Beau-Rivage Palace – Lausanne

6 April 2021HotelAdvisor Leave a comment

Location: Lausanne – Switzerland
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: https://www.brp.ch/en/home/

Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne is one of the most luxurious hotels in Europe. Located on the shores of Lake Léman, it has a prime location. The hotel makes part of The Leading Hotels of the World. I had high expectations, but still was totally blown away by this property. Having stayed at many high end five star properties, this hotel was beyond words and I can’t say enough good things about this place.

Let me first share some historical facts. The hotel opened in 1861 and the current main building was constructed in Art Nouveau and neo-baroque style in 1908. Of course, Beau-Rivage has been renovated over the years and still is one of the most luxurious hotels one could imagine.

As mentioned before, the location is amazing. Lausanne is a beautiful town with high end shops and dining options. The boulevard in front of the hotel is the place for a relaxed evening walk while admiring stunning lake views. There’s a lot to do here. Still you are in a private gem with all the luxury amenities one could wish for. Guests are treated like royalty here and nothing is asked for too much here. The personal approach is highly appreciated and one of the key factors of Beau-Rivage Palace.

Once I stepped in, I was greeted by the most accommodating staff who made me feel at ease right from the first second. Entering this hotel is stepping into a true palace. I could have taken pictures here all day long. Behind each corner, a new surprise is waiting. I love the fact that they kept the historical touches of this palace. From the grand chandeliers to the wonderful art work, it is all there and maintained in an excellent way. It set the tone for the next 2 days.

After check-in it was time to explore our room. With only 169 rooms and suites, Beau-Rivage is able to offer a very personalized service. Walking around in the hallways is an experience itself.

We stayed in a Superior room and again were very satisfied. The room had a great size. No standard furniture here, all items (and I litterly mean every item/product/…) is of such a high quality. I fell at home here which is unique. The room had a nice cozy sitting area with the most comfortable couch. The king sized bed was to die for. Oh and I have to mention that every day a new surprise will be waiting for you. For example, they brought fresh flowers in the afternoon, some (yummie!) pastries and when I needed anything, I just had to dial 0 and a few seconds later they were happy to bring it to the room. The views over the lake were mind blowing!

Bathroom is very luxurious featuring an oversized bath tub and a fantastic walk-in shower. There are plenty of luxury Cinq Mondes toiletries offered. The mirror television was a treat!

One of the highlights of Beau-Rivage Palace is the recently renovated spa area, Cinq Mondes. No words can describe how beautiful this place is. It is the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring Lausanne. It was so quiet and peaceful… and the décor is unique. Candles, soft relaxing music and luxurious leather lounges made me feel in heaven. There’s an indoor pool, a Finnish sauna and steam room. Cinq Mondes at Beau-Rivage Palace is one of the most luxurious spa’s I have experienced, anywhere. Be sure to check out yourself.

There’s also an outdoor pool with very comfortable loungers. The gardens are impressive We were lucky with the weather when we were there and enjoyed a chilling afternoon enjoying the sun. It was wonderful and staff made sure we had a great time.

Beau-Rivage Palace has several dining options: Brasserie Restaurant “Café Beau-Rivage” where guests can enjoy wonderful dishes prepared by Chef Emilien Windels. There’s also a Japanese Restaurant ‘The Miyako’ with a teppanyaki table. Fancy a more formal dinner? Gourmet restaurant “Anne-Sophie Pic” is the place to be. Rated with two Michelin stars and an impressive 18/20 at Gault & Millau it is fine dining at its highest level. Let me share some pictures of the dishes. They speak for themselves

Time to sleep! Turn down service is provided every night. They offer complimentary sweet treats to their guests which is the perfect way to start a comfortable night. It’s all about those small details that make Beau-Rivage Palace a special place to stay at.

Breakfast at Beau-Rivage Palace is something to look forward to! From the freshly squeezed juices to the pastries, I totally enjoyed every bite. Although every hotel offers breakfast obviously the products and ingredients they use here are of such a good quality that I actually was blown away. I happily skipped lunch because I enjoyed the breakfast that much 🙂

It is all about service here. The staff is among the most professional and accommodating I have ever experienced. As said before, after spending so many night at so many five star hotels, it is great to still be impressed by hotels like Beau-Rivage Palace. The place to be for a luxurious getaway in Lausanne, I am in love…

St. Regis Mexico City

6 April 2021HotelAdvisor Leave a comment

Hotelchain: St. Regis
Location: Mexico City
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: stregismexicocity.com

Known as one the best five star hotels in Mexico City, the St. Regis hotel Mexico City only offers the best… The hotel has an amazing location near trendy shops and restaurants yet remains pretty calming. It is impeccably decorated and the service was five star indeed. Once you enter the St. Regis Mexico City, you enter a world full of luxury, attention to detail and an incredible high level of hospitality.

The lobby area is luxurious and gave me this WoW-feeling! Actually, all areas in this hotel are just gorgeous. Check-in staff was exceptionally friendly and informative. At St. Regis guests are treated in a very personal way. Many of the staff members remembered our names and asked if they could do anything to make our stay one to remember. The grand lobby surely made an impression on me. Check-in is located on the third floor.

We stayed at an amazingly designed and luxurious Grand Deluxe room. I could spend a whole day here without leaving the hotel. At 50 square meters the room was huge and offered only the best! This is what I would call a true five star hotel room, it just had all the amenities I could wish for. On top of that, I was (and still am) in love with the decoration. There was a large comfortable sitting area with a great couch. The room felt like a luxurious studio in the middle of the city. As you would expect, the beds are heavenly. The sleep quality was excellent due to the comfortable bed and high quality sheets and pillows.

