"The palatial appearance is impressive at first. Common spaces are well designed and restored. The concierge team and reception are friendly and helpful to a degree.
Importantly, as we arrived as a family in the summer when it was well into the 80s, Room 203 was hot and stuffy and had a view of a wall. On arrival I requested fans which were put into the rooms. As a party of 4, we were assigned two rooms, one inviting (room 220) and the other dismal, room 203 which I highly advise you avoid. It was large and bed was comfortable but air did not circulate and I did not feel at ease being in there. I asked to move, they promised to look into it but quickly said nothing was available even if it meant moving after the weekend. I figured I wouldn’t have to spend too much time in the room but outside of the room posed additional problems—-smokers in the restaurants and spa area too!
Out first meal was a lunch on the terrace. Unlucky for me, a man and his cigar made it impossible to enjoy eating. And we were on the opposite side of the patio. We were moved even further away. Needless to say, food is overpriced and not of quality I would expect. I ate a plain chicken breast and it did not taste fresh. The bread is barely passable.
Our dinner meal was at the Italian pool side restaurant where I ordered pizza. Once again, a chain smoker a few tables away ruined this meal too. When the pizza finally arrived, I asked to take it up to the lawn so I could be away from the cigarette smoke. I was firmly told no. I asked to take it to my room and again I was told no. I left the restaurant and went to the reception when the team was sympathetic. The manager, Ian strappili appeared and I was taken aside and he patiently listened to my grievances:
1. The smoking. His answer: apologetic but Swiss law allows smoking outside so nothing he could do but willing to make sure out meals were out of vicinity of smokers. He claims the hotel is making efforts to ban smoking on the property but this may take a year to put into effect. (Believable (and commendable) to a point until I saw the next day that “cigarettes” feature prominently on there swimming pool menu! Sure enough, each time I was at the pool, smokers abound. We stopped eating meals at the hotel other than breakfast which we mostly ate inside to avoid smokers.
2. Room 203. He claimed he would look into it as the other receptionist promised but said unless we wanted to pay more there was nothing he could do. He did install a portable air conditioned in the room which helped to a degree on each of the 5 sleepless nights there.
3. I asked to swim in the outdoor pool earlier than the official 10am opening time. He said he would look into this but eventually couldn’t resolve this request in my favor either. First, citing the robo vacuum potential to cause me harm. I said I have swam with many robo vacuums and never had a problem. Next he said maintenance would interfere. I said I didn’t care if they were cutting the grass around me. Next he cited once again “the Swiss law”.
All three arguements turned out to be baseless and have holes. I was granted 8am access which was nice, I’ll give that to them, but I wake up at all odd hours and waiting until 8 still meant waiting an extra 2-4 hours. First morning, maintenance was going on all around me between grass cutting and robo vacuum in the pool which no one pulled out so really excuses 1 was put to rest. On morning two, no maintenance was happening and I was blissfully alone so excuse 2 seemed to fall apart. On my pre swim walk on the roads behind the hotel, I came upon a hotel (the one that has the bagatelle restaurant) that had a sign pointing to their pool saying temp of 24 and swim at your own risk. Apparently “ Swiss law “ makes exceptions when it wants to!
We went across to the Alpina for dinner one evening. Of course, I had to inquire about their pools. Sure enough, with the same signed waiver that I signed at the Palace, they would grant me early morning access in their pools. Unfortunately they overheat the pools to 31-36 degrees so moving their wouldn’t suit my desire to swim in an outdoor non overly heated pools but they were a strong contender.
On any encounter with Ian, he was always friendly and asked how everything was going. After my first morning swimming for 80minutes in a 73 degree pool he did say he would talk to the engineer and raise it to the maximally possible 75 degrees which surprisingly happened to make good on his promise but for only one morning then the water went back to 73 degrees cold again but I ran out of time and when I mentioned it again, the pool temperature never budged.
Of all our excursions we planned, we discussed rafting which the hotel set up. I was a bit wary of the experience but one member of the concierge team had worked for the rafting company and convinced us that it was a worthwhile experience. Unfortunately he failed to mention the constant swarms of flies and gnats that really impacted our enjoyment. Had he been more forthcoming, and of anyone he was in a position to do so, he should have mentioned flies may be an issue. Turns out my niece was bitten on her hand and had a terrible reaction to the bite and her hand is still itchy and swollen.
The flies were also a problem at the meals. They were buzzing around at each breakfast landing on the breads and meats and fruits making them unappetizing.
To sum it up:
The staff from reception to Sasha and company at the pool were super friendly and wanting to help. Up the chain, Ian strappoli and the spa manager were uncompromising in places it would count for me ie granting my request for a 6 swim. Ian said he asked the owner presumably Andrea Schertz, who could t or wouldn’t open the pool early and never gave me a very good honest answer. Apparently, according to his interview, the hotel owner will go out of his way for the guest that has his new Bentley delivered to the hotel and organize and fly in a famous Indian singer for another guest, but letting me swim at 6am which wouldn’t disrupt anyone or anything was too big of an ask?!
2. Room 203 was unpleasant and I was willing to move to a small room but Ian never followed up on that one.
3. Charging 10 Swiss franks for a water at the spa when my niece was dehydrated from playing tennis and she asked for ice tap water was ridiculous as they give out the same free water at the front desk and in the rooms.
4. Flies inside the breakfast room on trolling the buffet is not good
5. Summers are a bit too warm now so unless central air is added to all rooms guests may opt for the Alpina across the street as I would on my next visit.
5. Smokers violate the health of those who don’t smoke and don’t want to smell cigarettes and cigars outside
Sadly. I wanted to love this place and come back for the pool! But I won’t ever. I’ll stay at the Alpina or new Four Seasons or rent a chalet and swim at 10am as outsiders can pay a reasonably modest fee to access the pool."
A Tripadvisor traveler review
Jul 17, 2026
_300dpi_R.jpg)
