Montreux has long been our favorite town on the shores of Lake Geneva, with its Mediterranean microclimate and tremendous support of the musical arts with the famous Montreux Jazz Festival. Winter or summer, it’s perfect for a leisurely stroll along the palm- and flower- lined lakeside paths or an excursion into the towering peaks above.
A lot of Montreux life revolves around its iconic Belle Époque hotel, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. With rooms overlooking Lake Geneva and the snow-capped peaks of the French and Swiss Alps (including one of our favorite sets of peaks, Les Dents du Midi), a fabulous spa, and some of the best food and cocktails in town, it’s in our view the only place to stay if you’re visiting Montreux.
One of the highlights of Le Montreux Palace is its expansive spa, featuring an indoor and outdoor pool with stunning mountain and lake views. For a property dating to 1906, the spa is incredibly modern, accessible via an underground passage from the main hotel building. In addition to being a destination for travelers from around the world, it also serves as a private gym club for members of the local community. As Swiss residents who do not ski, one of our favorite winter activities is swimming in a luxurious indoor pool surrounded by snowy peaks, and Le Montreux Palace offers this experience without even having to venture into the mountains.
Le Montreux Palace is directly adjacent to the auditorium that hosts the annual Montreux Jazz Festival, and its Funky Claude’s Bar pays tribute to the town’s musical heritage. With live music and an impressive cocktail list, all we can say is that as locals, it’s one of the best bars we’ve ever been to in Switzerland. We especially enjoyed the Brazilian jazz music the evening we went, and our son enjoyed the antique train memorabilia around the room.
The Montreux Jazz Cafe serves sophisticated French and Swiss cuisine in a lively setting within earshot of the live music at Funky Claude’s Bar. We loved the beef tartare prepared tableside, the lobster risotto, as well as the crepes Suzette. An extensive wine list features exceptional selections of Swiss and French wines and we found the service to be very friendly and personalized, especially attentive to kids.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend escape, a gym membership, a spa day, or just a fabulous night on the town with cocktails and live jazz, this Montreux institution offers something for everyone.
Note: Hotel Fairmont Le Montreux Palace provided support for the reporting of this story.