A Swiss renaissance on LAKE LUCERNE

Something big has been brewing above Lake Lucerne. Nine years and more than $500 million in the making, Bürgenstock Resort (buergenstock.ch) — the historic Swiss hideaway that once lured the likes of Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn— has been reborn as a sprawling lakefront complex unlike anything Europe has ever seen. This spring, a grand event will celebrate the full-scale opening of the 148acre project, which comprises four hotels, 12 restaurants and bars, a nine-hole golf course, private residences, and a state-ofthe-art wellness center.

Among the options at Bürgenstock are the 19th-century Palace Hotel, which has been restored and renovated to its former glory; the gleaming Bürgenstock Hotel, whose 102 contemporary rooms and suites are dressed in Arana marble and American walnut; and the just-opened Waldhotel, which features one of Switzerland’s most comprehensive medical spas, with wide-ranging programs that span from preventive medicine to post-op recovery. For active types, Bürgenstock also offers championship tennis courts, a curling rink, seven helipads, a private lido, and 43 miles of hiking and biking trails.

—Sandra Ramani