Art Deco Hotel Montana
, Lucerne, Switzerland
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Art Deco Hotel Montana
, Lucerne
413
Traveller
Reviews - Art Deco Hotel Montana
Read 413 additional reviews of Art Deco Hotel Montana at TripAdvisor.
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Historical Traveller Reviews of Art Deco Hotel Montana
Luxury in Lucerne
from UtahSteph
My husband and I recently traveled to Switzerland and ended our week with a three night stay at the Art Deco Montana in Lucerne. It was nice to have the private funicular to ride to the lobby. We were welcomed quite warmly at check-in, even though it was after 9 pm. We received a free upgrade and enjoyed our top floor room with a balcony. The views of Lucerne and especially the lake are fabulous. The hotel is very clean and wonderfully decorated. The beds were comfortable with down duvets and pillows. We had cookies, bottled water, and slippers waiting for us in the room. We enjoyed Toblerone chocolates left for us at night. Perhaps our favorite was the breakfast buffet included in the room price. It was all a European breakfast should be with cheeses, meats, dried and fresh fruits, yogurts, a multitude of breads, muesli with various nuts and toppings, scrambled and soft-boiled eggs, sausage, bacon and juices. The Scala dining room is lovely and again overlooks Lake Lucerne. The concierge was helpful and made dinner reservations for us. The staff all spoke English well. Our only complaint was that the hotel did not have any working outlet adapters, each one we tried already had a blown fuse. So book your room, just bring your own adapters. Because our flight left so early and we would miss our breakfast at the hotel, the kitchen made sack lunches for us that were ready at check-out. It was all we expected of a four-star hotel. We have the free yellow rubber duck with the hotel name on it to keep as a souvenir of our great stay---we can say, "Been there, done that, loved it."
Top-notch
from an0nym00se
I, my wife and our two year-old son spent a memorable week over Christmas here in a lake-side superior room. We had considered other places but chose the Montana - based on many of the TripAdvisor reviews here - and were very glad we did so. From the magnificent view from our balcony and the funicular into the lobby (much loved by our son) to the hearty, varied breakfast and the staff on all levels who was consistently available, friendly, helpful, resourceful and professional, we had nothing but pleasant surprises.
On our arrival at reception we worried about a rocky start as we were only offered a room with twin beds (despite having requested an extra-length double bed), but a supervisor immediately stepped in, juggled some bookings and solved the problem. In a similar manner, they managed to find room for us at the fully-booked Christmas dinner in the restaurant. When we ran out of time at the dinner and needed to put our son to bed, the very busy wait staff made sure we were able to have our dessert course up in our room.
Each evening, while we were away at dinner, hotel staff prepped our bed for the night, removing bedspreads, untucking sheet corners and leaving some chocolates and the next day's activities and weather report on the bed. On Christmas they left a nice gift from the hotel.
Folks used to more informal surroundings might find things slightly stiff: the hotel staff follow the hospitality textbooks to the letter and are very professional. The hotel is a little bit "cheesy" high-end in that it lives up to a lot of the service and ambience clichés of decades past, but this fact is more interesting than negative (and after all, it is an art deco hotel). The Christmas dinner in particular and the restaurant and jazz bar in general seemed to attract many locals, proving that there is a healthy market for such an offering both domestically and internationally.
The 10-minute walk to the city center is easily offset by the quality of the hotel and the view from the lakeside rooms. For those unable to walk so far, there are easy transportation options (e.g. public busses) right outside the hotel door.
There are some useful discounts (multi-day, weekend) accessible via the booking website that combined made a week's stay here less expensive than at other nominally less expensive hotels in Lucerne.
When we arrived back home, we received a hand-written "thank you" card from the hotel staff - unnecessary, but nice. We will certainly stay there again next time we are in Lucerne.
On our arrival at reception we worried about a rocky start as we were only offered a room with twin beds (despite having requested an extra-length double bed), but a supervisor immediately stepped in, juggled some bookings and solved the problem. In a similar manner, they managed to find room for us at the fully-booked Christmas dinner in the restaurant. When we ran out of time at the dinner and needed to put our son to bed, the very busy wait staff made sure we were able to have our dessert course up in our room.
Each evening, while we were away at dinner, hotel staff prepped our bed for the night, removing bedspreads, untucking sheet corners and leaving some chocolates and the next day's activities and weather report on the bed. On Christmas they left a nice gift from the hotel.
Folks used to more informal surroundings might find things slightly stiff: the hotel staff follow the hospitality textbooks to the letter and are very professional. The hotel is a little bit "cheesy" high-end in that it lives up to a lot of the service and ambience clichés of decades past, but this fact is more interesting than negative (and after all, it is an art deco hotel). The Christmas dinner in particular and the restaurant and jazz bar in general seemed to attract many locals, proving that there is a healthy market for such an offering both domestically and internationally.
The 10-minute walk to the city center is easily offset by the quality of the hotel and the view from the lakeside rooms. For those unable to walk so far, there are easy transportation options (e.g. public busses) right outside the hotel door.
There are some useful discounts (multi-day, weekend) accessible via the booking website that combined made a week's stay here less expensive than at other nominally less expensive hotels in Lucerne.
When we arrived back home, we received a hand-written "thank you" card from the hotel staff - unnecessary, but nice. We will certainly stay there again next time we are in Lucerne.
t find a better restaurant than on our own doorstep !
from XS-Baggage
We stayed at The Montana for a fortnight in early September & didn't really suffer the stifling heat problems mentioned on previous reviews. We found it to be a five star hotel in every way - except official ranking ! Rating could be influenced by lack of pool etc.
We stayed in a Junior Suite with two side windows & two windows looking on front over the Lake. Exceptionally spacious & super bathroom - a very comfortable room indeed.
The Restaurant is very busy with locals - usually a good sign - and it is necessary to book. The offering was sublime. During our first week we did try several other Restaurants. The Old Swiss House was good. Jaspers at The Palace Hotel was expensive and rather disappointing. The much trumpeted Cantonese 'El Tai Pei' was also rather disappointing as was the italian restaurant at The National Hotel. Good value traditional italian at The Weissen Kreuz Hotel - pizzas & pasta dishes were of good quality.
By the second week, we had decided there was nothing to better The Montana & ate there most nights ! Not cheap - but food isn't in Lucerne - about Sw Fr 200 for four courses & wine for two people. Not a bad idea to request an area where you would prefer to be - they have an unfortunate habit of preferring locals to hotel residents in terms of the better located tables - and seem to place large groups next to the windows with lake views (when, from my experience, large business groups are busy in conversation etc & not too bothered where they sit !).
We had travelled from UK independently - rather than with a tour operator - and hotel weren't terribly au fait with the workings of the 'Fly Rail' Baggage system - no doubt usually handled for guests by UK Tour Operators.
One other piece of useful info. The bar adjoins the foyer/reception area and the whole area is usually terribly smokey - particularly from late afternoon. It quite often hits you as soon as you emerge from the funicular lift into the reception area - surprised their reception staff put up with it. There is a non-smoking area next to the bar but the whole of that area seems to be affected & no sign of a public area smoking ban in Switzerland yet !
Overall though a top place !
We stayed in a Junior Suite with two side windows & two windows looking on front over the Lake. Exceptionally spacious & super bathroom - a very comfortable room indeed.
The Restaurant is very busy with locals - usually a good sign - and it is necessary to book. The offering was sublime. During our first week we did try several other Restaurants. The Old Swiss House was good. Jaspers at The Palace Hotel was expensive and rather disappointing. The much trumpeted Cantonese 'El Tai Pei' was also rather disappointing as was the italian restaurant at The National Hotel. Good value traditional italian at The Weissen Kreuz Hotel - pizzas & pasta dishes were of good quality.
