A unique design touch at the Royal Savoy is the ‘corridor of the senses’ linking the lounge with La Brasserie du Royal, lined with glass chiller cabinets that showcase local wines, cheeses and charcuterie. On the floor, mosaic motifs show the various winemaking regions of Vaud and its 8 Protected Designation of Origin wines.
Alternatively, Lausanne boasts several Michelin-starred restaurants: Anne-Sophie Pic and La Table d’Edgard at the Lausanne Palace and Spa hotel are recommended. Try the newly renovated Brasserie de Montbenon and enjoy the views across Lausanne from the terrace. I loved my brunch at the fabulous Olympic Museum’s Tom Cafe, although you will need to book well in advance. Reserve a table on the terrace and marvel at the spectacular views of the gardens across Lake Geneva to Evian. Pinte Besson (rue de L’Ale) is a must for traditional Swiss dishes (meat and cheese) and has a tiny terrace. It has a great wine menu, too.
The Garden Wing and Spa
A new contemporary building – the Garden Wing – has been created in the south side of the gardens with 95 rooms and suites, plus a stunning 347m² penthouse and a 1500m² spa on the garden level. I could see the Katara Suite penthouse from my balcony and it looked spectacular. Guests have total privacy with three bedrooms, a spacious lounge, a kitchen, a gym and a wellness centre, plus a spectacular 370-m² terrace overlooking the park, with its own Jacuzzi and an unrivalled view over Lake Geneva and the Alps.
In the same garden wing – connected to the main historic building by an interior glass-walled passageway – you’ll find the beautiful spa. The fabulous wet zone includes indoor and outdoor pools, vitality pools, and several hammams, saunas and steam rooms. The indoor pool is perfectly heated with access via a sliding glass panel to the outer pool. Enjoy the Jacuzzi jet stalls and the relaxing reclining areas inside the pool. It’s beautiful and calming, and I found it hard to leave.
For privacy, there is a ladies-only Spa, relaxation and treatment rooms plus other private Spa areas. If exercise and fitness is more your style than relaxation then the fitness suite (open 24/7) is a must – there is an on-site personal trainer.
Guests can choose a Royal Discovery package where they have time to discover the thermal areas before enjoying a 2.5-hour hydrotherapy session including scrub, wrap and massage for that full blissed out spa experience. Body treatments available include lymphatic drainage massage, acupressure massage and reflexology, while grooming essentials such as manicures and pedicures, haircuts and styling, spray tans and tinting.
Beauty products used in the treatments have been specially selected for their pure plant extracts and essential oil content, and they smell divine! Choose from Biologique Recherche with its botanical skincare, mineral-rich Swiss brand La Vallée and the award-winning Clinic Lémanic for non-invasive anti-aging and rejuvenating treatments for all skin types. Most of the products are available in the spa boutique.
Corporate hospitality
The Royal Salon, the hotel’s former restaurant, is now home to one of the most beautiful event venues in the area, complete with a private entrance. The ideal location for a wedding or birthday celebration.
If you’re looking for a corporate venue then the Savoy has it covered, with around 1,200 m² of meeting & event venues, including five conference rooms, a 269m² Royal Salon, a small 106m² function room (Petit Salon) and the largest of Lausanne’s ballrooms (574m²), which can be split into three separate rooms.
Local transport
I’d flown to Geneva via British Airways (a very early and superb flight from Heathrow) and didn’t need a car. Lausanne is well served by its taxis, bus routes and a fabulous metro system. The Royal Savoy is perfectly placed only a few minutes walk from the Delices metro stop (part of the original funicular line). You are only two stops from the lakeside at Ouchy where you can catch a paddle steamer to multiple destinations around Lake Geneva, and even across to Evian in France. And only a few stops north take you to Flon with its restaurants, bars and galleries and Rippon – both well worth exploring.
All Lausanne hotels provide free transport tickets to guests, which you can use on the metro, buses and trams throughout the Lausanne area.
In only 48 hours I explored the old city, the cathedral, saw the Olympic Museum, took a wonderful boat ride on a paddle steamer to Cully, bought charcuterie and souvenirs at the markets, visited the Lavaux vineyards, enjoyed superb wine tasting and sampled some of the city’s best restaurants. For more information on sights and excursions in Lausanne read my article ‘A Long Weekend in Lausanne’ here in luxuriousmagazine.com
Only a short flight from London, Lausanne is the ideal short break destination. Its compact size makes it easy to find your way around on foot, it has plenty of great shops, bars and restaurants with a relaxed yet sophisticated ambience that feels safe and welcoming. Lausanne is also home to the International Olympic Committee and both Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel lived here.
A weekend in Lausanne is magical at any time of the year, so make it even more special with a stay at the luxurious Hotel Royal Savoy. Superb dining, sophisticated suites and discreet service, plus an enviable location are the ingredients for a memorable city break.
Hotel Royal Savoy – Where and How
Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne
Avenue d’Ouchy 40, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland
T: +41 (0)21 614 8888
[email protected]
www.royalsavoy.ch
Instagram: @royalsavoylausanne
Twitter: @royal_savoy
Facebook: Royal Savoy
Lausanne is located on Lake Geneva in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
By plane: A short 1.5-hour flight from London: British Airways, easyJet and SwissAir all have daily non-stop flights. By train: Trains from Geneva airport to Lausanne are very regular and take from 45 minutes. Book tickets online at SBB
By train: Trains from Geneva airport to Lausanne are very regular and take from 45 minutes. Book tickets online at SBB www.sbb.ch/en/
Gina travelled to Lausanne with support from Lausanne Tourisme & Convention Bureau (lausanne–tourisme.ch) British Airways britishairways.com) and Swiss Travel System (www.swisstravelsystem.com)
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