- A Tale of 3 Swiss Hotels (written by @globalmidwife ) -

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I just returned from a winter wonderland vacation straight out of a fairytale! Switzerland exceeded our expectations, and I feel that we garnered the essence of the country by exploring the city, countryside, and Swiss Alps. I know there are a lot of questions about our hotel stays, so I wanted to provide some details on location, price, and booking info. Keep in mind that Terray and I are fans of luxury travel and part of the experience for us is staying in unique hotels. There are more affordable options, and my favorite booking engine is booking.com to find deals on hotel stays. However, it’s safe to say that we definitely splurged during our winter getaway!

Zurich (City) – Central Plaza Hotel

After a 3-hour flight to New York, 4-hour layover, and 8-hour flight to Zurich, we wanted nothing more than to stop traveling and settle in for the night in a cozy hotel. Since we knew we would be utilizing the trains to travel to our next destination, we wanted to stay somewhere close to the train station. The Central Plaza Hotel was conveniently located, as it was a 5-minute walk from the main train station, Zurich HB. It was also the perfect hotel for exploring the old, touristy part of Zurich as the famous shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse, was literally right across the street from the train station! This street is where we indulged in our first taste of Swiss chocolate at Laderach and consumed our first gourmet meal at Au Gratin.

As if that wasn’t enough, the hotel was also right in front of a picturesque river that took a romantic stroll at night to another level. After a day of exploring, we were able to enjoy the fun, hotel bar where a pianist was performing modern songs and the bartender was hilarious. So what’s the con? The room itself was tiny and left much to be desired. Additionally, our Queen size bed was actually two twin beds pushed together! We were happy to only be there one night, as it simply did not meet our standard of a luxurious hotel stay. Our luggage took up much of the space in the room, so we definitely felt cramped. Also, breakfast was not included like our other hotel stays. Honestly for the price and the size of the room, it should have been. Bottom line: we would stay again for one night, as the location could not be beat! For a much longer stay, however, we would find a more spacious room.

Price: $243/night for a double room

Booked through: Booking.com

Ennetburgen (Countryside) – Hotel Villa Honegg

I’m sure you all have seen the viral videos on Instagram of the heated infinity pool overlooking the most beautiful view of Switzerland as if you are ascended in the sky. When we saw this video, we knew we had to make our way to Switzerland. This boutique hotel is tucked away in the mountains in one of the most remote parts of the country. The reward is an untouched work of art by God herself, which was named one of the top 10 views in Switzerland. This view of Lake Lucerne surrounded by snowy mountains, which can be enjoyed from your individual room, the infinity pool, or simply the terrace, is the total focus of the hotel. It is truly a place to go to relax, meditate, be inspired, reconnect with bae, etc. The whole hotel was a spa experience as the service was 5 stars. The included breakfast was divine as you could order as much as you desired from omelets to pancakes and enjoy a limitless amount of pastries, fruit, cheese, and meat.

