Beau-Rivage Palace

One of Switzerland’s original Palace hotels, this sumptuous affair opened in Lausanne’s lakefront district of Ouchy in 1861 and has hosted royalty, celebrities and famous local residents ever since, from Charlie Chaplin to Nelson Mandela, Coco Chanel to Tina Turner. So it’s not your average hotel, and staying here is no average experience. In keeping with the belle époque building, rooms are classically elegant, with plush fabrics, tapestries and candelabra-style lighting. Most have jacuzzis, so you can sit back in the bubbles and admire the view over the grounds and lake. The ultra-posh Cinq Mondes spa has indoor and outdoor pools, hammam, sauna and a refreshing ‘tropical rain promenade’. There are myriad bars and restaurants to choose from, but the most famous is the one that takes the name of its creator, three Michelin-starred French chef Anne-Sophie Pic, whose menus focus on seasonal, local produce. Thankfully you won’t be short on wine – the cellar here holds 75,000 bottles.