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Switzerland- Grand Hotel Beau Rivage Hotel
My wife and I are scheduled for the week in Switzerland tour in September 2025. When I review the ratings and the pictures of the Grand Hotel Beau Rivage in Interlaken it seems to be a budget hotel that is in need of a renovation. Given we would be staying for three nights at this hotel that is a concern.
Has anyone stayed at this hotel and if so, what are your thoughts?
Thank you.
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Since nobody has responded, I'll give you my thoughts. I haven't stayed there, but I do remember walking past it. It is an historic grand hotel. Certainly not a budget hotel. Rooms in the summer months start at about $700 per night. Rooms may be on the small side, but this is common in Europe. Given the location, the views should be outstanding. It is right on the river connecting the two lakes. There is no air conditioning, but this is common in Switzerland, especially in the alpine regions. Unless there is a heat wave, you should be fine opening a window. Since you are going in September, this shouldn't be a problem at all.
I can't speak to the condition of the hotel, but it isn't uncommon to see complaints for older hotels. I've stayed at elegant European hotels that were lovely and seen complaints from others on review sights. Things break and older hotels have quirks like floors that aren't quite level. The average guest doesn't have any problems. Remember that complainers are much more likely to post reviews.
Tauck chooses the "best available" hotels. They seem to weight this heavily towards location and this hotel certainly has that. I suggest that you look at the pictures on the hotel's website. It looks pretty elegant to me, although the rooms look a bit cozy.
In short, I wouldn't worry.
I too will be going to Switzerland in September and had the exact same thoughts about the Grand Hotel Beau Rivage. What are the dates of your tour? We are 9/14-21.
We did this tour a few years ago --- I think it was about 3 years ago. We stayed at Beau Rivage and I have no memory of it being a 'budget' hotel. I don't recall the breakfast at all (strange, as I recall many breakfasts elsewhere), but had no issues with the hotel and it was well-located.
A memorably horrible hotel experience we had on this tour was at the Mont Cervin Palace in Zermatt. The hotel didn't have room for us so put 4 sets of us in it's "Extended Stay" unit which was on the other side of the road next to the youth hostel. It stank like a sewer and I compare it to a Homewood Suites that isn't as good as Homewood Suites. Tauck offered us not 1 cent back. Awful experience - put a damper on the entire tour for us. Hope you have better luck. If your tour director says you're going to get a 'special room' - beware.
We have a different point of view from lisajanetx. We had a good experience at the Mont Cervin. Similar to her there were around five sets that went to the "Residences". At first, we were disappointed that we were not in the main building, the hotel was completely sold out. We did not experience a youth hostel nor any bad smells. The Residences are connected to the main hotel with an underground tunnel. We found the room to be spacious and clean. Was it luxurious no, very functional and comfortable yes. The property did not have air conditioning and there was a heat wave in Switzerland at the time. Based on recommendations from this forum, we ordered a fan immediately upon arrival and that helped quite a bit. We also had one of our best Tauck provided dinners at this hotel. The location of this hotel was excellent and to top it off, we were able to see the Matterhorn from our room!!!