16 Best Hotels in Luzern and Central Switzerland, Switzerland

Set in a fairy-tale lakefront palace that dates back to 1903, this isolated but luxurious all-suite hotel has all the modern conveniences wrapped in an Edwardian facade. Each of its suites is individually furnished and falls under themes like wine, dine, finance, or endowment. Lakeside suites command dreamy Alpine views and are worth the extra cost. The spa features an outdoor pool, two whirlpools, saunas, a steam bath, an ice grotto, and a 4,227-gallon aquarium with tropical fish. If you enjoy fine dining, you might not want to leave the hotel at all during your stay as it's home to two award-winning restaurants: Focus, headed by Patrick Mahler, with 18 Gault-Millau points and two Michelin stars, and Prisma Expérience, crafting Asian-themed dishes such as rock lobster with Japanese barbecue sauce followed by forest strawberry with soy milk and herbs. It extends onto a glorious lakeside terrace with grill. Pair your dinner with a wine from the hotel’s cellar, which contains 35,000 bottles covering 4,500 different varieties.

Glorious views of Lake Luzern, the mountains, and hilly meadows crown the structurally spectacular Bürgenstock Resort, which appears to balance above the lake. The resort comprises a luxury contemporary hotel, as well as a five-star medical wellness hotel, and some rooms are located in an elegant 1904 structure from the original resort. There are 12 restaurants and bars scattered around the 148 acres, offering everything from traditional Swiss to Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, some with a sprinkling of Gault-Millau points. Its sprawling spa—a temple-like 10,000-square-meter space—includes a heated infinity pool overlooking the lake and mountains. The historic chalet-style Taverne 1879 has an additional 12 rooms at half the price of those in the main resort. Activities like mountain biking, tennis, curling, and golf ensure that sporty guests can stay active, and the numerous lounge chairs provide ample opportunities to relax.

Light-filled and comfortable, this Scandinavian-Swiss-style reinterpretation of the original 1904 hotel is a stylish blend of restored belle epoque features and modern furnishings in muted pastels, leather, and oak. Kempinski Palace Engelberg flanks the park in the center of Engelberg, its huge windows overlooking the public outdoor stage and jaunty mountainscape crowned by Mt Titlis. A lavish five-year renovation added a new wing to the original structure, building around the historic and structurally exquisite Kursaal events space. The hotel’s now palatial proportions also include a spa beneath the roof, where the indoor infinity pool affords views of paragliders twirling above. The restaurant is excellent, serving French brasserie dishes with a Swiss twist. 

This turreted pastel-yellow waterfront landmark, which opened in 1906 as a Mediterranean-style retreat, was brilliantly renovated by Mandarin Oriental in 2022 pairing classical looks with a touch of postmodernism. Interiors are light- and art-filled, and meld original belle epoque features—the terrazzo tiling and stucco marble pillars are exquisite—with contemporary Asian design in a palette of soft greens, blues, walnut and brass. Rooms feature three-quarter-height paneling, molded ceilings, and textured wallpaper, and showcase the widest possible views: those facing the lake give the impression of being on a boat. There are cozy lighting effects, electronically operated blackout blinds, and touches that make you feel pampered: Dyson hairdryers and Diptyque toiletries come with every room category. Of the four restaurants, the flagship Colonnade is Michelin-starred and overseen by Gilad Peled, former executive chef at Gordon Ramsey Restaurants, and you’ll dine on delicacies such as line-caught sea bass with brassicas or wild venison with foie gras and chocolate, overlooked by artistic masterpieces paired with their contemporary reinterpretations.  

The luxurious original woodwork, parquet floors, and shining terrazzo are all in superb condition at this 1910 palace, where public rooms flank the ground floor's south side, and on a clear day offer a magnificent view of the lake and the mountains. The guest rooms are in a serene art deco style, with curved shapes and a palette of soft pinks, blues, and greens that echo the lake; those in the back overlook a hillside, and the front doubles (slightly costlier) have balconies overlooking the city and lake. The building is perched on a slope above town, accessible by funicular from the lakeshore via Haldenstrasse or by car.

In the bustling heart of the Old Town, this adults-only hotel has a tongue-in-cheek combination of sleek modern lines and gilded frames and fat cherubs, and though the rooms are small, they are well designed, with dark hardwood floors, white linens, and jewel-toned accents. The cherubs are the only little ones you'll see, as children are not admitted as hotel guests. The in-house pizzeria with its wood-burning oven is popular with tourists and locals.

