Outdoor butler in the Engadine
February 2025
Aleksandra reports on her dream job at the Carlton Hotel in St. Moritz
LA ESPLORA: Outdoor butler. Please tell us how you came to this profession. What does it mean to be an “outdoor butler” at the Carlton Hotel?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: The position “outdoor butler” already existed at the Carlton Hotel before I started at the hotel. In my first season at the Carlton Hotel, I worked in F&B while another person had the job of outdoor butler. I always thought to myself, “Oh, that would be the perfect job for me, always being outside in the great outdoors”. I often thought I would like to do this job myself one day. And so it happened – in my second season at the Carlton Hotel, I was appointed as an outdoor butler. I am now in my third season as an outdoor butler.
One prerequisite for the job of “outdoor butler” is, of course, that you enjoy being outdoors in nature and like the cold. I love the cold. I love the mountains, winter and snow! It’s an absolute dream job for me!
LA ESPLORA: Where are you originally from?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: I was born in Poland and grew up in Spain. I speak five languages – Spanish, Polish, English, Italian and some German. Even though I’ve lived in different places, my favorite place to return to is the mountains. I studied in Tyrol in Austria for two years. I also learned a bit of German there. Winter is my season – working in the winter wonderland is my season!
For me, a season without skiing or snowboarding is a lost season. That’s why I always try to spend the winter season in the mountains. Being outside in nature, breathing fresh air, surrounded by the Engadin mountains, that’s the best thing for me. When I’ve been working in the office for too long, I’m drawn back out into nature. The job as an outdoor butler is perfect for me.
St. Moritz, the Engadin, is a wonderful place for me. I feel very much at home here! I love this place. It’s one of my favorite places in Switzerland. The wide valley – St. Moritz is a sunny plateau. I like the vastness, the nature here is simply spectacular!
LA ESPLORA: During the summer months, you work at the Hotel Eden Roc in Ascona, also a Tschuggen Collection hotel. Do you also work there as an outdoor butler?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: That’s right, in summer I’m in Ticino at the Hotel Eden Roc. However, I don’t work as an outdoor butler in the summer, but in event management, which is what I originally studied back then. From time to time, however, I support our “summer” outdoor butler at the Eden Roc on his tours or stand in for him on his days off. When larger groups have registered, I like to accompany him on the activities. But I prefer the winter, the “outdoor winter”! (She smiles.)
LA ESPLORA: What connects your work with the “Moving Mountains” concept of the Tschuggen Collection?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: The “Moving Mountains” concept of The Tschuggen Collection hotel group is a wonderful program for me. It goes back to the roots of man being “one with nature”. We have a very extensive range of activities at the Carlton Hotel. Many activities are offered individually for our guests. We want to create wonderful memories for our guests with the Moving Mountains concept.
For example, we have “forest bathing”, which takes place early in the morning before everyone else wakes up. We go into the forest depending on the time of sunrise. Today it would have been 7:38 am. It changes a little depending on the season. I like watching the first sunrise through the trees. I like to see the squirrels wake up and the birds start singing. That’s an activity I really enjoy doing with the guests.”
Or our offer to go ice swimming in Lake St. Moritz. An activity that clears your head. Many guests often say: “No, I won’t try it, it’s too cold for me”. But once you get over yourself, the experience is great. In that moment, the focus is only on yourself and so many happiness hormones are released in a short space of time. Most people only dare to do it for a few minutes, maybe five. Last year, we even did a photo shoot while ice swimming for fun. It was a wonderful experience. I myself go ice swimming at least once a week. It gives me a lot of energy and it simply means pure happiness – an endorphin rush!
LA ESPLORA: What is your personal favorite element from the Moving Mountains concept, which consists of the pillars “Move”, “Play”, “Nourish”, “Rest”, and “Give”?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: Clearly “play”. Our mind needs this element. Exercise in the fresh air is healthy and is often neglected in everyday life. Having fun and “finding the child in ourselves” again is healthy – we want to give our guests these unique moments.
LA ESPLORA: What was your best experience as an outdoor butler?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: Oh, there are some wonderful moments I could list. I’ve done great tours with lots of different guests from different countries and cultures. A connection developed with some guests that still exists today.
I am always pleased to receive appreciation from guests. It’s important to me that the guests are happy and have had a great time with me at the end of our excursions. My guests often tell me that it really was the best thing they have ever done. There have been activities with families or couples who have honestly told me afterwards that it made their trip perfect. “The experience of going out into nature with you made our trip complete”. That’s something that really stays with you. It stays in your head and in your heart.
Ice swimming in Lake St. Moritz – an invigorating experience
LA ESPLORA: You also offer the creation of ice sculptures in your program. A very interesting activity that is carried out with an external partner. What exactly do you do there?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: It’s about shaping a sculpture with a kind of knife and a hammer. Our partner, who we are working with for this experience, brings along a large block of ice and explains to the guests how to create something artistic using the right technique. We create a sculpture out of ice. This is actually not that easy and takes some time.
All the ice sculptures you see here in St. Moritz are the work of our partner. He is a real artist who is very well known throughout the region and is often booked. We are happy to offer this activity to our guests in March.
LA ESPLORA: I read about the longest toboggan run in Europe – the Preda Berguna.
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: Yes, this is probably one of the most popular activities, especially for families with younger children. I myself can almost go down the toboggan run with my eyes closed. It’s beautiful and not dangerous at all, a wonderful experience for the whole family. Especially in the evening when the toboggan run is illuminated. At the end of the run is the village of Bergun, where there is also a lovely ice bar. Highly recommended.
LA ESPLORA: Do you also lead glacier tours?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: The glacier caves can be visited in different ways. If there is enough snow, you can start the tour on skis or take snowshoes to the start of the cave tour. We are accompanied on this activity by a special mountain guide who knows the glacier movements inside out and leads us through the forest close to the glacier. Due to climate change, the path to the glacier has become very long. This activity clearly demonstrates climate change. A beautiful excursion, but also one that makes you think a little more.
LA ESPLORA: Is the excursion to the glacier caves also suitable for families with children?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: Yes, you can. It’s a very nice walk through the forest at first. It very much depends on the weather conditions, on the snow, literally on nature. The conditions are checked very carefully with the mountain guide at the presentation. We only do this tour in absolutely safe conditions.
LA ESPLORA: What is your personal favorite activity of the Moving Mountains program?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: My personal favorite activity is the “torchlight hike”. We go to one of my favorite places – the mountain lake Lej Nair (Schwarzsee). A lake in the middle of the forest, this place is simply magical under a full moon! I love our full moon activities. We added full moon skiing to our program last year. This program is very popular and only takes place three times a year (January, February and March).
LA ESPLORA: What is your favorite destination? Which destinations are on your personal bucket list?
Outdoor butler Aleksandra: My favorite countries are Switzerland, Finland and Austria. In Finland, I’ve already been as far as Lapland. I was there for a winter season for work. It was incredibly impressive and beautiful. Another place that is definitely on my bucket list is Iceland.
LA ESPLORA: Dear Aleksandra, thank you very much for the exciting interview!
Carlton Hotel – a place where traditional charm meets contemporary elegance.
This season is a very special one – the 111th anniversary of its existence. Unforgettable experiences have been created here for over a century, and this winter there will be moments to remember.
From exciting activities in the sparkling snow to cozy evenings by the fireplace on the Bel Etage – discover the variety that makes the Carlton Hotel so unique.
“Timeless elegance since 1913.”
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