Sunstar

What Sunstar does

Sunstar-Holding AG is a Swiss privately held hotel group founded in 1969 and headquartered in Liestal (Basel-Landschaft). It operates the 'Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection' — seven four-star hotels in prime Alpine and sub-Alpine destinations: Sunstar Hotel Arosa (family wellness, closing after Summer 2026), Sunstar Hotel Brissago (lakeside, Lake Maggiore), Sunstar Hotel Grindelwald (wellness and seminar), Sunstar Hotel Klosters (romantic chalet), Sunstar Hotel Lenzerheide (sport/bike hotel), Sunstar Hotel Piemont (boutique culinary in Italy), and the newest Sunstar Hotel Pontresina (opened June 2024 under a 'Mountain Living' concept with 44 lofts/double rooms and two apartments). The company also runs the Ferienclub Privilège vacation club as a membership recurring-revenue vehicle.

The business model combines room accommodation, on-site food & beverage, wellness/spa services, and themed activity packages (Sunstar Deals including ski, golf, culinary, hiking, Vespa tours, and dog-friendly stays), with a four-tier loyalty program (Treueprogramm) offering up to 20% discounts and a 'Best Price Guarantee' that funnels demand to the proprietary onepagebooking.com platform. Pricing is quote-based and varies by season, hotel, and room category, with tiered cancellation penalties (summer 3 days, winter 15 days, Christmas/New Year 60 days). Direct booking incentives include a CHF 69 Sunstar Bahnpass rail ticket and complimentary daily minibar. Distribution is anchored on the direct booking platform, supplemented by third-party OTAs (via Hotel Net Solutions middleware), gift voucher sales (SIHOT Web Voucher), and WhatsApp Business/email newsletters. Core technology stack centers on the SIHOT property management system, SALTO electronic key access, ReGuest CRM/Messenger, Ennit ATS, Swisscom/DigMedia WiFi, and standard payment (Worldline) and analytics (Google Analytics) integrations — i.e., conventional hospitality SaaS rather than AI-native systems.

Customer segments are horizontally diversified across leisure personas (families, wellness seekers, ski enthusiasts, culinary/active lifestyle travelers, couples/romance, and corporate groups). GTM is direct-to-consumer with marketing across the Sunstar website, social (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), email/WhatsApp, and seasonal promotional campaigns. For FY2022/23 (ended 30 April 2023) the group reported a net profit of CHF 2.0 million, driven primarily by the sale of Sunstar Hotels Zermatt and Wengen (the underlying operating result before taxes was a CHF 0.4 million loss); CHF 17.5 million of capital is being deployed into ongoing property upgrades and the new Pontresina build.

Name

Sunstar

Legal name

Sunstar-Holding AG

Website

https://sunstar.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sunstar-Holding AG is a privately held Swiss hotel group operating the Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection — seven four-star hotels in Arosa, Brissago, Grindelwald, Klosters, Lenzerheide, Pontresina (Switzerland) and Piemont (Italy) — serving leisure travelers across family, wellness, ski, and culinary segments via direct online booking, a four-tier loyalty program, and the Ferienclub Privilège vacation club.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Resort Hotels

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mountain & Ski Luxury Resorts (THAGACAB)

Keywords

• Four-star hotels
• Mountain resort hotels
• Wellness hospitality
• Ski resort accommodation
• Culinary hotel experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Liestal