Marble bathroom was fancy and featured both a large walk-in shower and separate bath tub. The double sinks were very convenient and I loved the HD mirror television. The plush bathrobes and towels were top notch and something to look forward to after taking a relaxing bath in the evening.

As usual at any St. Regis hotel, this hotel offers butler service too. St. Regis Butler Service has remained one of the hotel’s signature offerings. Each room comes with a butler and they will ensure that each guest is treated in a very personal way. My unique preferences were known and understood, loved it! For example, they knew I love cappuccino’s and brought me one at turn down service. What a great touch! By the way, the coffee and tea they bring to the room, is free of charge.

The St. Regis Mexico City offers several dining options. From casual dining at The Atrium to fine dining at La Table Krug. King Cole Bar welcomes several acclaimed guest mixologists, including Leslie Cofresi and Carlos Irizarry and many more.

We had the most delicious lunch at Diana. I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. We had lunch on their outdoor terrace with stunning views over the city. The Mexican cuisine blew us away. The food was exquisite, every course was explained and savoured, sight, smell, taste – what an incredible experience. A must try is the tuna… I could eat this every single day! The whole lunch was a delight for the senses. Add to the wonderful food, the ambiance and the service were the best. The whole staff were warm, friendly and welcoming, and made the experience unforgettable.

Remède Spa is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a day in hectic Mexico City! The spa area is located on the 15^th floor, offering stunning panoramic views over the city. After completing a form, I was totally ready to enjoy a prehispanic treatment with Copal products. The therapist did an excellent job and all my preferences such as the soft/medium pressure were met. There was soft relaxing lounge music playing all over the place which made me feel even more relaxed!

There’s also a fully equipped fitness room and a very nice indoor pool with great views! Be sure to check out the pool especially at night. The views are really nice! You will love it too!

Before we left the St. Regis Mexico City, we totally enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at Diana. The international buffet was excellent and I loved the Mexican specialties such as the burritos.

St. Regis Mexico City is one the best hotels in the capital of Mexico and the best thing is that the hotel is not trying to be. It just is. The staff really stood out. Can’t say enough good things about this wonderful five star hotel! Definitely one of the “go to” hotels in Mexico City!

Hotel Nivelles Sud

6 April 2021HotelAdvisor Leave a comment

Hotelchain: Van der Valk
Location: Nivelles – Belgium
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: https://www.hotelnivellessud.be/

Van der Valk Nivelles Sud is a modern four star hotel with a convenient location, not far from Brussels. I have great experiences with Van der Valk hotels and had to try this one too, of course! In 2019 the hotel has been expanded with a brand new building. A bonus: free parking!

The lobby area is pretty large with a stylish design. The reception staff made me feel welcome and were very professional explaining everything I needed to know about the hotel and facilities. I stayed at the hotel during the Covid19 pandemic and was really impressed by how clean the hotel was. The measurements they take to prevent the guests are very good! Again, it is always nice to feel at ease at a hotel and this was definitely the case here.

As mentioned before, Van der Valk Nivelles Sud has a brand new building since 2019 with new rooms. I stayed in a large Executive room. The design looking rooms at Van der Valk Nivelles are very comfortable and offer up to date facilities. There was a nice sitting area and a large working desk. A nice feature is the free minibar which was filled with non-alcoholic drinks. Each Executive room and suite comes with a personal tablet which is handy to find any information about the hotel or it can be used to simply browse the internet. I highly recommend upgrading your room to a new Executive room or suite! You won’t be disappointed!

The large bath room had an amazing separate walk-in shower. Fancy toiletries are provided, as well as bathrobes and slippers when you stay in an Executive room or suite. The room also had a separate toilet. Always nice!

I am in love with the spa area at Van der Valk Nivelles Sud. The place is just beautiful and has one of the most beautiful indoor pool I have seen anywhere! It is just stunning… and it never was too crowded. The water temperature was excellent – not too cold, not too warm. This definitely is a nice place to spend some time with your loved ones. Especially in the jacuzzi. There’s also a good sized sauna and steam room. Access is of course included in your stay. Do note that there’s also an outdoor pool which is operational during the summer months. There’s also a good sized fitness facility. For the comfort of both the rooms and spa area, Van der Valk Nivelles Sud actually has an excellent price/quality ratio!

I ordered room service and tried one of their burgers. As expected, it didn’t disappoint! What a great looking burger! My Cocorico burger had a delicious breaded chicken, cheddar cheese (of course 😊), Brie, lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard mayonnaise. Service truly was very personal and kind. The overall menu looked great and varied. And.. there’s always room for dessert! The Brussels waffle with whipped cream and fresh fruit was the perfect way to end my beautiful day at Van der Valk Nivelles Sud! Again, since I was there during the Covid19 pandemic, I had to dine in my room. Normally, Van der Valk Nivelles Sud has a full service restaurant and bar.

After a wonderful night, I was totally ready for breakfast. As usual at any Van der Valk hotel, breakfast is something to look forward to. Each item I ate was of an excellent quality. The large buffet was impressive. Some surprises I’d love to share are the freshly squeezed orange juice and the Danette pudding. Loved it! Honestly, this breakfast was the best I have experienced over the last months! Make sure you book your breakfast with your stay.

Van der Valk Nivelles Sud is an excellent four star hotel with great facilities. I must also highlight the staff which made my stay very special. Again, the rates at this hotel are very reasonable and do remember that access to the wonderful wellness area is included. Highly recommended!