Lake Lucerne, also known as the "lake of the four forested settlements", is one of the most magical regions in Switzerland. Its shoreline rises steeply into tall mountains.
During clear weather, you can spot the icy peaks of Mount Pilatus, the Tomlishorn that stands at 6,983 feet (2,128.5 meters).
Bürgenstock Resort is perched on a cliff right opposite the most populous city of Central Switzerland.
Its buildings were constructed atop the Bürgenberg mountain ridge, 1,640 feet (500 meters) above the lake.
The first hotel, The Palace, was built here in 1873 and became an instant hit. Celebrities flocked to enjoy the breathtaking panorama and Swiss hospitality.
Audrey Hepburn was among the many famous people to get married in its chapel in 1954.
Then came the Waldhotel, and the resort's newest building is the modern Bürgenstock Hotel, built next to the Palace.
The vintage-looking funicular, with its traditional wooden benches and red paint, takes you directly inside the hotel's building from the lake-level Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock pier station.
Bürgenstock Hotel's cantilevered glass box hides a high-class panorama restaurant.
The large resort comprises a 107,639-square-foot (10,000 square meters) spa, twelve (!) restaurants, and a 9-hole golf course.
The Spices Kitchen & Terrace restaurant serves classic Asian dishes from Japan, China, India, and Thailand, offering an incredible panorama of Lucerne and the lake.
Bürgenstock Hotel has a mindblowing panorama of the lake, surrounding mountains, and one of the world's largest spas.
The hotel has 82 rooms and 20 suites, ranging from 355 square feet (33 square meters) of Alpine/Lake-view rooms to the uber-luxurious Bürgenstock Royal Suite that takes up the entire top floor of the hotel.
You can access all restaurants, bars, and common areas regardless of your budget or room choice.
The show-stopper feature of the Bürgenstock Hotel is its deep soaking tubs. The large windows create a perfect frame for Lake Lucerne as if it was a beautiful painting.
All while you soak in the bathtub that gets extra warmth from the built-in fireplace.
The hotel's onsite wellness retreat is the 100,000 square feet (9,290 square meters) Alpine Spa.
There are eight private treatment rooms and a state-of-the-art gym. For the ultimate relaxation, you can choose from a traditional hammam, a serenity room, panoramic saunas (mixed gender and female-only), and salty and heated pools.
The indoor pool first appears to be the highlight of the spa until you realize it continues outdoors.
The breathtaking infinity pool is cantilevered over the lake, and when it's lit up during the night, along with the colorful post-sunset sky, it's pure magic.
The mountaintop setting overlooking the country's natural beauty is archetypally Swiss.
You couldn't come up with a better representation of Switzerland's uniqueness.
Designer tennis court overlooking the Alps? Sure thing!
Naturally, the resort is car-free, so you leave the urban world's noises far behind.
The Hammetschwand lift is the highest exterior elevator in Europe, and it takes trekkers up from a rocky path to a scenic viewing point on the Bürgenstock plateau.
Hotels & Resort, Bürgenstock 17, 6363 Obbürgen, Switzerland
