4 Best Hotels in Vaud, Switzerland

Silver mansards and yellow awnings flag this vast institution as a landmark, though its aristocratic interiors are now filled with cell-phone-chatting travelers. This colossal belle époque folly of stained glass, frescoes, and flamboyant molded stucco opened in 1906 and counts Vladimir Nabokov among its notable former residents (a bronze of the author stands in the lakeside gardens). Updated facilities do not compromise the allure of this grand hotel. You can be cyber-connected from any corner or secluded in a massage suite at the Willow Stream Spa. Guest rooms have fruitwood furniture, bold accessories, and whirlpool tubs trimmed in granite and marble.

Honeycombed by dramatic atrium stairwells that look down on marble columns and gleaming floors inlaid with golden coronets, this regal landmark was Henry James's home base when he wrote (and set here) the novella Daisy Miller. Burgundy brocade with floral swags and coverlets contrast boldly with striped wallpaper in generously sized guest rooms. The spa, called Puressens (Pure Senses), offers a full range of restorative services that are a relaxing extension to time spent in the lower-level pool. A vast lakefront terrace overlooks the pollards, the promenade, and the steamers plying the lake.

After a six-year, top-to-bottom renovation, the historic Royal Savoy has been unveiled as the latest—and perhaps the finest—five-star hotel in all of Suisse Romande. Shaded by tall pines that surround its extensively manicured grounds, the art nouveau castle has strikingly modern interiors of palatial proportions, providing the ultimate urban luxury getaway. Ample rooms in a soothing gray color scheme are available in the main building or in a more contemporary annex, where you'll find a bamboo-enclosed indoor pool, footbaths, and a first-rate fitness center within the sleek, black marble confines of the Spa du Royal. Spend sundown with a signature cocktail on the rooftop lounge overlooking Lavaux vineyards and Alpine peaks across Lac Léman, then head to the smart-casual Brasserie for an unforgettable evening meal.

Anita Brookner set her novel Hotel du Lac in this lakefront doyenne, where readers find an abundance of refinement and global sophistication proffered beneath the Relais & Châteaux banner. Dramatic Asian decor in the lobby and lounge are a sharp contrast to soothing pastels and honey creams that outfit luxe guest rooms. The veranda takes on a garden-party air at Sunday brunch, when, fortunately, hat and gloves are no longer de rigueur. An intimate spa and the only outdoor pool in town add to the attraction for today's discerning sojourners.