The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, Geneva

One of Geneva’s original luxury hotels, the De La Paix has stood on this spot on the Quai du Mont Blanc since 1865. As a classic five-star, it wasn’t entirely without company — the shores of Lake Geneva are all but lined with luxury palaces — but now, after an extensive renovation, it’s staking out some territory of its own.

It’s no less upscale than it always was — the difference is that now it’s a more contemporary sort of luxury, looking a bit like one imagines these 19th-century palaces might have looked to 19th-century eyes. Nothing avant-garde, just a touch of 21st-century simplicity; the exteriors and entry hall remain opulent and traditional as ever, but the rooms are simpler and cleaner-lined, shedding most of their antique look while retaining a similarly dignified atmosphere.

As before, no amenity is spared. Televisions are flat-screen now, and the marble bathrooms come with high-end Annick Goutal products. Most of it, though, is the timeless sort of luxury — lake and garden views, 24-hour room service, and good old-fashioned breathing room. The restaurant’s interiors are modern as well, and the cuisine, updated though it may be, is still upscale French/Mediterranean — the more things change….