Seehotel Hermitage

Our stay at the Hermitage Hotel in Lucerne began promisingly. We were allocated Room 428, which had an attractive lake view, and we enjoyed a very good dinner on our first evening. Unfortunately, from that point onwards the experience steadily deteriorated. The room itself had a number of shortcomings. There was no chilled drinking water on arrival, only a carafe with a wooden stopper that was too large to allow it to fit inside the refrigerator. The minibar was very poorly stocked, and the air conditioning was simply inadequate. Even on its maximum setting, the room remained uncomfortably warm. The bathroom had no hooks whatsoever for towels or clothing, which is a surprising omission in a hotel of this standard. Throughout our stay there was also an unpleasant drain smell in the room. I even tried running the hot water in the hope of clearing it, but without success. The Wi-Fi was disappointingly slow throughout the hotel and in our room. Compared with other four- and five-star hotels, the internet performance was well below expectations. The biggest disappointment, however, was the service. Apart from the staff who welcomed us on arrival, almost everyone else appeared disengaged. It was rare to receive even the most basic greeting or acknowledgement when passing staff in the corridors. There was little sense that guests were genuinely welcomed or valued. Breakfast was particularly poor. While the selection itself was only average, the lack of service was completely unacceptable. On our first morning there was nobody at the entrance to greet guests, check room numbers, explain how breakfast operated, show us to a table or offer coffee. There appeared to be only two staff members on duty, and throughout the service I did not see either of them smile once. The whole atmosphere was joyless. Basic items repeatedly ran out and were not replenished. Juice glasses disappeared and had to be requested. An empty bottle of Prosecco was simply placed to one side and never replaced. Following a storm the previous evening, one of the outdoor tables still had damp seating the next morning, yet guests were allowed to sit there without any attempt to dry it. Staff were rarely visible, making it difficult even to order cooked breakfast items from the menu, so we simply helped ourselves from the buffet. To the hotel’s credit, I emailed a senior manager after the first breakfast to express my concerns. I received a prompt apology and an invitation to meet the Guest Relations Manager (“Gastgeber”) at an agreed time. However, when we arrived, reception telephoned him only to discover he could not be reached. After waiting around ten minutes, we left. It was a disappointing end to what was supposed to have been an opportunity to discuss the issues constructively. Having since read many glowing reviews of this hotel, I can only conclude that our experience was very different. The Hermitage undoubtedly enjoys a wonderful location, but in our experience it has a significant problem with service standards and attention to detail. Attractive surroundings alone cannot compensate for an indifferent attitude towards guests. Sadly, despite its setting, this is not a hotel to which I would wish to return and I would advise others to go elsewhere!

Don't choose this hotel. We've been traveling through Switzerland for 10 days and we've had wonderful experiences in the previous 3 hotels (Victoria Jungfrau in Montreux, Belvedere in Spiez and Glacier in Grindelwald), but we're having a bad experience here at the Hermitage. The Beach Club was closed for almost 3 days. Yesterday, even with sun, it didn't open because they said there was a storm forecast. There was no. Today it did not open again. Weather is unstable yes, but we did not catch any windstorms that would justify closure at certain times. For a hotel whose biggest appeal for sale is precisely the proximity to the lake this is a problem. We just went down to just have a wine and toast the end of our trip. Although there were several free tables inside and outside the restaurant where we were willing to stay because we didn’t want to eat, we were told that it wasn’t allowed and the employee was extremely antipathetic. By the way, the whole service goes wrong. There is no concern about the customer experience. We had a problem with the noise caused by a family of 5 members of our neighbor's room, we asked to change room, the person at the reception said it was not possible, we would evaluate the next day and we were given no answer. All the rest of the staff is protocolary and inefficient (except for a German waitress from a Colombian mother - I know why we talked, but I don't remember your name - and who was very attentive and efficient at one of our meals). Don't choose the Hermitage! There are several other (I imagine that much better managed) options of lake-side hotels in Lucerne.

The location of the hotel is fantastic - right on the lake, quiet and yet very close to the city center. The rooms are beautiful and spacious. Despite everything, the price is very high. Apart from the free rental of pedal boats, stand-up paddleboards, and kayaks, no special services are offered. The wellness area is very small. Breakfast has everything you need.