Lausanne, a beautiful Swiss city on Lake Geneva, had been a place I wanted to visit since forever because I wanted to see both the city and the lake. When we finally decided to go earlier this year, I did some research on where to stay and had to choose between a hotel in old town, which was up the hill, and one in the waterfront area. It was a no-brainer that I chose to stay on the lake, and so we booked this gorgeous castle-like hotel called Château d’Ouchy situated right on Lake Geneva.
Château d’Ouchy looks like a castle because it used to be one. It’s built on the site of an old medieval castle that had been reconstructed in the late 1800s and turned into the hotel it is today. Its neo-Gothic structure and fairytale charm will transport you back to centuries earlier, only to be brought back by its chic interior and modern comfort.
The hotel has a restaurant with a beautiful waterfront dining room that serves daily breakfast. It also has a bar and a very inviting lakefront terrace with couches where you can enjoy the view and a drink or two. For those looking for relaxation, they have an outdoor pool and a spa offering massages and facials. In the area surrounding the hotel, there are several shops and restaurants, including a drug store, a convenient store, and a supermarket.
The location is also perfect, right next to a metro stop that takes you to the old town area in a just few minutes.
What about the room?
We got a deluxe lake-view room, and it was amazing. There were two windows, one of which opened directly onto the lake and its majestic view. Unlike many hotels in Europe, the room was spacious, and we could walk around without running into each other. The big bathroom was a real plus.
The first day I woke up at this hotel and got a glimpse of the sunrise over the lake, I was in heaven. It was so calming and peaceful, exactly what I needed after months of not being able to travel due to Covid. What made my day even better was a delicious breakfast buffet served at the hotel’s waterfront dining room. I enjoyed every single minute of it.
After breakfast we went for a stroll along the lake. With the stunning Alps as a backdrop, it was breathtaking. I always think that during Covid, people in certain countries blessed with a spectacular landscape are lucky, and the people of Lausanne is certainly one of them. Getting locked up with this kind of view? Yes, please! It is really a healer.
How to get there
We got to Lausanne by train from Geneva. The train ran several times a day, and it took about 45 minutes. From the Lausanne train station, we could have taken the metro and got off right next to the hotel, but the metro entrance near the train station was under construction, and we must have walked past it, so we walked down the hill instead. It was not that bad, though, as there was a walkway down to the lake and I got to see the city along the way, even though it was mostly residential area with lots of apartment buildings.
We had some good memories at Château d’Ouchy and would highly recommend it!
