THE
GUEST
BOOK

Over the past 125 years, guests at the Dolder Grand have shaped our Hotel. We invite you to take a look at the guest book. A tribute to forgotten moments and stories from the Belle Époque to the 21st century.

Diane Kruger received the Golden Eye for her outstanding acting performance and bold choice of roles at the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) in 2023. The German-American actress began her career as a successful international model before turning to acting. Following her breakthrough as Helen in Wolfgang Petersen’s “Troy” (2004), she showed her versatility in films such as “Inglourious Basterds” and “In the Fade”, for which she received the Best Actress award at Cannes. After being cast as the most beautiful woman in the world, she impressively established a successful career in the US and Europe. She stayed at the Dolder Grand while in Zurich and gave numerous interviews at the Hotel. In response to NZZ’s question of whether she had a propensity toward absolute dedication, she said: “Not just in my work. Now that I have a family, the emotions are much more intense.”

Rebel Wilson joins Charlotte Gainsbourg in September 2022 at the 18th Zurich Film Festival to present “The Almond and the Seahorse”, a film that tackles life’s biggest themes in a bittersweet manner.
The Australian actress, comedian and screenwriter, known for her multifaceted roles and unique humour, earned fame with comedies such as “Bridesmaids” (2011), “Pitch Perfect” (2012) and their sequels. With her degrees in law and in theatre and performance studies, she has established herself as one of the leading comedy actresses of her generation with her quick wit and comedy skills. She is an advocate of body acceptance and self-love and has an inspirational message for her fans in this respect: love is love.

For many years, the British royal family has valued Switzerland as a winter sports destination.
Charles III stayed at the Dolder Grand in 1980. While still a bachelor prince, he travelled to Switzerland on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and enjoyed a gala dinner with the then Federal Councillor Kurt Furgler. It is an honour for the Hotel and equally fascinating to see how historic moments such as these are reflected in the history of the Dolder Grand.
To this day, climate protection and sustainability are important concerns of Charles III, and they are also addressed by the Dolder Grand in its sustainability policy. Back in 1970, the 21-year-old prince raised awareness of the dangers of plastic waste. In retrospect, his foresight was pioneering and visionary.

The Rolling Stones and the Dolder Grand are connected by a special relationship. As an homage to the “Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World”, the Grand Hotel has dedicated a suite to them – Suite 100. The Rolling Stones, who celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2022, chose the Grand Hotel as a retreat several times when touring Switzerland.
Their first concert – at Zurich’s Hallenstadion in front of 12,000 visitors in 1967 – unleashed “a serious riot”, as the NZZ reported at the time, when the Stones caused the otherwise well-behaved youths to run rampant. In 2006, 70,000 fans rocked out at Zurich Airport, making it Switzerland’s largest concert ever at the time.

Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) is one of the most important Swiss sculptors and painters of the 20th century. Born in the small village of Borgonovo in the Bergell valley, he was strongly influenced by nature and the cultural diversity of Graubünden from an early age. In the 1920s, he moved to Paris, where he immersed himself in Surrealism, which was at its peak there. His style was characterised by the reduction of forms and an intense perception of the figure. With the quote “All I want is to depict something I see”, he strove to establish a direct connection to reality through his art and to convey it in its truest form. The thinly modelled and elongated figures, which reflect existential themes such as isolation and human existence, are represented in renowned museums worldwide.
Alberto Giacometti maintained close ties to the Zurich art scene, living and working here as early as the 1920s. Zurich was often the venue for exhibitions of his works, including the famous 1948 retrospective at the Zurich Kunsthaus. The Dolder Grand in Zurich honors Giacometti with the Carezza Suite, whose organic forms pay tribute to his artistic dedication.

What began in August 1946 with Winston Churchill’s invitation to a contemplative painting holiday on Lake Geneva ended a few weeks later in Zurich with a political speech whose symbolic appeal is more relevant today than ever. With the words “Let Europe arise!”, he called for peace in Europe to be secured through lasting and peaceful cooperation in order to “usher in a new era of prosperity and partnership.”
Crowds of people were already waiting outside the Dolder Grand early in the morning when the British politician travelled to the University of Zurich in an open-top car. Thousands lined the streets.
Churchill had visited Switzerland once before as an 18-year-old. At that time, he climbed Monte Rosa in Valais, a feat he was very proud of. Later, the seminal politician discovered painting as a hobby. At the Dolder Grand, he made the acquaintance of the Swiss paint manufacturer Willy Sax, with whom he went on to have close lifelong friendship.

Herbert von Karajan had a special bond with Switzerland. For 40 years, he was one of the defining artists of the Lucerne Festival and his work at the festival contributed significantly to its reputation and musical prestige. At the Dolder Grand, we are paying our homage to the legendary 20th-century conductor in the Maestro Suite.
During his career, Karajan masterfully led the most prominent orchestras and opera houses, gaining considerable influence in the music world as artistic director of the Vienna State Opera, chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, director of the Philharmonic Orchestra in London and artistic director of the Salzburg Festival. He was known for his technical perfection, sound quality and keen interest in new recording techniques.
A little-known fact is that his enthusiasm for technology and movement started in his younger years, when he studied mechanical engineering for two semesters. He was fascinated by movement in the air, on land and on the water. As a Porsche driver, he had a penchant for fast cars, held a private pilot’s license and enjoyed sailing in his spare time.
Legend has it that none other than Maria Callas, the Diva Assoluta, went down on her knees in front of the maestro to thunderous applause after the last magnificent performance of “Lucia di Lammermoor” in Vienna in 1957. But the highs only lasted a short time and, due to demands for excessive fees, the engagement for the following season fell through.