Park Weggis – wellness enjoyment and grilling skills

– Update October 2017: Unfortunately the Park Weggis has closed and will be reopened at a later date under a new name / concept –

The sun is a rare guest this July. If it shows itself in all its glory for once, then you should take advantage of the moment. So two weeks ago we chose the romantic option for the journey to Park Weggis – by boat from Lucerne. Lucerne welcomes us with a steel-blue sky and summery temperatures. Perfect conditions for a weekend on the Riviera of Central Switzerland. With a view of the Pilatus, the Bürgenstock and the Rigi, we let the pleasantly cool wind ruffle our hair on deck and let the sun shine on our faces. Maybe the 40-minute drive to Weggis will be enough to finally get rid of the winter pallor.

Shortly before the Weggis pier, we can catch a first glimpse of our host. And as the saying goes: The first impression counts! Park Weggis masters this challenge with flying colours. The lush green lawn with the white sun loungers and the small sandy beach in front of the imposing Art Nouveau building of the Schlössli wing really makes you want to spend relaxing hours in the sun.

It’s a short walk from the pier to Weggis Park, which we take advantage of to discover the charms of Weggis. The idyllic village at the foot of the Rigi – also known as the Queen of the Mountains – and on the shores of Lake Lucerne has inspired some famous personalities in the past. The Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff had a modern villa built here in the early 1930s, and Mark Twain even described Weggis as “the most charming place”. Of course, so much advance praise caused our expectations to skyrocket. But Weggis showed itself from its most beautiful side on this wonderful summer day. Côte d’Azur holiday feeling in the middle of Switzerland!

In Park Weggis, a feel-good program awaits us. So we lose little time in our room after the warm welcome. But we don’t miss the opportunity to take in the fabulous view of the lake and the mountains for at least a short moment. Our spacious Mark Twain Suite more than lives up to its name. The décor is relatively discreet. After all, nothing should distract from the great view.

Then we pack our fluffy bathrobes and make our way towards the wellness area. What opened in 1875 as the Hotel Bellevue has blossomed over the years into a spacious area that today pampers guests as a “Sparkling Resort”. For example, the spa area is not located in the old part of the building, but in one of the adjacent new buildings. With its six spa cottages, Park Weggis offers private wellness enjoyment of an exclusive kind.

And it is precisely in such a cottage that we are allowed to rest for the next two hours, completely isolated from the outside world (my mobile phone had no reception!). With my own bubble bath, experience shower, steam bath, Kneipp basin and waterbed, I am a bit overwhelmed at first with what I should start now. After five minutes in the bubble bath, however, relaxation sets in and after a short nap on the waterbed at the latest, I feel right at home.

Completely relaxed, we treat ourselves to an aperitif by the lake before dinner. With a slightly growling stomach, we then head to the latest treat of Park Weggis. The Park Grill opened its doors this spring and celebrates a pared-down cuisine. “Pure” and “authentic” are the watchwords of the concept, which was created in collaboration with top Swiss chef André Jaeger. The focus is on a good piece of meat. Frills and countless courses are dispensed with just as much as elaborately put together creations. If you value a good piece of meat, you are definitely in the right place here.

We get a comfortable seat on the secluded terrace and study the menu. I opt for avocado / cherry tomato / onion salad (14 CHF) as an appetizer, choose the US Greenline Organic Beef Beef (42 CHF) as a main course and round off the dining experience with a fantastic frozen key lime pie (14 CHF). The friend enjoys an Orkney Salmon Teriyaki, a US Prime Black Angus Striploin, and an Ice Cream Sandwich. We also take a sip of wine, because Park Weggis is known for its exquisite wine list. I find it very sympathetic that the Park Grill serves selected varieties per glass. The new restaurant, with its chosen concept and the carefully selected products on the menu, is exactly what I like. The successful evening is rounded off with a panoramic view of Lake Lucerne.

The next morning starts the same way as the previous evening ended – with a view of the mountains. We wake up early and watch from our bed as the first rays of sunshine slowly kiss summit after peak. Since we are already plunging into the breakfast buffet at a quarter past seven, it is no problem to get a seat on the arbor. So early in the morning it is still quiet. But we don’t want to let the sunny day pass by and discuss our daily program animatedly. Do we now want to climb the Rigi, the Bürgenstock or perhaps the Pilatus? You could also take a trip to Lucerne or finally try stand up paddling at Park Weggis… As you can see, the region offers countless excursion possibilities and what we finally decided on, you can soon read here on the blog :).

However, one thing is clear, we felt really comfortable in Park Weggis and enjoyed every minute. Of course, the hotel had a tiny bit of a weather bonus, but Weggis is generally known for its mild climate. So why not swap the Mediterranean Sea for Lake Lucerne?

Info and tips:

• Double room with lake view from 450 CHF (seasonal)
• Private Spa Cottage from CHF 300 for two hours
• Rigi Kaltbad can be reached by cable car from Weggis – the GA travelcard is valid for this route
• Be sure to take a day trip to Lucerne
• You can find the timetable for the scheduled boat trip here: Lake Lucerne Shipping Company

Note: I was invited to this stay by Park Weggis. Thank you very much for this! As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm.