Villars Palace
Switzerland
Villars Palace
Rte des Hôtels 28
HOTEL INFORMATION
Group
Villars Alpine Resort
Shareholders
Privately owned
Date of Creation
Original building built in 1913 / undergone several renovations, last one ending in June 2022 after which the Villars Palace opened
Hotel General Manager
Jean-Yves Blatt joined Villars Palace as Group Managing Director of the Villars Alpine Resort in November 2023. A native of Switzerland, and a graduate of the famed Lausanne Hotel School, Blatt’s career in hospitality is distinguished by its concentrated focus in Switzerland, and with properties clustered among the upper ranks of the world’s most esteemed hotels. This includes the Lausanne Palace Spa and Hotel Le Mirador (now Le Mirador Kempinski), as well as the development of The Chedi Andermatt to its actual prestige.
Hotel Positioning
5 ***** Superior, LHW
Development Strategy
Dating from 1913, the Villars Palace is an emblematic building of the village of Villars. Over the centuries, celebrities have been charmed by the prestige and discretion and surroundings of the region. In addition, our partnership with the Villars Palace Academy, offers future hoteliers a place to evolve into the leaders of tomorrow.
Villars Palace
History and Story
With the completion of its build in 1913, the Villars Palace opened its doors as the fifth largest palace in the Vaud Alps, offering the guests at that time the most modern facilities. After its quick success, The Villars Palace was purchased by the Club Méditerranée in 1968 and was operated by them until 2018, when it was bought by the current owners. Since then, the Villars Palace has undergone a full renovation and offers its guests a modern and luxurious retreat with no equal in the heart of the Vaud Alps.
Date Renovation
• 2022 full property renovation
• Denis Glatz, Ottavio Di Chio, Philippe Jacquier
Main Strengths, Special Touch
• Closest swiss-ski resort to the Geneva International Airport
• A swiss classic mountain retreat, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, creating the ultimate balance between modernity and the charm of old times.
• Experience the hospitality of tomorrow, where the well-being of your mind, body, and planet is taken care of
• A rich and diverse culinary experience that follows the rhythm of the mountains displayed in our 6 restaurants: from our gourmet signature restaurant to our Pizza and Tapas venues.
Location
Located on the mountains between Montreux (30 mins.) and the Glacier 3000 (45 mins.), in Villars-sur-Ollon, nestled in the heart of the Swiss Alps, the Villars Alpine Resort offers a majestic setting with awe-inspiring views of the Dents-du-Midi. This remarkable destination combines well-being, and active lifestyle, accompanied by the beauty of the Swiss Alpine nature. All of this only, 1 ½ hours away from the Geneva International airport.
Key sites/activities in the area
• Winter : Skiing, Cross-Country skiing, Dog Sledding, Heli skiing, Night skiing, Ice diving, snowshoeing, thermal baths, paragliding, sky diving, curling, biathlon, sledging
• Summer: Themed hikes, Via Ferrata, , Salt mines visit, Canyoning, Archery, Lake cruises, visit of the local vineyards, axe-throwing, tennis, soccer, climbing, rope park
• All year round: Visit of the Glacier 3000 and Tissot Walk, Panoramic mountain trains, Hot-air balloon, Chaplins World (Charlie Chaplin Museum), Chillon Castle, Olympic Museum Lausanne
Fun Facts
• MJF Spotlight sessions in Villars Palace: Every winter, the MJF Spotlight Sessions rock the resort of Villars-sur-Ollon. On the program: not-to-be-missed evenings with concerts by emerging artists and DJ sets.
• Art collections:
Let your inner child out. Adjacent to the 1895 historic theater, this space is entirely dedicated to Hergé and the legendary Tintin.
Head off an adventure with Hugo Pratt and discover Venice, Ethiopia, and Buenos Aires before meeting Corto Maltese.
Allow Jimmy Nelson to take you on a wonderful journey to connect with fascinating tribes from around the world. This is a beautiful tribute to our world, visually demonstrating how every culture is significant
Children Corner
• Kid´s club Petit palace
• Open from 9:00 to 21:00
• Not supervised, parents are welcome to join the children while playing
• In winter, children can do their first turns on the kids slope next to the hotel
HOTEL FEATURES
Accommodation
• Number of suites: 24
• Junior Suite & Junior Suite Panorama | 38 – 48 sqm | One bedroom suite with living area
• Suite Panorama | 56 – 67 sqm |Suite with separate living area
• Alpine Spa Suite | 73 sqm | One bedroom suite with living area | Massage table in the room
• Kaea Spa Suite | 88 sqm | One bedroom suite with living area | Couples Massage table in the room | Fitness bike in room
• Number of Luxury rooms: 2
• Palace Suite | 151 sqm | Suite with separate living and dining area | Kitchenette
• Royal Suite | 181 sqm | Suite with separate Living and dining area | In-room bar with wine cellar | Kitchenette
• Number of rooms, (keys) in all: 106
• Standard room | 18 – 20 sqm | Queen size bedding
• Classic & Classic Panorama | 22 – 27 sqm | One bedroom suite with living area
• Superior & Superior Panorama | 28 – 34 sqm | One bedroom suite with living area
• Deluxe & Deluxe Panorama | 44 – 52 sqm | One bedroom suite with living area
Restaurants & Bars
• 1913: Signature restaurant, Fine Dining, 16 Gault & Millau points, Culinary Director: Christian Bertogna Chef: Guillaume Roquin
• Bar du Palace: Comfort Food, Cocktail Bar, Live DJ during the weekends
• 4 outside dining venues in our sister properties, all withing walking distance.
Wellness
• Outdoor Pool
• Hammam / Sauna / Bio-Sauna / relaxation room
• 200 m2 Gym area with private coaches available for personalized workouts.
• 4 individual treatment rooms | 1 Twin Massage room |Manicure and pedicure room | 2 Private spas | Relaxation Area
Corporate & Celebration Events
An enchanting setting, sweeping views of the Alps, outstanding event spaces, and bespoke menus are all you need to bring your dream event to life. Whether it is for your wedding, engagement party, company celebration, or product launch, make Villars Palace yours, and count on our team to make your next special occasion a success.
• 10 Event venues & Meeting rooms including a private Theater, Ballroom, an art exhibition gallery and 10 Meeting rooms
• Meeting room capacity form 6 – 400 guests
• Garden and terrace for all types of outdoor events
Extra Notable Features
• Glacier 300 & Peak Walk by Tissot: There is only one suspension bridge in the world that connects two mountain peaks. It is called Peak Walk by Tissot. It invites you to an adventure that you will not easily forget.
• Golf Club Villars 18 holes (10 min. drive)
• Private tennis and soccer pitch
• Perfect ski resort for all skiing levels, especially beginners, with a total of 136 slope kilometers. The Villars Ski School is the largest ski school in Switzerland with nearly 300 instructors
• Discover the salt mines of Bex
• Thermal bath at Lavey les Bains
• Dog sledding
Hotel and restaurant awards
2022-2023-2024
• 1913 Restaurant: 16 Gault & Millau points awarded 2023
• Historic Hotel of the year in Switzerland 2024
• Best Mountain Hotel 2024 – Canton of Vaud
• Alpine Experience of the Year 2024 – Canton of Vaud
• Villars Palace ranked among the 101 best hotels in Switzerland, Austria and Germany 2024
• Rank 19 in the best hotels in Switzerland by Karl Wild
• Swiss Location Awards: 9.3 / 10, ranking of the most beautiful conference venues in Switzerland
Number of employees
200