Review: 5* Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne
Schweizerhof Lucerne is actually the oldest hotel in Lucerne (built in 1845) and probably one of the best known, which has attracted a lot of prominent guests over the years (like Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Richard Wagner, etc.).
Though it is a luxurious 5* hotel it is now also a famous festival hotel where little concerts take place, and it is still a family-run hotel (since 1861 run by the same family) which makes it all more likable.
But there are several more very important aspects why this hotel is so well known and also like a great choice to stay. Also, one of the first things I noticed inside the hotel was the amount of beautiful white flowers everywhere.
Location
The location is really perfect. Located very close to the train station (less than 5-minute walk), in front of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee), the chapel bridge (probably the most famous sight), and the old town it hardly could be more central.
Rooms at Schweizerhof Lucerne
The hotel has 101 rooms: double rooms and suites. All the rooms come with a view of the old town or with a lake and Alps view. My personal recommendation is, if possible, to get a room with a lake view. It costs a little bit more but it´s totally worth it – the view of the lake is really perfect.
We had a Junior Suite with a lake view and waking up to such a view is actually priceless.
The room had a balcony and chairs, and it was really nice sitting there and enjoying the view (though it was really hot, so I couldn’t stay there for too long).
The room itself was spacious, we had a coffee and tea maker and it was of course spotlessly clean. Unfortunately, we didn’t spend too much time at the hotel because we went out a lot, but this is one of the hotels which you don’t want to leave too much at all.
As mentioned before all rooms have had prominent guests (not only singers but also TV stars like Keanu Reeves or the German fashion designer Wolfgang Joop). In our room (room 123) stayed the Italian singer Zucchero who also left a little message 🙂
It is the little details that make the hotel adorable (besides the obvious beauty) – little music notes on doors and slogans in the rooms for example.
Restaurants/Breakfast
Schweizerhof Lucerne has several restaurants. We enjoyed dinner at the Restaurant Galerie which I will write about separately, but I can already mention the breakfast: a great choice and many healthy and not-so-healthy (but yummy) options.
My friend and I ate inside but I am sure you can have breakfast on the terrace as well if you like to.
Spa/Wellness Area
Because I went there with my dog we went out a lot and I didn’t get to do any wellness or fitness (well, I am not a fitness fan so I wouldn’t even have done it, haha). The last night I sneaked out to check out the spa/fitness area at least once. I was a little sad that I did not check it out earlier and did not actually spend time there.
The area was not only nice and beautiful but also had a great view of Lake Lucerne. There was a bathtub that I didn’t get the chance to use because it was quite late and my dog was waiting but it is definitely worth checking out the fitness opportunities (and the sauna).
Conclusion
Schweizerhof Lucerne is a beautiful hotel and though it is the oldest in Lucerne, the atmosphere was not too bourgeois (most likely because it is a festival hotel) and it looks great at night with all the different lights (I didn’t manage to take good pictures at night) and if you get the chance I would definitely stay there.
The fact that it’s also a family-run hotel with a perfect location and with friendly staff, nice rooms with beautiful views make Schweizerhof Lucerne a great place to stay if you are in Lucerne and I definitely recommend the hotel.
Well, I assume the chocolate, the receptionist gave me when I checked out, and a little goodbye note in my car helped me make me feel even more special :).
If you want to find out more about this charming festival hotel check out their website here.
Here are the best places to stay in Lucerne for all budgets and if you still have not figured out your itinerary then check out my post about the best things to do and see in Lucerne.