One lovely summer morning to head for the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne. We were in the spa town of Evian-les-Bains in France, just across Lake Geneva. It was so unusually bright that day that I had to stop the car by the ridge for a look at Lausanne in Switzerland, directly across the lake.

Lausanne was an easy two hour drive away, along. The route is magnificent as you have the lake on one side and the mountains on the other. In between, you drive through some of the prettiest towns in Europe.

GRAND TOUR OF SWITZERLAND

Following the well-trodden route of English aristocrats and Russian nobility on their respective Grand Tours of Switzerland over a hundred years ago, we were doing a three week road trip around Switzerland. One of the highlights of this trip was a long weekend in Lausanne, at the 18th century Beau Rivage Palace. This is one of the grandest palace hotels in Switzerland, if not in the world.

This had long been on my travel bucket list and finally we found ourselves at the entrance. This institution of a hotel is blessed with fine architectural features. It also has four hectares of spacious manicured grounds and an enviable frontage on Lake Geneva with views of the French Alps in the distance.

HOME TO HISTORY

For 150 years the Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne has hosted kings and queens, world leaders and tastemakers seeking a home away from their own luxurious homes.

The hotel’s ground floor corridor is where all the evidence quietly is. Unfortunately, it is not a pathway many guests will notice unless they decide to take a narrow winding staircase from the lobby down to the coffee shop or to the lake.

However we did exactly this one evening. And this is how we discovered the hotel’s Hall of Fame. It’s lined with signed black and white photographs of many of the good and the great who have laid their heads down here. It’s literally a long walk through history.

Since this hotel opened its doors in 1861, everyone who has been anyone has stayed here when passing through Lausanne. These include Victor Hugo, Coco Chanel and Nelson Mandela.

READ ABOUT THE MOST ROMANTIC NEW HOTEL IN SPAIN

CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN SWITZERLAND

Perhaps the most interesting of its innumerable distinguished guests was also one of its longest. The legendary actor and producer Charlie Chaplin set up temporary lodgings at the Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne upon his arrival in Switzerland with his family.

This was after a high-profile departure from the United States in connection with Senator Joseph McCarthy’s witchhunt for Communist supporters. Mr. Chaplin ended up loving this hotel and this area so much that he eventually chose a large villa nearby as his final home.

READ ABOUT THE MOST ROMANTIC NEW HOTEL IN SPAIN

THE BEST SERVICE IN LAUSANNE

These days, many guests choose to stay at the Beau Rivage Palace to experience its legendary hospitality. This is always exemplary and yet never intrusive. Indeed, the Beau Rivage Palace staff observe everything and see nothing. More importantly, the front desk and concierge team so impressed me as having a solution for practically any distress — save perhaps for a broken heart.

For the latter, however, a long weekend in one of the bright new suites facing Lake Geneva will certainly go a long way towards easing a heartbreak. This is the kind of hotel where you can literally leave your problems at the front door and feel like everything in the world will be fine. Or solved for you.

A SUITE FOR ALL SEASONS

We booked a junior suite for our stay. This is of course generally nicer than a regular hotel room. Nevertheless it’s at the bottom of the rung in terms of the hierarchies of suites at grand hotels. But quite frankly, it left me breathless as soon as I entered. This was among the loveliest junior suites I’d ever stayed in, in a lifetime of checking into the world’s best hotels.

The 75-square meter room was light, bright and airy. It could certainly lift anyone’s spirits even on the dreariest of days. It had a mirrored breakfast nook and bar that was a tiny room in itself. This room, unique to the junior suite on the second floor, jutted out of one corner. It had glass doors that opened up to a private terrace with a view of Lake Geneva.

DESIGNED BY PIERRE YVES ROCHON

Each guest room was created by French designer Pierre Yves Rochon in slightly varying styles of contemporary. Our suite was modern and colored in white and pale pastels. It had a fireplace on one side and an ultra-modern workstation on the other.

The workstation in white wood and glass was refreshed daily with flowers. Above it was a shelf filled with interesting books on Swiss architecture. There was also a book on Anne Sophie Pic, who incidentally runs the hotel’s flagship formal dining restaurant.

TOP ATTRACTIONS IN LAUSANNE

• Olympic Museum
• Lausanne Cathedral
• Palais de Rumine
• Collection de l’Art Brut
• Musee de l’Elysée

THE ROOM WITHIN A ROOM

The piece de resistance of this suite was a mirrored walk-in closet. It was bigger than an average Swiss hotel room and I loved it. It was massive, even for our large suitcases and an assortment of smaller ones. I reveled in the luxury of having enough closet space in Europe.