This monumental landmark, founded in 1870, was once home base to Cesar Ritz, the man who invented the world's first modern luxury hotel. It is no surprise, then, that the inner sanctums of this lodging trumpet an ornate splendor, down to the last cupola, crown molding, and Corinthian column. The hotel's mansarded facade stretches the length of two city blocks, dominating the lakeside promenade. Brass, marble, and inlaid wood accent the high-ceilinged Empire-style guest rooms, and the domed bar is decked with mahogany and aglitter with crystal. It's also home to Luzern's only hotel swimming pool, with windows onto the lake.

Built in 1908, this attractive business-class resort concentrates its comforts on a small but luxurious waterfront site, with a large restaurant above the manicured lawn, a small heated swimming pool with mountain views, and comfortable lounge chairs at the lake's edge. Its modern guest rooms glow with warm wood tones offset by neutral fabrics. It's at the center of town, near the boat landing.

Built in the 19th century on the site of two ancient guildhalls, this waterfront lodging is full of style, and one of the best addresses in the heart of the Old Town makes this the slickest in its price class. Rooms come with state-of-the-art tile baths, parquet floors, and black-and-white furnishings, and its chic restaurant has a combination as desirable as it is rare: an elegant interior, shimmering river views, and sophisticated fare adorned with 14 Gault-Millau points. There's a more casual, less expensive bistro area as well.

This gracious 12th-century house close to the Hofkirche and the Löwendenkmal has been artfully modernized with an eclectic mix of colors and themes. One room contains a 5-foot-tall decorative antique stove, and another resembles the interior of a clipper ship. Some white-tiled bathrooms have cool steel sinks. The restaurant, specializing in light, seasonal fare, expands into a beautiful outdoor terrace in warm weather.

Spotless and modern, this hotel softens its edges with white linens and walls; look in the recessed niche of one of the interior walls for a stone shrine retained from the original structure. The rooms facing the Weinmarkt have high ceilings and tall windows that let in lots of light. Guest rooms to the back have no direct sun but are still bright and a little larger.

Award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, who also designed Luzern's Kultur- und Kongresszentrum, focuses on ultrahip design here; parquet floors are this lodging's only remaining old-world touch. Metal blocks act as cupboards, and mirrors, puffy chairs, and dark walls add to the look, but the highlight of each room is the enlarged movie still that covers the ceiling. Films by Federico Fellini, Wim Wenders, and Lars von Trier are represented, among others, and yes, the photograph is positioned so that you see it best while lying down. The Asian-fusion restaurant attracts locals as well as hotel guests.

This solid lodging has a delightfully old-fashioned facade, modern interiors, and a welcoming atmosphere that comes from being family-owned and -run. A dozen rooms have balconies with lake views, and four have small kitchenettes. The hotel is a block from the boat landing and close to the Rigibahn. Both the restaurant and the Stübli serve good, simple fish dishes, and there's a pleasant garden terrace.

With its own lakefront garden, a full-service spa, and a restaurant in the former boathouse with views over the glittering lake, you're likely to be tempted to stay a little longer, no matter how many days you booked. Paul Klee, Richard Strauss, and many a head of state have visited this Jugendstil hotel since it opened in 1901. During renovations, the designers kept original architectural flourishes like frescoed ceilings and curved stucco moldings to balance out the modern, modular furnishings.

One of the city's best-known hotels, the gracious and atmospheric Wilden Mann has stone walls, coffered ceilings, brass fittings, and burnished wood everywhere. Even the street feels authentic—across the way is a 16th-century pharmacy. The hotel's reputation extends to its restaurants: the Burgerstube is cozy with its dark beams and family crests, whereas Restaurant Sauvage is more formal. Both menus strike a fine balance between local cooking and French cuisine, with main dishes such as venison with wild mushrooms and cream sauce, and desserts like caramel flan with fresh fruits and whipped cream.

Das Morgen (The Tomorrow) is the world’s first hotel dedicated to neuroscience---probably not the concept you’d expect to find in a rural lakeside setting, but perhaps less surprising given the number of science-focused start-ups in the region, some of whom are based in Das Morgen’s co-working space. Rooms are bright and white as if starched, softened by Scandi aesthetics, some with hanging rattan egg chairs, and each displays insights into various scientific themes: in room 318, you can drift off musing to insights into human consciousness, while room 311 focuses on instruments and voices. There are the digital aspects you’d expect---your smartphone acts as a room key and a remote control for the lights, electronic blinds, and TV---and rooms can be booked to suit single travelers, couples, or groups of up to six. Three restaurants---‘Yesterday’, ‘Today’, and ‘Tomorrow’---explore Swiss, global, and futuristic flavors. You might try hand-cut beef tartare with chive cream or roasted salmon with crayfish velouté followed by lukewarm chocolate cake with pickled kumquats. Two robots are part of the team, but the location is charmingly, and traditionally, Swiss as it sits at the foot of a mountainside jangling with cowbells and steps from the station for the Rigi cogwheel railway.