Bürgenstock Resort Prepares To Reopen This Summer

Lake Lucerne is readying for its highest profile hotel opening — or, technically, reopening. Once the preferred hideaway of stars like Audrey Hepburn (who was married in the resort chapel), and Sophia Loren (who lived on the property for years), the Bürgenstock Resort is way more than a hotel. It is a village.  

The resort is nestled in the heart of Central Switzerland, atop a 2,800-foot mountain ridge that offers stunning views of Lake Lucerne. When it opens its doors this summer, the property will house three hotels: The Bürgenstock Hotel, The Palace Hotel, and The Waldhotel – a medical and wellness resort where clients can come in, have non-invasive cosmetic procedures, and stay for their recovery. An expansive luxury spa spanning 107,000 square feet, a conference center, three swimming pools, 12 dining outlets, and luxury residences — the kind that Audrey and Sophia favored — will all be included. In total, there will be 383 rooms to fill.

If you're heading outside, you can walk (it's a car-free zone so vehicles stay in the subterranean garage) to the nine-hole golf course or one of three tennis courts, or hop a funicular to the lake. Hiking, bike trails, water sports, and a curling rink also sit on the property, assuring that guests have an array of adventures waiting for them.

Of particular interest to food-lovers set is the renovated RitzCoffier restaurant, a charming 74-seat venue located in the Palace Hotel. Here, the cuisine of Auguste Escoffier is celebrated. Original copper pots and pans that belonged to Escoffier himself are hanging above the hotel's original stove in the updated but understated dining room. Asian-food-lovers will head to Spices, where will chefs cook in an open kitchen and create an interactive show with food. The entire 130-seat space is set against a panoramic terrace essentially creating a kitchen theatre with views of the Pilatus and Rigi mountains in the background. A lobby bar doubles as a cigar lounge and the historic Spycher Club — built in the eighteenth century — is available for private gatherings or dinners for up to 50 people.

The renovation is the brainchild of Katara Hospitality. Managing Director Bruno Schopfer is guiding the design, making certain that it meets with the brand's vision of healthy living and responsible tourism.  His goal is to maintain the rich heritage and history the hotel already has, but to drive it into the next phase of tourism. "The future has a past," he says.