It was Josef Anton Bon who identified the village of Vitznau right on the shores of Lake Lucerne as a unique and special place. With its warm climate, clean air and proximity to the Rigi (a Swiss mountain of legendary status) he could perceive that here was somewhere others would want to journey to. Today, you see his vision brought to reality in the building he commissioned from architect Karl Koller – the Park Hotel Vitznau which first opened for business back in 1903.

The hotel sits in absolute harmony with its lake and mountain backdrop. It looks totally at home by the sparkling waters of Lake Lucerne in a setting where the views and changing light patterns create an ever-changing and unforgettable canvas. The exuberance of the hotel’s design with its turrets and natural stonework give it a magical quality and the sympathetic extensions fit comfortably with the original buildings

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To keep things exclusive and safe during this year’s pandemic, only guests are allowed to enter which reinforces the idea of a real Swiss escape and a general sense of peace. The hotel lives by its philosophy of “keeping the past alive yet shaping the future” and focuses on its key themes of Wine & Dine, Art & Culture and Health & Wealth.

With every one of the 47 suites individually-crafted to create enduring memories and interest, the whole feel of the hotel is of something rather different. The careful placing of artworks and the chosen items from history are visually stimulating and draw the eye of guests to discover more. They are all part of the experience in staying here and set the hotel apart from some of today’s blander propositions. For many visitors, however, it can be hard to look beyond the view of the lake from their terrace or wrought iron balcony. It is so quintessentially Swiss with the essential elements of lake, mountains and the surrounding natural world.

The hotel’s management and staff want guests to feel better and calmer by the end of their stay. That mood change happens practically from the point of arrival when all of the character and atmosphere of this grand old hotel begin to emerge. The care and attention given to guests is never intrusive adding to the idea of stepping back from the pace of modern life.

The quality of the food provided at Park Hotel Vitznau has been the domain of Executive Chef Christian Nickel since 2012. In-house restaurant “focus” has two Michelin Stars while the fusion cuisine at “PRISMA” (where natural light floods in) celebrates culinary combinations of the finest ingredients with careful attention to color, taste and balance. The wine collection of some 32,000 bottles is of international renown and contains a depth of choice from the world’s greatest wine producers.

Given the hotel’s commitment to the health of guests, the SPA and leisure facilities are of the highest standard with a range of treatments available. The infinity swimming pool provides a feeling of complete absorption in the lake and mountain setting. In a way, it sums up what a stay at Park Hotel Vitznau represents.