The Soliva

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Lived Hospitality

Residenza Soliva – a nearly 100-year-old Engadine farmhouse – was carefully renovated in 1999 and has been continuously refurbished and maintained ever since. The result is six unique apartments, ranging from studios to spacious four-room flats, which are suitable for year-round living and exude a warm, welcoming atmosphere thanks to their timeless furnishings.

For over 25 years, we have been practising our hospitality here with conviction and joy. Tanija Courtin looks after her guests personally – attentively, warmly and with a keen sense of what makes a stay special. Residenza Soliva is not an anonymous place, but a home characterised by personality and genuine interaction.

Each apartment is furnished with great attention to detail – individually selected and designed to ensure that guests want for nothing. Our aim is to create a place where you feel welcome from the very first moment, find peace and quiet, and are happy to return.

Sils also plays its part in this – a place of particular power and clarity. Anyone arriving here immediately senses the vastness and the silence, the interplay of sky, water and light. It seems as though time flows more slowly here – and yet Sils is a vibrant place where tradition is not merely preserved, but lived. The connection to nature, to the landscape and to the people makes this place unique.

In Sils, one finds space – for the view, for one’s thoughts, for one’s own balance. Movement, inspiration and relaxation flow into one another quite naturally here. Take a deep breath, let go and draw new strength – perhaps that is what Nietzsche meant when he wrote in Sils:

“Now I am light, now I fly.”

Apartments Prices & Info Facilities

How Residenza Soliva came into being in 1998…

The Gabriel family moved to Sils from Waltensburg in the Surselva. In 1911, they opened the Hotel Silserhof there. Heinrich Gabriel was a master butcher; his shop was located in the hotel’s arcades. At the beginning of the last century, the Gabriel-Dell’Agosto couple had six sons – Heinrich, Hans, Peter, Mario, Adolf and Caspar. In addition to farmland, the Gabriels owned the Andreola house, where they lived from time to time, and the Marchetta house, which housed a restaurant and a small shop. The Marchetta was a meeting place for mountain guides.

When Adolf Gabriel died, Doris Baeder, a daughter of his brother, inherited the entire estate. Three months later, Tomas and Tanija Courtin plucked up the courage to ask what she planned to do with the house. A solicitor rang and said that nothing had been decided yet.

Another three months later, the phone rang one November morning. Doris Baeder wanted to know if they were still interested in the house. A short while later, they met at Chesa Gabriel, drew the curtains, and Tomas and Tanija had their first proper look at the house.

As they were leaving, Doris Baeder quoted the valuation price and said: “Think about what you can afford.” Three weeks later, they met again for dinner at Tomas and Tanija’s. Doris and Calvin brought the plans with them and knew that Tomas was prepared to pay the valuation price, but no more. At the end of the evening, Doris asked: “Well, do you want the house now?” And Tomas replied: “It’s a question of being able to, not of wanting to.” So she shook Tomas’s hand and said: “You can have it.”

Her wish to breathe new life into an old house with an unhappy family history has come true. A young family living and working here has transformed the closed-off Chesa Gabriel into the open Chesa Soliva.

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Our thinking and actions

Hospitality

What does it take to make guests feel truly welcome in a place? For us, the foundation lies where independence meets generosity and discretion. Where personality matters more than prestige, and genuine connections count for more than appearances. We want to create spaces where wishes can unfold – and where needs are transformed into small, precious experiences. Days that are restful, light-hearted and harmonious – and that remain fondly remembered.

Tradition and Innovation

Soliva is a place that has evolved over time, steeped in history. This history forms the foundation for everything that is created here. At the same time, there is room for new ideas that blend in seamlessly. Colours, materials and forms are inspired by the Engadin landscape – combining tradition with a contemporary, serene clarity.

Time for quality

We take a mindful approach to time. We allow ideas to develop at their own pace, and changes are introduced step by step and with care. When talking to our guests, we listen carefully, identify their needs and incorporate them into our new initiatives. This results in quality that is not flashy, but enduring.

Gratitude

As a host family, we have built up a great deal over the years – through dedication, trust and a genuine love of what we do. We are deeply grateful that our guests, partners and companions share this journey with us. Together, you all help to ensure that Residenza Soliva remains a place that inspires, relaxes and brings people together.