Long before beach clubs, the world’s most discerning travelers escaped to legendary lakes, where grand estates and cooler air defined the art of summer.
For more than a century, city dwellers survived the ubiquitous summer swelter by escaping to the cooler climes of lake estates, whether their personal private properties or luxurious lakeside resorts. As travel became increasingly de rigueur throughout America’s Gilded Age and Europe’s Belle Ėpoque, aristocrats and the wealthy bourgeois sought respite at these grand estates, ushering in a “golden age” of lakeside retreats. Today, these grande dames can be found around the world, from a repurposed 15th-century hunting lodge built for royalty to a Rockefeller’s secret summer sanctuary to Greta Garbo’s “happy place.”
Whether centuries old or a newly built marvel, these private lake homes offer secluded surroundings, waterside cabins, and outdoor recreation. Some are lured by more sensory indulgences as spa treatments, fine dining, and internationally lauded wine cellars. Following, a few of our favorites.
Park Hotel Vitznau, Switzerland
It’s no wonder that a century ago, a hotelier saw the postcard-perfect village of Vitznau on the crystalline shore of Lake Lucerne (not far from the iconic Rütli mountain meadow, considered the birthplace of Switzerland), and knew the captivating setting deserved an extraordinary property. It took three years to complete, but Park Hotel Vitznau was worth the wait. Its white, castle-like façade marked by turrets, arched windows, and a multi-gabled roofline, feels plucked from the pages of a storybook.
Despite offering 49 individually designed suites and residences, the hotel feels like an intimate private estate with personalized hospitality and experiences at its core. Oenophiles, in particular, are drawn to the hotel’s 35,000-bottle wine cellar, while three acclaimed restaurants, including the two Michelin-starred Focus ATELIER, led by chef Patrick Mahler, have made it one of Switzerland’s premier culinary destinations.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como, Italy
Greta Garbo wasn’t wrong when she referred to Lake Como’s Grand Hotel Tremezzo as “that sunny, happy place” in the 1932 film Grand Hotel. Today, this historic haven continues to conjure up images of Hollywood glitterati and iconic Italian vignettes across the Bellalio peninsula.
The seven-story hotel’s Art Nouveau façade set against the forested slopes of the Lugano Prealps is well known to world travelers, debuting in 1910 and soon luring Europe’s aristocracy, setting the bar for luxury stays in this popular region. Rich interiors from floor to ceiling can be found throughout its 77 guest rooms and restaurants and bars, all surrounded by manicured gardens. The hotel’s ultra-luxe 16th-century Villa Sola Cabiati even welcomed Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce last year.
To truly get a glimpse of living la dolce vita, cruise Lake Como aboard one of the hotel’s vintage speedboats.
The Point Resort, Saranac Lake, New York
Built as a Great Camp for William Avery Rockefeller II in 1932, The Point Resort offers an intimate stay set on Upper Saranac Lake in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Amid 75 sprawling acres, the 11 rooms are divided among four “log mansions” dripping in fine antiques and collectible art, including 19th-century oil paintings from Rockefeller’s personal collection.
The first Relais and Châteaux hotel in North America, The Point treats guests like one extended house party, and embraces its seclusion wholeheartedly. Wi-fi is limited, and the sole television can be found in The Pub. But don’t worry about entertaining yourself — there’s boating, waterskiing, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding, as well as hiking, croquet, and axe throwing.
Guests typically dine together nightly in the Great Hall, savoring signature dishes and wines pulled from the cellar, while cocktails can be enjoyed aboard the property’s classic wooden Elco cruiser or on the terrace.
Rosewood Schloss Fuschi
At the base of the Austrian Alps, Schloss Fuschi is the crown jewel of Lake Fuschi. Located on a peninsula and surrounded by turquoise waters, it was built in 1461 as a hunting lodge for the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg.
Nearly five centuries later, Schloss Fuschi opened as a hotel in 1947, but just two years ago, Rosewood unveiled the reinvented property with 98 guest rooms, including 48 suites and six ski chalets, all with a contemporary-meets-Alpine aesthetic. Think: mounted antlers, minibars handpainted by an Austrian artist, and an authentic alpine lodge offering regional wines and local flavor.
Just outside of Salzburg, the hotel sits at the gateway to Austria’s Salzkammergut region. Offering outdoor enthusiasts guided fishing excursions on the lake, gastronomes forest foraging adventures with an expert herbalist, and cooking demonstrations in nearby alpine huts, the property celebrates its sense of place.
