"Chesa Veglia," or "Old House", sits in the midst of the village, slightly above Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. The farmhouse, which was built in 1658, is in fact the oldest building in St. Moritz. Hans Badrutt, the hotelier of the Palace, bought this gem of a house when it was threatened with destruction in 1928. In those years he noticed a change in his guests: Whereas in the Belle Epoque the worlds of the social strata were strictly separate, the need for less formal rules of conduct and for less formal dress codes became noticeable among the Palace’s guests. The visionary hotelier, who also succeeded in attracting to Upper Engadine the stars of Hollywood, and with them the idols of a new time, recognized the signs of the times.
In 1935/36 he converted the erstwhile modest farmhouse into three restaurants and two bars. The living section was renovated and changed into the Patrizierstube, an upscale dining room, where Swiss and international specialties were served. The Pizzeria and the Grill are located in former stables. The Grill, decorated with antique woodcarvings from Graubünden, is the ideal backdrop for elegant dinners and classical French cuisine. The guests meet before or after dinner in the Polo or Carigiet Bar. The latter is named after the painter, graphic artist and children’s book author Alois Carigiet (1902–1985), the famous creator of "Schellen-Ursli". With a good number of humorous Sgraffiti, Carigiet put the finishing touches to the atmospheric rooms. To this day the Chesa Veglia is part of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. The building and its furnishings are rich in detail and have been unchanged since the inauguration. They are carefully maintained and successfully managed.