On Location: Swiss bliss – PAX unpacks luxurious Switzerland with Virtuoso travel advisors

Sweater weather in Geneva, golden-orange trees in Zermatt, hikes above the clouds in Lucerne. Fondue feasts, without the crowds.

There are a lot of good reasons to visit Switzerland during the autumn season, and last month, PAX got an exclusive taste of Swiss bliss, at the height of fall foliage, with eight Canadian travel advisors from luxury consortium Virtuoso.

The FAM from Oct. 20-25, aptly titled “The Colours of Autumn,” landed in some of Switzerland’s dreamiest locales, including Geneva (on the southern tip of a freshwater lake of the same name), Zermatt (a tony ski town, below the pyramid-shaped Matterhorn mountain); Andermatt (an off-the-beaten path, chalet-filled alpine village), Lucerne (a compact lakeside city with big medieval charm); and Alpnachstad (home to the steepest cogwheel railway to Mount Pilatus).

Switzerland Tourism orchestrated the adventure to provide luxury travel advisors with insights into what makes Switzerland a must-visit destination – beyond winter.

“The vibrant fall colours, serene landscapes, and unique cultural experiences offer a fresh perspective, reinforcing Switzerland's appeal as a year-round destination,” said Oliver Weibel, head of trade for North America and director for Canada at Switzerland Tourism of the trip, which included direct flights from Montreal and Toronto to Zurich, and back, courtesy of SWISS.

Swiss tourism also wanted to showcase its “Swisstainable” program, a long-term sustainability commitment, and guideline, for travellers.

It highlights responsible travel practices, such as using Switzerland’s extensive train network, choosing eco-conscious accommodations, and supporting local initiatives.

“Our goal is to set the standard as the world's leading sustainable travel destination,” Weibel said.

Swiss bliss, activated

Weibel was unfortunately unable to join the trip. Instead, his U.S.-based colleague, Florin Eggenberger, Switzerland’s trade relations manager for Eastern USA, took the reins. 

The always-smiling tourism pro – originally from Buchs in Switzerland’s canton of St. Gallen, but now works out of Switzerland Tourism’s New York City office – made a compelling case for visiting his homeland during shoulder season. 

“There’s more freedom to move around,” Eggenberger told PAX, noting how the fall months see fewer tourists. “It’s also the harvest. Chestnuts are in season and there’s more wine and cheese tastings and game foods on menus.” 

Swiss culinary bliss.

Meanwhile, Virtuoso – a global network of more than 22,000 luxury travel advisors – sprinkled some ritzy pixie dust on the agenda.

In between enjoying Switzerland’s spotless cities, majestic mountains, creamy chocolate and alpine-style cheese, travel advisors had opportunities to check out (and check into) some of the finest luxury hotels in the land. Ultra-high-end properties, bearing Virtuoso’s stamp of approval.

“Switzerland has a high concentration of five-star properties, DMCs and tours operators,” explained Nick Roberti, Virtuoso Canada’s account director of partner relations, who joined advisors on the ride. “It’s a great destination for luxury, but it’s also great for adventurous travellers and people who love shopping. There’s so much to do.”

For Virtuoso-certified travel advisors (whose clientele, collectively, can be summed up as a global gold mine of high-net-worth individuals), Switzerland checks a lot of boxes.

Marrying active, cultural, wellness and culinary activities with upscale hotels that oozed eye-popping opulence, the week’s activities shed light on what’s possible in “Europe’s playground,” as Switzerland is sometimes called.

All aboard!

Our adventure started with a pastoral train ride from Zurich airport to Geneva – one of many rail routes in Switzerland, which, in addition to being known for its pristine lakes, medieval villages, well-marked hiking trails and first-class ski resorts, is a world leader in rail transportation.  

The central European country’s total network of electric rail routes measure some 5,200 kilometres in length. Tracks weave around mountains, allowing trains to dart through remote valleys, villages and towns.

