A review of hotels in Switzerland

I mean, not all of them, obviously, but the ones we stayed in on our recent trip.

The Hotel, Lucerne

Overall: A very nice hotel, located in a quiet street across from a park but very close to everything.
The room: Small for a suite but not tiny.  Interesting ceiling with a still from a Fellini movie on it.
The service: Excellent.  Staff were lovely and always helpful.
The airconditioning: Not that good.  Struggled with the great European Heatwave of 2015.
The best thing: The breakfast was exceptional.  Restaurant and bar staff were a delight.
Would I stay there again:  Yes.

Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel, Interlaken

Overall: Amazing hotel in an amazing location.
The room:  Lovely.  Decent size and a very big bathroom.
The service: Could not be faulted.  Everyone was excellent.
The airconditioning: Not fantastic as it turned off overnight.  Not that helpful during the great European Heatwave of 2015.
The best thing: Hard to pick one thing.  If you are looking for old world glamour without the stuffiness, the Victoria Jungfrau is pretty hard to beat.
Would I stay there again: In a heartbeat.

Royal Plaza, Montreux

Overall: May have once been a five star hotel but isn't any more.  The food in the restaurant was very good.
The room:  Spacious but decor not updated for a long time.
The service: Let's just say it's on the French side of Switzerland and leave it at that, shall we?
The airconditioning: Exceptional.  And thank goodness as it was about 34C every day.
The best thing: Location right on the lake was quite good.  Automated shade sails that extended over the balcony every day at just the right time were clever and useful.
Would I stay there again: Unlikely.

The Omnia, Zermatt

Overall: You would have to search very hard for a better hotel anywhere in Switzerland.  From the secret tunnel entrance, to the terrace bar looking up at the Matterhorn, this place is wonderful.
The room: Gorgeous.  Blonde woods and white walls, two bathrooms, very spacious.  Just about my favourite from the whole trip.
The service:  Faultless.  Every single staff member was wonderful.  The restaurant manager was practically our best friend by the time we left.
The airconditioning:  Non existent.  Thankfully Zermatt sits at an elevation of 1600m and it was therefore a lot cooler than the rest of the country during the great European Heatwave of 2015.
The best thing: The setting is spectacular.  But then again, everything about this hotel is wonderful.
Would I stay there again: I would move in if I could!

Kempinski Grand Hotel des bains, St Moritz

Overall: Lovely hotel.  St Moritz is not the most exciting town during summer but I'm betting in winter it is an amazing place to visit.
The room: Very nice indeed.  Spacious and well appointed.
The service: Don't think you could find nicer restaurant staff anywhere.
The airconditioning: Not bad but again, at altitude it's not so essential.
The best thing: The food in the restaurant and at breakfast was delicious.
Would I stay there again: Yes, especially to experience St Moritz in winter.

Hotel Belvedere, Bellagio (Italy)

Overall: If you complain about Lake Como there is something wrong with you.
The room: Very small but the bed was extremely comfortable.
The service: Very good.  Restaurant staff in particular were a delight.
The airconditioning:  Brilliant.  And just as well, as the temperature in Bellagio was 39C each day during our stay.
The best thing: Location at the top of the hill gave us some wonderful views.
Would I stay there again: Probably but I'd splash out on a bigger room.

Schweizerhof Hotel, Lucerne

Overall: An excellent location overlooking Lake Lucerne.  Service was a bit hit and miss.
The room:  Very nice.  And a universal power point provided!
The service: Average.  Disappointing really, for what could have been an exceptional hotel experience.
The airconditioning:  Very good.
The best thing: Handy location.  View across the lake was delightful.
Would I stay there again: No, I'd go back to The Hotel instead.

The Alden, Zurich

Overall: A wonderful hotel.  Absolutely loved it.
The room:  Spacious and wonderfully decorated, a homey feel to the luxury.
The service:  Could not complain.  Everyone was wonderful.
The airconditioning:  Brilliant, especially during the great European Heatwave of 2015.
The best thing: All the elements of the hotel combined to make it a tremendous experience overall.
Would I stay there again: Absolutely.

Armani Hotel Dubai

Overall: I am not sure it gets more glamorous than this hotel.
The room:  Excellent and spacious, with very comfortable furniture.
The service: Good but slightly impersonal.  Don't think I was allowed to open a single door for myself the whole time.
The airconditioning:  Brilliant.  They know how to do airconditioning in Dubai.
The best thing: The location in the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world).  And if you're interested in that sort of thing, a secret entrance to the Dubai Mall which means you don't have to go outside in the scorching heat to go shopping.
Would I stay there again: Probably although there are so many hotels in Dubai it would take a long time to try them all for comparison.

Switzerland Part 3

From Lake Como we went back into Switzerland to Lucerne.  We travelled on the Wilhelm Tell ferry, which was a lovely way to see even more of the gorgeous countryside.



After one night in Lucerne we went to Zurich.  For reasons unknown I didn't take many photos in Zurich but it was just as pretty as the rest of the country.



After two days in Zurich it was time to start the long trip home.  We decided, given we were flying Emirates, that we would stop in Dubai for a few nights on our way home.  We went on a desert four-wheel-drive tour, and had a BBQ at a bedouin camp in the middle of nowhere.  To be fair, everywhere is the middle of nowhere in the UAE :)


(literally the middle of nowhere)