December 25th – 27th, 2025

Hotel Château Gütsch

I somehow managed to book what might be the absolute best hotel room in Lucerne, and I say that with full confidence! We stayed at Château Gütsch, in their Queen Victoria Suite, yes, the very room where Queen Victoria herself once stayed. Casual! The room is beautifully unique, full of character, and makes you feel slightly more important than you actually are. The view from the hotel is absolutely spectacular, the kind that stops you mid sentence just to stare a little longer. I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy pretending you are royalty for a night!

The restaurant at the hotel, Restaurant Lumières, is equally impressive! The dining room is spacious and elegant, and somehow makes you sit up straighter without realizing it. The gastro menu matches the setting perfectly, beautifully presented and genuinely delicious. The gnocchi was outstanding, and the dessert was so good that even I was impressed, which says a lot given my very high dessert standards! This is definitely one of the more memorable hotels in the world!

The City

The day after Christmas, the city slips into a rare hush. Streets feel softer, slower. Almost everything is closed except a few glowing bars, and for once, there’s nothing to do but wander, breathe, and let the calm settle in. Walking across the Lucerne bridge, I paused to watch the water drift quietly below, its stillness carrying a sense of calm that made everything else fade away.

By the 27th, the city had completely woken up. Shops flung their doors open, streets filled with movement, and Lucerne felt alive again. It’s the kind of place where you linger over chocolate shops and wander through just-luxury-enough boutiques, discovering European fashion at every turn. And, of course, this is Switzerland—so for watch lovers, gleaming displays of timepieces seem to be everywhere you look.

Dinner at Bodu Brasserie

The space buzzed softly with conversation, candlelight reflecting off wood and glass, creating an atmosphere that was lively yet intimate. Plates arrived hearty and comforting, rooted in classic brasserie style, the kind of food that feels deeply satisfying without trying too hard. It was the perfect ending to the day. Truly, one of the best and comforting plate of the trip!