Passalacqua, Moltrasio, Italy
Set on land once owned by a pope, and before that, a monastery, Passalacqua could be called sacred ground. Originally built to be the stately lakeside home of an Italian count, and later welcoming eyebrow-raising guests including Napoleon and Winston Churchill, today’s property is the result of a three-year undertaking to restore the residence to its former grandeur.
The 24-room property (set across three buildings) pays homage to its past through meticulous craftsmanship, from frescoed ceilings and one-of-a-kind Murano handblown crystal chandeliers to restored Venetian terrazzo floors and Lombard terracotta roof tiles. Don’t miss the poolside bar, the “Winter Garden,” housed in a former greenhouse where your biggest decision is shaken or stirred.
La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat, Añangu, Ecuador
More than 40 miles into the rainforest within Ecuador’s Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, La Selva Eco-Lodge & Retreat was among the first of its kind to open in the country’s Amazon basin.
Reached exclusively by boat, the lodge is located on the north bank of the Napo River on the shores of Lake Garzacocha, a rainforest lagoon near Yasuní National Park in one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet. The carbon-neutral lodge encourages connecting with nature via outdoor yoga, spa treatments like Amazon ritual baths, cacao ceremonies, canoe rides, or trail hikes that wind through the surrounding rainforest and meet the lake.
But a sustainable stay here doesn’t mean scrimping on luxury. The 19 staterooms are spacious, offer nightly turndown service, and are positioned above the lake with private balconies and rainforest showers.
Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, Switzerland
When it debuted in 1906 on the northern shore of Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne, the Palace Hotel was regarded as one of the world’s most elegant hotels. Following a meticulous multi-year renovation completed in 2022, the newly christened Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, continues that legacy today.
Just a short stroll from the city center, the grand hotel’s Neoclassical façade gives way to a sweeping interior where a marble vestibule, largely unchanged in more than 120 years, exudes timeless old-world European grandeur. But it’s also a modern masterpiece. Most of the contemporary-designed 136 rooms have a private balcony or terrace, many soaking in views of snowcapped Swiss Alps.
While the spa offers a holistic approach to skin health, dining here takes center stage, with its four restaurants under the command of a Michelin-starred chef.
Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler, BC Canada
Whistler is best known for its skiing, but whether blanketed in snow or bathed in summer sunshine, Nita Lake Lodge exudes lakeside extravagance. The tranquil, glacier-fed lake is ideal for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing, while nearby alpine trails wind through the wilderness uncovering waterfalls, panoramic mountain vistas, and even a roughly 427-foot long suspension bridge crossing high above Whistler Bowl.
After adventuring, unwind with a cocktail on the lodge’s new lakeside patio or head to the rooftop for a barrel sauna and hot tub soak overlooking the water. Inside, spacious contemporary rooms place the views front and center, with most featuring king-size beds, double soaker tubs, glass-enclosed rain showers, and basalt gas fireplaces.
Auberge du Père Bise, Talloires-Montmin, France
Lake Annecy’s cerulean waters in the heart of the French Alps give it the moniker, “Europe’s purest lake.” Auberge Du Père Bise, founded 120 years ago, fronts the lake, with 22 individually decorated rooms designed to feel like a special stay in a family home – say, your wealthy French uncle’s pied-à-terre whose impeccable taste brings together antique artwork, vintage prints, and hidden nooks.
Flanked between the lake and mountains, the hotel’s spa features panoramic views, sauna, Turkish steam bath, sensory shower, cold plunge, and a Nordic bath on the terrace. But the cornerstone of the hotel is its dining program, led by Michelin-starred chef Jean Sulpice.
The Lake Estate at Winnisquam, Tilton, New Hampshire
New England’s newest luxury lakeside resort is tucked away in the heart of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region and takes a cue from the grand private estates that dotted this area a century ago — only with every modern luxury. The $90 million resort spans 36 acres, encompassing a lakefront lawn, infinity pool with two hot tubs, an outdoor year-round heated mineral spa, two private beaches, four pickleball courts, a tennis court, apple orchard, and meditation gardens overlooking two mountain ranges.
In the main lodge, hand-hewn arches from local timber, 25 fireplaces, and a curated collection of nearly 100 19th- and 20th-century American paintings offer rustic elegance. The spa with an adjacent salon, however, means no one is roughing it. James Beard-recognized chef Chris Viaud leads the hotel’s culinary program while the in-house movie theater shows the classics.
Feature image courtesy of Passalacqua. Travel Curator may earn a commission from booking links on this page.
