Family hotel with a pool, indoor playrooms, bowling alley and a playground. Arosa (Graubünden, Switzerland).
The "it" factor
What makes it special:
Kids daycare
Make-your-own pancakes machine
What needs to be considered:
The facilities are slightly dated
No designated pool area for kids
Sunstar Arosa impression video
The fun factor
The highlight of the Sunstar Arosa hotel is the giant indoor playroom. The adventure begins just next to reception where kids can follow green paws on the floor to get to it. The room has a bouncy castle, trampoline, climbing area, hockey / football field, bikes, animals to ride on, table tennis, ball pit, foosball table and more. There are tables overseeing the play area and a coffee machine so parents can either join the fun or have a drink and watch their kids play.
There is also a "ninja course" area with activities for adults and older kids. It can only be open with the hotel key so small kids won't get in by accident. We went there to explore but our 3.5 year-old quickly came back to the main room with activities more suitable for her age.
How about some freshly prepared popcorn to recover after all the fun? Our 3.5 year-old loved the popcorn making machine. You get to fold your own bag, place it in the machine and watch popcorn fall out. Who could have thought such a simple thing could be so entertaining?
Just next to it, is a coffee machine and a small eating space overseeing the play area.
The small playroom is conveniently located just next to the Sunstar Arosa restaurant. Kids can play with different toys and games, draw or use a mini slide.
The Sunstar Arosa pool is nice and offers some donuts and rafts for kids to play with. It does get deep quite quickly and unfortunately there is no children pool, toys nor slides.
The outside playground area is rather small and you have to go around the building to get to it. As we spent our days mostly exploring Arosa, where you can find a great playground, we did not mind it.
In the Sunstar Arosa basement there is also a small short-lane-bowling, darts and arcade games area. We used it when our little one was sleeping (the internet connection at the hotel is good so if you have a wi-fi based monitoring system, you are good to go!). We really enjoyed it. There is no music (we brought our own speaker) and if you want to get a drink you have to go to the bar on the first floor.
During dinner our kid got a small gift - a puzzle of a sleeping bear - a very nice touch.
The hotel also offers daycare (Monday - Friday), a fitness center and a spa area with massages - we did not use them though and cannot comment.
The adventure factor
When the weather is nice, Arosa offers a lot of family friendly hikes and activities. We especially enjoyed the Arosa Bear Sanctuary & Adventure Trail 2000 meters up the mountain, where you can admire bears from a sky-walk and the Arosa Squirrel Trail, where squirrels come eat nuts off kids hands. Here is the official Arosa list of all themed hikes.
Arosa is also known for being a family biking heaven. There are downhill trails for skilled young bikers and bike pump tracks (one even for beginner bikers in the center of Arosa).
For little ones, there is a great playground in the middle of Arosa.
The views factor
Pretty much anywhere you go in Arosa, the views are amazing and the Arosa Sunstar is no exception. We especially liked the fact that you can admire the mountains and forests from the swimming pool and the playground.
The comfort factor
The reception, bar and restaurant areas are very nice. The rooms are comfortable but have a slightly dated feel. We appreciated that kids get their own bathrobes - always a great touch!
The food factor
Sunstar Arosa Breakfast buffet offers all the standards - eggs, yogurts, breads and rolls (including wholegrain), meats etc. The added bonus is a pancake making machine. Our toddler loved pressing the button and watching pancakes being made. For dinner there is a kids buffet and a choice for adults - à-la-carte or buffet. If you prefer something else, there are many restaurants in the area. They are not always open though so if you chose to eat out, I recommend to check and possibly reserve beforehand.
The value factor
All hotels in Arosa are priced at a premium. You can check the latest prices for Sunstar Arosa on their website. Please note, even small kids pay extra (which is not the case in all hotels) In 2023 for our 3.5 year-old, we had to pay an extra 70 CHF per night. We appreciated that it comes with bus passes that also give discounts on gondola rides and some of the other attractions (including the Arosa Bear Sanctuary).
Sunstar Hotel Arosa - practical info
Address: Seewaldstrasse 12, 7050 Arosa
If you come by public transport, there is a 15-minute walk to the hotel from the train station. The Arosa Sunstar Hotel offers a shuttle bus that can pick you up from the station - contact them in advance to get this organized.