SWITZERLAND
Switzerland - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Private Tour: Switzerland | |||||
| By: Robert La Bua and Madeleine Stratton, Issue 40 – Spring 2009 | |||||
| (Switzerland) | |||||
| EVERY DESTINATION OFFERS TRAVELLERS PRIVATE OR EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO OR SEE THINGS SOME MAY ONLY EVER DREAM ABOUT. | |||||
| Switzerland has been in the news for decades thanks to international summits, secret bank accounts, and famous residents, yet like so many of the celebrities who call the country home, it remains a nation superficially familiar to many but well known by few. Lausanne’s superb Olympic Museum is a good place to start. Located in a private park in Lausanne, filled with works of art on a hill above Lake Geneva, the Olympic Museum serves as the public face of the mighty International Olympic Committee. Its interesting permanent collection ranges from Ancient Greek ceramics depicting athletic endeavour to actual uniforms and medals won by Olympic champions. Both literally and figuratively, the museum is a moving experience. A screening room shows short films in 3-D; put on your cardboard glasses and watch the competitors jump right into your lap—maybe even for real. The Olympic Museum can be reserved for private tours, which may very well bring admirers face to face with their favourite Olympic champions; the museum is able to contact past Olympians to request their presence for a personal meeting. Personal service in Switzerland extends to transport as well. SWISS is one of the very few major airlines to offer private aviation services for clients requiring maximum privacy and convenience. Rail enthusiasts will enjoy Golden Pass Panoramic’s new VIP seats, located in an all glass section at the very front of the train (on a second level over the driver’s compartment), living up to its name as it passes through Central Switzerland’s Alpine landscapes. For exclusive use, book the entire VIP section; for total privacy, the train can add a private carriage staffed by an attendant. The Golden Pass route is one of Switzerland’s most scenic and runs between Montreux and Zweisimmen, passing through Gstaad along the way. Swiss tour operator HB Adventures offers a VIP Hot Air Balloon tour of the Zurich or Lucerne regions of Switzerland. The private tours can be arranged for individuals, or up to six people. For the gourmand, My Switzerland offers an experience that will introduce you to Swiss cuisine. Stay the night at the Teufelhof Basel Culture and Guest House and join chef Michael Baader at the Bel Etage restaurant in preparing a four-course dinner to then consume. The dates for this event are specific. Swiss Safari arranges private chauffeur driven sightseeing tours of Switzerland. Its “Swiss Pearl” tour, three days and two nights for two people, takes you through the winding mountain passes of the Swiss Alps, viewing Switzerland's mountains & glaciers and then visit vineyards on the banks of the Lake Geneva. The company also offers private shopping tours in Zurich or Geneva. With the option of a limousine, Swiss Safari will provide you with advice on Switzerland's best shopping, or tailor the tour to your consumer desires. Two Virtuoso Switzerland specialists suggest the following private tours: Ruth Carlton of World Travel Professionals in Brisbane recommends taking a private tour of the Pilatus Aircraft Factory, who supply the aircraft for the Australian Flying Doctor Service or a private visit to the Water Chateau of Chillon on Lake Geneva. Paul Patane of Concierge Traveller in Sydney suggests visitors land on the Wildhorn Glacier by helicopter, take part in Montreaux’s local Jazz festival in July, or try a sunrise breakfast on top of the world from Saentis, with views overlooking six countries. | |||||
| Clinique La Prairie | |||||
| Clinique La Prairie, located in Montreux’s Clarens district, is the world’s leading wellness facility and anti-ageing institute, a title earned from the moment of its founding in 1931. The clinic’s leadership in anti-ageing treatment comes through its research using the embryonic cells of sheep. Only black sheep will do, as they are the most resistant to illness. To control the entire medical process from start to finish, Clinique La Prairie maintains its own flock in a remote area of Switzerland. The company’s obsession with perfection adeptly suits its clientele, a veritable United Nations of wellness seekers. Whether members of the Argentine polo set, the Russian Hong Kong billionaires club, they all come for the same reason: to feel and look better than when they arrived. Clients often return for follow-ups to previous treatment. Some stay for extended periods; one lady stayed a whole year. With luxurious accommodation on the premises, relatives often come to the clinic together for simultaneous treatment, which can range in cost from $US17,700 for the celebrated Revitalisation therapy to $US40,000 per week for more intricate treatments. More than 60 doctors are on staff, ranging from physiotherapists and dietitians to neurologists and cardiologists. This year, Clinique La Prairie has introduced a new shopping avenue so clients can shop without leaving the grounds, thus facilitating the maintenance of their diets and treatments while keeping a low profile. This is not traditional retail, however; there are no shops here, only displays. The shops come to you with an array of items for your consideration in the privacy of your five-star suite | |||||
| PLACES TO STAY: | |||||
| Park Hyatt, Zurich | |||||
| The contemporary take on modern luxury at the sleek Park Hyatt includes a 3000-bottle wine library available for private dining. | |||||
| Grand Hôtel du Lac, Vevey | |||||
| The newest member of Swiss Deluxe Hotels offers exclusive experiences such as L’Atelier du Temps, which brings guests by private plane to the village of Fleurier to the secretive Chopard watch workshop. For a private helicopter flight over the Matterhorn, choose L’Atelier du Ciel. | |||||
| Grand Hotel Kempinski, Geneva | |||||
| Kempinski’s Geneva Suite, the most expansive and expensive hotel accommodation in Europe, is available for 50,000 Swiss francs a night. The 1080sqm suite is often booked out for weeks at a time. | |||||
| Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne | |||||
| The Belle-est of Switzerland’s Belle Époque palace hotels is located on the Lake Geneva promenade in Lausanne’s exclusive Ouchy district and offers its 100-year-old steamboat, Le Montreux, for private charter. | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| HB Adventures | |||||
| Swiss Safari | |||||
| My Switzerland | |||||
| Emirates flies daily to Zurich from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, via Dubai | |||||
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