Carl Kracht and his family lived in Zurich and he managed the Hotel Baur au Lac.

It reopened as the Excelsior Hotel Ernst with unparalleled luxury for the time: 60 of the 200 bedrooms had a private bathroom.

On 31 December 1926, the Excelsior Hotel Ernst celebrated its reopening, after the British army left.

During World War II, the upper levels of the hotel were damaged by air raids in 1943, but the first four floors continued operating through 1944.

The hotel has hosted many famous guests, including Kaiser William I and American artist Andy Warhol.