Beautiful vista & old world charm high above Lake Geneva:

On the tour through the French-speaking part of Switzerland, which my husband and I undertook recently (see overview post), the Mediterranean like Montreux on Lake Geneva was a must. We really wanted to return here after a fabulous stay in this town back in 2011 (my post). I fell in love with the wonderful location, the mild climate and the beautiful Belle Epoque houses at the time.

Unfortunately, premium hotels with gourmet restaurants are not exactly plentiful in the Montreux area. There is the splendid luxury Hotel Fairmont Le Montreux Palace,

however it does not provide superlative gastronomy. So, we opted for the four-star superior Hotel Victoria in Glion above Montreux featuring a gourmet restaurant awarded by Gault Millau.

Staying at Hotel Victoria in Glion, a gourmet hideaway

Location/History

I am not aware of the existence of many other hotels in Switzerland featuring a comparable vista. The views of Lake Geneva and the Alps are simply breathtaking!

Also the historical hotel, opened in 1869, is worth a look or better several ones. It is a beautiful building from the time somewhere between classicism and Belle Epoque (I am no expert in this field). And it is surrounded by a lovely garden. Just a few minutes away there is a funicular that connects Glion to Montreux. So no car needed here.

When entering the hotel, you feel transported to another time. It is full of antique collector’s items – mostly from the Belle Epoque time – that the owner, Toni Mittermair, has achieved over time. The German-born former chef came here in the 60’s and never left since. Later on, he bought the place and reopened it in 1985. Nowadays, he – already in advanced age – runs it together with his wife Barbara. His son, 23 years young, is thought to take over this gem of a hotel some time in the future.

Facilities

56 rooms are at your disposal, all classically styled. Go for an accommodation facing the lake, it is well worth it! Our room, a Deluxe Lake View Room with balcony, was on the fifth (top) floor and had the most gorgeous view imaginable!

It was quite spacious,

the bathroom was a bit dated but well-kept and had a separate tub and shower.

No extravagant luxury here but good comfort! And note that there is no air-condition in the rooms. In summertime, it might become a bit warm at certain times.

That is true for the facilities, too. There is a combined mini spa/fitness.

And you find a tennis-court, an outdoor pool and a golf practice range on the premises. Lodging rates are reasonable at the Hotel Victoria. We paid 400 SFR/US$ per day and room with breakfast for the best double room category, off season and mid-week.

Gourmet dining at Hotel Victoria high above Lake Geneva

Dining facilities

A myriad of rooms/areas are at your disposal to have a drink or a bite, be it the lobby, the bar, the main restaurant,

the side room,

the winter garden or the outdoor area.

The owner used to be a chef himself and attaches great importance to fine dining and wining. And this in the manner of the French haute cuisine. Also the food quality at the restaurant – awarded 14 point Gault Millau – is convincing.

Classic French cuisine

The current chef, Gilles Vincent, implements the grande cuisine of France in a perfect way. Think of ultra-classic dishes just as lobster bisque, foie gras,

sole meunière

or meat dishes with voluptuous sauces (we did not have any of the latter). Instead we opted for white asparagus from Cavaillon accompanied by a delicate Hollandaise sauce.

And there is the dessert cart

where the server used to take the plates with sweet French delicacies and to hold them under the guests’ noses. We found this not very appropriate in these Corona times.

Corona issue

Apropos Corona, we had the impression that they generally did not consider the pandemic as a really serious matter. There were no precautions at the breakfast buffet and the owner did not wear a face mask at all. Also some staff did not wear the mask properly all the time. But this was the only issue we had at the Victoria.

Food/Prices/Service

Back to the food, it was carefully done and nicely arranged. I enjoyed each of the three dinners I had here. Dinner choices were wide yet I would have liked one or two more vegetarian starters. There is a daily changing 3-course menu, which offers good value for money (85 SFR/US$). As to the a la carte menu, prices seem okay for the mains, but the ones for starters and desserts are a bit on the high side. The standard of service was pretty good, some of the servers knew their job, others are still growing into it.

Overall

Premium hotels with foodie restaurants are scarce at the splendide Montreux Riviera on Lake Geneva.

An exception here is Hotel Victoria high above Montreux in Glion with beautiful views of the lake and the Alps.

While you have to be into old world ambiance and ultra-classic French cuisine, this accommodation is certainly a good choice. And it is a gourmet hotel, in view of its Gault Millau’s award. Although it might not be super-luxurious, it has everything also a demanding traveler might wish for. I think there is some potential for improvement in Corona measures here, but hopefully these will not be necessary for much longer now!

Date of stay: April 2021

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