By the second week, we had decided there was nothing to better The Montana & ate there most nights ! Not cheap - but food isn't in Lucerne - about Sw Fr 200 for four courses & wine for two people. Not a bad idea to request an area where you would prefer to be - they have an unfortunate habit of preferring locals to hotel residents in terms of the better located tables - and seem to place large groups next to the windows with lake views (when, from my experience, large business groups are busy in conversation etc & not too bothered where they sit !).
We had travelled from UK independently - rather than with a tour operator - and hotel weren't terribly au fait with the workings of the 'Fly Rail' Baggage system - no doubt usually handled for guests by UK Tour Operators.
One other piece of useful info. The bar adjoins the foyer/reception area and the whole area is usually terribly smokey - particularly from late afternoon. It quite often hits you as soon as you emerge from the funicular lift into the reception area - surprised their reception staff put up with it. There is a non-smoking area next to the bar but the whole of that area seems to be affected & no sign of a public area smoking ban in Switzerland yet !
Overall though a top place !
Unreliable
from Meenu
I was booked through Swiss tours to stay in this hotel, the very agency that promotes tourism in Switzerland. I was to check in on Sep. 8, 2006 for 2 nights. Once I got there, I was told that the hotel had cancelled my booking just 2 days earlier and shifted me to some smaller hotel nearby. Since I was booked to stay in a four star hotel and had already payed the entire amount before arriving there, I refused to go to another hotel. Plus I was travelling alone and most certainly did not want to shift to any dodgy hotel I had not heard or read about. I almost caught the next flight back to London! Finally, a compromise was reached and they found me a room in Hotel Monopol, which was probably the only halfway decent gesture they showed towards me. Monopol was certainly not the place where I would have gone to for a holiday had I the choice but I have to admit that my stay there was comfortable and it is well situated, which made it easier for me to simply walk to all the sights and excursion points.
From the moment I left Montana, I had the feeling things would've been different for me had I been European or American and not Asian or Indian. There is certainly a racist factor there, so if you're Indian and have booked in India, be careful. I could have easily booked from London too, I doubt if I would've been subjected to such treatment then!
From the moment I left Montana, I had the feeling things would've been different for me had I been European or American and not Asian or Indian. There is certainly a racist factor there, so if you're Indian and have booked in India, be careful. I could have easily booked from London too, I doubt if I would've been subjected to such treatment then!
Management Response
from montanaluzern
Dear Sir
Thank you very much for your critique and for taking the time to actually give us a feedback even though you did not appreciate our hotel as much as we loved you to. We are utterly sorry to read that you had such a bad experience in Lucerne. It is very hard for us to understand that you were treated in such a way. We are very open-minded and happy to welcome any kind of guests. No matter where they are from.
We suspect that probably through the way of your booking a mistake had happened. We do not just cancel a booking. It is a shame that you did not get the chance to stay at our hotel and therefore to appreciate its vivacious atmosphere.
Should you be back one day in Lucerne we hope you will give us a second chance by booking directly with us.
Do take care and all the best!
Patric Vogel, Marketing & Sales
Thank you very much for your critique and for taking the time to actually give us a feedback even though you did not appreciate our hotel as much as we loved you to. We are utterly sorry to read that you had such a bad experience in Lucerne. It is very hard for us to understand that you were treated in such a way. We are very open-minded and happy to welcome any kind of guests. No matter where they are from.
We suspect that probably through the way of your booking a mistake had happened. We do not just cancel a booking. It is a shame that you did not get the chance to stay at our hotel and therefore to appreciate its vivacious atmosphere.
Should you be back one day in Lucerne we hope you will give us a second chance by booking directly with us.
Do take care and all the best!