Our room was spacious with a balcony to enjoy the view and was equipped with a large soaking bathtub and a bed that resembled sleeping on clouds. The spa area included the heated infinity pool of course, as well as a non-heated pool inside, lounge chairs, sauna, and a steam room. While relaxing, complimentary vegetable broth, water, tea, and fruit were provided. For me personally, the view was only second to Santorini, which says a lot. You know what they say, though, you can’t have it all. While our hotel in Zurich had location on its side but the actual hotel was a disappointment, this magical place in Ennetburgen was a wondrous hotel with nothing else around it. We joked that we were trapped with no way to escape if it ended up being haunted lol. Terray and I have dined at multiple 5 star restaurants around the world, so we can confidently say that the food at Hotel Villa Honegg was not 5 star and way overpriced for what it was. To make matters worse, there were no other options for food in comfortable walking distance. We did end up discovering a resort about 15 minutes drive away for a $50 round-trip shuttle ride. The Burgenstock resort had five restaurants and a bar, and was literally a lifesaver. Bottom line: our stay at Hotel Villa Honegg was truly a once in a lifetime experience and perfect for a relaxing retreat. However, if we returned to the area in the future, the Burgenstock resort would be our preference due to more options for food and entertainment. I still do recommend staying at Villa Honegg just once because it is unlike any place I’ve ever stayed and has THE best view as it’s at the top of the mountain. But 2 nights maximum and no need for a return visit for us.
Price: $788/night for a superior room with a top lake view
Booked through: Hotel Villa Honegg website (link above)
Zermatt (Swiss Alps) – The Omnia
We saved the best for last. Third time’s a charm. So you really can have it all! These are some of the phrases I would use to describe our enchanting experience at the Omnia, a mountain lodge nestled in the Swiss Alps. The service was incredible as our welcome was complimentary champagne and a tour of the beautiful facility by Laura, the sweetest host. Additionally, the manager, Christian, introduced himself to us upon arrival and asked us about our experience multiple times throughout our stay. Everyone had a smile on their face and greeted us as we passed by…celebrity status anyone? LOL. Let’s not forget the super cool entrance to the hotel by traveling through a tunnel reminiscent of a James Bond movie, and then taking an elevator up to the lobby. We were impressed before we even made it to our room, but the room ended up being one of the main highlights of our stay. As soon as we opened the door, we were greeted with the most captivating view of the Swiss Alps and Zermatt. I had to pinch myself as I felt I was in a storybook. The balcony had two chairs covered with the cutest fur throws and a table to relax with a drink while soaking up the view. We were even treated with snow during our time there, which added to the fairytale feeling. Much to our surprise, the owner of the hotel loves Whiskey (as do we) and provides each guest with a complimentary bottle of Bourbon! We definitely enjoyed this gesture but were even more excited when we realized that our bottle of Bourbon was refilled continuously during our stay. I promise this was not a dream, but it sounds unreal, doesn’t it?! The room itself was spacious and the bed was a Tempur-Pedic memory foam mattress that provided for the best sleep.
The spa area was amazing as well, as the beautiful pool looked out to an expansive view of the Alps and the famous Matterhorn Mountain. Outside was a toasty Jacuzzi that we enjoyed while surrounded by fresh snow. Additionally, the spa area had access to a sauna, steam room, and Turkish bath. As if this hotel couldn’t get any better, the food was literally the best we had in Switzerland. Breakfast was complimentary and included a buffet of pastries, cereals, cheese, meat, yogurts, and fruit. We were also able to order pancakes, crepes, French toast, omelets, eggs, bacon, sausages, etc. For dinner, we indulged in a scrumptious lobster bisque with huge chunks of lobster and flamed pineapples, a divine pasta dish with truffle called tagliolini, and a tender beef fillet with truffle, whipped potatoes with truffle, and creamed spinach with pine nuts. We both are addicted to truffle so when I tell you we were in Heaven! We were too full for dessert but provided with a to go box filled with an array of sweet treats. Now with such a fabulous hotel, the location had to suck, right? Wrong! This is why the Omnia was hands down our favorite hotel. It was literally in the middle of Zermatt and within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops, the train station, and even the lift to the slopes. Finally, we did not have to sacrifice anything. When we talk about returning to Switzerland, it is Zermatt and this hotel we are talking about. Even though we visited in March, we felt like we experienced another Christmas and will definitely return. Any cons? The bathroom was tiny, but there are other rooms available with more luxurious bathrooms and a tub, which we hope to stay at in the future. Bottom line: our stay at the Omnia was the highlight of our trip and checked all boxes in terms of location, view, room comfort, service, and food.
Price: $694/night for double room
Booked through: Booking.com
Disclaimer: We were gifted with a complimentary dinner for two at the Omnia restaurant and a discount on our room rate. All views are my own.
xoxo, Global Midwife
Published by @GlobalMidWifeClick here to read more of her post