Hotel Stamps & Cachets

During the second half of the 19th century, before Swiss railways were extended to some of the remote mountain districts, the proprietors of several hotels organized private postal services for the convenience of their guests. These services would transfer the senders' mail from the hotel to the nearest post office for a fee of between 5 and 10 rappen. With the subsequent extension of federal postal service to remote villages, these hotel posts were discontinued.

Switzerland was the first country in the world to develop a tourism industry on a large scale. This occurred during the mid-19th century; the tourists were mostly from the British upper classes and were seeking clear mountain air and taking “the cure” which was to be found at many natural baths.

Even after the demise of private Swiss hotel posts, many hotels created elaborate cachets that were either printed on hotel stationery or, as in this example, applied by a rubber stamp to mail dispatched by their guests.