Patric Vogel, Marketing & Sales
Awesome!
from forumchatter
My husband and I stayed at this hotel for 4 nights during September, 2004. I can't say enough good things about this hotel. Starting with the breathtaking view - our balcony faced the lake and the low alps. The rooms were done in art deco style and the bathrooms were very large and modern. The staff was extremely professional and courteous. Anything we asked, it was taken care of immediately! Their delicous buffet breakfasts were served on the terrace overlooking the lake. You could also have dinner at their indoor restaurant overlooking the lake. Magnificent! Tthe location is great - a short 10 minute walk across the lake to the old town. And finally, a very welcome feature (at the end of a long day) is the hotel's own cable car from the lobby to the street. No need to walk uphill or climb stairs. We strongly recommend it and would love to return! The only negative we found was that rooms didn't have A/C. We were fine because it was September but I can't say how it would be in July/August.
no airconditioning
from nytexan
very nice hotel with nice staff but a little stuffy. make sure your get a room facing this amazing view to the lake. the breakfast was great and is served on the tarrace overlooking the lake
the hotel has no airconditioning and it is very hot in the summer. they gave us a small fan not much good i would never have stayed there had i known they had no a/c the hotel is not near resort type of stuff so if you are looking to do water sports probblably not a good spot. if you are only spending a couple of days and are just visiting through very nice hotel just remember there is no airconditioning and it gets very hot in the summer
the hotel has no airconditioning and it is very hot in the summer. they gave us a small fan not much good i would never have stayed there had i known they had no a/c the hotel is not near resort type of stuff so if you are looking to do water sports probblably not a good spot. if you are only spending a couple of days and are just visiting through very nice hotel just remember there is no airconditioning and it gets very hot in the summer
Get A Lake View
from travelingcher
The best thing about this hotel is the view. I had lovely terrace and spent hours on a warm october afternoon after touring the city siting on my terrace drinking wine, reading and watching the boats on Lake Lucerne. In the morning, opening the doors first thing and watching the lake was equally special. Having the ability to do that is the reason to stay here. Thus, you should spend the extra money and get a view. The hotel is located in the hillside, above town. To get to town you take a funicular (sort of an elevator attached to the hill by cable) then walk a few long blocks to the edge of town. I did time it. It's about 10 minutes from the time you get in the funicular to the nearest restaurant or cup of coffee. Food and drink in the hotel is quite expensive. And to me the charm of europe is finding special little cafes and restaurants and avoiding hotel dining rooms. I think that if you didn't have a room with a view that walk into town for every meal might get old.
Beautiful hotel, very nice staff!
from CAWorldtraveler
We stayed at the hotel in November and had booked a lake view room - beautiful view from the room. The hotel is on the mountain (a little above the town level) and has it'sown funicular to take you to or bring you back from the lower street level. The front desk, restaurant and bar staff were excellent and very friendly. Locals came to the restaurant to celebrate special occasions and the bar has a great live band at night.
The best hotel in Lucerne, bar none
from A TripAdvisor Member
I have stayed at the Montana a few times, most recently in July. I have also stayed at many of the other top class hotels in Lucerne in the past. You are spoiled for choice with nice hotels in Lucerne, but the Montana is for sure the best all-rounder.
Why? How many other hotels have a funicular railway from the lakeside up to reception (it is officially the world's shortest railway line, so not only do you get a funfair experience each time you head back to the hotel, but you are sharing in a record-breaking experience!). The reception staff are without exception the friendliest, most helpful staff of any hotel I have stayed in, bar none (they even rang the local bus company for me to find out at what age I had to buy a bus ticket for my daughter). The rooms are delightful, the decor is unusual in a nice way (unlike so many unusually decorated hotels) and the breakfasts abound in fresh fruits, breads, cheese and so on. There is a free PC in reception for guests to check e-mails, use the internet etc. And the views from the terrace (outside) or dining room and bar (inside) are stunning.
I have one niggle (one other reviewer has alluded to it) - getting room service is a hassle. I was sent by reception to linger outside the dining room to place my order, but the serving staff were so busy it took a good five minutes for someone to do so (eventually the barman took pity on me and gave me a menu). That said, my wife and I ate in the corridor rather than our room (to allow our daughter to sleep in peace) so the staff imaginatively set a trolley as a table with two place settings, complete with candle, wheeled it up to us and magicked two chairs from nowhere for us to use. Splendid!
