Inaugurated in 1877, this resort was the refuge of some celebrities in the 60s before going bankrupt… It has seen everything… But one thing remains: The View!

Episode Six: The Bürgenstock Hotel – Obbürgen, Lucerne, Switzerland.

Because it is in Switzerland, you don’t even need your car… A funicular initially built in 1888 has been restored to access the 5-star hotel. But there is more, in fact the resort includes four hotels, a Health & Medical Centre, 12 restaurants and bars, 67 residence suites, a 10,000sqm Alpine spa and a wide range of leisure activities including a golf course. The nearest ski resort, Engelberg, is 25-minutes away.

Franz Josef Bucher and Josef Durrer are the brave pioneers of the Bürgenstock Resort.

In 1871, they bought the resort property on the Bürgenberg ridge.

In 1954, Audrey Hepburn married Mel Ferrer in the Bürgenstock chapel.

Sofia Loren and her husband came in the 1960’s and became long-term residents in Villa Daniela.

At 875m above the sea level, the design concept for the new hotel and its interior have been completed by Rüssli Architekten.

The overall hotel facility has been simplified from two buildings to one single, large, L-shaped building. This intervention created a spacious, public north terrace between the main building of the Bürgenstock Hotel and the Hotel Palace. The space between has a positive effect on the townscape. The unimpeded access to the terrace via the piazza affords spectacular views over Lake Lucerne.

The new hotel sits prominently on the Bürgenstock rock. The facade is encased in pale Sellenberg limestone and rises like a skyscraper above the glass base. With its grey-brown structure, the stone is similar to the natural Bürgenstock rock.

The Crown Jewel is definitely the view over the Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee, Lake of the Four Cantons in German). As a historical outdoor space, the piazza has been optimally integrated into the new boulevard and underscores the unique atmosphere. The piazza is a meeting place and destination with many options. It can play host to cinema and theatre performances in the summer and, in winter, a Christmas market adorns the square.

The “Spices Kitchen & Terrace” restaurant with its Asian show-kitchen is adjacent to the piazza in an overhanging glass-enclosed space. Planned with 110 inside and 100 outside seats (North terrace) and with 18 lounge seats. Architecturally, the restaurant impresses with its unobstructed views of the lake.

The interior design was realised in conjunction with MKV London. The seating is arranged along the post and mullion facade and offers each guest the same view. In culinary terms, “Spices” offers fine cuisine with specialties from the Far East, all prepared authentically in the open show-kitchen.

With 102 luxurious rooms (standard and suites) extending over seven floors, this hotel is most certainly a new hotspot for visitors from all over the world.

All rooms face the lake and have a bay window as a central detail. The bathroom is connected to the sleeping area through a transparent glass sliding door.

The bathtub offers – just like the bay window – a direct view over the lake. All rooms have their own gas fireplace, a wardrobe, a minibar, and a desk.

The materials were selected to harmonise with each other and draw the style of the entire hotel from the public areas into the private ones.

The Alpine Spa, one of the world’s largest spas 7,000sqm), includes a restored kidney-shaped Hollywood pool from the heyday of the 1950’s and a stunning rooftop infinity pool, panoramic sauna and much more.