Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa

For centuries Switzerland was the playground of Europe, and to this day it’s practically bursting with classic grand hotels — when it comes to old-fashioned luxury, these people know what they’re doing. In Interlaken, the grande dame is the Victoria-Jungfrau, a 19th-century hotel which, like its counterparts in Switzerland’s other , has played host to a list of luminaries a mile long.

Of course these places can’t get by on reputation alone. The Victoria-Jungfrau has gamely kept pace with the times, updating its slightly rustic Alpine-style pomp with some extremely restrained modern touches. What this means to you is that your room is neither a faded antique nor an alienating modern experiment, just elegant, somewhat timeless, and about as comfortable as it’s possible for a hotel room to be.

Just as much comfort is to be found outside the rooms. The Spa Nescens is joined by a dermatology clinic, several varieties of massage therapy, even a hair salon. The health club is perhaps even more impressive, with several pools, a massive and well-equipped fitness center, and an indoor tennis facility. Add a large handful of restaurants and lounges, and natural proximity to Interlaken’s lakefront and Alpine mountains, and you’ve got yourself a very complete destination.