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Hotel Accommodation Revenue: Primary revenue from room rentals across 7 four-star hotels in Switzerland and Italy. Rooms are offered across different categories including standard, comfort, premium, and suites. Direct booking is incentivized via best-price guarantee and exclusive perks.
2. Food & Beverage: On-site restaurants, bars, lounges, and catering services at each hotel property. Includes themed dining experiences such as Dolce Vita wine tastings in Piemont, wine and Grappa tastings, and culinary packages.
3. Wellness & Spa Services: Revenue from spa treatments, wellness packages, and pool usage at hotel wellness facilities across properties.
4. Activity Packages & Experiences: Themed packages including ski days, golf packages in Piemont, Vespa rentals, wine tours, and special interest holidays (yoga, hiking, family activities).
5. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for hotel stays, dining, and experiences via online voucher platform.
6. Ferienclub Privilège Membership: Vacation club membership (Privilège) generating recurring membership and booking revenue for Sunstar.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sunstar (Sunstar-Holding AG) operates a portfolio of 7 four-star hotels located in mountain and resort destinations across Switzerland and Italy. The company provides accommodation, dining, wellness, and family-oriented holiday experiences, with a focus on ski, hiking, and culinary tourism in alpine locations.

Product overview

Sunstar is a Swiss hotel collection operating 7 four-star properties (plus the Ferienclub Privilège vacation club) across Switzerland and Italy: Sunstar Hotel Arosa (family wellness, closing 2026), Sunstar Hotel Brissago (lakeside Ticino retreat), Sunstar Hotel Grindelwald (wellness & seminar hotel), Sunstar Hotel Klosters (romantic mountain chalet), Sunstar Hotel Lenzerheide (sport/bike hotel), Sunstar Hotel Piemont (culinary boutique hotel in Italy), and Sunstar Hotel Pontresina (modern mountain living, opened 2024). The portfolio is unified under the 'Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection' brand. Core revenue comes from hotel accommodations, while add-on modules include curated Sunstar Deals (ski packages, culinary experiences, romantic getaways, dog-friendly stays), a four-tier Sunstar Treueprogramm loyalty program (up to 20% discounts), complimentary train tickets (Sunstar Bahnpass) for 7-night stays, free daily minibar, gift vouchers, and sustainability programs (Swisstainable, Cause We Care). Bookings are processed via direct online booking and third-party platforms including SIHOT property management and Hotel Net Solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ferienclub Privilège: Vacation club affiliated with the Sunstar group, offering membership-based holiday accommodation.

Products and services

• Sunstar four-star hotel stays Overnight accommodation, dining, wellness, and recreational services at 7 four-star alpine resort hotels in Switzerland and Italy, targeting leisure travelers, families, skiers, and hikers.
• Sunstar loyalty program

