Swiss Made
A quintessentially Swiss journey by rail of the very best hotels Switzerland has to offer.
There’s a joke that, if a train leaves a Swiss station after the published time, then either the station clock or the train itself is not Swiss.
Switzerland is renowned for its excellent craftsmanship that sets a benchmark by which so many others are measured. It is no wonder that Swiss hospitality is the gold standard for an exquisite experience. The Bürgenstock Collection of hotels is one such prestigious name, and one of Switzerland’s largest hotel groups.
Its hotels are located on glistening lakes radiant with natural beauty: surrounded by vineyards in Lausanne; in the capital Bern with its fabulous medieval clock tower; to the ultimate mountain experience high above Lake Lucerne. We take a train journey between three of the best.
Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa, Lausanne
The Swiss Riviera runs between Lausanne and Montreux along the shores of Lake Geneva, which sits 372m above sea level. The Royal Savoy Hotel in Lausanne is an easy five-minute walk from the lake, where spectacular views across the water to the neighbouring spa town of Évian, in France, await.
Built on beautifully landscaped grounds among centuries-old trees, this grand, turreted hotel dates to 1909. Its balconied rooms look out over Lake Geneva and the Alps, while inside, the hotel is infused with understated glamour, reflecting past and present.
Original features blend effortlessly with modern touches and contemporary lighting. The elegant rooms ooze class, with large, comfortable beds, luxurious furniture and elegantly draped windows. The large spa is the perfect place to indulge in an array of restorative treatments or a relaxing dip in the heated indoor or outdoor pool.
La Brasserie du Royal creates classic cuisine from the region in a chic atmosphere. Delicious Swiss wines from the ancient vineyards of the Lavaux wine region (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are featured on the hotel’s lavish wine list.
The Sky Lounge is a winter-season rooftop pop-up restaurant offering an array of Swiss delights, including mulled wine, festive cocktails, raclette and fondue. Breathtaking panoramic views stretch over Lausanne and across Lake Geneva to France.
A walking tour of Lausanne takes you along cobbled streets and down old, covered wooden staircases.
At 5, Rue de Bourg, you’ll find top-tier chocolatier Blondel. Considered one of the best in Switzerland, Blondel’s history dates to 1850. A stone’s throw from Lausanne station, on the site of a former railway locomotive repair shed is Plateforme 10, with a collection of 10,000 works of art by major 19th and 20th century artists.
Hotel Schweizerhof, Bern
Travelling first class by train is a comfortable way to journey through Switzerland. From Lausanne to the Swiss capital of Bern, the tracks cross the Bernese Oberland (highlands).
In Bern, Hotel Schweizerhof's lobby-lounge is a popular meeting place for an apéritif before heading to the hotel’s world-famous Jack’s Brasserie, which opened in 1939. Scenes from the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service were filmed in the hotel.
The hotel is home to the only spa in Bern, where there’s a pampering pool, sauna, steam bath and an array of specialised luxurious treatments.
Walking the quiet, historic streets of this entirely pedestrianised city is the best way to discover the old town of Bern, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 12th century.
Bern boasts many treasures, including Albert Einstein’s house, 80 fountains and 6km of arcades where wooden doors on the street open to reveal cellar bars, restaurants and pocket theatres. Bern’s medieval Zytglogge (a 13th century clock tower and glockenspiel) is an exquisite and ornate example of Swiss timekeeping.
It’s the clock guts that impresses the most. A giant ‘cannon-ball’ pendulum sets the rhythm, as a complex system of giant cogs, chains, levers, wheels and knobs that turn together, keeping this massive time piece ticking on time.
Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort, Lake Lucerne
The train from Bern takes an hour to reach Lake Lucerne. It’s a short walk to Pier 3 on the lakeside and the awaiting private catamaran for the 40-minute crossing to the hotel’s shoreline and its vintage red funicular, for a steep five-minute ride up Mount Bürgenstock to the resort.
Dating back to 1873, The Bürgenstock Resort is Switzerland’s grandest hospitality project and the ultimate refuge from the stresses of modern life. Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren brought Hollywood glamour to the place in the 1950s, and parts of Goldfinger were filmed here in 1964.
In 2017, The Bürgenstock Resort emerged from an extensive, multi-million Swiss franc refurbishment into a modern-day, luxurious retreat.
The Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort in Lucerne comprises the Bürgenstock Hotel & Spa, the Palace Hotel and Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence; all within a few hundred metres of each other.
Entering the hotel lobby at the Bürgenstock Hotel & Spa, guests are presented with vast floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views across the lake and mountainside... nothing short of spectacular.
Guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining, with Persian, French, Italian and Asian options, as well as traditional Swiss chalet-style food. In the Lake View Bar & Cigar Lounge, masterful mixologists create signature cocktails underpinned by an acute attention to detail and using mostly local ingredients.
The multi-award-winning Bürgenstock Alpine Spa, the largest in Europe, is known for its legendary treatments. The spa offers five pools, infrared saunas and an outdoor relaxation garden. The facials, body treatments and massages are exceptional. Only the best spa products are used, including Dr Burgener, Biologique Recherche, Dr Barbara Sturm, 111 Skin, Amra and Kos Paris.
The Swiss hospitality ethos and craftsmanship ensures the highest standards; the sense of pride its people have in their country is justified.
https://burgenstockresort.com/en
This article originally appeared in Billionaire's Taste and Travel Issue. To subscribe, click here.
