An imposing Belle Epoque palace, the singularity of a privileged view, and the art of welcoming, make of this Lausanne Palace one of the best hotels in Switzerland.
Located in the heart of Lausanne, with the stamp of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Lausanne Palace was one of the best experiences I ever had in a hotel.
A palace that witnessed the beauty and bohemia of the 20’s, kept, since June 1915, the same premise – the Swiss hospitality, with the happiness and comfort of its guests as the main goal.
Since 2016, with Ivan Rivier in charge, the Lausanne Palace perfectly represents the success of luxury hotels, in which the Savoir-être and the Savoir-faire are the great pillars of hospitality.
We arrived at the hotel after a beautiful train journey from Lucerne (see), and once the central station was just 500m of the hotel, we walked there.
First Impression
The first thing we see as arriving is the facade, going back in time and imagine ourselves as part of a glamorous story from the Belle Epoque. The balconies with their red sunblinds give it the typical elegance of a Parisian hotel.
The hotel is surrounded by the city, the Geneva lake, and the Alps.
We entered and were welcomed with the so delicate “Bonjour Madame”!
The lobby is huge, and ahead of us is one of the bars of the hotel, full of guests with the typical combo of bustle and relaxation.
It’s the Bar 1915, with an intimate ambiance, while in an open space. Surrounded by flowers and decorated woth sober colors, giving it a comfort atmosphere.
You feel like experiencing it even before the check-in!
We were forwarded to the reception, to our left, and welcomed by the team that took care of our check-in without delays.
The reception, with high marble ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and neo-classical columns, shares the grandiosity of the facade of the hotel!
Bedrooms
There are 140, including 30 Suites and Junior Suites.
We stayed in a Suite Lake View, by far one of the best rooms I’ve ever stayed at!
With some generous 100m2, distributed by a living room with sober colors and a comfort ambiance; an elegant bedroom, breathing relaxation and luxury; and two bathrooms, the smaller one with a shower and the bigger one with bathtub; and lastly but most importantly, two balconies with one of the best views ever, the Lake Geneva and the magnificent Alps, covered in snow, a magical combination with the sun felt that day.
It was here we spent half of the afternoon, with a dreamlike scenario, accompanied by chocolate, fruit, coffee, and tea we had available in the room.
To perfume our afternoon there was a red roses bouquet with a welcoming letter. The atmosphere was just perfect – of comfort, elegance, and familiar as if that was our house (and oh! if it could be!).
Besides the free wifi, here the minibar is also free, with juices, non-alcoholic drinks, and some snacks.
In the bathroom, the products we have available are from the renowned British brand Penhaligon’s.
The bedroom is extremely functional and can be controlled from the bed. About it, and unfortunately for me, they invested in the mattress firmness and not in the wrapping softness as I like.
That night, we also got a bottle of Champagne Deutz, some snacks, and another rose! And at that moment we were sure there is no hospitality as the Swiss!
They are unbeatable in the art of welcoming (and happily they discovered my passion for “bubbles”!)
Restaurants and Bars
One of the hotels’ ex-libris, because it has several spaces with very high quality.
The Bar 1915, that I mentioned before, is the center of the hotel, where guests and locals come together for different breakfasts, cocktails along the day, or business meetings in an interesting space. Besides it, there are three more bars.
The LP’s Bar, with an urban-chic atmosphere. Basically a place in Lausanne where you go to see and be seen!
A modern decoration with touches of colonial, it is prepared to satisfy our wishes from the morning till dawn! The panoramic terrace enchants those who decide to stay there and relax.
At night, the bar transforms into a bohemian place where anything can happen, with live music from Tuesday to Saturday.
In this bar there is the famous Krug Room, an intimate space, combining two of the biggest pleasures the comnon mortal can have, books and wine – particularly the selection of the best Krug champagnes!
Another place of interest is the Habana Bar, as the name indicates, a space for the tobacco lovers, and not any tobacco, but the famous Cuban one! A place for very peculiar tastes!
With a decoration between the elegance of wood and the sparkle of leather, this bar is a space full of personality.
And to finish the bars, we have another one, quite different from these, a Vegan Bar, the Yogi Booster, the first vegetarian and organic restaurant of Lausanne, with a series of menus with healthy and natural foods, and a detox cuisine.
This food experience can be made with the detox treatments of the spa as well.
And on to the restaurants, there are four, one of them with a Michelin star!
Between the four spaces, the choice is very varied, with options to every taste: the Sushi Zen Palace, a traditional Japanase to the lovers of this type of food; the Côté Jardin, famous for the brunch, with mediterranean flavors, serving all the meals of the day, and where we had the chance to have a great breakfast with the Alps as scenario; the Brasserie du Gran Chéne, with its Parisian style, taking us back to the past with the elegance of the Parisian Brasseries and the flavors of the great French gastronomy. One of the spotlights is the oyster bar.
And lastly, the acclaimed and starred La Table D’Edgard, headed by Edgard Bovier, one of the main gastronomic references of the city and the region, combining haute cuisine with one of the most beautiful views of the city.
Services
The Lausanne Palace is a luxury hotel prepared to satisfy every need of its guests.
Equipped with five rooms for events and celebrations, prepared to welcome hundreds of people, without ever neglecting an excellence service. But, if the focus is business, the hotel is also a step ahead, with its eight rooms technologically equipped to welcome dozens of people.
If like me, the goal is to relax, the CBE Concept Spa is the perfect place. Constituted of an interior warm pool, jacuzzi, two areas (men and women) of a Turkish bath, treatment rooms and the best gym I ever saw in a hotel.
Nothing is left to chance and the feeling of well-being and plenitude is a constant in this space.
Besides these, the hotel as all the typical services of a luxury hotel and some more you may need. You just have to contact the concierge or any other member of the staff.
Of my stay, I’m left with nostalgia, gratitude and mostly, fascination. How can a centennial hotel be so timeless, be so traditional and at the same time so cosmopolite, be so genuine and so caring of its guests, and when it has the size of a palace be so authentic and perfect in the art of welcoming?
But yes, a hotel can be all this!
And of my experience, I take, above all, authenticity and hospitality.
See you soon Lausanne Palace!
Lausanne Palace
Bedrooms from 270€
Rue du Grand-Chêne 7 – Lausanne
+41 21 331 31 31
info@lausanne-palace.ch
Photos: Flavors & Senses
