Visit Switzerland's Lakeside Cities And Stay For The 5-Star Lifestyle

Forbes

12-06-2025

Though Lac Léman's gleaming surface steals the summer spotlight, its shores have plenty to sing about: try wellness hikes with soundbathing sessions in an alpine meadow, wine tasting or biking through the vineyards of UNESCO-designated Canton of Vaud.
In 1816, a motley crew of great writers took a trip to Lac Léman—aka Lake Geneva. Lord Byron, young doctor John Polidori, Percy Bysshe Shelley and his future wife Mary, accompanied by a peacock, a monkey and a dog, all set up base in the lakeside Villa Diodati, just outside Geneva. While the trip was far from relaxing—arguments, alcohol, laudanum, ghost stories and a volcanic ash cloud—it birthed some great work.
Shelley wrote Hymn to Intellectual Beauty and Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni. Byron produced the third canto of Childe Harold. And Mary, after an evening debating whether corpses could be animated, began creating Frankenstein, published the following year with Lake Geneva as a main character: 'I contemplated the lake; the waters were placid, all around was calm and the snowy mountains... the calm and heavenly scene restored me.'
Snow-capped peaks soften into flower-strewn hills that slope gently toward the shoreline of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). That serene panorama has secured the region's status as one of the world's most coveted addresses.
The tone for this storied location was set. Over 200 years later, restorative lakeside living is still the number-one pull for ultra-wealthy individuals visiting Switzerland and for those looking to set up home in this privileged, wellness-centric place.
Switzerland continues to rank among the world's most desirable destinations for wealth migration: an estimated 16,703 ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals now call the tiny alpine nation home. Known for its political neutrality and stable economy, it's a country that consistently attracts those seeking a refined, discreet, secure and healthy way of living.
With pristine lake views, proximity to world-class ski resorts, top-tier education and international appeal, Geneva and Lausanne are particularly popular among the global wealthy. Many buyers, especially those in their 40s and 50s with young families, come initially as visitors but soon find themselves making longer-term plans—a deeper commitment to a lifestyle defined by privacy, excellent healthcare and safety.
'This part of Switzerland offers a strategic location with access to major European cities within just a few hours,' says Hubert Chamorel, luxury advisor at FGP Swiss & Alps. 'The lifestyle in Geneva and Lausanne is very desired.'
Flagship hotels—including the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Lausanne—lure discerning travelers, while the area's easy elegance often persuades them to stay for good.
It's a sentiment echoed by those at the front line of welcoming newcomers to the region. 'Lausanne, despite being a small city, is a fantastic destination because of the proximity of the lake, and to nature,' explains Alain Kropf, General Manager of Hotel Royal Savoy.
Martin Rhomberg, Regional Vice President and General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, agrees. 'Our beautiful landscape offers the notion that nature still works. It's reassuring.'
While Russian and Gulf clients dominated in the 1990s and early 2000s, today's buyers are a different profile, explains Chamorel. 'There is still some interest from the Middle East and China, but the majority of today's buyers are European, along with a smaller stream of Americans.' While some are relocating for work, others are moving permanently, drawn by the efficiency, cleanliness and quality of life.
However, the Swiss property market is not easily accessible to foreign buyers. The tightly regulated Lex Koller law restricting foreign ownership means non-residents can only buy in designated tourist zones.
Time-honored Alpine customs shape the region's soul, yet also expect a multi-cultural cosmopolitan flair that animates daily life.
'Outside these, only Swiss nationals or those with established residency are able to purchase homes,' explains Chamorel. 'Foreign buyers must demonstrate they are genuinely out to establish a life here, such as by setting up local bank accounts—or indeed, by securing housing. It's an added layer of diligence that ensures the community remains stable and rooted, not purely transactional.
'Switzerland rewards understatement… It's about seeking out elegant, private homes with outdoor space, with gardens, swimming pools, and lake views.'
Ultimately, it's the lifestyle that seals the deal. The Geneva–Lausanne region offers a unique blend of access to alpine adventure, lakeside leisure and cosmopolitan living.
The bold Art Nouveau and Neo Baroque exterior of the Royal Savoy reflects its 1909 origins. After a six-year hiatus—one that saw a CHF 100 million overhaul unfold from 2009 to 2015—the hotel resurfaced with no expense spared.
And the area's luxury hotels play a significant part in that lifestyle, not only in being a first touchpoint for UHNW visitors, but also in spotting, responding to and serving up the trends valued by the international top tier.
'Roughly 60% of our business is corporate and 40% leisure,' says Kropf. 'Lausanne is small but we have the The Institute for Management Development (IMD), the International Olympic Committee (IoC) head office, 51 sports federations and many international companies including Nestlé, Philip Morris and Nespresso. That adds a unique global dimension to the business landscape.'
'Geneva might be known as corporate, but our guests are 96% leisure,' says Director of Sales Stéphanie Myter at newly renovated kid on the block The Woodward. 'Americans, especially, see it not just as a stopover, but a destination in its own right.
