robrose

My husband and I will be traveling to Montreux with 2 boys, age 12, next June.
We are considering Hotel Bristol and Hotel
Eden Au Lac. Has anyone stayed at either?
Rants & Raves forum has no comments.
Thanks for your help.

bellairegirl

I don't know about either of these hotels, but we did stay at Hotel Masson last summer with our two sons (then aged 11 and 13). We had two rooms. It was a lovely hotel with a nice breakfast, nice gardens with a beautiful view of the lake and within walking distance to Chateau de Chillon. If you stay there, I would request rooms overlooking the garden.

Susan

bellairegirl

I meant to mention that the website of Hotel Masson is hotelmasson.ch.

Susan

maitaitom

We stayed at the Hotel Masson a few weeks ago, and I second Susan's recommendation. They also have a nightly four-course dinner for 33 euros. It was very good.

The owner was charming, and she was very helpful in getting us directions on places to see. We had a great view over Lac Leman.

I love Chateau de Chillon. Have a great trip.

swandav2000

Hi robrose,

I've stayed at the Eden au Lac twice, once in 2000 and again in 2002. I think it's a nice hotel, not great. The location is wonderful, right on the lake and next to the Casino; it's right in the center of the action. When I was there in 2002, I could see the gardeners working on their lakeside sculptures from both my hotel room and from the breakfast room.

The rooms are decorated in Victorian style. The staff is very professional and eager to please. Breakfast buffets were good.

When I was there in 2000, the only personal safes for guests were rented by the day in the front lobby -- no privacy. When I was there in 2002, there were in-room safes but guests could also rent one in the front lobby.

Anyway, my review is at my personal journal page at http://www.igougo.com/planning/journ...p;EntryID=5246

I've never stayed at the Bristol, but it's an interesting choice. It's on the Territet side of town (not far actually from the Masson). It's not right on the lakeside, but only separted by a block, I think. The architecture is modern.

If you're thinking of staying on this side of town, also consider the Golf-Hotel Rene Capt (www.montreux.ch/golf-hotel). It's right on the lake, and the architecture is period with Belle Epoque interiors. It was recently renovated. It's where I intend to stay on my next visit.

Let me know if I can help further.

s

Patrick

Spent three nights at Hotel Eden au Lac this summer. I agree that it is a nice hotel, not great (or certainly not spectacular). The views were magnificent and dinner in the lovely garden was very good. Couldn't beat the location. It seems expensive for what it was, but I suppose in Montreux that is to be expected.

Ingo

I second the recommendation of Hotel Masson. I stayed there two years ago - it was very good, even if you consider it is a three star and much cheaper than the others you mentioned.

Definitely try to get a room with lake view. I am a little surprised maitaitom said the four-course dinner was very good. I would not pick half-board again. It was only average in my opinion.

However, the hotel is very charming (old world style) and the owner was very friendly and helpful. She even had recommendations on what to see and a map for us when we went to Geneva.

Ingo

maitaitom

"I am a little surprised maitaitom said the four-course dinner was very good."

The night we ate at their restaurant, we liked the food that was on the menu posted at the top of the stairs, decided to give it a chance, and the meal was actually very good. The menu for the second evening did not look that appetizing, so we went out for fondue.

robrose

Thanks so much to all of you for your help.-especially for the Hotel Masson website. How close is this hotel to the lake?

maitaitom

Distance from Hotel Masson to the lake is probably the equivalent of about four average-sized blocks, give or take a block. Masson is on a hill, so you do have an uphill walk on your way back, but nothing strenuous. You said you were going in June, and I know they had a hot summer this year. The owner said it was really hot for them most of the summer. We were there when it wasn't too hot, so air conditioning was not a factor. I don't remember if they had air conditioning or not. You might want to check that out.

bellairegirl

Robrose,

Just wanted to mention that if you have a car, we enjoyed driving to Gruyeres from Montreux. There's a pretty cool castle there that your sons might like. My sons not only liked the castle, but also the raclette and fondue we got at an outdoor cafe.

Hotel Masson also had a nice breakfast that, if I remember correctly, was included in the price of the room. We did not eat dinner at the hotel as the food was not geared towards kids.

Have a great trip. Montreux is beautiful, albeit expensive. (One of my sons enjoyed seeing all the Ferraris when we went into town!)

Susan

artlover

We stayed at Eden with our daughter when she was 13 and we all liked it very much with the exception of the restaurant--food was just so-so. But the location was great and the balcony on the lake was beautiful.

safedrop

My family and I have stayed time and time again at the Hotel Victoria in Glion, a hamlet above Montreux. It's simply wonderful, but expensive.

kappa

A friend of mine stayed just a few days ago at Golf-Hotel Rene Capt that Swandav2000 mentioned. He said, as Swandav did, "the rooms has been renovated nicely and the location is great just on the lake. Make sure to get a lake view room. It would be a bit disappointing to have a room without lake view."

sandi_travelnut

Also try putting in "montreux hotels" in the search field on this page. I had posted the same question a month or so ago. Also try www.tripadvisor.com to get current reviews from people that have styed there.

suze

I visited the Hotel Helvetie a few days ago and liked the looks of the common spaces alot. But probably not a family's best choice (a little on the faded brocaded romantic charm side for kids to appreciate).

Have you checked into the Hotel that's at the Casino? It's right on the quai and has a beautiful fantastic pool. A friend mentioned they sometimes offer package discounts so you might want to contact them directly.

Oops I realize this post is from last year, oh well, I'm still in a Montreux mood myself since I just returned Sunday.

kappa

Ooops.

suze

kappa~ for a second i thought you were correcting my spelling of "ooops" LOL!

Will check out the Hotel Masson, thank you. Dropped in at Pensione Wilheim up in the Old Town and the price was right but it is literally on the train tracks which worried me for the noise. I'm needing to find something modest (as is possible en Suisse) for my next trip due to changing domestic arrangements with the friend I have always stay with. d*mn that new boyfriend

So any ~$100USD single rooms in Vevey or Montreux of character, charm, and location (excepting the youth hostel in Vevey which I do hear is quite nice) would be welcome.

swandav2000

Folks,

I guess this thread is sufficiently old that I may interrupt . . . ??

Suze, I hope you will write a trip report! I'd love to indulge for a few minutes in some vicarious Vaud scenes! More aerobics at La Tour? Where did you guys walk? That apt above the Helvetie sounds like a piece of heaven! What else did you do? I'm curious to know what the Montreux gardeners are up to these days; they change their sculptures every few months, and I always love to see their work. When I was there in May, they were doing the signs of the Zodiac. I'm all eyes!

In return, I'll peruse my 2003 hotel guide to see if anything pops up. Some posters here have liked the Negociants in Vevey's old town very much, and I think they have a website. Would you go to the outskirts? The hills above town? Villeneuve? If so, look at the Des Alpes Vaudoises in Glion, the Chatonneyre in Corseaux, or the Bahyse or the Les Sapins, both in Blonay. Do you think you'll have a car or will be using the trains & buses? There are a few b&bs in & around Montreux with excellent rates, and you can find them at www.bnb.ch.

What hotel is in the Casino? Do you mean the Eden au Lac, next door?

Anyway, please consider writing a report, however brief. And pictures!! We want pictures!!

s

sandi_travelnut

wow, I didn't even notice the date of the original post.