Room type: Junior Suite with Lake view

Setting: Villa Honegg is the smallest 5-Star Superior hotel in Switzerland with just 20 rooms. It is located on a hillside overlooking Lake Lucerne, in a green, rural setting. I found the setting fantastic – in the morning, you can watch the sun rise over the lake, while listening to the sounds of the bells of the cows grazing on the surrounding meadows. The hotel is housed in a beautifully renovated turn-of-the-last century building and has been family-owned throughout.

Room: I would absolutely recommend to book a Junior Suite with lake view (view to the other direction is a mountain view, which is OK, but I would feel I was missing out), and ideally I would book on the first floor. The Junior Suites on the first floor have a large terrace with a table and loungers, while the rooms on the higher floors only have narrow balconies.
Our room was in mint condition, and I very much liked the design. Dark wood floor, high-quality fabrics, and a large bath with double sink and separate tub and shower. There were a couple of special touches, such as a warm blanket for lounging on the terrace, and a pair of binoculars. Toiletries were Hermès. Minibar was included in the rate and well-stocked with soft drinks. There was also a Nespresso machine.

Food: The hotel has one restaurant, 14 Gault Millau points (plus room service, plus a snack menu on the terrace). We had one dinner in the restaurant and enjoyed it. The menu is based on locally sourced ingredients, for example local fish from the lake, prepared in a light contemporary style. Very attentive service. The wine list is fine, too, but short on wines by the glass and they don’t offer half bottles.
Breakfast is Ă la carte, and taken in the same restaurant or on the terrace. Quality is very good; guests are provided with a bread basket, a small selection of cheese, jam, fruit. Everything else is to order.

Service: Overall excellent and quite personal. Staff will remember who you are. The GM is very present throughout. Nice welcome amenity – fruit plate and a hand puppet for our child.

Pool/Spa: There is an indoor pool and an outdoor pool. The outdoor pool is very special – it has a great view to the lake from high up, and it is heated to 34°, so you can relax and enjoy the view. There is also a small spa area, which we didn’t try though.

Overall: Fantastic stay. Excellent hard and soft product. Great setting. Given its convenient location to Zurich, this is perfect for a short relaxing weekend. Competing places on Lake Lucerne would be the Park Hotel Vitznau (see review) and Park Weggis.