Checking In | Royal Savoy Lausanne
I checked in to Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa Lausanne, a historic five-star hotel near Lake Geneva where dinner, Swiss wine country, and the pleasures of a city stay come together.
A memorable hotel stay often comes down to what you remember most clearly afterward. For me, at Royal Savoy Lausanne, that was a visit to a nearby, cozy wine tasting room and dinner at the hotel that same evening.
Those two experiences offer a good starting point for understanding the appeal of a Lausanne stay. There is room here for a beautiful hotel, an evening devoted to food, and a relaxing excursion into the surrounding countryside.
Royal Savoy dates to 1909 and sits in the Ouchy neighborhood, a short walk from Lake Geneva. Its historic architecture establishes the setting, while contemporary accommodations and substantial spa facilities make it a practical base for a longer visit.
The Stay
Royal Savoy Lausanne brings more than a century of history to its setting between the city’s main railway station and the Ouchy waterfront. Its Art Nouveau architecture includes Neo-Baroque turrets, an eight-meter-high lobby ceiling, and a staircase framed by mirrors and geometric stained glass. A five-year restoration, completed in 2015, preserved that architectural character while introducing contemporary interiors and a new wing.
The hotel’s 196 rooms and suites are divided between the historic Savoy Wing and the contemporary Park Wing, with a 5,000-square-meter private park between them. In the Savoy Wing, polished wooden floors and marble bathrooms complement rooms overlooking the city or Lake Geneva. The Park Wing offers a more contemporary setting, with a private balcony in every room. For anyone booking with a particular view in mind, the distinction between the two is worth considering.
Both wings include access to Spa du Royal and the 24-hour fitness center. That combination gives the hotel considerable appeal as a Lausanne base: time exploring the waterfront, old town, and nearby vineyards can be balanced with an afternoon devoted to the spa.
My Favorite 90 Seconds
My favorite ninety seconds came during dinner at the hotel, with a glass of Swiss wine that became one of my favorites of the trip: Jean et Pierre Testuz L’Arbalète Dézaley Grand Cru.
Made from Chasselas grown in the steeply terraced Dézaley appellation, L’Arbalète offers a connection to the wine country close to Lausanne. It is a bottle worth remembering when exploring the wines of Lavaux.
That evening was my favorite part of the stay. It is also why I would encourage guests to make time for dinner at Royal Savoy: discovering a local wine can become as memorable as the places you set out to visit during the day.
The Moments That Make It
Dinner at the hotel was the highlight of my stay, particularly discovering Jean et Pierre Testuz L’Arbalète Dézaley Grand Cru, one of my favorite wines of the trip. Royal Savoy’s connection to the region’s winemaking also appears in the passage leading to La Brasserie du Royal, where wine displays line the approach and a floor mosaic celebrates Vaud’s eight wine appellations. The brasserie pairs traditional French influences with local ingredients, with four dining rooms and a terrace overlooking the garden.
For a different perspective, the seventh-floor Sky Rooftop opens onto a 360-degree panorama of Lausanne, Lake Geneva, and the mountains. Its Italian coastal-inspired menu offers another reason to leave an evening open at the hotel.
Spa du Royal deserves a generous place in the itinerary. Spanning 1,500 square meters, it includes connected heated indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, a Jacuzzi, and an ice fountain. Eight treatment rooms, a women-only spa area, and two private spas provide further options for unwinding. After exploring Lausanne’s hills, the opportunity to return for a swim is particularly appealing.
Beyond the hotel, I loved visiting a nearby wine tasting room, which I remember being roughly a fifteen-minute drive away. A charming shop marked “épicerie fine, cave à bières” was another small discovery. Together with the wine at dinner, these stops made local food and drink a memorable thread through my time in Lausanne.
Who This Hotel Is Actually For
Royal Savoy suits travelers who want to make the hotel part of their Lausanne experience. Couples can build a stay around dinner, local wines, and the spa, while the choice between historic rooms in the Savoy Wing and contemporary rooms with private balconies in the Park Wing accommodates different tastes.
Families and guests staying longer should consider the suites, with select categories offering separate living and dining areas, kitchen facilities, and connecting-room options. For business travelers extending a work trip, the location between the main railway station and Ouchy makes it easy to add time by the lake.
For me, its strongest appeal is as a base for a few unhurried days devoted to Lausanne and the surrounding wine country, with enough waiting back at the hotel to make returning part of the pleasure.
Practical Stay Notes
Visited: mid-April
Length of stay: 2 nights
Room: Savoy Lake View Executive Room
View: Lake Geneva and the Alps
Purpose: Regional exploration
Location: Avenue d’Ouchy 40, Lausanne.
Airport access: Geneva Airport is approximately 60 kilometers from Lausanne. Direct trains take roughly 50 minutes to Lausanne’s main station; allow additional time for the onward journey to the hotel. By road, allow approximately 45–60 minutes, depending on traffic.
France by ferry: From Lausanne-Ouchy, CGN boats cross Lake Geneva to Évian-les-Bains in approximately 35 minutes. The French shore is close enough for a day trip while keeping Lausanne as your base. Check sailing times when planning your outing.
Getting around: Délices metro station is approximately 50 meters from the hotel.
Nearby Points of Interest
Ouchy waterfront: A short walk from the hotel, the lakefront is an easy place to begin exploring Lausanne, with promenades and parks beside Lake Geneva.
The Olympic Museum: A short walk from Royal Savoy, the museum is an easy addition to time spent around Ouchy. Exhibits explore the origins of the Olympic Games, the competitions, and the athletes through objects, equipment, and audiovisual displays. The surrounding Olympic Park overlooks Lake Geneva, making the grounds part of the visit.
Cathédrale de Lausanne: Head uphill into the old town for Lausanne’s Gothic cathedral, which has overlooked the city for more than eight centuries. The architecture and sculpted details reward a closer look, while the esplanade offers views across the rooftops toward the lake and mountains. The covered Escaliers du Marché connect the cathedral area with Place de la Palud below.
Lavaux vineyards and Cully: Set aside time for the terraced vineyards and villages east of Lausanne. For a tasting-room option, Caveau des Vignerons de Cully at Place d’Armes 16 offers a place to discover Lavaux wines near the lake.
Blondel Chocolaterie: A recommended stop in town, Blondel has been part of Lausanne’s chocolate tradition since 1850. Its shop at Rue de Bourg 5 is known for its wide selection of chocolate slabs and old-fashioned, stick-shaped truffles. It is a lovely place to pick up something to enjoy during your stay or bring home.
Évian-les-Bains, France: The approximately 35-minute ferry crossing from Ouchy makes an outing to the French side of Lake Geneva particularly convenient. Plan around the return sailing and allow time to explore Évian’s lakefront.
