The adjacent Palace Hotel is reached via a long ‘museum’ corridor which showcases the history of this very special resort. Items of furniture from the former Palace, photographs of Audrey Hepburn and other Hollywood royalty, menus – even the former lift. I enjoyed breakfast each morning at the RitzCoffier restaurant. A heavenly concoction of croissants, creamy scrambled eggs and prosciutto accompanied by great coffee. My favourite time of the day and made especially satisfying since I was there for sunrise over the mountains.
I love the vintage copper pots on the walls in the restaurant, a striking original cooking range now re-purposed as the buffet counter as well as original timber doors and an antique hearth. Here in the Palace Hotel, MKV Design has left the ground floor public areas as they were in fin-de-siècle style, while the upper floors and hotel rooms are thoroughly modern.
Food takes centre stage here at the Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort. And we had the good fortune to dine at all four main restaurants. The Palace is French fine dining, Taverne 1879 serves typical Swiss cuisine from its Swiss chalet opposite the chapel.
Sharq Oriental and Shisha Lounge serve Lebanese and Persian dishes in a cosy oriental-style restaurant and Spices Kitchen and Restaurant serves authentic Asian dishes with a showcase of Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Thai Chefs in full action in an open kitchen.
Culinary director Mike Wehrle is weaving his extraordinary magic across the board here and brings 23 years’ experience with Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels across the world. Even the dedicated Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence centre will serve healthy dining options that are low in salt and animal fats.
Fortunately, there are ample ways to work off the superb cuisine at the Bürgenstock. Hikers and joggers will love the 70km of meadow and mountain trails. I hired a pushbike and enjoyed an energising ride through the forest and empty roads. I also recommend the 30-minute cliffside walk up to the Hammetschwand Lift. Dating from 1905, this fully restored glass-sided lift is the highest in Europe and takes visitors 152m to the top of the Hammetschwand in less than a minute. There’s a restaurant here and superb 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside.
If golf’s your thing, then the 9-hole course adjacent to the hotel looks amazing, with instruction available daily. The fascinating Diamond Domes just a short walk from the hotel are Davis Cup-standard indoor tennis courts and the outdoor court turns into a magical ice rink in winter.
And of course, there’s the 10,000m² Alpine Spa; an entire building dedicated to the art of relaxation. The three-level spa is perched on the side of mountain, 500 metres above Lake Lucerne, and linked to the fourth floor of the Bürgenstock Hotel. The magnificent reception desk is carved out of a single piece of white Arabescato marble, while the wellness areas wrap around the fully glazed walls providing the ultimate in rejuvenating views from the pool, L-shaped relaxation room, numerous specialist treatment rooms and sauna.
On the landside, there is a state-of-the-art gym, hair salon and changing rooms, and in between, the spa restaurant connects the two wings and opens onto an outdoor terrace.
There are also three outdoor pools, one of which is a spectacular infinity-edge pool with water maintained at 36 degrees, and a private spa terrace.
I had two fabulous massages – the staff are excellent. Saunas, Hammans and Jacuzzis are here, as well as 13 massage rooms and beauty rooms. For VIPs, there are three completely private spas with separate entrances.
The Bürgenstock Resort & Hotels has its focus very much on health and wellness. The new Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence has 160 rooms and suites with an integrated spa facility. In addition to regular treatments, guests will also be able to take advantage of post-operative convalescence, medical check-ups and nutritional consultations and weight loss programs.
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