It’s not surprising that stars like Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Keith Richards owned houses in Montreux. The town is a sophisticated haven, yet a hub for talented artists. The boulevard along the banks of Lake Geneva and the annual Montreux Jazz Festival are world-famous.
Hôtel Masson, a beacon of fine hospitality, offers truly magnificent views across the lake to the Swiss and French Alps beyond. The hotel’s rich historical atmosphere, from the Belle Époque décor to creaking parquet floors, features the original furniture.
When the weather is fine – and it often is-, you can enjoy breakfast on the balcony, with a view across Lake Geneva. The breakfast buns are home baked, and dinner is prepared with local and seasonal ingredients.
One of Europe’s finest castles, Château de Chillon with a view of the Dents du Midi in the background is within walking distance.
*Minimum stay of 2 nights required when check-in is on a weekend day
Restaurant Elise is all about authenticity. You can taste it in the jam made with fruit from the hotel’s own garden, or the home-baked bread. The menu features as many local specialities as possible, which form the basis of French and Italian dishes. The restaurant interior takes you back a century. The stylish fabric of the curtains, the inlaid wooden floor, the delicate wallpaper, and the modest tables with their slender legs – it all speaks of a rich past that is lovingly cherished.
The restaurant is open daily from 7.00 to 9.00pm.
The covered terrace has wonderful views of Lake Geneva. On cool summer evenings or even in the winter, blankets are available to keep you warm as you enjoy the view and the pure air. The large garden is a perfect place to lie back in a deckchair and dream as you gaze out across the lake at the mountains in the distance. The many old trees give shade in the summer, so you can enjoy the garden, with its roses and glorious scent of lavender.
The area around Hôtel Masson has a wide range of possibilities to enjoy everything this part of Switzerland has to offer. Music lovers will know Montreux for its famous annual jazz festival (June/July). You can go walking through the vine terraces of Lavaux, a UNESCO heritage site famous for its spectacular views of Lake Geneva and the Alps. At Vinorama, you can taste and buy more than 290 regional wines. For a trip on Lake Geneva, take one of the historic paddle steamers. And the grand Chillon Castle on the lakeside is well worth a visit.
Golf