Beau-Rivage Palace Spa by Maxine Jones

When the doorbell rings I’m looking over Lake Geneva to the French Alps. I turn back into the room, taking in the tapestries on the wall, chandelier, marble fireplace and polished antique table bearing champagne, fresh flowers and chocolates.
< BR> I open the door and an impeccably dressed young man wheels in a breakfast trolley covered with a cloth of fine linen. As he pushes it into the room he lets slip an expletive in French and is immediately mortified. A drop of fresh orange juice has splashed out of the glass on to the tablecloth. I spend several minutes convincing him he does not have to wheel it all the way back to the kitchen and bring up a fresh breakfast.
< BR> But this is the standard of service guests in the Beau Rivage Palace expect. In the spa if you leave your freshly laundered, barely used towel down for two seconds it is whipped away and replaced with a clean one. And all this is done without you noticing. The world’s oldest school of hotel management is in Lausanne and many of the staff here are graduates. There are up to 420 staff for the 169 rooms and wages take up 50 per cent of hotel costs.
< BR> Switzerland’s finest hotel, and a Leading Hotel of the World, the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne, celebrates its 150th birthday this year. It is as much historical monument as hotel. When it was built, its grand salons with 18th century frescoes, its architecture and stained glass were internationally acclaimed. After the First World War the hotel hosted the likes of Mussolini and Churchill for key conferences that remapped Europe.
< BR> One of the richest foundations in Switzerland, the Sandoz family, now owns the Beau Rivage and invested 80 million euro in the 1990s renovating it. Installing lifts and air conditioning required the assistance of specialised craftsmen and artisans under the watchful eye of the Swiss Service of Historical Monuments. The result is a hotel with old world charm and modern comforts.
< BR> Last year a 10 million euro spa, Les Cinq Mondes, was added. The architects boldly went in for a modern plate glass building, opening onto terraces overlooking the lake and complementing the neo-baroque façade of the original building.
< BR> I pad between my luxury room and the luxury spa, enjoying two treatments in my weekend stay, as well as visits to the pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. The Royal Ritual from Siam takes nearly two hours and starts with a soak in a petal-strewn bath, a tray of tea of tea and healthy nibbles within reach. The effects of the body scrub left my skin feeling like a baby’s for days afterwards. The 50-minute Ayurvedic massage eased out muscular tension, leaving me relaxed yet full of energy.
< BR> Though leaving the hotel is like being expelled from Eden, I managed a couple of excursions into Lausanne, where the small city centre has more than its fair share of galleries and museums. The Musee Historique de Lausanne had on show a moving photo-reportage exhibition as well as insights into the city’s past. Nearby, Mudac (Musee de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains) had an equally intriguing and stimulating collection.
< BR> Closer to home, in the gardens adjoining the hotel, the Musee de l’Elysee is Switzerland’s first and foremost photographic museum. Also in the park is the spectacular Olympic Museum.
< BR> Shopping opportunities abound, and if you want to bring chocolate back, Chocalatier Durig, between the hotel and the town centre, is the place to go. For wine, you can visit one the many small vineyards in the hills overlooking Lake Geneva.
< BR> Probably the best restaurant in Lausanne is within the hotel itself. In the Michelin-starred La Rotonde, I enjoyed memorable scallops, truffles, caviar, lobster and rhum baba soufflé. The Accademia, the Italian restaurant at the Hotel Angleterre (the sister hotel next door) is also highly recommended. For more informal dining, you can’t beat the Café Beau-Rivage, the hotel’s brasserie.
< BR> While it follows in the tradition of the grand European hotels of a bygone era, Beau Rivage is also very homely. Children are welcomed. Chests of toys and DVDs are provided and, best of all, they are invited to take part in floral workshops, pastry classes and treasure hunts throughout the hotel.
< BR> Media stars have replaced the old aristocracy who frequented the hotel. Keanu Reeves was spotted in the hotel lobby when I was there, though not by me. Diana Ross and Phil Collins had their weddings here. In the 1930s Noel Coward and Coco Chanel were frequent visitors. Somerset Maugham, Gary Cooper and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were here in the 1950s. The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne, Nelson Mandela, Woody Allen, Gina Lolobrigida, Rod Stewart and Charlie Chaplin also feature in the guest list.
< BR> A short drive from the hotel, I watched a performance by Charlie Chaplin’s grandson, James Thierree, at the congenial Theatre Vidy. The hotel provides details of theatre, opera, orchestral and ballet performances, of which there are plenty in Lausanne.
< BR> While prices at the Beau Rivage reflect the quality of the accommodation and service, they have special offers throughout the year for short breaks, including visits to the spa. The benefits of a stay here are long-lasting. Back home, a spray of orange flower petal lotion from the Cinq Mondes spa, brings it all back.