Love as the Ultimate Luxury: Iwan Wirth's words resonate deeply: "Love is the ultimate luxury." This sentiment encapsulates the heart of Chesa Marchetta, Hauser & Wirth's newest venture in the Swiss Alps. It's a project born from passion, a haven where the right people and place converge. But what makes this project so personal? Let's dive in.
For Iwan and his wife Manuela, Chesa Marchetta is more than just a hotel; it's a testament to their love for Sils Maria, Switzerland. This historic hotel and restaurant joins their Artfarm collection, which includes The Fife Arms in Scotland, and they call it their most personal project yet.
The Wirths, known for co-founding the influential contemporary art dealers Hauser & Wirth, represent artists like Louise Bourgeois and Cindy Sherman. However, the art market's volatility presents a stark contrast to their expanding portfolio. While their UK profits faced a significant downturn in 2024, their ventures continue to flourish. They're expanding with a new London flagship and a space in Palo Alto, California.
Chesa Marchetta, however, takes a different path, guided by a personal connection to Sils Maria. Iwan's childhood memories of visiting the village with his father, a mountain guide and architect, and his first date with Manuela there, solidified its place in their hearts. "It was and is the most romantic place I know," he shares. "My love and understanding of place began here, through architecture, nature, and culture."
Sils Maria has long been a sanctuary for those seeking authenticity. This quiet village has drawn a remarkable lineage of thinkers and artists, including Rainer Maria Rilke and David Bowie. Chesa Marchetta sits at its heart, a building steeped in history, having been home to the Godly family for generations, who also ran it as a hotel and restaurant. The previous owners, sisters Maria and Christina Godly, maintained the restaurant with a simple, traditional menu.
The renovation of Chesa Marchetta was entrusted to the Paris-based architecture firm Laplace. But here's where it gets controversial: Their goal was to preserve the building's essence. Co-founder Luis Laplace explains, "Our guiding principle was to make it feel as though we had never intervened." They aimed to protect the intimate, almost domestic hospitality created by the Godly sisters.
The original structure of Chesa Marchetta dates back to the 1500s. Laplace's team studied historic barns and farms in the Engadin region to understand the architectural language. They prioritized retaining as much historical fabric as possible, integrating the breadth of the landscape, the shifting light, and the seasonal cuisine into a complete experience.
The Chesa is actually four buildings joined together: the hotel, the restaurant, and two barns. The façades are adorned with sgraffiti, a technique of removing layers of plaster to reveal contrasting colors and geometric patterns, often depicting symbols of luck or family coats of arms. Guests enter through the former barns, which now house a roaring hearth and a bar.
Each of the 13 guest rooms is furnished with local antiques handpicked by Laplace. The lace curtains were made using the traditional Filetstick technique, and blankets are from the Tessanda weaving collective. The scent of the original arve paneling and ceilings, a native pine that retains its fragrance for decades, provides the first sensory impression.
The art collection at Chesa Marchetta spans centuries. Old Masters are displayed alongside 20th-century and contemporary artists. Iwan explains, "The art is not planned. We collect work we feel may enter into a dialogue with the house." In one guest room, Giovanni Giacometti's Winter Landscape with Breaking Sun hangs next to his son Alberto's lithograph, Le lac de Sils et le piz Corvatsch depuis la maison de Giacometti à Maloja.
A sumptuous family suite on the top floor features La Margna, a mountain scene by Carl Albert Von Salis-Soglio, displayed near Gerhard Richter's pencil drawings. British-German artist Corin Sands has created murals throughout the rooms, hallways, and staircase, depicting local legends. His subtle palette comes alive with flashes of color from the sun, adding to the fairytale atmosphere.
The restaurant, under chef Davide Degiovanni, will maintain the spirit of Sils. He states, "We're proud to give their craft a central place on our menus." The fare balances tradition and creativity, offering dishes like ibex ragu and smoked trout from the neighboring lake. Sommelier Giorgio Varotto pairs each course with local wines.
Iwan believes that culture is the ultimate contribution to a place where everything already exists. Chesa Marchetta aims to be the region's cultural hub, much like The Fife Arms. An exhibition of Alberto Giacometti's work will open in Hauser & Wirth's St. Moritz gallery, and an exhibition of the writings of Annemarie Schwarzenbach will inaugurate the hotel's literary series.
Like a large family home, Chesa Marchetta is a hive of activity. And this is the part most people miss: From a neighbor delivering cheese to the general manager's warm greetings, the hotel exudes a sense of community. Laplace describes it as "a way of living that roots you deeply while opening something rare, almost exceptional."
What are your thoughts on preserving the historical essence of a place while adding a modern touch? Do you think the Wirths' approach to blending art, culture, and hospitality is successful? Share your opinions in the comments below!
