Its fame as a winter sports destination may dominate images of snow-covered mountains and chilly nights around the fondue pot, yet Switzerland is similarly beautiful and no less appealing in other seasons, too. Those same snowcapped peaks slalomed by skiers in winter are enjoyed by hikers in the warmer months, though considerably less exertion is required to see the scenery when seated behind the wheel of a bright yellow Ferrari.
In the small village of Langenthal, that Ferrari 488 Spyder awaits guests at a surprising hotel called Meilenstein. Equidistant from the Swiss capital of Bern and the popular city of Lucerne, Meilenstein can pass as an office building from the outside; inside, it is a fantasy world for the automobile enthusiast. How many hotels have a high-end car dealership in the lobby? As if a Formula 1 museum within its walls were not enough, Meilenstein also houses a large collection of exceptional automobiles belonging to private owners who leave their vehicles in the care of Meilenstein’s tireless staff. The same level of attention is afforded hotel guests under the meticulous supervision of Philipp Schäublin, a dynamic general manager who somehow oversees the many aspects of Meilenstein’s operations with equal parts suaveté and aplomb. The Formula 1 museum and automobile collection are visible through the glass walls of the hotel corridors, an assembly of engines and engineering to contrast with the quietude and greenery of a small Swiss village.
Quiet, yes, but boring, definitely not. Kids love the in-house bowling alley, as well as the enormous aquarium that leaves visitors agog at the sheer size of the 42-metre-long wall of water filled with sea creatures atypical of aquarium displays. In contrast, not many fish are seen on the menu at The Meat, Meilenstein’s deluxe steakhouse where top-quality Swiss beef is accompanied by robust Swiss wines. Wagyu waiting for? If more interested in horses than horsepower, Meilenstein operates a private equestrian centre a few kilometres away. Families come for weeks at a time to allow their children to take riding lessons with expert instructors in this state-of-the-art facility. The horses, impeccably groomed, may not have the horsepower of a Ferrari but they are certainly every bit as splendid. As for accommodation, the entire top floor of Premium rooms can be privatised for friends and families requiring complete privacy.
One last aspect of Meilenstein is its real-estate service to assist guests looking to purchase property in Switzerland. For people not quite ready to take that step but still wanting a place to call home, there is Grand Hotel National in Lucerne. Located directly on the shore of Lake Lucerne, Grand Hotel National is a classic European five-star hotel providing the services and attention expected in such an establishment, as it has done for the past 150 years. Having only 41 rooms, Grand Hotel National is rather petite; what sets the hotel apart from others in Lucerne is its residential wing where apartments are available for long-term lease. Completely private, with lake views and no neighbours facing the lakefront windows, residents of these coveted apartments have the full array of hotel services available to them.
Regardless of the length of stay at Grand Hotel National, all guests and residents enjoy the convenient location a short walk from Lucerne’s Old Town and from the unique Bourbaki Panorama, a circular painting 112 metres round. The unique painting is fronted by three-dimensional dioramas that bring the action right into the room. A bit further away is the enormous Swiss Museum of Transport and its planetarium; with the added inclusion of the Swiss Chocolate Adventure experience, it is easy to spend an entire day here. Also on the grounds is the Hans Erni Museum presenting the works of this unusual Swiss artist in their own facility. And what is a visit to Switzerland without chocolate? The concierge at Grand Hotel National can arrange a private tasting session at the elegant Max Chocolatier Studio, a short ride from the hotel. Never has there been a more fashionable chocolate shop.
If you’re looking for a longer ride, there are Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s historical steamships. A boat trip aboard the company’s nostalgic paddlewheel vessels is a quintessentially Swiss experience. When not being enchanted by the stunning scenery, passengers can observe the engine in action in its glass-enclosed compartment. As are all Lake Lucerne Navigation’s vessels, steamships – such as Uri, Unterwalden, and Stadt Luzern, the latter of which hosted Queen Elizabeth II – are available for private charter, as is the latest addition to the fleet, the very modern Diamant.
Further along Lake Lucerne is the sumptuous Park Hotel Vitznau, one of Switzerland’s most exclusive places to stay. Here, the outside world ceases to exist as anything other than a theoretical place beyond the realm of this private guesthouse only open to resident guests. As is made obvious by the lift shafts and the statue of the bull and bear battling in the lakefront garden, the hotel’s theme is money and the life of luxury that money can buy. Like the Rolls-Royce Phantoms sometimes parked in front of Park Hotel Vitznau, the high-tech doors to the plush suites and their protective glass panels open remotely with a fob key. Whether an in-house concert or a delicious dinner in the Grill restaurant, perhaps accompanied by a bottle from one of the largest wine cellars in Switzerland, only the best of everything is allowed here thanks to the expectation of perfection from general manager Urs Langenegger and his adept staff.
Most people come to Park Hotel Vitznau not to pursue activity but to escape it in opulent surroundings. That said, a ride to or from Vitznau on Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s steamboats can take passengers toward Lucerne or toward the small villages such as Brunnen and Flüelen, like Vitznau occupying dreamily beautiful locations along the lake. The Vitznau dock is very close to the hotel; adjacent to the dock is the Rigi train that takes visitors to the summit of the rugged peak that dominates the landscape in this part of Switzerland.
Lake Lucerne is one of Switzerland’s most popular destinations but the country’s capital, Bern, sees fewer overnight guests. The smart ones who do choose to experience this charming historical city – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – beyond a mere daytrip can enjoy the newly renovated suites at Bellevue Palace, the official guesthouse of the Swiss government. Despite that serious responsibility, Bellevue Palace offers an almost playful aspect to the guest experience without compromising excellence in professionalism. In short, every employee seems to be in a very good mood, all the time; this includes long-time general manager Urs Bührer. A stalwart on the Swiss deluxe hospitality scene, Bellevue Palace is livening up its formerly reserved image to match comfort with excitement. The newly opened Noumi, named for the numismatic production of the nearby Swissmint, has rapidly become the place to see and be seen in Bern, especially among younger residents and visitors entertained by the variety of quirky cocktails and innovative dishes served here. Noumi complements Bellevue Palace’s VUE restaurant, where the outdoor terrace is the best place in Bern to take in the panorama of the Aare River and the Bernese Alps beyond while enjoying the superb food, wine, and service of Laurent Schenk and his dedicated team who take great pride in their roles turning a meal into a memorable dining experience.
What elevates Bellevue Palace even higher is its special relationship with local authorities. A private tour of Bern’s famous Zytglogge clock tower is easily arranged; it is fascinating to stand behind the clock face as the hour chimes and observe the machinery in action from that privileged position. Bern’s central location in Switzerland allows Bellevue Palace to offer a particularly diverse array of day tours; from hot air ballooning over the Alps to luxury watches in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the helpful concierges can make arrangements for guests to experience the essence of Switzerland.
Travellers to central Switzerland are likely to arrive and depart at Zurich Airport. For those travellers starting or finishing their visit in the country’s biggest city, two formidable but very different hotels await their arrival. Ema House is a small establishment providing stylish suites without the restaurants or other facilities of a larger property. A favourite with Gulf guests who enjoy its maximal privacy, some spend weeks at Ema House as a base for daytrips around the region. General manager Jonathan Anthamatten casts a watchful eye over everything; like the rest of the friendly staff, he knows all the guests by name. The hotel is located away from the tourists in the Old Town, which nevertheless remains easily accessible via a pleasant riverside stroll. Ema House also manages furnished apartments in several locations around Zurich for extended stays in residential buildings.
Largely unrecognised as such, Zurich is very much a city where art is appreciated. Connoisseurs will notice the finesse of the two large paintings in the Ema House lobby. For more art, the absence of a restaurant at Ema House is the perfect excuse for lunch or dinner at Kronenhalle, the esteemed Zurich institution where meals are served in historical rooms on whose walls hang pieces from the owner’s priceless art collection. Omnipresent in his managerial role, the venerable Mr Godat is never far away from the action in the restaurant or the adjacent bar where design features created by Diego Giacometti decades ago have a timeless style can easily pass as 21st-century contemporary.
In contrast to the refined simplicity of Ema House, The Dolder Grand lives up to its adjective with a grandeur unmatched by any other hotel in Zurich. Situated in a privileged location atop a bluff, with expansive views over Lake Zurich to the Alps in the distance, The Dolder Grand is renowned for its posh suites and superlative spa facilities. One of the largest hotel spas in Europe, the spa here is the ne plus ultra of pampering thanks to a wide selection of deluxe treatments.
There is a relaxation area, of course, and even a spa library to de-stress with a good book when not partaking of the swimming pool or sauna facilities. After being kneaded, scraped, or rolled, dinner in The Dolder Grand’s Saltz restaurant awaits, as perhaps does a glass of champagne in the ultra-exclusive Krug Lounge X, an intimate, open-air terrace where the wide vistas and French bubbles are accompanied by the tasty mezze dishes of chef Firas El-Borji. The Dolder Grand, too, displays an eclectic selection of art pieces from the owner’s private collection, perfect for one last artistic immersion on your Swiss adventure.
