"How did it strike you on arrival?I think I dreamt about staying at a hotel like this when I was a little girl—although, frankly, I don't know if I was that imaginative. This place truly is a palace; think someplace a Russian monarch (pre-Revolution, of course) would've holidayed in the spring or summer. From the front, it's a little tough to discern just how immense this place is, though; you pull into a private, paved drive, with a fairly modest entrance, and a beautiful, if somewhat smallish lobby. It's not until you make it out to the back of the hotel that you realize the absolute enormity of it: Set on a hill overlooking the aquamarine (yes, actually aquamarine) waters of Lake Geneva, you’ll notice the immaculately manicured gardens, the thin strips of outdoor pools, the piqued tent tops under which people are taking their lunch outdoors; turn back the other way, towards the hotel, and you’ll see the magnificent dome—La Rotonde, now the connecting feature between two halves of the building—at the base of four levels. The whole building looks like Boulevard Haussmann; so, basically, I was impressed. What’s the crowd like?This is a hotel for European elites—oh, and wealthy Eastern European travelers. The two, though diametrically opposed in presentation and attitude, make up a perfect whole; the former is always suited up in supple Loro Piana pieces, mouths tightly set, observant eyes roving over the property and other guests, where the latter is loud, flashy, and unembarrassed about documenting the whole luscious experience on Instagram. It was a lot of fun to watch. How was check in? I don’t remember lifting a finger the entire duration of my stay: Bags were brought up, water bottles were offered, maps were given, and I was given a complete (though not drawn out) walk-through of my room. And it’s little surprise; not only is Switzerland home to one of the premier hospitality schools in the world, but it’s also, well, Switzerland—so everything is proper, everyone is polite, and there’s a system for everything. I stayed in the newer half of the building, the “Palace Wing,” whose rooms were redesigned by none other than Pierre-Yves Rochon between 2012 and 2014; and, to my delight, all the technological wingdings were easy to find, though very subtle in appearance (think, buttons for nearly every single light, window shade, and curtain, along with USB outlets, located on both nightstands). One of my favorite hotel indulgences is the ability to open the window shades from my bed in the morning, and adjust to slowly to the day; so I was especially grateful for that. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Oh, right, let me tell you more about my room—I miss it so much. My lodgings, a corner Junior Suite on the third floor, are, to this day, the most beautiful, comfortable, and well-thought out I’ve ever had the pleasure of staying in. In true Pierre-Yves Rochon style, it was sumptuous, comfortable, and beautiful, but shy of pomp or gross excess. My bed faced the lake, which was insane to wake up to in the morning; behind the bed was a delicate, almost rust-colored floral patterned wallpaper, which matched both the decorative pillows and coverlet on the bed. Everything worked together—the wainscoting on the walls, the fireplaces, the simple sconces. I had a couch at the foot of my bed, too, facing a television. But by far, the best feature were the two small balconies I had overlooking the lake, where I sat to take my coffee in the morning. I honestly felt like I’d died and went to heaven (or, at least like Marie Antoinette). The bathroom was pretty extravagant, too: Heated floors, a hologram mirror television, an enormous, jetted tub, plus a very covetable bathrobe. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?I loved the breakfast here: Any kind of pastry or bread you could imagine, they had. Eggs were offered in every form, and every fruit, domestic or exotic, seemed to garnish the buffet table. But, above all, the thing I loved most about this hotel isn’t a singular thing—it’s the sense of true comfort I felt just being here. I hadn’t felt that relaxed in a long, long time. Room service and food: Worth it?Well, of course, there's the Anne-Sophie Pic restaurant, proud owner of two shining Michelin stars; expect refined, European plates, and one hell of a cheese cart (seriously, it was the largest, most diverse cheese cart I'd ever seen); there's also a Japanese spot on site. But my personal favorite, although I didn't get to sample the French bistro, was L'Accademia, the Italian restaurant on-site; the steak I ordered nearly brought me to tears. Staff: If you could award one a trophy, who gets it, and why?Really, every staff member at this hotel went above and beyond, from the front desk, to the concierge, to the bellhops, bartenders, and servers: Everyone could answer questions about everything, and the second you looked even a little confused or lost, you were slowly approached, and offered help. Oh, and everyone was really, genuinely nice, and seemed to care that you were enjoying your stay, and impressed by the hotel. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The pool and spa complex was terrific; the former can be taken from a completely indoor pool, to an indoor-outdoor pool which is lovely when it's nice out. Bottom line: worth it, and why?Absolutely, and unequivocally." - Betsy Blumenthal
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