Grand says it all. Mark Twain may have slept in this 1865 landmark, but its restoration has taken it firmly into the 21st century, with glitzy postmodern touches such as the burled-wood entryway. The vast Belle Epoque atrium lobby spirals off into innumerable bars, tea salons, and the concierge desks, where the front desk staff may seem frenzied by the awesome demands of 400 occupied beds. There are plenty of facilities, including indoor master golf, and a knock-out spa, which offers everything from reflexology to Clarins Beauty to basic weight-training equipment (the clientele seems beyond buff). The guest rooms are gorgeous, with styles shifting from marble columns to fresh gingham and waxed wood floors. Nearly all take in the obligatory view over the central Interlaken meadow and on to the Cinerama-wide range of Alps, with the snowy peak of the Jungfrau crowning the far distance. A terrific new casual restaurant, La Pastateca, joins the flashy formal dining room, La Terrasse, but don't forget to check out the Brasserie, a mammoth, leaded-glass-and-carved-wood, Victorian concoction almost as delicious as the meals.
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