About this hotel
General information
Grand Hotel National opened in 1870 on the shore of Lake Lucerne, and its Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance façade still anchors the promenade. Its first director was Colonel Maximilian Pfyffer von Altishofen; seven years later César Ritz took over the running of the house, and in 1881 Auguste Escoffier arrived in the kitchen. The architect Umberto Erculiani bought the hotel in 1976 and restored it over the following years; today it belongs to Raimondo P. Erculiani.
It is now a five-star city hotel with 62 rooms and suites, three of them apartments. The historic Grand Collection rooms are furnished in Empire style, with stucco ceilings, silk wall coverings and hand-woven carpets, while the contemporary Design Collection looks mostly onto the lake. The building also holds 25 long-stay residences, six restaurants and bars, two ballrooms, meeting rooms and a pool floor with sauna.
Location
The hotel stands at Haldenstrasse 4, directly on Lake Lucerne in the centre of town. The KKL concert hall and the railway station are about a 10-minute walk away, the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower nine minutes, and city buses stop at the door. The Luzern Zentrum motorway exit is five to ten minutes by car; Zurich is 65 km away, Bern and Basel about 100 km, Geneva 250 km. The concierge arranges limousine transfers – around an hour to Zurich Airport – and valet parking uses the garage opposite.
Spa
The Harbour of Serenity Spa occupies the pool floor: a pleasantly warm pool, a sauna and a sun terrace overlooking the Nationalquai and the lake. The menu covers massages and facials. Guests in every room have free use of the pool floor.
Sports & leisure
The pool on the pool floor is well suited to swimming lengths, with a sauna alongside. The concierge organises limousine excursions around the region, and the lakeside promenade and the old town are close by.
Restaurants & bars
Three of the restaurants have lakefront terraces, and on Sundays the National Brunch is served in the hotel’s elegant rooms.
- Sharing Brasserie Juliette — French brasserie cooking with a modern twist, seasonal plates for sharing, terrace
- National Bar — original 1870s interior, cocktails and a cigar menu, open from 11 am to midnight
- Café César — lakeside bistro for coffee and fresh croissants from early morning
- Ristorante Salvatore — Italian cooking with a wine list drawn from Italy’s regions
- Jialu National — traditional Chinese cuisine from recipes handed down through generations
- Golden India — North Indian classics, street food and South Indian dishes, with a lake-view terrace
Swimming
The hotel has its own indoor pool on the pool floor – by the hotel’s account the only hotel pool in Lucerne – with a sauna and a sun terrace beside it.
Rooms
The 62 rooms and suites fall into two collections: the historic Grand Collection, furnished with Empire antiques, and the contemporary, lake-facing Design Collection, which includes apartments with kitchens and a suite with a rooftop terrace. A further 25 residences in the Residence Collection are offered for longer stays.
Minibar, Nespresso machine, tea facilities, complimentary mineral water, air conditioning (city-view Classic rooms have a cooling ventilation system instead), telephone, flat-screen TV, digital guest directory, Wi-Fi, safe, writing desk, hairdryer, towel warmer and Acqua di Parma toiletries, plus binoculars in lake-side rooms.
Ritz Suite
A corner suite named after César Ritz, with 3.5 m coffered ceilings, a 19th-century chandelier, a spacious living and sleeping area, a separate dressing room and two balconies, one facing the lake and one east. For one to four guests; bathroom with tub.
Junior Suite
A light-filled suite with Empire furniture, stucco ceilings, silk wallpaper and hand-woven carpets, looking over the lake, the city and the mountains of Central Switzerland; some have a balcony. For one to three guests.
Deluxe Lake View
A quiet lake-side room with a balcony and mountain panorama, pairing classic elegance with modern fittings. For up to two guests.
Superior City/Lake View
A single or double room in classic Empire style with modern technology, facing either the city or the lake. For one to four guests.
Classic City/Lake View
A historic room with antique Empire furniture, a queen-size bed and a city or lake view; some have a balcony. For one or two guests.
Design Apartment Two Bedrooms
An apartment with two king-bedded bedrooms, a separate living area, a fully equipped kitchen and city views. For one to four guests; bathroom with shower.
Design Apartment One Bedroom
A one-bedroom city apartment with a separate living area and fully equipped kitchen. For one to four guests.
Design Rooftop Junior Suite
A suite above the rooftops of Lucerne with a king-size bed and a private roof terrace looking over the lake, mountains and city. For one to four guests; reached by stairs only, with no lift access.
Design Deluxe Lake View
A spacious, contemporary room with views of the mountains, lake and city. For one to three guests.
Design Superior Lake View
A modern design room with elegant furnishings and a lake view. For one to three guests.
Design Classic Lake View
A compact contemporary room looking directly onto the lake. For one or two guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.