jilla ad final

Travel

Loading Flickr slideshow...

Hotel Royal—Evian Resort, France

Jess Baldwin finds her resort qualms calmed by the Evian Resort's Hotel Royal, perched on the slopes above Lake Geneva

The credentials:

It’s a well-known fact that the brain needs water to function. Yes, that crystal clear neurological nectar has played its part in countless inventions, life-changing decisions and earth-shattering discoveries I am sure. Well, what did you think Mulberry were sipping when they created the Bayswater? One such creation that was built solely on the power of H2O is the lavish Hotel Royal.

Perched in the foothills above the iconic spa town of Evian-les-Bains, the decadent 5* hotel dates back to 1905, when it was commissioned by the Evian Mineral Water Company… genius. Proudly overlooking peaceful Lake Geneva and the all too familiar Alpine mountain range that graces every Evian bottle you’ve ever sipped from, the hotel is part of the prestigious Evian Resort and as a result can offer guests everything from relaxing spa treatments and world class golf facilities to high-end cuisine and an endless list of outdoor pursuits.

It’s no wonder that over the last century it has played host to everyone from the Sultan of Zanzibar and the Shah of Persia to Hollywood legend Greta Garbo and Churchill, who puffed away on cigars while taking in the views. It even hosted the G8 summit. Yes, this is the hotel to head to when it comes to royal vacations, political meetings and affairs of the heart.

And, following an extensive refurbishment last summer, the hotel has entered an exciting new era, which sees contemporary design elements injected alongside its historic vaults, domes and frescoes.

Sleep:

The hotel is now a member of the Leading Hotels of the World portfolio, and since the renovation it features seven new ‘Executive Suites’ on the sixth floor—ideal for uninterrupted views over the lake and the pretty town below.

We stayed in a standard double, which overlooked the hotel’s striking infinity pool and the lake beyond. Every single room features various one-off artworks and photographs, making you feel instantly at home, and our inviting bed was overflowing with oversized cushions and plumped pillows that promised a great night’s sleep. We loved sipping morning coffee on our balcony as the sun crept over the mountains behind, illuminating the grounds for the day ahead.

Unfortunately standard rooms only have showers, so you will need to upgrade for a bath, however when the marble-clad bathrooms are filled with fragrant Fragonard products, you can quickly forgive this omission.

Dine:

Between Hotel Royal and its neighbouring 4* sister hotel, The Ermitage, guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining options, however a couple of meals really stood out on our visit.

The hotel wasted no time in impressing us, setting the bar high on our first evening with an elaborate crab claw cocktail at La Veranda. The restaurant itself was timelessly elegant, with guests dining beneath a glorious frescoed ceiling. However, as we soon found out, that was just a teaser, for Les Fresques restaurant is the true jewel in Hotel Royal’s crown.

As the name suggests, the stylish restaurant boasts yet more beautiful paintings—in fact, the menu even has an Alice-in-Wonderland-style mirror mounted on the cover to enable you to observe the ornate ceiling without hurting your neck. Another great idea generated over a bottle of Evian methinks!

In this restaurant, however, the fresco is battling for your attention alongside the stunning views, with a wall of windows exposing Lake Geneva below. As the night creeps in you can see the towns on the Swiss side of the lake illuminate and twinkle in the distance. ​

Here, Chef Patrice Vander serves up contemporary dishes with finesse. On my visit I was instantly won over with a starter of tender blue lobster on a bed of fresh crab. However, the dish that got us all talking (and eating) was the hotel’s famous soufflé, theatrically served flaming at our table.

Who goes there?

Who doesn’t go there? Thanks to its all-encompassing facilities this hotel attracts myriad guests depending on the day and season. Being just 45 minutes from Portes du Soleil the hotel is ideal for visitors keen to hit the slopes in winter, while the resort’s world-class 18-hole golf course beckons in summer. Hotel Royal’s fine dining and fantastic spa facilities attract couples throughout the year.

The resort is also a firm favourite for families thanks to its unique approach to the activities on offer. Not content with the generic ‘kid’s club’ that many hotels offer, Hotel Royal has five different bespoke resorts, each dedicated to a particular age range; from Baby Resort right up to the Teens Resort for 13-15 year olds, which offers everything from go-karting and sailing to rafting and art. This siloed approach ensures that every child, no matter what age, will have a schedule perfectly tailored for them—after all, rumour has it 15 year olds aren’t so keen on face painting nowadays.

We also love the look of their genius mother and baby packages. Specifically designed to pamper and relax both mother and child, they feature treatments such as baby massage for the little ones and post-natal treatments for mum while the trained staff babysit—and all under 90 minutes to perfectly sync with nursing mums.

Out & about:

With so many facilities situated within the 47-acre estate it can be tempting not to leave the resort at all, however we loved exploring the quaint town of Evian. Nestled between the mountains and the lake, the picturesque town is only a short stroll or a five minute drive away. The hotel provides a free shuttle service but we preferred the traditional funicular that runs down the mountainside.

Tuesdays and Fridays are market day, when you will find countless stalls scattered around the pretty church selling everything from food and pottery to jewellery and clothes. Don’t miss the cheese stalls—try the local Reblochon for a real taste of the region. Head to The Palais Lumiere: the attractive building, with its beautiful stained glass windows, original parquet flooring and elegant statues was originally a spa, but today houses art exhibitions.

Don’t forget to take an empty water bottle with you; there are various drinking fountains dotted around the town with free-flowing Evian water, easy to spot as the locals stand in lines filling up on litres of this magic medicinal liquid.

Of course, the lake itself is a magnet for most visitors; simply stroll along its banks or jump aboard one of the regular ferries to the Swiss town of Lausanne.

Make sure you keep some time aside to relax in the hotel spa. As well as 30 treatment rooms, a sauna and steam room and both an indoor and outdoor pool, The Spa Evian Source also has an amazing ‘hydro-contact trail’ (that’s a seriously impressive Jacuzzi adventure to you and me).

We loved the La Prairie Ultimate Lifting Caviar Facial, our senses were woken with layer after layer of deliciously fragrant lotions and potions and we were pleasantly surprised by the warm water bulbs that replicated a facial hot stone massage—a first for us! The thoughtful therapist even massaged in some SPF50 for us when she saw the sun come out, leaving us all set for yet another day of exploring.

The worst thing:

We couldn’t help but be slightly distracted by the old-fashioned glass that graces the windows on the lower level of the hotel. This was understandably picked to pay homage to the hotel’s history and the glass​ that would have been chosen when it was first built, but we couldn’t help but feel it was diluting that breathtaking view of Lake Geneva a tad. Still, the teasing glimpses of the lake regularly lured us outside to the terrace, where we enjoyed café au lait in the sun as we stared in awe.

The best thing:

As a self-confessed lone wolf the word ‘resort’ fills me with fear. Fear of noisy non-stop ‘fun’, swimming pools littered with screaming children and quantity-over-quality buffets. I needn’t have worried; teetering on the mountainside, Hotel Royal feels a million miles from anywhere as it hovers over the vast lake below with the Alpine breeze floating by.

On my trip I spent hours alone exploring the wildflower meadows and wandering around the aromatic herb gardens, or simply staring at that view with a chilled champagne flute in hand… what? Many a great idea has come from a glass of chilled champers I’ll have you know.

The details:

Rooms at Hotel Royal Evian Resort start from €400 per night in a Sejour Room with Park View including breakfast, based on two sharing.

13 Avenue des Madeirons, 74500 Évian-les-Bains, France; +33 4 50 26 85 00; www.evianresort.com

If you would like to stay up to date with our restaurant reviews, subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter.