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Grand Hotel du Lac
Vevey, Switzerland
A charming hotel on the lakeside promenade
Ideally situated at the quieter end of the beautiful lakefront promenade in Vevey, this little jewel of a hotel is full of lovely surprises. It is a charming hotel offering a very elegant and luxurious interior and five-star service. Built in 1868, it will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2018.
Elegantly decorated by Pierre-Yves Rochon, who renovated the Plaza Athénée in Paris, the interior is classic and refined with lots of beautiful objects on display, giving it the cosy atmosphere of a home rather than a hotel. The level of attention to detail is what really struck me.
Just off the lobby, I fell in love with the very cosy Oriental Salon with its plush décor and incredible decorative details. Bursting with oriental artefacts, this intimate, exotic room is furnished with plush, inviting sofas, in rich silk and velvet fabrics and luxurious dark colours. From the imprinted metal trays, to the curios inlaid with mother-of-pearl and the traditional samovars, this room is simply magical. It’s an opulent hideaway wrapped in luxury where you can come to relax and dream of faraway lands. This is just one of the three lounges on offer in this area of the hotel.
The 49 hotel rooms are all decorated in the same tasteful style, in shades of beige and blue, lakeside, and yellow on the roadside of the hotel. Whilst my room was very comfortable, it was on the smaller side and I will admit, I found it quite tight. I particularly enjoyed the five-star quality bed linen with cool, clean, crisp sheets and super-fluffy pillows. I loved the cosy bathroom with its statement floral wallpaper and fragranced Guerlain amenities. There was no bathtub, just a shower.
I was in awe of the Léman suite on the top floor offering a very spacious living area decorated in plush shades of red and an elegant cream-and-beige stripe wallpaper. The red décor carries through to the opulent bedroom decorated with rich, dark red soft furnishings and heavy drapes. A lovely red toile de jouy wallpaper adorns the walls of the spacious bathroom. The suite, which really feels like a private apartment, has a fabulous view on the lake and alps rising just beyond.
The hotel has two excellent restaurants, La Véranda, a chic brasserie offering a traditional and seasonal menu served on its lovely terrace, overlooking the gardens and the lake beyond, and Les Saisons, which boasts one Michelin star and 16/20 Gault & Millau points. I dined at La Véranda on a beautiful summer’s evening. They had a very tempting 3-course summer lobster menu for Chf 115.- For the main course, you could choose between a lobster claw fritter served on risotto with summer truffle and a virgin sauce with roasted hazelnuts and a roasted lobster in its shell served in a verbena and peach sauce with new potatoes. The food here is delicious and the setting really beautiful.
Another lovely surprise in this hotel is the stunning Viennese ballroom with its elegant décor and beautiful parquet. Used for weddings and other events, the room can accommodate 130 guests and even has a charming balcony on the first floor from which the newlyweds can toast their guests.
The delightful gardens, whilst not directly on the lakefront, are only separated from Vevey's beautiful promenade by one, very quiet street and offer a view over the peaceful harbour. There's a lovely terrace on one side of the gardens, offering comfy wicker sofas in the shade of some trees where you can enjoy a drink. There is also an outdoor pool tucked away on the other side of the gardens.
The hotel also has a spa run by Dr Burgener offering a holistic approach to beauty that combines natural ingredients with advanced Swiss technologies. You can check in for a wide-range of treatments including 5-day slimming packages. It also offers a range of relaxing treatments for children including a chocolate body scrub! There's a small gym in the spa and a sauna and steam room. Whilst I did not get a chance to use the spa during my stay, I loved its zen and light-filled décor.
Le Grand Hotel du Lac is an ideal place to stay if you are looking for a refined, quiet and intimate atmosphere in an idyllic setting. I found this charming hotel incredibly soothing and really enjoyed my stay here.
24th August 2017
Swiss Bliss Travel was kindly hosted by Swiss Deluxe Hotels during this stay.
For more information check out the hotel's website here.