Bürgenstock Resort In Switzerland Is A Slice Of Heaven On Earth


After my visit to Clinique La Prairie in Montreux, I made my way to stay at the famed Bürgenstock Resort, a resort that sits high on top of mountain range overlooking the picturesque city of Luzerne, Switzerland, and its surrounding lake with three distinct hotels on property that historically has been a hideaway for the world’s elite.

“The Bürgenstock Collection is a group of Swiss properties located across three of Switzerland’s premier locations: Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa in Lausanne, Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & Spa in Bern and the Bürgenstock Resort set on the mountain top of Lake Lucerne. Guests can arrive at the Bürgenstock Resort by boat and funicular and are immediately wowed by scenic views of Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains. The resort is a collection of facilities, making it a destination in of itself with lots to explore and experience. There is something for everyone.” shares Thomas Goval, Acting General Manager of the Bürgenstock Resort.

After 5 days by myself on the first leg of my trip, my girlfriend who lives in Zurich picked me up from the train with her adorable, newly adopted dog to drive me to the resort, which was the first hint of magic this trip had in store. The second, was that as we were driving up to the resort, I noticed that there wasn’t any snow. But that quickly changed as we were discussing how there hadn’t been much snow so far this season, except for a few weeks prior. Coming from Miami, that was a little disappointing to hear since I actually missed snow and wanted to play in it. But out of nowhere suddenly big, heavy snowflakes fell from the sky and quickly blanketed the trees and ground. It felt like the mother nature had heard my request and delivered. As we pulled up to the Bürgenstock Resort, I knew it was going to be a memorable experience. I just didn’t know to what extent.

Once checked in, I was escorted to my room, which had a prime view overlooking the entire lake. It was getting dark, and the falling whiteout snow obstructed my view, but I knew when I had visibility again, that it would be breathtaking. I dropped my bags off, quickly freshened up, and made my way down to a private cocktail class at the resort’s Lakeview Bar & Cigar Lounge their incredibly talented bartender, Mark Raucksik with my friend and her dog. Here is where things get wild.

As I was enjoying my first drink of alcohol since my cleanse in the days prior, I noticed two men who had just walked into the restaurant near where we were having our class. On second glance, I realized I knew them. Not only that, but they lived in my 600-unit building and even crazier, on my floor down the hall from me! I yelled out one of their names to get his attention. He looked over at me in pure disbelief. As you can imagine, my friend, the hotel staff, my neighbors, and myself were all in a state of shock, albeit pleasant, at how random and unlikely the odds of this happening were—particularly with us both arriving from other destinations shortly before our encounter. We went our separate ways for the evening and made plans to meet up the following day.

I slept in by accident my first evening but felt like a kid at the thought of looking out the window with the heavy white snow covering the trees and ground. I met up with my neighbors, had some coffee, and then I brought them along with me to meet up with the resort’s publicist, Lauriane Zosso for a tour of the resort’s vast property and learn about its history, including who some of the most iconic guests have been through the years.

The property has always attracted notable, high-profile guests. “Audrey Hepburn spent a considerable amount of time at the Bürgenstock Resort and married Mel Ferrer at our chapel. She and Mel had a house on the property for several years. Sofia Loren and Carlo Ponti also lived on the property. Additionally, the property has hosted heads of state and European Royalty, all of whom added to the notoriety of the property,” explains Nelson Tytus, Director of Rooms & Guest Services.

Later this summer the resort will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. “Through the years, the Bürgenstock Resort has been a symbol of innovation, a haven of well-being in the Alps and a leader in luxury hospitality,” explains Goval. “We take pride in preserving our hotel’s heritage and are honored to share its treasures with our beloved community and guests in honor of the hotel’s 150th year anniversary.”

The resort went through a major ten-year renovation in 2007. Restoration projects included the resort’s original special attractions created by the founders Bucher and Durrer including the Cliff Path, Hammetschwand Lift, which first opened in 1905, the Palace Hotel that opened in 1903, the Bürgenstock Funicular Railway that opened in 1888, and the resort’s 12 heritage-protected buildings. The renovation was based on five pillars including medical wellness, conferences, luxury hotels with top-of-the-line spa facilities, and resident suites for long-terms stays.

In addition to the renovations and historic preservation, the resort added a new property, which is the Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa, which is where I stayed. “During the development phase that took place between 2007 and 2017, our focus was to maintain the heritage and history of the place alive as much as possible while driving the property to the modern world. We successfully reopened in August 2017”, continues Goval. “The Bürgenstock Resort was built to offer all of the comforts and luxuries a 21st-century guest would expect with a design that aims at enhancing the pristine nature and beautiful surroundings.”

My Lakeview Deluxe Room was tastefully decorated with the right amount of mountain lodge vibes with modern elements mixed in and I loved that there were Acqua Di Parma products as toiletries. My views out my window were truly breathtaking and the rooms was the perfect size for a solo traveler.

Besides the location, one of the most memorable aspects of the Bürgenstock experience in my opinion is the Alpine spa which offers jaw-dropping views of Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus with over 100,000-square feet of spce that includes 5 pools (one of which is cantilevered over the property to make you feel as if you are floating), three private luxury spa suites, 13 treatment rooms, an infrared sauna, napshells, an Alpine Rasul steam bath, saline floating bath, Kneipp baths, Alpine Spa Garden, fitness facilities, and unique treatments (like the phenomenal Biologique Recherche I had with Antonela Previsic where I could see immediate lifting afterwards).

“Our iconic spa & wellness facility is spread across 10000 m² over three floors and guests can find a selection of indoor pools and our Infinity Edge Pool, numerous hydrothermal experiences, private spa suites and treatment rooms,” shares Maggie Derblay, Area Spa & Recreation Director. “It was designed to offer a wide range of treatments but also to provide a tranquil setup for those who may wish to slow down and take time to relax, unwind and recharge. We offer a selection of products and experiences to ensure that there is something for everyone.”

The spa was truly one of the best spas I have ever been to in my entire life and as someone who makes it a point to visit spas almost everywhere I go, this speaks volumes. What made this spa trip even more special was the fact that I got to experience it with friends because quite honestly, I don’t think me just sharing what the experience like verbally could do it justice. After traveling my own for the first time in over two decades, something I used to do a lot before I was married, I realized that it isn’t as fun as it is traveling with friends you can share memories for a lifetime with.

A few other highlights from my visit were the mouthwatering food at the resort’s numerous restaurants (they have ten), exploring the resort’s rich history (there was a chalet from the 1500s that was turned into a club), and the top-notch service throughout my entire stay. I definitely plan on visiting Bürgenstock Resort again when it is warmer so I can really explore the property and enjoy it in a different season, which I am sure is a completely different when compared to a wintertime stay. The whole experience was truly a little slice of heaven on Earth that I feel so very grateful to have experienced.



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