‘Four seasons without a car – Summer on the Magic Mountain’

CAIRO –1 August 2017 : If you crave a bit of solitude but are not quite up for a monk life style in Himalayan Mountains, the former sanatorium turned hotel in Swiss Davos might be a good answer and opportunity for long retrospections.


The view from a room terrace Schatzalp hotel in Davos, Switzerland - Ma Li via Flickr

You will find several car free skiing villages in Switzerland however you do not have to wait for the ski season to revive in the Alps. Davos is a mountain town famous for hosting the World Economy Forum since 1971.

It is also a ski resort and amongst the many mountains there is one measured to be extra magical. This particular mountain became home to a top class sanatorium of the twentieth century in the region. Former famous deluxe resort, today known as Schatzalp hotel, a place of a picturesque mountain setting has an interesting history.


Art Nouveau hotel Schatzalp used to be a deluxe Sanatorium of early twentieth century – Commons Wikimedia

You can get there by a mountain cable car, built at the same time as the hotel building over 100 years ago. Once on the top you will have plenty of highly refreshing alpine air and mountain views. Till today the Art Nouveau deco remains unchanged.

According to the hotel’s description, the 1900 luxury sanatorium was chosen to be built on a special energy spot to provide a rejuvenating environment. Dutch entrepreneur Willem Jan Holsboer picked the place following his intuition. With some years came the invention of the Bovis scale measuring energy units.


A morning mountain view in Davos, Switzerland – Monika Sleszynska

According to the Bovis Biometer places below 6 500 Bovis Units drain energy while anything above gives energy.

The place of the sanatorium has reached 26 000 Units on the Bovis scale. Beyond the high score of Bovis Units, you will find much peace and quietness at the historical property and during the mountain walks with stunning views of the Swiss Alps.


The unique mountain setting at the former Sanatorium has been an inspiration to Thomas Mann’ book “The Magic Mountain

Visiting in the summer gives advantage of warmer temperatures encouraging long outdoor hours as opposed to white snowy winters.

You can enjoy the alpine air from the balcony and at the surrounding pine forest. The location is a perfect environment for retrospection and recommended to anyone who is in need to bring more natural balance into their lives.

What could be more soothing than to experience life in the setting where former patients used to restore their neglected health?


Fondue is a national Swiss dish of melted cheese served in a pot and with long-stemmed forks – Common Wikimedia

The sanatorium in its nature is a place dedicated to nurturing and often long stays. Being away from the destructions of the modern world is also perfect to anyone who wishes to give themselves up to the creative juices of any form like writing for example.

The place was an inspiration to one of the most influential German novels of 20th centaury “The Magic Mountain” written by Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Thomas Mann. Mann’s wife, Katie Mann suffered from illness put down to exhaustion.

She happened to be one of the first patients at the Wald Sanatorium for several months. Thomas Mann visited her in Davos and became inspired by the place from which the novel “The Magic Mountain” sprang.

Katie Mann restored her health and lived a vigorous life, outliving three of her children.


Shwatzalp hotel in Davos has been chosen to be built on the mountain with enhanced rejuvenating qualities – Monika Sleszynska

Being high on the mountain you can still enjoy the best of Swiss food and drinks. The mountain hotel has a few originally decorated restaurants offering stunning views and the choice of food and wine to approve most sophisticated tastes.

You can enjoy Mediterranean and local dishes like a pot of fondue- a Swiss national dish of melted cheese served with breads, meats and vegetables to be dipped by long stemmed forks.

Since Davos town is good enough for the world’s economy leaders, the neighboring mountain hotel can surely be good for anyone.