Beau-Rivage Palace – Lausanne with Lake Geneva view

Since 1861, the Beau-Rivage Palace has been welcoming guests from all over the world in an exquisite location in Lausanne Ouchy. Famous personalities such as Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel, Nelson Mandela and, most recently, John Kerry have come and gone here. The five-star hotel has already won various awards and is undisputedly one of the best city hotels in Switzerland. So we made our way to Lausanne on Friday afternoon with great anticipation and were curious to see what awaited us on site and how the Beau-Rivage had held its own among all the city hotels for over 150 years.

Grande Dame in Lausanne Ouchy

Ouchy forms the southern district of Lausanne, located directly on the shores of Lake Geneva. Accessible from Lausanne train station in just a few minutes by metro, this traditional hotel is an ideal starting point for exploring Lausanne and the surrounding area and residing in style with a view of Lake Geneva. The urban hustle and bustle behind you, the great panorama right outside the door. You can have the fiver and the Weggli, as we like to say in Switzerland.

The first thing that catches our eye is the Château de Ouchy. Just a few metres away is the Beau-Rivage Palace in a spacious park. On this Friday, it’s quiet on the waterfront. The boats bob gently around in the water. Gone are the hot summer days, when everyone is looking to cool off along the shore. But that doesn’t diminish the charm of the promenade in any way. We stroll leisurely along the shore and enjoy the peace and quiet and far-reaching view over Lake Geneva. Only the shadows of the magnificent Alpine scenery on the opposite side can be glimpsed. The lobby of the Bau-Rivage Palace, which is located in the older part of the building, impresses with a fantastic atrium and a cozy lounge.

Beautifully bedded

But the amazement doesn’t stop in the lobby. We have the honour of staying in one of the newly designed Junior Suites in the Palace wing. The entire wing of the building was redesigned by the renowned interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. The result is impressive. All rooms are decorated in pastel-coloured basic tones and the choice of furniture skilfully bridges the gap between the Belle Epoque and contemporary design. The unobstructed view of the lake is impressive. Awakening with lake view guaranteed. We immediately felt comfortable. And I could have easily spent a weekend on the sofa with this fantastic view. But there was no time for that. The other amenities of the hotel were tempting and of course we wanted to take the opportunity to explore Lausanne.

Spa & Cocktails

To top off the perfect start to the weekend, I wrapped myself in my bathrobe shortly after our arrival at the hotel, went to the Cinq Mondes Spa and let myself be pampered with a “Massage de Sublime de Polynésie Délassant”. A wonderful relaxing massage, which took me to the South Seas for 50 minutes with the scent of the aromas used. The range of massages is varied. Another way to relax is the Hamman areas for men and women (separate) and the whirlpool in the indoor pool (it was a bit too cold for the outdoor pool).

Fresh and with kneaded muscles, we treated ourselves to an aperitif in the bar. On the recommendation of the bartender, I tried the “Golden Prestige” (Bacardi rum with saffron, passion fruit and lime juice). Quite decent, but not one that makes it into my list of favorites. But the bar menu is quite extensive and next time, I’ll just try another one. For dinner we went to the Café Beau-Rivage. The Beau-Rivage Palace offers something for almost every taste, from the Michelin-starred restaurant Anne-Sohpie Pic to the Japanese restaurant Miyako Lausanne and the Italian L’Accademia to the brasserie-style Café Beau-Rivage. The four-course dinner menu (92 CHF) could not fully convince us. On the one hand, I’m not a big fan of French-inspired cuisine and on the other hand, the second course (turbot with aubergine caviar and coconut foam) disappointed. Next time I would head for the Miyako out of interest – the ambience looked very authentic, at least from the outside, and made me want to eat sushi.

Promising Awakening

The next morning started perfectly according to the script with a magnificent morning atmosphere and a great breakfast buffet. What a wonderful ambience and, in my opinion, also the great strength of the Beau-Rivage Palace. Although you are actually in the middle of the urban environment of Lausanne, you still get a Riviera holiday feeling when you look out of the window.

Sightseeing in Lausanne

Well fortified, we took the metro to explore hilly Lausanne. First of all, we headed for the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which towers high above the old town. It is considered one of the most important Gothic buildings in Switzerland. At the first glance inside, we almost missed the highlight. To see the important rose window in the transept, you have to walk across the church. It’s worth it.

Afterwards we strolled through the alleys of the old town down to the Lausanne Flon district, which has developed from a former industrial area to a hip district with interesting new buildings in recent years. Recommended for all architecture fans. The Rôtillon district is also worth seeing. Here, new public squares have been created and accents have been set with colourful buildings.

But Lausanne not only has a pretty old town, steep staircases and innovative new quarters, but also a rich range of museums. The classic in case of bad weather is the Olympic Museum and the must-see for those interested in architecture is the Archives de la Construction Modernes ACM (which can also be combined well with a visit to the Rolex Learning Center). And for the break in between, I can pass on Mela’s tip to you. She recommended the Brasserie de Montbenon, which is idyllically located in the Esplanade de Montbenon park. The hummus with flatbread costs 9.50 CHF and is perfect as an intermediate refreshment.

Information and tips about the Beau-Rivage Palace

• 50-minütige Massage 170 CHF / 80-minütige Massage 225 CHF
• On Sundays there is a Sunday brunch (96 CHF) and the normal breakfast costs 49 CHF (absolutely worthwhile for a spontaneous stay in Lausanne without a booked breakfast)
• Every weekend tea time in the Lobby Lounge from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Cocktail classes are also offered in the bar

Note: My stay in Lausanne was supported by the Beau Rivage Palace. Thank you very much for this! As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm.