It is not only the venerable, listed hotel buildings and their architectural and historical significance that inspire visitors to Swiss Historic Hotels. The large hotel parks and beautiful gardens that belong to the properties enchant guests in equal measure. Many of the Swiss Historic Hotels, whether castles, Belle Époque hotels, villas or albergos, are surrounded by large parks or gardens.
The romantic gardens of Villa Carona in Carona/Lugano (TI) are a little Mediterranean paradise. The warmth of Ticino invites guests to enjoy breakfast in the garden and soak up the sun on the deckchairs. The highlight of the botanical year at Villa Carona is when the wisteria blooms in spring. At this time of year, there is hardly a more secluded spot than the terrace under the pergola entwined with gnarled branches, where the scent of flowers captivates the senses of romantically inclined people.
The extensive English park surrounding Schloss Wartegg on the Rorschacherberg (SG) is located in the midst of beautiful natural surroundings, close to Lake Constance. This green oasis in eastern Switzerland, where Empress Zita once stayed, was laid out by master craftsmen in 1860 and today, as a national garden monument, delights those seeking relaxation and lovers of nature and garden art alike. Covering an area of around 130,000 square metres, guests can linger in the rose garden or under lime, plane and chestnut trees and discover shady watercourses and secluded glades. The castle garden (2,500 square metres) is also nestled in the park. Rare vegetables, herbs, berries and flowers are cultivated there.
The beautiful Schloss Schadau in Thun (BE) is situated in a unique location on the shores of Lake Thun. Schadau Park is a local recreation area and was designed as an English garden. Here by the lake near the Aare, visitors can enjoy the panorama of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. The park contains some ancient trees, which can be discovered on a woodland nature trail.
Not just a garden or a park, but an entire nature reserve surrounds the Grandhotel Giessbach in Brienz (BE), which towers high above Lake Brienz. The centrepiece of this setting is the roaring and rushing Giessbach waterfall, which gave the hotel its name. The hotel's viewing terrace and gardens feature a collection of 39 varieties of hydrangeas, 16 varieties of astilbes and 30 varieties of dahlias. The vegetable garden and historic garden sheds dating from 1897 have been restored. Today, guests are provided with vegetables, herbs and honey from the hotel grounds.
The Hotel Schatzalp, high above Davos (GR), in a sunny, south-facing location, is situated in Switzerland's largest hotel park, covering a total area of 470,000 square metres. The park is the local recreation area for Europe's highest town. The Schatzalpbahn railway takes you from the centre of Davos Platz to this historic hotel in just four minutes. The ‘Alpinum’ botanical alpine garden is home to around 5,000 different plant species and varieties from all the mountain ranges of the world.
A baroque flower garden connects the three historic Emmental buildings that belong to the Romantik Hotel Bären hotel complex in Dürrenroth (BE). The main garden area is divided into four mirror-symmetrical flower beds by a crossroads, framed by neatly trimmed boxwood. Annual and perennial plants characteristic of cottage gardens bloom here. The inclusion of water, with a fountain at the intersection of the crossroads and a stream feeding the pond, makes the garden a place of inspiration.
Find your own personal green oasis of peace and relaxation and immerse yourself in the world of flowers and plants.
