Its fame as a winter sports destination may dominate images of snow-covered mountains and chilly nights around the fondue pot, yet Switzerland is similarly beautiful and no less appealing in other seasons, too. Those same snowcapped peaks slalomed by skiers in winter are enjoyed by hikers in the warmer months, though considerably less exertion is required to see the scenery when seated behind the wheel of a bright yellow Ferrari.
In the small village of Langenthal, that Ferrari Spyder awaits guests at a surprising hotel called Meilenstein. Equidistant from the Swiss capital of Bern and the popular city of Lucerne, Meilenstein can pass as an office building from the outside; inside, it is a fantasy world for the automobile enthusiast. How many hotels have a high-end car dealership in the lobby? The Formula 1 museum and automobile collection are visible through the glass walls of the hotel corridors, an assembly of engines and engineering to contrast with the quietude and greenery of a small Swiss village.
Quiet, yes, but boring, definitely not. Kids love the in-house bowling alley, as well as the enormous aquarium that leaves visitors agog at the sheer size of the metre-long wall of water filled with sea creatures atypical of aquarium displays. Wagyu waiting for? If more interested in horses than horsepower, Meilenstein operates a private equestrian centre a few kilometres away. Families come for weeks at a time to allow their children to take riding lessons with expert instructors in this state-of-the-art facility.
The horses, impeccably groomed, may not have the horsepower of a Ferrari but they are certainly every bit as splendid. As for accommodation, the entire top floor of Premium rooms can be privatised for friends and families requiring complete privacy. One last aspect of Meilenstein is its real-estate service to assist guests looking to purchase property in Switzerland. For people not quite ready to take that step but still wanting a place to call home, there is Grand Hotel National in Lucerne.
Located directly on the shore of Lake Lucerne, Grand Hotel National is a classic European five-star hotel providing the services and attention expected in such an establishment, as it has done for the past years.