This just sums the place up - it's a lovely hotel in a great setting, with staff who cannot do enough to help. What more can you ask for?
Why? How many other hotels have a funicular railway from the lakeside up to reception (it is officially the world's shortest railway line, so not only do you get a funfair experience each time you head back to the hotel, but you are sharing in a record-breaking experience!). The reception staff are without exception the friendliest, most helpful staff of any hotel I have stayed in, bar none (they even rang the local bus company for me to find out at what age I had to buy a bus ticket for my daughter). The rooms are delightful, the decor is unusual in a nice way (unlike so many unusually decorated hotels) and the breakfasts abound in fresh fruits, breads, cheese and so on. There is a free PC in reception for guests to check e-mails, use the internet etc. And the views from the terrace (outside) or dining room and bar (inside) are stunning.
I have one niggle (one other reviewer has alluded to it) - getting room service is a hassle. I was sent by reception to linger outside the dining room to place my order, but the serving staff were so busy it took a good five minutes for someone to do so (eventually the barman took pity on me and gave me a menu). That said, my wife and I ate in the corridor rather than our room (to allow our daughter to sleep in peace) so the staff imaginatively set a trolley as a table with two place settings, complete with candle, wheeled it up to us and magicked two chairs from nowhere for us to use. Splendid!
This just sums the place up - it's a lovely hotel in a great setting, with staff who cannot do enough to help. What more can you ask for?
m a fan of a fan
from tweetyhollo
It ws quite warm while we were at the Montana, and as we had a room on the back there was not much of a breeze. I went down late at night to ask for a fan and the desk clerk gave us his as it was the only one left. The same clerk had been very accomodating the evening before in calling to help us find a lake cruise. We give that clerk 4 *s.
The design is modern and a change from other rooms we stayed in, but it was well done and felt quite comfortable.
It is an easy walk to town. The funicular is a blessing so that you don't have to walk up the hill after a long day of walking around the city.
The design is modern and a change from other rooms we stayed in, but it was well done and felt quite comfortable.
It is an easy walk to town. The funicular is a blessing so that you don't have to walk up the hill after a long day of walking around the city.
Top Local Tips for Lucerne
Credit card charges At restaurants, train station, etc., be sure that you are charged in Swiss Francs and not your home currency (you have a choice) or you will immediately lose 2.5 - 3.0 percent on the transaction.
Trains and boats and buses. Use the railways as much as possible.Get a Swiss Card or the equivalent and get the 50% discount on NEARLY all the transport system including buses and lake steamers.TIP:- In school holiday times pay extra and go first class as trains,steamers and funiculars can get incredibly busy.If you get time a visit to the Federal capital Bern is recommended - go by train via the Emmental which is the scenic route.It takes a bit longer but is cheaper and has lovely views of the typical farming areas of Switzerland.Burgenstock,Engleburg(for Titlis) and the rack railway from Vitznau to the Rigi Summit are a must in good weather.If it's raining go to the Swiss Transport Musem - good for all the family - something for everybody from 2 to 92.Sorry to say it but Luzern taxi drivers are a miserable bunch so we walked back to our hotel from the station by the side of the lake.
Take the 1/2 trip to Mt. Pilatus You can buy a round-trip transportation ticket at the tourist office in the Bahnhof -- includes boat trip on Lake Lucerne & ride on world's steepest cog-railway, wih return by Gondola and bus. Great hiking and great views of Lucerne from the top of Pilatus.
- (hotels)
Other names for Art Deco Hotel Montana
- art deco lucerne
- Address: 22 Adligenswilerstrasse - Lucerne - 6002 - Switzerland
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Palace Luzern Hotel Europe, Switzerland, Lucerne Distance: 0.1 km / 0.1 mi View Hotel Page
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