Hi Everyone,
Simply wow, what a weekend! 300 prominent guests from the hospitality industry and selected media gathered together in the spectacular Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne for the 10th edition of the “101 Besten Hotels Schweiz”. I was also fortunate enough to be invited.
Keep on reading to find out more about “The 101 Best Hotels Switzerland & DACH – Winners for 2026!”
The 101 Best Hotels Switzerland & DACH – Winners for 2026!
Luxury Hospitality winners were not just limited to Switzerland. There were also overall country winners for the DACH countries.
Congratulations to The Dolder Grand, Zurich and Beau-Rivage Palace Lausanne for being nominated “101 Besten Hotels Schweiz 2026”.
Congratulations to The Dolder Grand, Zurich for winning the category “101 Luxury Business Hotel of the Year 2026” and Beau-Rivage Palace Lausanne for winning the category “101 Luxury Leisure Hotel of the Year 2026”
Both properties are truly stunning and well deserving of their new titles. You can’t beat the Dolder Grand for its prestigious presence in Zurich. My tip if you’re a local: go there for afternoon tea. It’s a tradition I do with my Mum each time she visits Switzerland. It’s also a lovely place to go for a day spa combined with lunch.
The Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne is still on my bucket list – now more so than ever!
General Manager of the Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne – Benjamin Chemoul won the prestigious title of “101 ICON Hotelier of the Year 2026”, for his world class management etiquette. You see him with the award above as well as lovely Christa Rigozzi who did a fantastic job moderating the evening.
A particular moving moment was when grand hotelier Reto Wittwer won the “101 ICON Hotelier of the World Lifetime Achievement” award.
His gratitude speech brought many of us close to tears, especially as he lovingly spoke about his children. One thing was truly brought home – a grand hotelier is not a job title it is a lifetime commitment.
Congratulations to the 4 Overall DACH Country Winners:
Congratulations to the 4 overall DACH Country winners:
South Tyrol – Adler Lodge Ritten
Germany – Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg
Switzerland – The Dolder Grand
Austria – Hotel Sacher, Wien
101 Executive Summit: Podium discussion:
In the afternoon prior to the 101 Award ceremony, there was a very interesting podium discussion led by Gaudenz Looser from 20 Minutes.
On the podium from left to right above:
Dietmar Müller-Elmau – Schloss Elmau;
Simone Müller – Swiss Diversity Forum;
Mag. Matthias Winkler – CEO of the Sacher Group;
Kuno Spirig – Founder of the Swiss Green Economy Forum;
Chris K. Franzen – Managing Director of the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne;
Gaudenz Looser – Deputy Chief Editor, 20 Minutes.
A few interesting points were raised:
- Formality
Formality is out; friendliness and kindness are in. It no longer matters whether you are served from the left or the right — what matters is that whoever serves you does so with a kind, friendly personality.
2. Diversity is key
Having a well‑trained, diverse, multicultural team is essential to achieving the best hospitality has to offer. Acceptance of different cultures and points of view is equally important — for both employees and guests.
Tattoos or beards carry absolutely no weight when it comes to hospitality. Today, it’s about the person and their inner values, passion, and willingness to do the job. My favourite story was shared by Mag. Matthias Winkler, who recalled a man with a beard applying for a job at one of the Sacher hotels many years ago. He was told he could only have the job if he shaved his beard. The candidate declined. When Mag. Matthias Winkler found out, he grew a beard himself and then went to the hiring manager to ask whether he, too, was now no longer able to work for the company.
3. We love Gen Z!
4. Barrier Free Hotels on the agenda for the first time.
It is so nice to see that not only diversity is being discussed but also inclusiveness – a topic which has many different aspects! However let’s start with emphasising barrier free hotels!
Conclusion:
This was the 10th edition of the “101 Besten Hotels Schweiz“, an institution founded by Carsten K. Rath and his son David. We see the whole 2026 team pictured above – great job for a great event!
I am left hungry to find out who the winning hotels will be in 2027!
A huge thanks to the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne for putting me up for the night and congratulations for the ever so well deserved new title of “101 Luxury Hideaways 2026”.
Finally a listing of all the winners of “The 101 Besten Hotels Schweiz 2026”
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