Luxury hotel holiday Hotel Continental Lausanne

The four star Hotel Continental in Lausanne is the perfect hotel in which to spend the first or last night of a touring holiday; either acclimatising before beginning your journey, or relaxing after a busy week of exploration before covering the short distance to Geneva Airport. The modern, casual atmosphere is welcoming, and reflects the areas French connections. This is the perfect base for exploring the cities and towns around Lake Geneva, before moving towards central Switzerland.
Included in your Expressions holiday
  • Accommodation in a double or twin room on bed and breakfast
  • Fly-rail with scheduled flights and rail tickets
  • Rail travel from London back to London as option
  • Concierge service and Expressions Holidays regional helpful hints
  • Optional room, rail and flight upgrades. Details on request

Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Hotel Continental, Lausanne

Hotel Continental is a charming 4-star hotel in an excellent central location. Comfortable accommodation and tasty, low-key dining in the bistro-bakery make this a great spot to recuperate after enjoying the delights of Lausanne and the Lake Geneva area.

Facts in brief

Official star rating 4

Location In the heart of Lausanne, with excellent access to the main train station.

Annual opening All year

Closest airport Geneva International Airport

Distance from airport 40 miles

Closest railway station Lausanne Station

Distance from railway station The hotel is next to Lausanne Station

Hotel facilities and services

Le Pain Quotidien Bistro, breakfast room, ACTIV Fitness (free access), and guest parking.

Complimentary

Bottle of water in room, WiFi, admission to gym and training facilities.

Out and about nearby

With so many famous places on your doorstep, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to cultural exploration. We would recommend paying a visit to Montreux and Geneva, as well as spending the day in Lausanne. In Lausanne, perhaps begin with the green and picturesque promenade at Ouchy, which links together the enchanting Olympic Park outside the new Olympic Museum, the Haldimand Tower, the Bellevrie Swimming Pool, the Chateau d'Ouchy, and the portside. The highlights of Montreux include Chillon Castle, perched on a rocky outcrop, the most photographed landmark in Switzerland, the railway to Rochers-de-Naye, the Chocolate Train journey, and the Vineyard Train which takes you through the Lavaux Terraced vineyards. These 800 hectares of vineyards are the largest living cultural site in Switzerland. Of course, you may wish to time your visit to coincide with the Montreux Jazz Festival. In Geneva, begin with the most striking monument, the Jet d'Eau fountain that bursts out of the water in the harbour. Then, wander around the Old Town, visiting the St Pierre Cathedral and several of the small, unique shops, before stopping at the Palais des Nations or one of the contemporary art museums. Geneva is also home to four world-exclusive museums: the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Le Musee International de la Reforme, the Patek Philippe Museum, and the Bodmer Foundation Library and Museum.

Thank you. We had an amazing holiday. Really appreciate the work put in to give us the trip of a lifetime!
Mrs H, Jan 2023

Holiday price guide This hotel is usually booked as part of a touring holiday of Switzerland. Therefore, the cost of a stay at this hotel would be included in the price of that touring holiday. If you want a holiday just to this hotel, then please contact our sales team and a tailor-made price will be put together for you and include your chosen travel arrangements.

From about

Holiday Code EXH1944

The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.

Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Hotel Continental, Lausanne

Room descriptions

Hotel Continental has 116 rooms with air-conditioning, wifi, flat screen television, safe, hairdryer, minibar.

Single Economy Room
Double Economy Room
Double Classic Comfort Room with large sitting area; in a 'chalet' style
Thank you. We had an amazing holiday. Really appreciate the work put in to give us the trip of a lifetime!
Mrs H, Jan 2023

Holiday price guide This hotel is usually booked as part of a touring holiday of Switzerland. Therefore, the cost of a stay at this hotel would be included in the price of that touring holiday. If you want a holiday just to this hotel, then please contact our sales team and a tailor-made price will be put together for you and include your chosen travel arrangements.

From about

Holiday Code EXH1944

The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.

Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Hotel Continental, Lausanne

The journey and how you get there

For a holiday to Hotel Continental in Lausanne, our clients usually either fly to Geneva airport or arrive by train at Lausanne railway station. From Geneva airport there are direct trains to Lausanne and the journey time is about 50 minutes. The hotel is a few minutes' walk from the station.

Additional information

Children: Children under the age of 6 stay for free in their parents' room. Extra beds are available for older children at an extra charge, but only in some room types.

Thank you. We had an amazing holiday. Really appreciate the work put in to give us the trip of a lifetime!
Mrs H, Jan 2023

Holiday price guide This hotel is usually booked as part of a touring holiday of Switzerland. Therefore, the cost of a stay at this hotel would be included in the price of that touring holiday. If you want a holiday just to this hotel, then please contact our sales team and a tailor-made price will be put together for you and include your chosen travel arrangements.

From about

Holiday Code EXH1944

The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.

Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Hotel Continental, Lausanne

Highlights of Lake Geneva

Montreux, on the most eastern point of the lake is most famous for the Montreux Jazz Festival, which is held in international esteem. One of the most iconic sights, for both Switzerland and Montreux, is of Chillon Castle, jutting out on a rocky outcrop into the lake waters. This castle cannot be missed because of its fairy-tale beauty. You can also begin to explore the landscape around Montreux by rail. One railway takes you across Alpine meadows to Rochers-de-Naye at more than 2000m above sea level, from which you can sometimes see the Jet d'Eau in Geneva. The Swiss Chocolate Train, adorned with lavish Belle Epoque carriages, travels to the village of Gruyeres, where characterful old cobbled streets are lined with townhouses containing cafes and three museums. An imposing medieval castle sits at the top of the village. You can also reach the Maison Cailler on the Chocolate Train, where you learn about traditional Swiss chocolate-making and even make some of your own. The Vineyard Train (number S31) will take you through the 800 hectares that make up the Lavaux Terraced Vineyards from Vevey to Puidoux-Chexbres. The vineyards are the largest living cultural site in Switzerland and a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further west from the Lavaux Vineyards is Lausanne, home to the International Olympic Committee headquarters, but perhaps best known for simply being a particularly romantic and beautiful Swiss town. Gardens, promenades, and lakeside pathways ensure that your days here are as picturesque as they are cultural. At Lausanne's heart stands the Cathedral, believed to be one of Europe's most beautiful Gothic monuments. The purple and orange hues of its two main spires are visible throughout the town. It was originally built in the 12th and 13th centuries. In contrast with the Cathedral, immersed in the history of the cobbled Old Town, a new Olympic Museum has recently opened. Interactive displays illustrating the colourful history of the games are spread over three levels and include more than 1,000 objects and 150 screens. One of the highlights of the museum, however, is the Olympic Park. The artworks, sports sculptures, and beautiful patches of well-maintained nature provide a stunning setting for this modern cultural venture. From here, you can wander down the promenade at Ouchy, an area that is unrelentingly popular with residents. This promenade takes you to the Haldimand Tower, the Bellerive Swimming Pool, the Chateau d'Ouchy, and the port.

Cultural highlights of Lake Geneva

Any stay on Lake Geneva remains incomplete without a visit to the city that gives it its name. One of the key features of Geneva's cultural heritage is its place as the origin of fine watch-making. Workshops, boutiques, and museums all provide an insight into this prestigious craft. Even the Jet d'Eau fountain bears some connection, as it originally harnessed the power of the Rhone for the craftsmen of Geneva. Today, it acts as a captivating, animate monument to the skills, craft, and natural forces of the city. Geneva is also home to the Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the UN. Guided tours take visitors through the building, which seems to blend geometric modern design with classical, palatial style. Geneva's Old Town, or Vieille-Villa, is the largest in Switzerland, laced with narrow alleyways and charming squares, and centred around the St Pierre Cathedral. 157 steps will take visitors to the top of the cathedral tower in order to appreciate the remarkable views over the fascinating jumble of unique townhouses. A very unique feature of Geneva is the Flower Clock in the Jardin Anglais. This precise and beautiful clock has the longest second hand in the world. Visitors interested in Swiss art and modern culture should spend an afternoon in the Quartier des Bains, wandering around the MAMCO and the Centre d'Art Contemporain before enjoying dinner in a chic bistro. Mediterranean Carouge is Switzerland's gateway to the south, with abundant Sardinian style. Finish your exploration with one of the four world-exclusive museums: the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, Le Musee International de la Reforme, the Patek Philippe Museum, and the Bodmer Foundation Library and Museum.

Festivals in Lake Geneva

Much of the canton of Geneva's culture is built around a celebration of its history and traditions. Perhaps one of the liveliest celebrations is the Oktoberfest, though many more unusual festivals prove equally enjoyable. In the first two weeks of February, the Antigel Festival brings a variable programme of music, dance, and other performances to the less likely stages. In March, the International Geneva Motor Show, largest of its kind in Europe, unveils a range of new innovative designs at the Palexpo Exhibition Centre. Similarly, in April you can visit the International Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques, and Products in the same venue. On specific dates of the year, usually mid-May, a selection of museums stay open for the whole night, an event that is also celebrated in a number of bars. Also in May is a Day of Open Wineries, where upwards of 90 wineries open their doors for free to wine-touring visitors. A charge of 5CHF at one winery will enable you to taste wines at every other winery for no further charge. In June and July, parks, gardens, and secluded outdoor spots on the lake shores play host to a range of live music and DJ sets at the Ecoutes au Vert Festival. In the middle of June each year, Lake Geneva is transformed into the largest sailing regatta in Europe, with over 500 boats competing. Geneva's largest music festival is the Geneva Music Festival in late June, specialising in a range of musical genres, and accompanied by an array of food stalls. Impossible to forget is the Montreux Jazz Festival, founded in 1967, that brings an eclectic range of performances to the lakeside stages, not limited to Jazz. The Cine Transat, hosted in one of Geneva's parks, features a series of French and English films. The Prelude to the Geneva Festival and the Geneva Festival itself take place from the middle of July until the first week of August and are widely believed to be the highlight of summer in the region. Carnival rides, concerts, stalls with Swiss delicacies and street food, parades, and variety performances take over the lake shores, topped off with unique firework displays each and every night. The Festival de la Batie from the end of August to mid-September exhibits the works of many local artists from a range of disciplines in Batie Park. The Nuit des Bains sees several galleries in the Quartier des Bains open their doors for free. For a taste of Geneva's history, watch l'Escalade in the Old Town in the second week of December, which commemorates that defence of the city against the Duke of Savoy in 1602.

Gastronomy in Lake Geneva

With over 1,000 restaurants, Geneva is recognised as the capital of culinary delicacies in Switzerland. For decadent dining, choose one of the hotels that line the lake shores; for foreign cuisine, head to the Paquis district; for traditional Swiss dishes, dine in Geneva's Old Town; for Italian restaurants and French cafes, go to Eaux Vives; and for experimental, chic restaurants, eat in Carouge. Some ingredients to look out for in particular are cheeses from Gruyere, oil from Severy, charcuterie, perch, fera, char, and leeks. Vaud, the region in which Lake Geneva sits, is Switzerland's largest wine-growing region, and the most prominent grapes are Chasselas, Pinot Noir, and Gamay. You may also discover some Tartiflette, which originated over the French border in Haute-Savoie, made with Reblocohon cheese.

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