Park Hotel Vitznau

Nestled on the banks of the scenic Lake Lucerne, Park Hotel Vitznau looks more like a fairytale castle than a simple boarding house — yet that’s exactly how the magical property got its start back in 1903. Now, over 100 years and one extensive renovation later, the resort’s 47 luxurious suites and residences serve as an excellent basecamp for central Switzerland’s winter sports destinations, including Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatius. Granted, part of the point of staying at a hotel as extravagant as this is actually taking time to enjoy it — whether it’s cruising the lake in the hotel’s private boat, relaxing in the ice grotto at the spa, perusing the six wine cellars, or dining in the two-Michelin-starred Focus Atelier.