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MyclimatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunstar partners with myclimate for climate protection and sustainability. Through the 'Cause We Care' initiative, Sunstar offers guests the option to make voluntary donations for environmental protection, with Sunstar doubling the guest donation.
• SIHOTcoreTechnology or IntegrationSIHOT provides property management system covering all hotel operations across the Sunstar portfolio, including booking, guest management, and voucher sales.
• SALTO SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationSALTO Systems is a worldwide leading provider of electronic hotel locking/access systems, providing keyless entry solutions across Sunstar hotels.
• Too Good To GominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunstar partners with Too Good To Go to combat food waste, rescuing surplus food from hotel restaurants and redistributing it through the app.
• Von SalisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVon Salis provides curated wine offerings for Sunstar hotels, focusing on quality Swiss and international wines with attention to terroir, tradition, and innovation.
• Schuler St. JakobsKellereiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWine supplier for quality wines 'Don Pascual' and 'Triple A' and Prosecco 'Valdobbiadene' — 3 top products at competitive pricing for Sunstar's culinary offerings.
• FeldschlösschenminorOthersSwitzerland's most well-known brewery since 1876, providing beverages for Sunstar hotel restaurants and bars.
• Mérat Viandes & ComestiblesminorOthersSwiss gastro specialist supplying restaurants, chefs, and large-scale kitchens since over 70 years, providing premium meat and food products to Sunstar.
• MeikominorOthersSwiss pet supply company since 1972. Regularly donates dog treats to Sunstar hotels for guest pets, especially at dog-friendly Klosters property.
• IDA14 by Karsten SchmidtminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRenowned architecture firm specializing in hotel interior design. Assisted in creating new premium rooms at Sunstar Lenzerheide.
• MobiliarminorOthersSwitzerland's oldest private insurance company, founded in 1826 and still mutual-based. Provides insurance and pension services to Sunstar.
• Steinfels SwissminorOthersSwiss professional cleaning products and hygiene solutions provider for Sunstar hotel cleaning and sanitation needs.
• Hotelfachschule ThunminorOthersLeading practice-oriented management school for hospitality and gastronomy in Switzerland. Trains future talent for Sunstar hotels.
• Berest AGminorOthersEstablished in 1984 in gastronomy and hotel industry. Provides equipment and services to Sunstar hotels.
• Schwob AGminorOthersSwiss quality supplier for hospitality, gastronomy, and healthcare sectors since 1872. Provides linen and textile services to Sunstar.
• Hotel Bad SchauenburgminorOthersBoutique hotel in Baselbiet region. Listed as partner hotel, potentially for cross-referrals and hospitality network.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sorell Hotels: Swiss collection of 18+ individual 3- and 4-star hotels across urban and resort destinations, including alpine locations. Comparable as a multi-property Swiss hotel collection targeting similar mid-to-upscale leisure and business travelers with a unified brand and direct booking platform.
• Tschuggen Collection: Swiss luxury hotel group operating alpine and city properties (including Tschuggen Grand Hotel Arosa, Carlton Hotel St. Moritz, Valsana Arosa). Comparable as a curated Swiss mountain hotel collection, though positioned more upscale than Sunstar's 4-star tier.
• Romantik Hotels & Restaurants Switzerland: Marketing cooperative of individually-operated 3- to 5-star boutique and character hotels across Switzerland, many in alpine destinations. Comparable as a curated multi-property Swiss collection offering themed packages and direct booking advantages to leisure travelers.
• Best Western Hotels Switzerland: Franchise network of 3- and 4-star hotels across Switzerland including alpine locations. Comparable as a multi-brand Swiss hotel consortium offering similar mid-scale accommodations and loyalty-style benefits to leisure travelers.
• Belvita Leading Wellness Hotels: Swiss marketing consortium of 4- and 5-star wellness and spa hotels across the Alps and Ticino. Comparable to Sunstar's wellness-segment properties (Grindelwald, Lenzerheide, Brissago) targeting wellness-focused leisure travelers with spa packages.
• Hotel Laudinella St. Moritz: 4-star family-run hotel in St. Moritz/Engadin with wellness facilities, multiple restaurants, and sports packages. Comparable as a Swiss alpine 4-star hotel targeting families, wellness seekers, and ski/active travelers in the same Upper Engadin region as Sunstar Pontresina.
• Hotel Walther Pontresina: Family-run 3-4 star hotel in Pontresina (Engadin) with wellness, dining, and winter/summer activity packages. Comparable as a same-town competitor to Sunstar Pontresina with overlapping guest segments including families, wellness seekers, and ski/summer travelers.
• Schloss Elmau: Independent luxury spa and cultural hotel in Bavarian Alps with extensive wellness facilities, multiple restaurants, and event/concert programming. Comparable as an independent, family-led alpine resort hotel offering curated wellness and cultural packages in a mountain setting.

Broad incumbents

• Relais & Châteaux: Global association of 500+ individually-owned luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants, including Alpine Swiss properties. Comparable as an international hotel collection model with curated membership, but positioned more upscale and culinary-focused than Sunstar's mid-scale 4-star tier.
• Leading Hotels of the World: Global collection of 400+ independent luxury hotels worldwide including Swiss Alpine properties (e.g., Badrutt's Palace, The Omnia). Comparable as an upscale independent hotel collection with curated marketing and direct booking advantage, though positioned at the luxury tier above Sunstar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SunstarHotels
• Instagraminstagram.com/sunstarhotels
• Pinterestpinterest.com/SunstarHotels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunstar