Frommer's Review
This grand old landmark 1865 hotel, which has counted Richard Wagner and Sarah Bernhardt among its guests, receives our highest recommendation for its traditional Victorian charm and impeccable service. Its colorful history has included the auction of the jewels of the late duchess of Windsor; and after World War I, the treaty creating the Republic of Czechoslovakia was signed here. The most tragic event in its history, however, was the assassination of Empress Elisabeth ("Sissi") of Austria, who was stabbed on the nearby quays in 1898 by the anarchist Luigi Lucheni, and then carried back to her lodgings in the Beau-Rivage to die a few hours later. To this day, history buffs rent the pale-blue Empress Suite.
The hotel was built by Jean-Jacques Mayer, who came from Stuttgart, and it's still run as a dignified family-managed enterprise by his descendents today. Its most striking feature is the open, five-story lobby, site of dozens of upscale dramas (all handled with a hushed sense of discretion by the much-experienced staff). The hotel also became the first in Europe to install elevators. The rooms are individually furnished and frequently redecorated. All front rooms have views of the lake. Accommodations are categorized by size, "romantic" rooms being more spacious, and "classical" rooms being medium in size. Some of the romantic units contain ceiling frescoes teeming with cherubs and mythical heroes. Each also has a roomy private bathroom, clad in marble or tile, with robes and deluxe toiletries. You won't get the sense that you're in a hotel that's particularly in the news because of a recent massive overhaul, or that you're in a hotel that's awash with newfound corporate funds and cutting-edge decors, as in the Hotel des Bergues or Le Richemond, but nonetheless, this is a hotel of historic charm and impeccable good manners -- one of the genuinely prestigious hotels of Switzerland.
Facilities:
2 restaurants; bar; room service; babysitting; laundry service/dry cleaning; nonsmoking rooms
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
