The iconic Alpine hotel of the 19th-century has seen better days. Back in the early times, at the peak of its operation, tourists flocked to see Rhône Glacier's breathtaking. Hotel Belvédère is located on a majestic curvy mountain road. The Furka Pass is a road tripper's paradise in the high Swiss Alps. It's so scenic that it was featured in the James Bond film Goldfinger. Hotel Belvédère is located close to the top, in one of the most amazing places. To this date, tourists come here to sneak peek at the once flourishing hotel and make their way to the glacier where the ice grotto used to be. It was a 100 m long tunnel and ice chamber that you could visit when the road opened up in the summer.

Hotel Belvédère closed its operation indefinitely back in 2016. Unfortunately, the hotel is one of the first Swiss victims of climate change. The 11,000-year-old glacier that used to be right at the building entrance has been receding 10 centimeters each day, retracting farther and farther away into the distance. To make matters worse, the ice tunnel can no longer be safely carved into the glacier. The unique sight that once attracted thousands, including famous people like Pope John XXIII and Sean Connery, is no longer. We can hope that they find an appropriate solution to bring Hotel Belvédère back to life. Until that time comes, you can go for a visit to see this amazing historical sight that has drastically transformed during the past hundred years.