Hotel Palace Luzern
Lucerne, Switzerland
from Travel Intelligence
|
Address: |
Haldenstrasse
10, CH-6002 Luzern |
| Telephone:
|
+41 (0)41 416
1616 |
| Fax:
|
+41 (0)41 1000 |
Review
Jamie Dunford Wood:
As soon as you walk into this century-old hotel, you cannot fail to be impressed
by its elegance and sophistication. Quieter and less bustling than the National,
not as overwhelmingly grand as the Schweizerhof, there is a cote d'azur feel
here, with its pale orange awnings, cream walls and cool contemporary
furnishings. Their motto, too, is encouraging: 'le nouvel art de vivre'.
However, upstairs the 168 rooms
are a little erratic. Mostly its the 5th and 6th floors that have been
renovated, but these have low ceilings and lack character, although for lovers
of separate power showers, you'll find them here. Elsewhere colours are muted
and the décor is looking tired, with old bathroom fittings, some without
air-conditioning.
Best of all are the first floor
rooms, which have proper sit-out balconies overlooking the lake, and those that
have been renovated come in a variety of colourways, from peach and cream to
rich blue and pale yellow, with plain pale walls. Furniture mixes modern chrome
and glass with repro antiques and French Empire lamps - plush corporate, and
they will appeal to those who relish understatement. They also offer a 'Wellness
Corner' with massage and a solarium, but no pool.
Durant Imboden:
I've stayed in the Palace Luzern since Jamie Dunford Wood's review was
written (my visit was in June, 2007), and I should point out that the hotel has undergone a
CHF 22 million renovation in the last few years. My third-floor
"French-balconied" room facing the
lake was extremely comfortable, with modern but warm and attractive furnishings, and my stay was enhanced by thoughtful little surprises
such as a little tureen of freshly-made macaroons on my nightstand one evening
and a packet of homemade layered almond cookies the next.
Service at the hotel
was topnotch without being stuffy, and the location couldn't have been better.
Dinner in the Jasper restaurant was also first-rate. My only criticism would be
the croissants in the breakfast room, which weren't up to Parisian standards
even though the other breakfast items were fine.
Tip: Don't bother staying here unless you're willing to book a room facing
the lake, because the lakefront views are simply too stunning to miss out on.
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