'There's a focus on quality of life now. Guests are coming here, falling in love with Geneva—and sometimes renting or even buying property afterwards.'
Taking to the lake fulfills every brief—transport, leisure, and the clearest vantage for Switzerland's spectacular scenery.
On the other side of the water lies La Réserve Genève Hotel & Spa, which has direct lakeside access and luxury boats to shuttle guests to the city. 'Our hotel is unique,' General Manager Clément Hernandez explains. 'In winter, it feels cozy, but in summer it becomes a resort with nautical fun on the lake, open terraces and three different types of restaurants.'
All agree that the lake itself is the core attraction: at any given weekend from April to October, the crystal-clear lake is transformed into an aquatic playground. 'People are using as if it were the Mediterranean,' says Rhomberg. These activities are growing in popularity too: the market for water sports equipment in Switzerland is predicted to grow by 5.9% to $65.7 million by 2029.
The Four Seasons in Geneva has, this summer, launched Riviera des Bergues—an events program that brings Med-style summer living to Lake Geneva and its more comfortable temperatures.
'It's a curated collection of open-air activities infused with laidback lakeside atmosphere,' says the Four Seasons' Rhomberg. 'The vibe is vacation but with Swiss precision and a touch of chic because you are in the city.'
Geneva lends the shoreline a metropolitan pulse, enriching it with premier boutiques, restaurants and cultural halls.
Another key attraction to the lakeside cities is the sense of community. 'Lausanne has an international flair with the benefits of a small village,' says Rhomberg.
The UHNW community in both cities is unusual in that the top-tier hotels proactively bring international visitors together with local residents. 'It's important that we create events for the community,' says Kropf.
One initiative Kropf is especially proud of, Les Rencontres du Royal, is a regular event series that he runs with well-known TV journalist Romaine Jean, who interviews a celebrated guest. 'Guests mingle with locals, people meet like-minded people.'
Royal Savoy sits in the middle of La Vaux, a UNESCO-listed vineyard region, so wine tourism is a big part of the offer. 'It's not just about the wine, it's about authenticity and connection with the growers,' says General Manager Alain Kropf.
Interviewees have ranged from Mathieu Jaton, Director of Montreux Jazz Festival, to Christophe Dubi, Executive Director of the Olympic Games. 'All our interviewees are part of our networks—the energy in the room is great.'
Also part of that network are local winegrowers, and Kropf calls on them to create day trips for oenophile guests. This year there is also a series of oenological dinners in collaboration with renowned wineries such as Domaine Van Volxem and Domaine Comte Abbatucci.
Within Geneva's oldest grand hotel—the Four Seasons, est. 1834—Il Lago serves Michelin-starred Italian cuisine.
Guests and city locals also mingle at this year's true hotspots: the (rare) rooftop bars.
'There are only two in Geneva,' says Rhomberg, whose rooftop Izumi restaurant has a two-week waiting list. There's a sense of playfulness in all rooftop bars and restaurants—and no more so than here. Kick off with a wasabi martini, follow with wagyu, sea urchin and caviar nigiri, or a spiny lobster thermidor, Izumi-style.
Similarly, the Royal Savoy's Sky Lounge is a much-fêted part of the Lausanne scene with its view south to the lake and north to gaze at the city on its slope.
Atop the Royal Savoy, the Sky Lounge sweeps from lake-wide vistas to the quiet pockets of Lausanne below.
At the other end of the aesthetic continuum, The Woodward is home to Geneva's only two-Michelin-star restaurant, L'Atelier Robuchon. Drenched in Louboutin red, it's bold and sexy and underground—and the place to be for fine dining. 'Guests sit at the bar and interact with the chefs—it's theater!' Myter enthuses.
Finally, the one trend that is loved by UHNW guests and locals alike is the region's renowned wellness offering. In a sector predicted to grow annually at a rate of 7.3% and reach $9 trillion in 2028, wealthy clientele now expect a very good wellness offering—and likewise UHNW residents want to be able to access the best. Hotels are increasingly the place to do that.
Rhomberg also heads up the wellness experience task force for Four Seasons EMEA. 'The difference between urban and resort wellness experiences,' he says, 'is that people in cities are busy. If they give up two hours of their time they expect results.' And if you move from visitor to resident, you can still enjoy the state-of-the-art spa—the Four Seasons Club des Bergues is open to local members but not advertised 'so that we balance how many people we take.'
A longstanding devotion to wellness means many local hotels elevate their spas. At the Four Seasons Club des Bergues, treatments run from rose-scented baths to private pools and LPG Endermologie.
Alain Kropf at the Royal Savoy adds: 'A spa is as important now for corporate guests as it is for leisure visitors. It's part of their routine—our gym and pool are at their busiest between 6:15 and 7:45am.'
La Réserve's spa leads the way in its medical wellness offering. 'We have our own osteopaths and physiotherapists, and we offer special treatments using new technology. We even offer a private villa by the lake for tailored experiences,' says Hernandez.
Myter agrees. 'Wellness is in high demand now. Our Guerlain Spa at The Woodward is a real draw. Everything in the spa has been designed with calm in mind.' As well as the treatment rooms and the gym, it has Geneva's longest swimming pool and panoramic views… of the lake. Of course.
FGP Swiss & Alps is a member of Forbes Global Properties, an invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages worldwide and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes.