The Bürgenstock Resort is famous for more reasons than one. It was the locale of Audrey Hepburn’s wedding, the residence of famed actress Sophia Loren, and it also boasts a James Bond heritage. Founded in 1873, the hotel, perched 500 meters above the lake below, has long been a symbol of alpine luxury. But after its renovation in 2017, I was curious—is the famed hotel still worth the trip?
Getting There
Getting to the Bürgenstock resort is half the fun. Departing from Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern, I boarded a prompt Swiss train, which snaked its way through mountains and over picturesque farmland. When we pulled into the station in Lucerne, I rushed towards the pier and onto a ferry, which whisked me over the alpine lake, before boarding a funicular with several other hotel guests, which dragged us and our luggage 500 meters up the side of a mountain, right to the check-in desk.
Of course, you can drive up the mountain—which might look familiar—it’s the mountain of the Goldfinger chase scene (yes, the one with Sean Connery in a DB5), but if that’s not quite stylish enough for you, the resort also has six (count them, six!) helipads.
Wellness
Like many Swiss mountain retreats, many guests make the journey for the spa. But this spa is in a tier of its own. The Alpine Spa at the Bürgenstock is one of the largest spas in Europe, coming in at 10,000 square-meters in all—and if that weren’t enough, the Bürgenstock also boasts a “secondary” spa housed in another of its buildings, complete with cryotherapy treatment rooms.
As for the Alpine Spa, it features an infinity edge pool overlooking the lake and surrounding mountains, four saunas, a steam room, and five plunge pools ranging in temperatures. The hotel makes it easy to utilize these facilities thanks to its “hydrothermal journeys,” a guided program that lasts about an hour and a half, and runs the gamut of hot and cold treatments to ensure relaxation, regeneration, or activation.
Going beyond the spas, there are also three tennis courts, one of which was most recently transformed into a conference center for a 2024 summit on Ukraine, a cinema where they show James Bond movies, a nine-hole golf course that is proudly the second oldest in Switzerland, and the Hammetschwand Lift, the highest outdoor elevator in Europe, which you can access via a wonderful cliff walk. This is all to say that there are worse things in life than to be stranded at the Bürgenstock.
The Food
I soon learned I wouldn’t be going hungry at the Bürgenstock Resort, either. After all, it has seven full-service restaurants on its grounds, so no matter the mood, you can find something to your liking without having to travel down to the city and across the lake. And these seven full-service restaurants do not include the several bars, cigar lounges, and terraces, which all serve something unique to nosh on as well. As for the restaurants, Oak is the Bürgenstock’s pool grill, which serves grilled steak, chicken, and a Maine lobster that is surprisingly good, all roasted on a Big Green Egg in the summertime.
Spices, one of two breakfast destinations, serves breads, cheeses, omelets, smoothies, and more for breakfast overlooking the lake. In the evening, it transforms into an Asian-inspired bistro with sushi and peking duck as highlights.
Rounding out the Bürgenstock restaurants is a Brasserie, a Persian restaurant, a more health-centric restaurant, a restaurant off the golf course, and an Alpine lodge that serves fondue when the weather is appropriate.
The Bottom Line
The price tag for a one night stay at the Bürgenstock is hefty. The hotel offers two tiers of rooms—one in the old and historic hotel starting at about $850 a night, and one in the new, renovated building, which will run at least $1700 a night. However, few hotels in the world possess the storied history of the Bürgenstock and this resort has not rested on its laurels. The Bürgenstock is a hotel that is constantly improving itself, so if you can afford to stay, it’s an absolute must and you’ll find it to be money well-spent.
