Restoring the Grande Dame of Lucerne

When Christian Wildhaber, general manager of the Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, was given the mammoth task of restoring the 120-year-old luxury hotel to its former glory, he didn’t know that he was in for a surprise that laid beneath the hotel, which recently awarded five stars by Forbes Travel Guide.

It took five years of renovations before the cultural landmark, known for its ornate cream-coloured exterior and copper green domes that sit along the tranquil banks of Lake Lucern, re-opened in September 2022. 

Built in 1906, the hotel started as Palace, an independently run hotel built by Swiss business magnate Franz Josef Bucher-Durrer, who also built Palace hotels in Lugano and Milan. The summer hotel opened with the luxury of having all its lake-facing rooms come attached with private bathrooms. The hotel served many functions during the two world wars, including a tyre warehouse and hospital. 

Wildhaber shares that the renovation of the 136-room hotel was lengthy, as the hotel had to adhere to strict conservation guidelines for heritage buildings. 

Hidden terrazzo tiles beneath concrete

Renovation works strived to replicate how the hotel looked in its heyday in the early 1900s, at the peak of Belle Epoque, a golden age of economic prosperity and a flourishing arts scene. Historical elements that were preserved include the chequered marble floor in white Carrara and Nero Marquina that sprawls across the ground floor, and the towering marble pillars at the heart of two-Michelin-starred contemporary French restaurant, Colonnade.

According to Wildhaber, the crisp terrazzo tiles in the guest lobbies adorned with lily motifs were a particularly memorable find. 

He says: “Over the past 120 years, the hotel has undergone various transformations based on design trends and views of the general managers of the day. These tiles were hidden under concrete, which we had to sand down, and we could only find a company in Spain to replicate the one per cent of the damaged tiles.”

Another hidden treasure was the intricately-carved stucco on the walls of the stairwell walls, which were found concealed beneath five layers of wallpaper and paint. While most of the hotel has been transformed, the Salon Alpine, once a grand ladies-only room adorned with gold trim and illuminated by dramatic chandeliers, continues to serve as a meeting space today.

Wildhaber says the biggest challenge of the hotel’s restoration is striking a fine balance between tradition and contemporary. “We want to preserve the soul of the building so that guests who knew this building from the past can still relate to it with their memories, but we didn’t want to come across as old-fashioned.” 

This raison d’etre is best upheld through the hotel’s handsome collection of artworks centred around the Swiss landscape. Some of the hotel’s original Romantic-style oil paintings inspire contemporary art pieces, including a woven copper centrepiece in the lobby that mimics the ripples across the glistening Lake Lucerne.  

While the public areas are steeped in history, the rooms are contemporary chic. The junior suite’s muted colour palette of light teal and grey is lifted by an orbital brass chandelier hovering about the sofa. The midnight blue banquette-style bedframe houses a plush king-sized bed, easily lulling one to slumber.

Coupled with the warmth of the oak parquet flooring, the room’s wooden furnishings, such as the desk and drawers, are custom-made and fitted with holders for stationery and equipment. The wardrobe and amenity drawers are clad in leather for a touch of luxury.

Small touches, such as heated flooring in the bathroom and an extensive pillow menu, make all the difference.

The room’s best asset is the spacious balcony opening straight to the lake. It is so close that you can hear the rustle of gravel from the relentless flow of people strolling or jogging along the banks of the lake.

While it can get rather chilly in autumn, where I stayed, I imagine long hours will be spent languishing on the lounge sofa, taking in the views of the bustling treelined Nationalquai boulevard that leads to the Old Town, with mediaeval icons such as the Chapel Bridge remain in sight. 

The balcony is also a great vantage point from which to catch the sunrise when shimmering hues of amber and gold peek out from the clouds and are magnificently reflected on the lake. While the hotel doesn’t have a pool, there are a couple of paid outdoor pools along the lake and wellness spaces, such as a Bellefontaine spa, sauna and steam bath rooms, and gym. 

Over afternoon tea of dainty chocolate confections and canapes on a birdcage-like stand, Wildhaber, who has worked in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, tells me why he jumped at the opportunity to return to his home country after a couple of decades.

The Montreux native says: “When I was living abroad, Lucerne was the only city I visited for a holiday back home. It is the best of Switzerland, with its central location, lake and mountains.” I couldn’t agree more, and having such a cocooned nook makes it the perfect getaway.