Chefs Gilles Dupont and Thomas Byrne preside over an informal lakeside bistro and grand gourmet restaurant where they prepare French haute cuisine with imagination and flair. Of particular note is the superb shoulder of lamb with cèpes, cooked for 12 hours. Magnificent selection of wines. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
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Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
Switzerland
Overview
From Andrew Harper
The golden age of travel to Switzerland was the Edwardian era, when the great palace hotels reached their zenith of grandeur. Today, health resorts are being replaced by contemporary spas, and the calorific influence of Escoffier has long since been banished from menus. Switzerland comprises three main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French and Italian, plus the Romansh-speaking valleys. Around 100 Swiss peaks are higher than 13,000 feet. Monte Rosa (15,203 feet) is the highest, but the Matterhorn (14,692 feet) is the most famous. The country is home to the Montreux Jazz Festival (July) and the International Film Festival Locarno (August). The Swiss are the world’s largest consumers of chocolate. Milk chocolate was invented by Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter in Vevey in 1875.
CLIMATE: The warmest and wettest area of the country is around the southern lakes of Lugano and Maggiore, where year-round temperatures are 5 to 10 degrees warmer than those in Zurich. All of the major cities of Switzerland are on the central plain, with the climate typified by Zurich; mountain resorts are typified by St. Moritz.
TIME: Six hours ahead of New York (EST).
CURRENCY: Swiss franc (CHF). Fluctuating rate valued at CHF1.07 = US$1.00 as of October 2012.
U.S. EMBASSY: Bern, Tel. (31) 357-7011. There are also consulates in Geneva, Tel. (22) 840-5160, and Zurich, Tel. (43) 499-2960.
DIRECT DIAL CODES: To phone hotels and restaurants in Switzerland, dial 011 (international access) + 41 (Switzerland code) + city code and local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport (valid for three months beyond end of stay). Visit www.travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, www.cdc.gov
GENERAL INFORMATION: Visit www.myswitzerland.com before your trip.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in Switzerland
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Les Trois RoisHistoric and formal 101-room luxury hotel overlooking the Rhine in a romantic Old Town setting. Traditional accommodations come with antique furniture, plus marble baths with heated floors. |
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Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & SpaStately Victorian palace-resort hotel with striking views of the grand Jungfrau, 90 minutes south of Lucerne (two hours from Zurich). |
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Beau RivageClassically elegant and recently renovated family-owned hotel dating from 1865, overlooking Lake Geneva a short stroll from the central shopping and business zone. |
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Four Seasons Hotel Des Bergues GenevaElegantly restored residential-style hotel dating from 1834 along the banks of Lake Geneva, a short walk from the Old Town and financial district. |
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La Reserve GenevaStylish hotel with interior design by the flamboyant Jacques Garcia, set amid 10 landscaped acres on the shore of Lake Geneva three miles north of the city center. |
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Le RichemondNeoclassical 109-room landmark hotel overlooking Lake Geneva near business and shopping districts. Modern accommodations feature state-of-the-art technology; large royal suite offers two terraces with stunning views. |
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Mandarin Oriental, GenevaStylish and recently refurbished 190-room hotel on the right bank of Rhône in the heart of the downtown shopping and business district. Interiors preserve the fine art deco details. |
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Gstaad PalaceLegendary castle-style hotel run by the Scherz family since 1913, dominating a fashionable alpine resort village two hours east of Geneva. The 104 lavish guest quarters come with regional accents and a full range of amenities. |
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Hôtel des Trois CouronnesHistoric 71-room palace-hotel in the town of Vevey on the shore of Lake Geneva, with grand views of the lake and snowcapped Alps. |
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Hôtel VictoriaLakeview hotel amid a private park 1,000 feet above Montreux. Sixty traditional guest accommodations (no A/C) with grand vistas of Lake Geneva. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in Switzerland
AUBERGE DU LION D’OR
5 place Pierre-Gautier
Cologny
1223
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$135
DOMAINE DE CHATEAUVIEUX
Chef Philippe Chevrier offers an extraordinary “New French” menu in an enchanting 15th-century stone manor on a scenic hill surrounded by vineyards. Representative dishes include carpaccio of coquilles Saint-Jacques accompanied by a tartare of langoustines and Osetra caviar; saddle of hare with foie gras; and roasted Bresse chicken served with a tart of cèpes and truffled potatoes. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Peney-Dessus
Satigny
1242
United States
See map: Google Maps
US$185
GREULICH
TalentedyoungSwisschefMarcoHartmann serves excellent Mediterranean- and Asian-inspired dishes made with mostly organic produce at this stylish hotel dining room in an arty district of the city. Hartmann’s menu changes often, but dishes such as veal ravioli with wild mushrooms and sherry-spiked foam, pickerel with tarragon cream, and buffalo-milk mozzarella lasagna with baby artichokes show off his style.
Herman-Greulich-Strasse 56
Zurich
8004
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$90
HAUS ZUM RUDEN
Located in one of Zurich’s oldest buildings, which incorporates a magnificent beamed Gothic chamber built in 1348, this Swiss/French restaurant offers substantial traditional cooking. Representative dishes include air-dried beef and ham, goose liver escalopes with potato and apple purée, and veal steak with a cognac and pepper sauce. Superb views of the Limmat River and Old Town. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.
