The history of the Parkhotel Margna
Your home in the Engadine – built by Johann Josty in 1817
The Parkhotel Margna has its origins in the year 1817, when the confectioner Johann Josty (1773-1826), having made his fortune in Berlin, built a house for his wife "the equal of which was not to be found in the Rhaetian lands...".
Above the main entrance are the initials J.J. These refer to Johann Josty, who was born in Sils in 1773. As a youth, he emigrated to Magdeburg, where he completed an apprenticeship as a confectioner. He then founded Johann Josty & Co. in Berlin, which ran numerous cafés and patisseries in both Berlin and other German cities. Josty's family residence of 1817 underwent several major extensions on its way to becoming today's Parkhotel Margna; the most important were carried out in 1905/06 and 1913/14 by the renowned architect Nicolaus Hartmann Jr. The Stüva 1817 restaurant was originally Josty's living room, and above it is the Josty room, popular with many guests for its wealth of historic details.
The author Isabelle Azoulay wrote about this powerful yet touching tale of emigration in “Josty, a love between Berlin and Sils Maria” (published by Elfenbein Verlag). This and other books can be obtained at the Butia of the Parkhotel Margna.
The Parkhotel Margna has its origins in the year 1817, when the confectioner Johann Josty (1773-1826), having made his fortune in Berlin, built a house for his wife "the equal of which was not to be found in the Rhaetian lands...".
At the end of the 1860s, Johannes Badrutt (founder of the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz) bought the house from Josty's heirs and lived in it with his family from that point on. Between 1871 and 1901, what is today the Parkhotel Margna was run as the “Pension Entrelac” and later as the “Hotel de la Grande Vue”.
In 1901, the hotel, which was then managed by Peter Anton Badrutt, appears for the first time under the name "Hotel Margna". In that year, he wrote in a letter to a guest from Budapest: "I opened my hotel this year. It's a small hotel with some 20 beds. The hotel is very modern, with, for example, electric light and water closets that use the new English system. I could offer you a south-facing room for Fr. 12.50 per day for one person and include the room and three meals without wine... ".
In 1905/06 the patrician villa (main house) was extended and the stable rebuilt. After the initial expansion phase, Badrutt used the following brochure to advertise his hotel.
A second phase of expansion followed in 1913/14, when another wing was added at right angles to the hotel.
At the beginning of the war, Peter Anton Badrutt managed, to some extent, to bring the hotel through the difficult times. In the summer of 1917, however, he had to liquidate the hotel, its buildings and land. The entire Hotel Margna passed into the ownership of the Swiss Volksbank as a public company.
In the summer of 1933 and 1934, Toni Badrutt, a grandson of Johannes Badrutt, was manager of the Hotel Margna. In the years that followed, he was a member of the board of directors of Margna AG.
In 1960, the hotel was bought by Sepp and Dorly Müssgens who ran it themselves and put their mark on it for over 40 years.
On 1 November 2003, the Hotel Margna was bought by Christoph and Isot Sautter, who continued to run the Hotel Margna in the same tradition. Regula and Andreas Ludwig managed the hotel until 2017. The site was rebranded in 2015/16 when the Romantik Hotel Margna became the Parkhotel Margna. It has been run by the hoteliers Simona and Luzi Seiler since 2017.
Over five years, an extensive renovation programme was completed in several stages, always with respect for the history of the hotel and with a focus on sustainability. After the renovation, the Parkhotel Margna appears rejuvenated, more comfortable and more versatile. This renovation is also an investment in the quality and future of the Upper Engadine hotel industry.
In the 2023 summer season, we celebrated the 250th birthday of Johann Josty (1773-1826), Sils confectioner in Berlin and founder of today's Parkhotel Margna, with various anniversary events and the confectioner's magazine.
The Parkhotel Margna is paving the way for a sustainable and long-term future. The owners, Isot and Christoph Sautter (pictured left), have completed the establishment of the ‘Parkhotel Margna Foundation’. With this significant step, ownership of the entire historic complex and the extensive surrounding grounds has been transferred to the foundation.
"The history of the Margna continues to unfold. I know of few hotels where it feels as though nothing has changed for many decades, and yet extensive, successful changes continue to delight guests. A traditional establishment that doesn’t feel outdated, but rather pleasantly contemporary. The character of this former Engadine patrician house remains intact. The staff, many of whom have been with the hotel for years, lend the whole place that charm – with their first-class service – that makes you feel like you’re ‘coming home’. What else is there to wish for? – Nothing! Because with three restaurants on the premises, every wish is catered for."
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