Named one of the seven top spots reachable only by boat this summer by online travel magazine WOW.travel is the Park Hotel Weggis, a small luxury resort next to Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.
This area between the lake and the mountains has a particularly mild climate and is often referred to as the Riviera of central Switzerland.
Guests can reach Lucerne by train, and from here take a short ferry ride to the Park Hotel Weggis which originally opened in 1875 as Hotel Bellevue. The building has recently been completely renovated with rooms and general premises having been refurbished, although the Art Nouveau facade remaining. Additions to the property have included the Aquarius Hall and the Sparkling Wellness centre.
All 34 rooms and nine suites are furnished with widescreen TV, stereo/CD/DVD system, answering machine, internet connection, wireless LAN, safe, mini bar, coffee machine, hair dryer, bathrobes and beach towels.
All the bedroom floors feature American cherry wood, with colour matched pastel shades for the rest of the décor. Fabrics from the Designers Guild, lighting designed by Philippe Starck and executed in Murano glass and furniture by Molteni have all been used within the hotel.
The 43 rooms housed in the main building have now been complemented with 10 large air conditioned elegant suites known as Adara. A USP of this hotel is its panoramic views of the lake and mountains, from the Rigi to the Pilatus, evident from guest balconies and terraces.
The restaurants are highly rated ranging from Restaurant Sparks - awarded with 13 GaultMillau points, to Restaurant Annex - awarded with 15 GaultMillau points.
The Sparkling Wellness area is arranged in a colonnade style and comprises six SPA cottages, complete with facilities for beauty treatments, fitness, massage and a range of other therapies. The cottages of 70 sq m can be rented individually (maximum four people), and offer total seclusion for two or more hours, to ensure optimum relaxation, comfort and regeneration of both body and soul.
The highlight of all extension work the hotel has undergone in the past months is the open air Sparkling Pool. The 15 metre long and six metre wide pool and bathing temple is made of natural black stone. Water temperatures sits at over 30°C to ensure a pleasurable bathing experience all year round, and due to the roof, guests can swim freely in all weather.
The pool and wellness facility are for hotel guests and members only.
Park Hotel Weggis is part of Relais & Chateaux and in 2006 it was rated among the six best holiday hotels in Switzerland by SonntagsZeitung hotel ratings.
Cost of rooms and suites range from Dh862 to Dh3270.
The Kiwi Collection (www. kiwicollection.com), is a web based network of luxury hotels and resorts and each month, Kiwi Collection’s WOW.travel editor in chief, industry expert Mary Gostelow, highlights seven unique properties worldwide for the benefit of affluent travellers. The network identifies new and upcoming travel trends for the luxury market.