In fact, with four large cabinets, luggage tables at the end and a proper mirrored dressing table, it had enough places for everything. I could actually hang all the clothes I’d brought, arrange shoes neatly in pull- out glass drawers at the bottom and place my summer hats on the top shelf. Yes, this dressing room was literally fit for a queen. As was the rest of the room.

Read more about the world’s most beautiful hotels in Travelife Magazine.

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What if booking a hotel room and going to the same touristic places is something you are not considering? Maybe you and your group hanker for a different kind of vacation, a unique getaway, or an unforgettable experience.

In this case, glamping is the perfect plan for an authentic autumn holiday, and here are five reasons why.

Comfort and luxury in the great outdoors

Glamping is all about glam and chic camping in nature, that means you get the best of the great outdoors without all the inconveniences. With amenities and decorations similar to those found in a five-star hotel, these unique accommodations are great alternatives to traditional campouts.

Why not opt for a cabin with a hot tub or a rental with an outdoor shower? Just because you are out in the wild, doesn’t mean you can’t pamper yourself. 

Unique accommodations in unique locations

From yurts and treehouses to airstreams and castles, glamping can’t get more authentic.

These accommodations are located in the most beautiful sceneries: national parks, private islands, or secluded oasis are part of the plethora of settings where you can relish the spirit of the wild in style. 

Fresh air and cool nights

The idea of getting away from the hot heated cities, taking in a deep breath of fresh mountain air or enjoying the cool ocean breeze is more than appealing.

Since glamping is all about comfort, you can be sure you’ll stay fresh indoors and you will thank the coolness of the night. What’s more, you can look up at the star-filled sky from the privacy of a spacious deck.

It is eco-friendly

Glamping is great when it comes to the environment. Most accommodations are constructed with eco-friendly materials. Shipping containers, for instance, are recycled and transformed into charming and very unique lodging.

Furthermore, the use of composting toilets, solar power, and working gardens reduces the environmental footprint and helps toward minimizing the impact we have in nature.

Endless adventures

Most glamping accommodations are located in the wild and with so much nature surrounding, outdoor adventures are endless.

There’s whitewater rafting, canoeing, diving, hiking, and biking. Also, there’s wine tasting and wildlife watching. Or you can just relax. There are unlimited option for recreation while on a glamping holiday.

Written by Alexis Vega, SEO Specialist at Glamping Hub.

Read more about glamping around the world in Travelife Magazine.

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Sofitel recently worked with global marketing research company IPSOS to conduct this global in-depth survey. They wanted to understand the habits and preferences of guests. In particular, what women want to see and experience in hotels. The survey found that 86% of female travelers wanted a hospitality program designed specifically for women.

As a result, MGallery by Sofitel established Inspired by Her. This new program focuses on what women want when they are traveling.

WHAT WOMEN WANT

73% of women surveyed said they often forget to pack an essential item. Then, they don’t realise they’ve left it behind until they get to the hotel. As a result, all MGallery hotels now offer emergency kits. These kits include complimentary beauty items, makeup remover, nail polish remover, hair ties and pins. They also contain moisturizer, sunscreen, and stockings.

Women also want quality hairdryers and good bathroom lighting when staying at a hotel. So now, all MGallery hotels in the Pacific now have quality hairdryers and makeup mirrors.

HEALTHY MENU & SIGNATURE COCKTAILS

As part of the Inspired by Her program, MGallery hotels in Australia have also added light and healthy menu items in their restaurants. In fact, several dishes have been created specifically around inspiring women.

Signature cocktails have also been created with floral creations, champagne and fruit. Also, on request, a staff member will deliver a specially brewed tea in an elegant teapot to the room.

The global survey also found out that wellbeing experiences tops the list of ‘Memorable Moments‘ women want to have. Meanwhile the feminine touches women like in a hotel are fresh flowers, fragrance, quality bedding and materials, and attention to service detail.

 ABOUT MGALLERY BY SOFITEL

MGallery by Sofitel has over 90 boutique hotels around the world. Each MGallery tells a unique story inspired by the destination. MGallery hotels are places where guests can discover the best the world can offer. Well-known properties in the MGallery collection include Hotel Molitor Paris, INK Hotel Amsterdam, Queens Hotel Cheltenham in England, Santa Teresa Hotel Rio de Janeiro, Hotel Lindrum Melbourne in Australia, Muse Bangkok Langsuan in Thailand, and Hotel des Arts Saigon in Vietnam.

MGallery is part of AccorHotels, a leading travel and lifestyle group with over 4,300 hotels, resorts and residences, along with some 10,000 of the finest private homes around the globe.

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