate alpine holiday, austrian resorts presented more appropriate , less expensive offering in switzerland. relative strength of swiss currency against german mark and, following devaluation in september 1949, british pound (which still affected several important sterling bloc currency zones in addition britain itself), left swiss resorts looking more expensive perspective of had been identified management key foreign markets. 1950 intensified pressures began emerge, slowly, on cost front seasonal hotel workers, traditionally recruited inexpensively from, in particular, italy, began find opportunities more attractively remunerated hotel work @ home. during winter season of 1953/54, sporthotel stayed shut, citing staff shortages. meanwhile, boom in hotel building in italy , spain encouraged clients parents might have chosen alpine holiday in 1930s opt, instead, more competitively priced mediterranean beach holiday in later 1950s.

the ban on building additional hotel accommodation, introduced bern in 1915 emergency response overcapacity created pre-1914 building boom, continued in force in succession of modified forms more 3 decades, further extension of rejected national referendum on 2 march 1952, after lifted. although national decision legislators required respect, within canton of graubünden large majority of participating citizens had voted perpetuate ban further, presumably reflecting concerns on possible adverse economic consequences locally of renewed increase in hotel beds nationally.

bank exit , hotel rebirth (1963-1971)

in 1963, finally, cantonal bank decided sporthotel had no longterm commercial future, , sporthotel pontresina ag placed in liquidation. on 17 august 1963 cantonal land registry recorded change in ownership in respect of hotel building. next year new owner invested new money in major renovation exercise. 1913 central heating installation replaced in 1965. south wing, oldest part of hotel, extensively reconfigured , number of guest rooms reduced through substitution on first , second floors of 2 large apartments. further upgrades took place in 1967, increase in number of guest rooms permanently incorporating own en suite bathroom facilities. large retail space @ southern end of front facade, had decades accommodated branch of graubündner kantonalbank, rebuilt sports goods shop using plan architect otto kober, opening in 1971, while bank branch had been relocated, in 1970, newly constructed extension attached hotel schweizerhof .

modern times (1972-date)

in 1972 cantonal bank cut residual commercial ties sporthotel sold pontresina municipality. restoration work continued, focusing in 1973 on major reconstruction of north wing. @ end of 1973 summer season directorship of roman und marlies thöndury came end, after more quarter century. successors, ralph und monika schweizer, remained in post between 1973 , 1980. during period, in 1974, swiss hoteliers association selected sporthotel pontresina first training hotel ( schulungshotel ). means twice each year, during spring , autumn off-peak season, hotel used 5 week blocks of study during aspiring hotel professionals receive combination of theoretical , hands-on training, based on rules set down swiss ministry economics (staatssekretariat für wirtschaft / secrétariat d’etat à l’économie / seco), applying real-life conditions, managed trainees themselves. original driving force behind initiative graubünden branch of swiss hoteliers association, idea has taken hold , today sporthotel pontresina 1 of 4 hotels in switzerland used these off-peak block training courses. others in interlaken (be) , les diablerets (vd).