Notable routes include the GoldenPass Express, which connects Interlaken with Montreux, the Glacier Express through the Alps from Zermatt to St. Moritz, and the Gotthard Panorama Express, which offers a combo of boat and train, transporting guests from urban Central Switzerland to Mediterranean Ticino.

Not only can one reach 87 per cent of Switzerland by train, it’s also an eco-friendly way to get around.

The best option, for visitors, is to purchase a Swiss Travel Pass, an all-in-one, QR code-enabled ticket for rail, road and waterway transportation.

The pass includes perks, too, such as unlimited travel on premium panorama trains, free admission to more than 500 museums, mountain excursions and discounts on other activities.

If you're gonna take one picture...

We rolled into Geneva. A waterfront city, on deep-blue Lake Geneva (the largest lake in Switzerland), where the headquarters of Europe’s United Nations and the Red Cross are based.

Geneva is a global hub for diplomacy and banking, with a diverse population (more than 185 nationalities reportedly live and work there).

The city’s main language is French (but many residents speak something else). Switzerland has four official languages: French, Italian, German and old-world Romansh. When visiting, you’ll hear a fascinating mishmash of regional dialects.

The sunny skies and warmer-than-usual temperatures in Geneva, that week, allowed us to meander the Old Town’s cobblestone roads, wearing sweaters and light jackets.

We posed for a picture at Treille Promenade, where the “world's longest wooden bench,” at 413 feet, runs the length of the perimeter. It’s a worthwhile sit, with panoramic views of the city, and on clear days, you can see the Salève and Jura mountains, under the shade of chestnut trees.

Geneva is filled with boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, medieval squares and red-and-white Swiss flags. But a giant fountain is the star of the city – the Jet d'Eau (water jet), a mesmerizing white plume that shoots 140 metres into the air from a stone jetty on the lakeside at Eaux-Vives.

The fountain dates back to 1886 when it controlled the pressure of a hydraulic plant at La Coulouvrenière. As engineering advanced, the fountain was no longer required, but because people loved it so much, it was relocated in 1891 to the centre of the lake.

Since then, the Jet d'Eau has been a centrepiece, and symbol, of Geneva.

If you’re going to take just one picture, take one of the fountain.

“Time” on our “hands”

Another local symbol is watchmaking. The iconic Swiss watch first appeared in Geneva in the middle of the 16th century back when Protestant reformist John Calvin banned the wearing of jewelry, a move that forced manufacturers to make watches (which were allowed) instead.

Today, more than half of all luxury watches are from Switzerland, and several big brands are based in Geneva, including Rolex, Patek Philippe and the Richemont Group.

Let’s just say we had “time” to get ours “hands” on Geneva’s watchmaking scene.

At the Initium Watchmaking Workshop, a master watchmaker reviewed the history of time-measuring tools, giving us a chance to disassemble/reassemble our own timepieces using tiny screwdrivers and tweezers, with magnifying loupes attached to our heads.

It was like a game of Operation, gently extracting miniature cogs and wheels from a ticking mechanism. Our hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills put to the test. A lesson in precision, a byword for Switzerland.

Where the Clintons dine

Geneva was also our gateway into Swiss F&B. Using a long fork (“Eh! A back scratcher!” as some of us humorously quipped), we dined on cheesy fondue at chalet-like Restaurant Les Armures, the city’s oldest eatery.

Bill and Hillary Clinton famously dined here in the 1990s – an event that apparently threw the local press into a tizzy because Bill reportedly ate his fondue with a beer (the preferred pairing is wine).

Our gooey fondue, which we smothered in bread and potatoes, was fab. But our recommendation at Restaurant Les Armures is the perch fillet – sliced nuggets of juicy fish, caught fresh from Lake Geneva, doused in lemon and butter sauce.

A drool-worthy dish if ever there was one.

Switzerland’s sipping secret

And who knew Switzerland had such good wine?

Most Canadians wouldn’t know this because the Swiss, it seems, don’t share their wine with the world. Most bottles are consumed within the country’s borders, with fewer than two percent of the country's output set aside for export.

Agents uncorked this sipping secret, in Geneva’s countryside, with a visit to Château du Crest (via tuk-tuks, no less), where they sampled Swiss pinot noir and dry and fruity chasselas blanc.

Great minds drink alike.

The Virtuoso effect

But the pièce de résistance, on this Swiss spree, were the hotels.

Switzerland holds some of the world's most luxurious hotels, many of which are located in scenic locations, surrounded by nature.

There are 52 Virtuoso-certified hotels in Switzerland – one-of-a-kind (mostly five-star) properties, in prized areas, that exude excellence in service, décor, dining and amenities.

“What makes a hotel ‘Virtuoso’ is that seamless, end-to-end service, and the ability to personalize experiences for each of our clients,” Roberti said.

When booking a Virtuoso-approved hotel, Virtuoso advisors unlock exclusive perks for their clients (such as complimentary breakfast, champagne or late check-out privileges), and other nice-to-have items, like bowls of fruit and hand-written welcome notes from general managers, strategically placed in rooms ahead of each guests’ arrival.

Of course, hotels must undergo a rigorous application process to join the Virtuoso club, but that’s what makes the program an asset to travel advisors who serve discerning clients.

“It’s a seal of approval,” Roberti said. “Advisors can book a Virtuoso hotel, knowing their clients will experience the best of the best in the world.”

Welcome to the Beau-Rivage

In Geneva, this translated into a stay at the iconic Beau-Rivage hotel. 

A Swiss sanctuary since 1865, this famous lakefront property, found on the fabled Quai du Mont Blanc, is the last hotel in Geneva to remain in a single family for five generations.

It’s elegant, refined, and exclusive. A mosaic-tiled floor and soaring columns, giving off Morocco vibes, greet guests in the lobby. Rows of exquisitely-furnished, apartment-style suites present perfect views of the Jet d’Eau fountain and the distant Alps. 

And the illustrious guest list! Notable figures who’ve stayed at the Beau-Rivage Geneva include Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, Elizabeth Taylor, Karl Lagerfeld, the Grace of Monaco, Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel, The Dalai Llama (and now, Canadian Virtuoso travel advisors).

Oh, if these walls could talk. Some of the Beau-Rivage’s most storied suites, beyond the bi-level penthouse, includes the Eleanor Roosevelt Residence Suite (the Royal Residence), a wing, with all the views, spread across 2,600 sq. ft., filled with art and ornaments, a Murano glass chandelier, and classical and baroque-style furniture.

The sprawling space honours Roosevelt herself, who stayed at the Beau-Rivage in December 1947 while drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

And the Empress Sissi Suite! Named after Empress Elisabeth (nicknamed Sissi) of Austria and Queen of Hungary, who, in the summer of 1898, was stabbed by an Italian anarchist on a promenade in Geneva while en route to a steamship.

The Empress was staying at the Beau-Rivage when she tragically succumbed to her wounds (it’s said she took her last breath at the hotel).

It’s tragic, yes, but it's also a great ghost story. During our stay at the hotel, we took to crediting any abnormalities – the smallest of things, like a moved item or flickering light – to “the Ghost of Sissi.”

The Beau-Rivage is a culinary playground too, housing the Michelin-starred Le Chat-Botté, led for more than 20 years by Chef Dominique Gauthier, which serves locally-sourced French and Mediterranean dishes.

For travel advisors who sell luxury, Switzerland has some good ingredients.

“This is a place I would live,” remarked Catherine Davis, a travel concierge at Ontario-based Zebrano Travel. “It’s easy for my clients, who range from multigenerational families to couples who love adventure. The scenery is off the charts, it’s clean, the hotels are spectacular, there’s chocolate and fondue. And the luxury is ‘wow.’”

“You can’t go wrong.”

What else did Canadian Virtuoso advisors get up to in Switzerland? Stay tuned for more of PAX’s exclusive coverage.

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