Limmatquai 42
Zurich
8001
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$100
HOTEL RESTAURANT HELVETIA
Young chef Françoise Wicki is a rising talent in Switzerland, and after cooking at the Palace Luzern hotel in Lucerne, she has taken over the dining room of this new boutique hotel in Zurich. Wicki shops in local markets daily and serves delicious Swiss classics such as meatloaf with potato purée or wiener schnitzel with cucumber salad.
Stauffacherquai 1
Zurich
8004
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$60
KRONENHALLE
This fashionable Swiss/Continental restaurant is housed in a grand five-story Biedermeier building with an interior adorned with original works by Miró, Matisse, Chagall and Picasso. Regional specialties include smoked pork with lentils, and bundnerfleisch, thinly sliced smoked and dried beef. Representative main dishes include veal steak in a morel sauce, and fillet of sole baked with olives and tomatoes.
Rämistrasse 4
Zurich
8001
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$90
LES ARMURES
It is worth overlooking the fact that this cozy restaurant in Geneva’s Old Town is a little touristy in order to enjoy its excellent Swiss specialties, especially fondue. Start with a plate of assiette valaisanne (Swiss charcuterie) and then try the delicious fondue with bolets (wild mushrooms) or raclette. The Swiss white wine Fendant goes well with these cheese classics.
Hôtel Les Armures, 1 rue Puits-St-Pierre
Geneva
1204
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$80
RESTAURANT DENIS MARTIN
This justly renowned establishment is housed in a 16th-century baronial villa with sweeping views over the lake. It features highly innovative French haute cuisine, with dishes such as duck foie gras with salt-lemon wafer and rhubarb sorbet, and squab served with a compote of figs, pistachio, coffee and curry. Extensive wine list. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
2 rue du Château,
Vevey
1800
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$160
RESTAURANT DU PARC DES EAUX-VIVES
Overlooking the lake, this 18th-century mansion offers both a formal art deco restaurant and a delightful brasserie that showcase “New French” cuisine. Among the typical dishes: pigeon and foie gras terrine with black truffles; and venison with figs, black grapes and sorrel. Glorious summer terrace. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
82 quai Gustav-Ador
Geneva
1207
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$100
VELTLINER KELLER
For fine traditional Swiss fare, look no farther than this remarkable spot that has been in continuous operation since 1551. Pine-paneled walls, heavy white tablecloths and the soft glow of candles provide an evocative setting for dishes such as duck liver with quail eggs, and the signature macaroni and beef liver cooked in a casserole. Impressive list of Swiss wines. Closed Sundays.
Schlüsselgasse 8
Zurich
8001
Switzerland
See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
US$100
Special Offers
Special Offers
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Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa - Bike, Paraglide and Sleep PackageDiscover the idyllic scenery of the Bernese Oberland with an electric bike. After your tour on two wheels, venture a tandem flight with a paraglider and enjoy Interlaken from the sky. Land safely right immediately in front of your hotel, where you’ll be enjoying a restful two nights in a Superior Double Room. Along with the tandem paraglide flight and rental of electric bike with helmet, this package includes daily dinner at one of the three restaurants, one 50-minute massage at ESPA Spa per person and complimentary use of spa facilities. Rate per person is 905 CHF. |
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We recently stayed at the Fairmont Montreux Palace in Montreux. It is certainly the best hotel in Montreux, but was uneven: very high rack rates due to the July Montreux Jazz Festival. Brusque front desk (couldn't tell me if I could get the Intl. Herald Tribune delivered each morning, reception clerk couldn't find the room she was to show us, etc.).The busy spa was a fall hazard owing to virtually continuous marble floors. The plus side is the location, the redone rooms, excellent soundproofind and air conditioning, and a lovely (but slow) lakeside terrace restaurant.Now for the bad news: my wife and I had stayed at Le Mirodor above Vevey 12 years ago. Since then it has become a Kempinski resort hotel. I hold Kempinski in high regard having stayed at Kempinski's in Munich, Budapest, and eaten at the kempinski in St. Moritz. Kempinski Le Mirador has been modernized and upgraded at great expense, but the staffing was by college kids, with numerous middle management staff walking around with walkie talkies. After waiting an hour and forty minutes for lunch, I requested to see the manager. After getting to the highest level manager on site, things were resolved, but I must say the incompetence of the staff left a bad taste. I would not recommend the place based on my experience, despite the lovely setting and facilities.
Hotel Trois Couronnes in Vevey was fantastic when we were there in 2008!
Hello,
Thanks very much for sharing your unfortunate experience at the Kempinski, and also for putting your finger on a problem I've been encountering myself with woeful frequency: poorly trained young staff in hotels all over the world, especially in Europe and the United States. The trouble, it seems, is that jobs such as front desk receptionist that were once rightly considered important professions have now become the purviews of young part-timers who have often had only the most cursory training, if any.
My guess is that this is a cost-saving maneuver, but a very ill-advised one, because the person who greets and checks you in at any hotel is the one who, of course, forms your first impression of the place. Likewise, breakfast staffing in many hotels is absolutely dire these days; doormen and porters are becoming a vanishing species; and chambermaids seem maddeningly coached to execute a one-size-fits-all drill without adjusting it to the visible habits of a guest -- who hasn't returned to a hotel recently to discover that the chambermaid has assiduously repacked his toilet kit?
Regards,
Andrew HarperAndrew Harper2010-07-29 10:23:01